A Goal for Joaquin (14 page)

At school Joaquin' friends were able to focus more on schoolwork and other events besides soccer. Julio was busy practicing for the track team, and Kari and Meta had both gotten part-time jobs working two evenings a week at the new Super-Saver grocery store. Joaquin was pleased to see Monte Rose in school almost every day. His attendance had improved dramatically after deciding to go out for the soccer team. Though he still hung out with the same crew of skateboarders, he was always friendly to Joaquin and assured him almost daily that he was keeping up in all his classes and wasn't going to have any problem meeting the academic requirement.
 

Of course, Tuesday and Thursday nights were reserved for soccer. At first, Joaquin was pleased to see the positive attitudes and the blossoming skills of his future teammates. Nearly all of the players who signed up for the team attended both sessions each week. Even Monte showed up on a regular basis. His ability to guard the goal was awesome. With his long body and wide wingspan he was able to cover an enormous amount of space. Even though his moves needed polish and his physical conditioning wasn't the best, he was clearly an impressive athlete. Even Kari and Meta had to admit that his presence was going to be a real asset to the team. Everyone had high hopes for the fall season.
 

Joaquin usually saw Jessica and Brian on weekends. He had finally passed the exam to get his driver's license, so he was able to get back and forth to Lakeshore quite easily. Brian, of course, was envious of Joaquin and his new team. Since he had quit the Lakeshore team, Brian hadn't played any competitive soccer. He wished he could transfer to Willowdale so that he could play there, but his parents had no intention of moving to a new school district just so their son could play a sport. Frequently, he drove over to Willowdale on Tuesday and Thursday nights to join the scrimmages. Joaquin's friends were glad to have him there because they were always short of players when they tried to field two teams. Though not the best player on the field, Brian showed that he had enough skill and experience to make him a strong addition to the team if he could somehow figure out how to switch high schools for the fall semester. Joaquin offered to let Brian move in with the Lopez family for a semester, but Brian said his parents would never go for such a plan. He was doomed, he concluded, to watch his friends play and to think about what it would've been like if his school had not hired Coach Sommers. It was agreed that Brian, Joaquin and Julio would find a club team to join during the summer.

Quite often Jessica watched the informal soccer matches, but she couldn't be talked in to joining the action on the field. She explained that she just didn't have an interest in playing. Instead she sat on the sideline and read a book, looking up frequently to see how everyone was doing. Jessica and Cocoa had become very good friends, a situation that made Joaquin rather uncomfortable. He wasn't sure why. He guessed it was because he and Jessica were seeing each other quite often, going to movies and taking long country walks, yet sometimes he still had a difficult being with Cocoa without feeling a certain attraction. Cocoa never did anything to encourage this feeling, but with her looks and personality, no encouragement was needed.

For the most part the spring scrimmages went smoothly, but there were times when Joaquin started to question how committed some of the players were. He had a growing feeling that the team was losing some of its enthusiasm. One particular night in early May, there were only nine players at the scrimmage. Julio was at a track meet, Monte had gone to Milwaukee for a rock concert, and several others were simply not there for some reason or other. Of course, the practice sessions were set up to be informal, and attendance was in no way mandatory. Yet Joaquin was bothered by the poor turnout.
 

“I hope people take soccer more seriously when the regular season starts next fall,” he said to Kari and Cocoa as they were loosening up before the scrimmage. “I don't want to play on a team if nobody cares whether we win or lose. I think we should be doing some windsprints and calisthenics at these practices. ”

“I thought we scheduled these get-togethers so we could play soccer and have fun.” Cocoa said without looking up from her leg stretches. “I don't think we should be having big serious practices. That's not even legal till the middle of August.”

“That's right,” Kari agreed, “and after all the hours I put in getting this team started, I don't appreciate being called a loser.” The look in her eyes showed she was angry about Joaquin's comments.

“I didn't say you were a loser,” Joaquin said. “I just think maybe we should try to accomplish more.” Joaquin could feel a tightening in his shoulder muscles. He twisted his neck back and forth to work out the kinks. He knew he should change the subject, but there was more he wanted to say. He dropped into a sitting position and began stretching his hamstring muscles. With his face nearly touching his extended thigh and knee, he conveniently avoided eye contact with his friends. “It's not going to be easy competing against schools that have had programs for several years. I just don't want to go out and look stupid.”

“Well, nobody wants to lose, but that doesn't mean we have to be at each other's throats. Personally, I want to have fun, and I was working to get this team started long before you moved here.” Kari's words came out in a quick staccato burst. “Maybe you're the one who needs a better attitude.”

There was a long pause before anyone spoke. Realizing he wasn't going to get support for his opinion, Joaquin decided it was best to keep his comments to himself. Cocoa and Kari walked to the center of the field and started passing a ball back and forth. They talked to each other in voices too quiet for Joaquin to understand. He jogged down the field and joined a circle of younger players working on passing and juggling skills. The scrimmage that night was very subdued. Joaquin felt bad that he had created a barrier between himself and the girls who had made him feel so welcome when he first moved to Willowdale. He decided he'd be best off keeping his concerns to himself.

 

Chapter 17

 

Another near catastrophe hit the team about two weeks before the end of the school year. Joaquin was at his locker before school one morning when Monte Rose tapped him on the shoulder and asked if they could talk for a minute. They walked to the cafeteria and sat down at a vacant table.

“I got problems in my physical science class, dude.” Monte spoke without his usual carefree grin. “I've been working really hard in there to get my grade up to passing, and I've been doing fine. I got a D on one test and a D+ on another. ”

“That sounds good. What's the problem?” Joaquin cut in.

