Overtime Read online

  His friends stared at him. He’d said what they were thinking.

  “We’ve gotta think of a way out of this,” Charlie said fiercely.

  “… and the boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams are cancelled, along with the Champions Cup teams, and also …”

  Charlie felt all the energy leave his body. No Champions Cup! No grade ten at Terrence Falls High. This was crazy.

  In a daze he listened to Principal Holmes rattle off the programs and events that would have to be cancelled. Finally, Holmes ended by saying, “Unfortunately, we have to divert our entire budget to the roofing issue, and there is simply not enough money in the kitty this year to do the things we normally do. I really am sorry. Again, the lists for bussing and schools will be posted on the bulletin board in the main hallway tomorrow.”

  Hilton reappeared on stage. He whispered in Principal Holmes’s ear.

  “Okay. Certainly. You’re right. We should do that now,” Principal Holmes said. Hilton lowered the microphone neck and Principal Holmes leaned towards it. “Your Fundraising Committee president wants to say a few words,” he said.

  Charlie had never paid much attention to student politics. “When did we get a fundraising committee?” he asked Pudge.

  “No idea,” Pudge said. He seemed confused as well.

  A girl stepped up to the microphone. “My name is Melissa Witherspoon,” she began. “I was a grade eleven rep on the student council last year. We only learned of the school closing this morning, like you. We need to act fast, because if we don’t, the school will close in November and all of us will have to go to other schools. For those of you in grade twelve, that means not graduating from Terrence Falls and no prom. For the rest of you, the repairs may take longer than expected, and you could lose another year.”

  Charlie looked around the cafeteria. Every student was sitting upright, staring up at the stage. He could tell they were as shocked as he was.

  “There is a way to save our year. The school board can do temporary repairs to get us through the winter. Then they can finish the roof off in the summer over the vacation. Principal Holmes has allowed us to form an emergency committee made up of student council members from last year, with Mr. Hilton as our advisor, to spearhead the fundraising effort. We have to raise the money for the temporary repairs. The school board won’t pay for that.”

  “How much?” a student demanded.

  Melissa paused and took hold of the mic again. “It’ll cost one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”

  A gasp sounded from the students.

  “I know it’s a ton of money,” she said. “But there are seven hundred fifty students at Terrence Falls. If we all pull together, along with our parents and the community we can do it. At least we have to try.”

  One hundred and fifty thousand dollars! Charlie remembered the Rebels’ car wash fundraiser last year. They’d made five hundred dollars, and were lucky to do that.

  “We don’t have time to hold the regular student council elections,” Melissa said. “We’ll do that once we save the school. For now, we want you all to think of as many fundraising ideas as you can. Think of anything. Over the next two days you can present them to the committee. We’ll pick the best and get started.”

  Principal Holmes shuffled to Melissa and took the mic. “Um … yes. Thanks. I’m hopeful the fundraising will be successful. But we must also prepare for the worst. As I said, look for the bus schedules and school assignments on the main bulletin board.” He cleared his throat. “Please make your way back to your classes in an orderly fashion.”

  The students rose from their seats. A million thoughts raced through Charlie’s mind. “How unlucky can we get?” he said, as much to himself as his friends.

  “At least we don’t have to worry about losing to Chelsea in the Champions Cup this year,” Scott said.

  “It’s still a huge rip,” Charlie said.

  “I wonder what schools we’ll have to go to?” Zachary said.

  “Hey,” Nick said to Charlie. “You’re late every day, and you can walk here. What are you gonna do when you have to catch a bus?”

  “It means I have no choice — we’re going to have to raise that money or die trying,” Charlie replied.

  “Nobody can live forever,” Scott said. “I’m in.”

  “Me too,” Pudge said.

  “Do or die,” Zachary said.

  “We’ve been through tough times before,” Charlie said. “Last year we organized the Rebels by ourselves, and won the Championship. This year we’re gonna save the school.”

  “Rebel Power!” Nick said.

  “Go Terrence Falls!” Matt said.

  “I think I’d better go look for a part-time job,” Scott said.

