Versus Jenny

If Jenny insisted I had to prove I was good enough to play her one-on-one, I supposed I didn’t have any choice. Fighting back my start-of-game nerves I fumbled again for the ball.

Jenny swept it out of my reach. So I grabbed for where she'd moved it to, but this time she kept it where it was and walked while holding it so it was out of my way again. On her second step she began to bounce the ball on the court - sping, sping. It was such a tantalizing sound! I scrambled after her to try and tackle, but Jenny caught the ball up in both hands again and calmly sidestepped.

She faced me, holding the ball before her in both hands. But the minute I so much as flinched to try and take it Jenny whirled round so her back was to me. She shot right away and even from around the centre of the court scored a perfect net.

Heat and colour slammed into my cheeks. No sooner than that however it struck me this was no time to stand around all ashamed that a girl had got the better of me - this was my chance! I broke out running at once, wildly, clumsily, as hard as I could to get the ball.

Jenny at a smooth striding sprint outstripped me effortlessly. She didn't even look like she was running her fastest, unlike me, and still she was way faster. Spluttering I tried to accelerate, but my chest and thigh-muscles were already past their limit. Well ahead by now, Jenny jumped to catch the ball which was still in motion.

Then she waited under the net for me to catch up, teasing me. Only when I finally got there and was right behind her did she shoot the ball, a picture-perfect two-footed jump, and scored.

Jenny had caught the ball as it fell back down before I even knew what was going on. As soon as I did though, it snapped me back to the present. No way was I letting her score three times in a row! Nearly frantic I dashed in front of her and made a series of extremely flurried attempts to block. But Jenny just teased - she wouldn't shoot, or bring the ball where I could reach it. She just left me hopping hopelessly in front of her for ages, until I was hopping mad!

I had to get behind her. Of course, she'd start to throw as soon as I moved, but if I was as quick as could be I might just be able to knock the ball out of her hands in time. I went for broke and scrabbled round her, but then - trip! A sudden terrified lurch in my stomach and next second I splatted, grazing myself on the court.

Clunk! Jenny scored again. I came to and found myself gaping up at her famous tail-end. Another heartbeat however and I was on my feet, glaring at her, absolutely incensed.

"You tripped me!" I almost yelled the words, because my palms and knees really stung.

"You tripped over your own feet," Jenny corrected me coolly. "It happens a lot to boys, and you've got two left ones anyway."

Collecting the ball she swept off back to centre-court without another word. I didn't waste any time storming after her! Once there I parked my hands on my hips, blushing because she'd made me look silly and also I was still infuriated.

"You warned me you weren’t going to play properly, but I didn't think you meant cheating!" I accused her.

Jenny regarded me, every bit as superior and blameless as ever. "Just make sure YOU don't start to cheat because you're losing," she commanded. "That's something boys do a lot too."

Another twirl from Jenny, and another perfect net from the middle of the court. I groaned inside, that made it four-nil by now! I was so not going to cry or stomp off though. Not against a girl, I didn't think I could bear to do that! And as the only other thing to do was run after the ball again, that was what I did.

Once again Jenny overtook me without any trouble, and once again she scooped up the ball, this time not having to jump. She didn't get into the shooting position either, giving me a surge of panicky excitement that made me put on a spurt. I flapped my free hand for the ball and just for a second I really felt like it was within reach, only for Jenny to step out of the way again.

Was it possible to have a crush on a girl and feel this mad at her at the same time? Jenny was finding every way to tease me at this game, I thought crossly!

"You know, you'd be fun to play if you didn't tease or trip boys up!" I flung at her.

She ignored this and started bouncing the ball again, so obviously daring me that in the state I was in I couldn't resist. Which was how it happened.

That evening, when the ache had gone down to bearable levels, I was at the park with some other boys.

"Jenny teased him so much today he tried to tackle her, and then she hurt him bad!" cried my friend.

"Well, Jenny always does that!" said another boy. "If you're that much older than us, you ought to know better than to fall for her girl-tricks!"

I pouted. "That wasn't exactly how it happened!" I protested, blushing.

"So what's it like losing to the girl you've got a crush on?" the same boy went on.

I was more than a little pink! "I've so not got a crush on Jenny!" I flung back. The boys laughed.

I hitched up my underpants, wincing a bit. "I'd rather just not talk about Jenny at all," I declared primly. "And no, that's not because I've got it bad! I don't know why you think I've got a crush on that prissy little girl when actually I can't stand her!"

"A girl that prissy would be perfect for you right now though,” said my friend innocently. “Since you probably still ache too bad to do anything anyway.”

I gave him an affectionate shove. Then everybody laughed again, this time including me!