Page 36 of Matched Up

I didn’t dignify that with a response.

‘OK, girls, big match next week.’Sadie clapped her hands and scanned the squad.‘Linfield.Everyone is going to have to play their hearts out.And what’s the point if you don’t?Right?’

‘Right,’ I said, swept up in trying to impress her.

Everyone except Megan turned to look at me.

‘Good.Glad one of you is on board anyway,’ said Sadie, saving me.‘So, I want to see you train like you mean it tonight.Fitness, then matches.Impress me if you want to see your name on the team list.’

Then we dispersed.My heart swelled, as if I’d already made the team.That’s what it would feel like.

And it helped me push myself even harder than usual, imagining what it would feel like to tell Shane I was playing.I ignored the twinge of longing that showed up when Niall flashed in my head.Before all this, he would have been the one I wanted to tell.

I shoved him out of my head and thought about Shane again.Then we were playing matches.And I marked players the way Shane had shown me.

‘Nice, Lexie,’ Sadie called from the sidelines when I blocked a shot.

I thought I might burst with pride.

Me and Megan were on opposite teams.And when I went in for a tackle, I went in hard.But just as hard as I’d tackle anybody.

‘Lexie, what the fuck?’Megan was on the ground holding her shin.

‘I got the ball,’ I said with a shrug.Which was true.

But she got me back.Took the ball round me like I wasn’t even there, and scored, top corner like it was effortless.And although she’d been ignoring me, she made sure to look over me before turning to the sidelines with a swing of her chestnut ponytail, to smile at Niall.

‘Yes, Megan!’Sadie cheered.‘That’s what I need next week.’

I wondered what it would feel like to hear that from Sadie.I would.Iwouldhear it.I just needed to do more.

By the end of practice sweat was dripping from my face and I had to double over to catch my breath.I pulled on my hoodie and sat in the stands, waiting for the boys to start.

As the boys’ squad flooded the pitch, I looked for Shane.But I couldn’t see him anywhere.Why wasn’t he at training?Then I looked up towards the clubhouse.There he was, leaning against the wall, talking to Zoe.

And I felt sick.

14

I stared at them, trying to work out what they were saying.But they were too far away and the boys on the pitch were too loud.I needed to know what she’d said.Whathe’dsaid.

I watched the boys’ practice but wasn’t paying attention.I was trying to calm myself down.We had a thing; there was no reason he was going to fall for Zoe, even if she was gorgeous.But I relaxed a bit at the end of practice, when he looked up to the stands and smiled at me.Until the name ‘Grace’ flashed in my head again.

I sent him a message.

ME: Meet me behind the clubhouse?

It wasn’t until the boys had gone back into the changing rooms that I got a reply.

SHANE: OK

A one-word reply?What if Zoe had won him over?What if he’d told her about us?

Megan and Niall were kissing against the fence when I walked past, and I was almost at the clubhouse when I heard Niall’s voice.

‘Let’s go, Lexie!’he called.

‘Just need to do something,’ I said without turning round, and he didn’t say anything else.Probably went back to kissing Megan.I had a quick look to make sure nobody was watching, before walking to the back of the clubhouse.

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