Attack of the Cupids by John Dickinson Page B

greens had Janey, as well as Viola, Cassie, Imogen and Tara, standing cold-eyed with their sticks in their hands. One thing about Viola and her friends – they might spend their days doing their nails and yawning about men, but they actually
could
play hockey. Times like this, you remembered that.
    â€˜HM, THIS ISN’T VERY EVEN, IS IT? VIOLA, WILL YOU SWAP WITH ELLIE PLEASE?’
    â€˜A masterstroke,’ said Sally sourly, as an obviously reluctant Viola changed bibs with Ellie. ‘Put her on our team, do.’
    â€˜Hey, Tony!’ called Billie.
    The sixth-formers were on a free period. There they went, lounging out of the school gates with their bags over their shoulders and their uniforms in studied disarray. Tony and Alec and Zac were trailing along in a threesome. They probably had no idea what was going on behind them.
    â€˜Hey Tony!’ Billie called again, jumping up and down and waving her stick. She made enough noise for Tony to look her way. Worse, when he saw her he smiled and raised a hand. Everyone saw it. The faces of Viola and Cassie, Tara and Imogen, were as hard as stone. Their eyes glittered coldly.
    â€˜That does it,’ muttered Sally. ‘We’re dead.’
    Pheeeeeeeeep!
went the whistle.
Clack, clack
went the sticks of the forwards and—
    â€˜Aargh!’ cried Holly, hopping.
    â€˜Oh, sorry!’ called Tara as she chased off after the ball.
    â€˜
Sorry
,’ muttered Holly furiously. ‘You will be!’
    â€˜You all right?’ said Sally.
    Holly rubbed her shin. ‘She hit straight over it! Ow. I can walk. Let’s get on.’
    Down the field a cluster of red shirts was charging forward. Billie was there, stick clutched like a battle-axe and her fair hair bobbing as she ran. But Imogenwas on the ball first. Coolly and cruelly she waited until the eager reds had almost reached her, then she swept it aside to Tara, whose pass found Janey lancing up the field.
    â€˜TRACK BACK, REDS! WHO ARE YOU MARKING? LET’S SEE SOME DEFENCE NOW!’
    Defence? The only defence against Janey was another Janey, and she didn’t come in twos. Sally scampered after her, hoping for some kind of miracle that would let her get the ball. She might as well not have been there. Viola, sulking on the other wing, definitely wasn’t there. Janey’s pass found Tara in the centre with a free shot at goal, and only Eva, quivering behind her pads, in the way.
    WHACK!
went the stick.
SMACK!
went the ball, ricocheting off Eva’s mask. ‘Eeep!’ said Eva, and sat down.
    Tara pounced on the loose ball and drifted it contemptuously into the back of the red’s net.
    â€˜GOAL! WELL DONE, TARA! COME ON, REDS, GET YOURSELVES ORGANIZED!’
    â€˜Are you all right?’ said Sally. She had a horrible feeling she was going to be saying this a lot that afternoon.
    â€˜I – think – I – got a tooth or two left,’ gasped Eva. She got to her feet. ‘We’re mincemeat, aren’t we?’
    There wasn’t much Sally could say to that.
    Here came the greens again. Janey – Tara – Imogen – Tara . . .
    â€˜COME ON, VIOLA, WHAT’S THE MATTER? ARE YOU ASLEEP?’
    Viola broke into a sulky trot, arriving somewhere near Imogen just in time to see the ball crossed to the far side of the field. Tara picked it up. Sally was in the way. Back went Tara’s stick . . .
    W INDLEBERRY:
 
The rules of hockey are perfectly clear. A player must not intimidate another player. They must not play the ball dangerously or in a way which leads to dangerous play. They may not intentionally raise the ball from a hit except for a shot at goal. Raising the ball towards another player within five metres is considered dangerous.
S ALLY:
 
You think any of that’s going to stop her?
W INDLEBERRY:
 
You should take the ball while her stick is back.
S ALLY:
 
She isn’t playing the