  Charlie laughed, and they all joined in. He actually felt better too. It was a massive amount of money, but maybe, if they came up with some great ideas, they could pull it off.

  Maybe.

  4

  RAIN DELAY

  Charlie followed his buds towards the stairs as they made their way back to the cafeteria at lunch. He passed the second floor window and looked down wistfully at the concrete pad that was surrounded by small rocks on three sides and a hill on the other. It was their ball hockey rink — not theirs exactly, but the school’s. They had started playing there at the end of grade nine, at lunch and after school, and what had started as a few mellow games had morphed into some serious five-on-five battles.

  It had started to get aggressive, and Principal Holmes had threatened to ban all ball hockey, until a kid named Dalton began to ref. He drew up some rules and posted a schedule, and the problems had disappeared for the most part. Charlie looked out again. Darkening clouds were threatening rain, which was probably why no one was there. But Tuesday lunch was the grade tens’ turn to play. He stopped by the window.

  “Boys, just to let you know — I see an empty hockey pad at the back of the school. I know we were gonna play after school, but … it makes me sad to see it all alone like that,” Charlie said.

  “That’s just plain wrong,” Nick said.

  “It’s more than wrong,” Zachary said. “It’s evil.”

  “We need to do something about it,” Pudge said.

  “But there’s the small matter of lunch,” Scott said.

  Scott’s appetite would be a difficult hurdle to overcome. The kid liked to eat. “You can eat after science,” Charlie said. “There’s five minutes between classes.”

  “Besides, you need to practise because you really suck at ball hockey,” Nick said. “And I mean really.”

  Scott looked at his lunch bag. “I’m sorry, old friend. Duty calls. To the pad!” he cried.

  He turned and leaped down to the landing. They raced after him, taking the stairs three at a time. Charlie was at the back, laughing, and looking for a way to sneak inside and get down first, but he was too far back and Pudge was cutting him off.

  “Curse you, Moretti,” he said. “I shall have my revenge.”

  Charlie turned the corner and jumped, figuring he could take the entire flight in one leap and get past Pudge. What he did not figure on was Principal Holmes walking up the stairs, and Scott, Zachary and Nick screeching to a halt. Pudge had managed to grab onto the banister to slow himself down. Charlie was in midair and could do nothing but crash straight into Nick and Zachary, sending all three to the ground.

  “Gentlemen! What is the meaning of this?” Principal Holmes said. “Are you fighting in the halls?”

  “Not at all,” Scott said. “We were just in a hurry to get to the library.”

  “Sorry guys,” Charlie whispered as he helped Zachary and Nick up.

  “The library is the other way,” Principal Holmes said.

  “We were running to the cafeteria to eat lunch, so we could get back to the library,” Nick said.

  Principal Holmes rubbed his chin with his left hand. “I admire your enthusiasm for your schoolwork, but we cannot have students jumping down stairs on to
p of each other.”

  “I agree,” Scott said. “And we’re very disappointed in ourselves. Aren’t we?”

  “We are,” they chorused.

  “Don’t let me see this again,” Principal Holmes said.

  “You won’t,” Nick said. “It’s my fault, though. When I get a math problem in my head, I get carried away.”

  “I admire your sense of responsibility,” Scott said, “but as your math tutor I really should have kept you calm and focused on the numbers.”

  “Now that you mention it,” Nick said, “you are really to blame.”

  “On the other hand, you did make a good point,” Scott said. “You were behaving badly, and I am rather shocked.”

  Principal Holmes looked tired. “I think I’ll continue to my staff meeting,” he said flatly, and walked past them and up the stairs. When he was out of earshot, Nick put a hand on Scott’s shoulder and said, “I knew there was a reason my math mark was so low.”

  “We better boogie, boys,” Charlie said. “Our empty pad could be full of guys by now. Let’s go.”

  They ran off, Charlie out in front. He turned the corner towards the pad, and this time the others had to swerve to avoid him as he skidded to a halt.

  “Joyce, do you have a death wish today?” Scott said.