“The problem is the last test we took. I really booked for it, you know, and I actually understood what I was supposed to do. So I take the test, and it seems pretty easy. I figure I did all right. Then when Hewett gives back the papers yesterday, there's a big, fat zero on top of mine. I try to talk to him after class and he tells me to see him after school.”

“So did you talk to him about it.”

“I went into his room after school last night, but he wasn't around. So I stopped in this morning, and he accuses me of cheating on the exam. Said I got an 84. That's a B minus, man.” Monte looked proud when he said it. “But Hewett says there ain't no way I could get a B minus unless I cheated. He said he didn't know how I did it, but he just knew I cheated.” Monte paused and ran his long fingers through his hair. “I should've known better. It doesn't matter what you do. If you're labeled a dirtball, you get treated like a dirtball. I can't play soccer next year if I get an F in science.” He leaned back and looked up at the ceiling.
 

“He can't do that,” Joaquin said. “A teacher can't give you a zero on a test without proof that you cheated.”

“He says he can do anything he wants. It's his word against mine. Who do you think people will believe?”
 

“Well, I say we talk to Mr. Tobias. He's been real fair with us before. I bet he'll listen to you.”

“Yeah right. Mr. Tobias and me have had plenty of talks, but I don't think I'm on his list of favorite students. Man, it's hopeless. I did all that work for the last six or seven weeks, and where did it get me?” Monte paused then answered his own question. “It got me right back where I started—nowhere. Man, nobody's gonna give a guy like me a break. You and your buddies better get yourself another keeper.” Monte stood up a headed toward the front door. Joaquin started after him, but he didn't know what to say to him so he let him go.
 

Joaquin wasn't sure what his next move should be. Normally, he would have gone to talk to Kari, Meta and Cocoa, but he wasn't too sure they really wanted Monte on the team. And after the argument they had at practice, Joaquin wasn't too sure they wanted him on the team either. He thought about confronting the teacher or the principal, but he didn't know either one well enough to plea Monte's case. He finally decided his best bet was Julio. Julio was still getting along with the girls. Maybe they'd help Monte if the request came from him.

Knowing that his friend didn't get to school until a couple of minutes before the tardy bell, Joaquin waited for him near the door leading from the student parking lot. When Julio came running up the sidewalk, he looked surprised to see Joaquin standing there. “What's up, Joaquin. You look like some bully just stole your lunch money.” He laughed as he spoke.

“We've got to talk. Monte's having trouble with his science teacher. He might flunk off the team.” Joaquin sounded desperate.

“Can this wait till lunch?” Julio asked, brushing past Joaquin and heading through the doorway. “I've got a quiz in American Lit first hour, and if I'm late Schnieder won't let me take it.”

“Well, I guess we can wait, but we've got to do something or we won't have a goalie next fall,” Joaquin said. “Maybe you can talk to Kari and Meta. I'm not exactly in their good graces right now.”

“I'll try, but I have to get to class. I'll talk to you later.” Julio ran off down the hall without waiting for a response. Joaquin knew that his friend was sincere when he said he had to hurry to class, but still he felt bad about the hasty brush off. For a minute it seemed like everything was starting to fall apart. There were uncertainties about the team, and he wasn't getting along with his friends. Maybe he would have been better off staying at Lakeshore. At least there he knew where he stood. Since moving to Willowdale, he had built such high hopes about getting a second chance to play soccer. Now it seemed like it was never going to happen. As he trudged slowly up the hall, he heard the tardy bell ring. He was going to get the first detention he'd ever had in high school. It was hard to believe that so much could go wrong before eight o'clock in the morning.

Joaquin had a difficult time concentrating in his morning classes. He looked like an idiot in math when the teacher told him to do a problem on the chalk board, and he accidentally solved problem fifteen when he was supposed to be doing number sixteen. Another student had already put number fifteen on the board, but Joaquin's mind was elsewhere. When his lunch break finally arrived, Joaquin had mixed feelings. Mostly he was anxious to try to find a solution to Monte's problem. But at the same time he was nervous about facing his friends. What if nobody cared about Monte's problem? What if they told Joaquin that maybe he and Monte should start their own team. In a way he dreaded walking into the cafeteria.

When he finally dragged himself into the lunchroom, Joaquin saw Julio, Cocoa, Kari, and Meta huddled around one of the small tables in the corner. They were obviously in a serious discussion about something. He hesitated approaching them for fear they were talking about him. Maybe he'd be better off eating alone, he thought. He heading toward the lunch line when he heard Julio call his name.
 

“Joaquin, what took you so long getting here. Come over and tell us what happened so we can try to think of way to get Monte out of trouble.” Julio sounded as friendly as ever.

Joaquin quickly joined the group and told them everything Monte had told him. No one spoke for a minute. Then Kari asked if anybody believed Monte actually cheated or whether they thought he was being falsely accused. Joaquin was the first to answer. “He sure sounded sincere when he told me about it this morning. I've never seen him so serious before. I think he was telling the truth.”

“Well, he sure didn't help his case by skipping his morning classes. How much support can he expect from Mr. Tobias if that's the way he handles his problems,” Meta said.
 

“Well, it wouldn't surprise me to see Hewett try to sabotage the soccer program,” said Cocoa. “He's been against us from the start. I say we'd better stick together. If we're a team, then I think we should act like a team. I'm willing to give Monte a chance to succeed. I've seen him working in study hall. I say we back him until we find out for sure that he did something wrong.”

Joaquin felt the little hairs on his neck stand up. He felt like hugging Cocoa or at least saying how impressed he was to hear her words, but he just sat there unable to say anything. The rest of the group was silent too. Cocoa sat there flashing her big eyes from face to face waiting for a response. Julio was the first to respond, “How can we argue with that?” He had a big warm smile on his face as he looked at Cocoa. “This girl could charm a mountain lion.” He blushed as he spoke. Everyone at the table nodded and smiled.