Page 91 of Summer Breakdown
“I can come off,” Zach says. “It’s an important game.” Jasmine knows that too. It’s not the make or break of them and the championship, but it’ll make the rest of it harder. She knows Frankie’s not letting them go back outside. That doesn’t mean she won’t overthink every step of it.
“No.”
“Frank’s right,” Kai says. “We don’t want to set a precedent. What if we get a women’s team like Frank wants and someone is trans?” Jasmine frowns. A specific example that she’ll get Frankie to follow up with later.
“It’s going to lose us points,” Bright starts, but Frankie holds her hand up. She spins, searching for something, and Jasmine wants to help her. Frankie taps her heel manically and Jasmine almost steps forward to hold her hand. Frankie’s never needed something like this. Jasmine has no idea what she might want her to do. She might not need her at all but she wishes she knew how to help.
Frankie sighs, her hand against her forehead. “Someone get me Jasmine.” Everyone looks at her and she spins, her eyes wide as if she’s going to ask again. Then, her eyes land on her, and she smiles.
“Oh. Hi.”
Jasmine smiles at her. “Hi.”
Frankie takes a deep breath. “What do you think?”
Jasmine frowns. “What?” Everyone looks at her like they will do what she says, as if she is an extension of Frankie right now. Jasmine doesn’t even know everyone’s name. Jasmine’s heart is a wild thing in her chest.
“You’re the smartest person I know,” Frankie replies. “What would you do?”
Jasmine chews on her lip. Jasmine would ask Frankie. She would do whatever Frankie said they should do because she’s the best person to ask. She has the skills, she knows the team, and she’s been on the pitch before.
She’d let this team she built from the ground up go to hell to protect her players.
Jasmine shrugs. “I’d do whatever you told me to.”
Frankie takes a breath in. “Everyone close your eyes.” Jasmine watches as they do, and she does it too. “Picture yourself as a child. Ezra, you were chubby, don’t forget that.”
Jasmine laughs, and she knows Ezra swore at her.
“Okay. Whatever age you were when you first thought rugby was cool. Now, picture yourself at that age on the pitch today.”
Jasmine thinks about Marcel. He was five, and he saw Maro Itoje on screen for the first time. They couldn’t afford to go to a game, but Jasmine saved up for months to get him a shirt for his birthday. Marcel still owns it now. He thought Maro was the coolest person he’d ever seen. He might still have the crown. It might be Frankie.
“Put your hand up if you’d let them go back out,” Frankie asks. Jasmine knows she won’t send them out anyway. She’ll be halfway to packing her bags and, hopefully, coming back with Jasmine. Jasmine’s hand stays down. When she opens her eyes, everyone else’s is down too.
“Right,” Frankie says. “Get your stuff. Go home. I’ll sort this out.”
“Coach,” Zach starts, but she doesn’t let him finish.
“Training tomorrow at seven. Juniors after. You’re fined if you’re not gone by the time I get my phone from my office.”
“The press are going to wanna speak to someone,” Ezra replies, and Frankie rolls her eyes.
“Can’t they piss off for one day?”
“I’ll do it,” Ezra says, and everyone’s eyes snap to him. Ezra doesn’t speak to the press. He may tell them they’re all cunts and to fuck off. Jasmine kinda wants to see it.
“Meet you out there in ten?”
Jasmine waits at the side entrance with Mali and Zach. There’s a buzz from reporters as Ezra stands with phones and cameras pointed at him. He’s silent. He might be waiting for Frankie. He’s probably trying to piss them off.
“Adebayo,” a reporter shouts, when Frankie comes out. Jasmine wants to tell him to fix his fucking tone. “What did you think when Azan came out?”
Frankie raises her eyebrow. “Did you read the article?”
The sweaty man in an ill-fitting suit blinks rapidly. “Of course.”
“Then you know how I felt about it.”