  “I have a wish to play ball hockey,” Charlie said. “But look.”

  Ten players were lined up, ready for the drop of the ball — ten girls!

  “We seem to have a problem,” Pudge said.

  “Dalton’s reffing,” Nick said. “Let’s investigate.”

  Charlie followed uneasily. He had a bad feeling about this.

  “Hey Dalton,” Nick said. “What gives? Tuesday is our day.”

  “Correction. Tuesday is grade ten day,” a girl said.

  Charlie had never seen her before. She was tall, with her hair in cornrows. He certainly knew the girl opposite her, though — Julia.

  “Hey, boys. We thought we’d take a turn,” Julia said. “You can play the winner.”

  “Yeah … but … girls have never played before …” Scott’s voice trailed off.

  “So?” another girl said.

  “Oh, hi, Rebecca,” Scott said to her. “I didn’t see you … there … behind Alexandra … there.”

  Scott was never at a loss for words except when Rebecca was around.

  “You boys take a seat,” Alexandra said. “We won’t be too long — maybe half an hour, or so.”

  “Watch and learn,” the tall girl said. A girl behind her laughed; she was much shorter than her friend, but looked strong and athletic.

  Dalton bounced the ball a few times. “I had to concur that it was only fair that they have the opportunity to play,” he said.

  Charlie tried not to laugh. Dalton had a funny way of talking, always using big words. But he was a good guy, even if he might be a bit geeky — and he had a point about it being fair.

  “Let’s watch from the hill,” he said, pulling on Scott’s arm. “At least you can eat lunch.”

  Charlie sat on the ground, and his friends plopped themselves down too. The game was first to score two goals. Julia, Rebecca and Alexandra were the best junior girl hockey players in school, and he figured they would win quickly.

  “Julia and the girls will smoke ’em, and we’ll be playing in a couple of minutes,” Charlie said. “Eat up.”

  “I know the fourth girl on Julia’s team is Michelle,” Charlie said to Pudge. “I remember her from the Champions Cup. But who’s the girl in net?”

  “Not sure,” he said. “Who’s in net for Julia’s team?” he called out.

  “Why?” Scott said.

  “Charlie wants to know.”

  “I thought he was in love with Julia?” Nick said.

  “Are they breaking up?” Zachary said.

  Charlie could feel himself go red. They were always kidding him about Julia. He knew it was pointless to tell them she was just a friend; he had said that about a thousand times already.

  “I think her name is Cassie,” Pudge said.

  “If you knew, why didn’t you just tell me?” Charlie said.

  “More fun this way,” Pudge said.

  He growled and pushed Pudge on the shoulder, and his friend laughed.

  Dalton held the ball over his head, and Julia put her stick down for the draw against the tall girl.

  “Time for the ol’ razzle-dazzle,” Alexandra said.

  “Back to you, Becca,” Julia said.

  “In your dreams,” the tall girl said. “It’s right to you, Emily.”

  “Number two when you win the draw, Trisha,” Emily said.

  “They have plays?” Charlie said. He wondered if they were any good.

  Dalton dropped the ball. Trisha knocked Julia’s stick aside, stepped forward, and muscled the ball to Emily, who cradled the ball a few times, drifted to her right, and then rolled it across to her defence partner. Alexandra pressured and passed it back to Emily, and she in turn flicked it up to Trisha, and took off up the right side.

  Trisha one-timed it perfectly and Emily roared down the wing with Julia in pursuit, and Michelle angling over. Charlie watched Trisha glide up the middle and then take off full speed at the net.

  “I think I get Number Two,” Charlie said.

  Emily was a right-handed shot and she wristed the ball into the slot. Trisha kicked out her left foot to control the ball and coolly blasted it into the bottom corner, beating Cassie on the glove side.

  Zachary whistled in appreciation.

  “That was a bit of skill,” Charlie said.

  “I can’t believe she meant to do that,” Scott said. “Lucky bounce.”

  “We should probably replace you on the Rebels with her,” Nick said, “just in case.”

  “So who is she?” Scott said.

  “I thought you loved Rebecca,” Nick said.

  “I do, but I want to know the name of the girl who’s taking my spot on the Rebels — so I can be her friend on Facebook,” Scott said.

  “I heard her friend call her Trisha,” Charlie said.

  “Okay, Joyce,” Scott said. “That’s the second time we’ve caught you cheating on Julia. Behave yourself.”

  “She’s new,” Pudge said. “She’s in my science class. Her friend’s name is Emily. Both of them look like they’ve played before.”

  “Even if they haven’t, we should replace Scott,” Nick said.

  “We may as well go ahead and replace Nick too,” Scott said.

  Dalton dropped the ball and again Trisha won the draw. The ball came to Emily. Her defence partner ran up the left wing and she gave her a pass. Alexandra chopped at the ball and it bounced off the rocks that formed the boards and ricocheted backwards. Trisha raced over, taking it on her forehand. Julia trotted over, holding her stick out. Trisha whirled around and passed between Julia’s stick and her left foot up the middle, where Emily calmly took the pass, went forward, and beat Cassie in the right corner over her blocker.

  It was 2–0, and the game was over just like that.

  “I guess we’re up, boys. Who’s ready?” Charlie said. He felt a few drops of rain. “And we better hurry. Those clouds look angry.”

  Zachary tossed his sandwich back in his bag. “I’ll eat this later … maybe. I’m ready.”

  “Count me in,” Pudge said.

  “Fine. I’ll play, but only because you’re lost without me,” Scott said.

  They wandered slowly onto the pad.

  “Awesome snipe, Em,” Trisha said, and she gave her friend a high-five.

  Alexandra’s brow wrinkled as Charlie came over. “That was just a warm-up,” she said. “We’re playing for real now.”

  Charlie felt himself go red again. “The rules are first to score two goals wins. The losing team sits …” he said.

  “We’ve been waiting to play for weeks. You guys have been hogging the pad the whole time. Give us a break,” she said.

  “Who wants the honour of giving
me their stick?” Scott said, as he joined them.

  “I will,” Alexandra said. “But let us play one more goal.”

  Scott looked confused. “I thought they got two goals already?”

  “Come on, guys,” Rebecca said. “That was like five seconds.”

  Charlie felt ridiculous, as if he had been caught doing something wrong. But the rules were the rules; and he wanted to play at least one game. “I know. It’s just that … you can play the winner.” The rain fell a bit harder.

  Julia had come over. “It doesn’t matter. Take it.” She threw her stick on the ground and left the pad.

  It did not take a genius to figure out the girls were ticked off; and maybe Alexandra was right about the boys hogging the pad. But then again they’d never asked to play before.

  “It’s cool. You go again,” Charlie said. “I didn’t even finish my lunch. Go ahead.”

  “I didn’t know the rules,” Alexandra said. “You boys play.”

  She put her stick down, and Rebecca, Michelle and Cassie did the same, and all five of them walked back to the school. Charlie closed his eyes and sighed. How did a simple game of ball hockey turn into a fight? When he opened his eyes Trisha was looking at him closely.

  Trisha tilted her head to the side. “You’re Charlie Joyce, right?”

  He felt himself blush. “Yeah. Sure. I guess.” Emily laughed, and Charlie knew he was blushing even more. “I mean, I know I’m Charlie Joyce … rather than … guessing …”

  The rain began to fall in earnest, the drops bouncing off the pavement and stirring up the dust.

  Trisha leaned her chin on the butt of her stick. “It’s nice to meet you, Charlie Joyce, but it looks like we’ll have to postpone this game.” She held her hand out to catch the raindrops. “What do we do with the sticks?”

  “I’ll put them away,” he said, and she and Emily gave him their sticks.

  “Thanks, Charlie Joyce. Come on, Em.”

  “See you later, Charlie Joyce,” Emily said.

  They jogged towards the school.

  “It doesn’t look as if we’ll be able to fit in another game,” Dalton said. “With any luck, this inclement weather won’t last long and we can play after school. It has been raining something terrible this fall, hasn’t it?” He took the sticks from Charlie.