Disclaimer: They weren't mine back then (god forbid), nor will they ever be in the future.
Author's Notes: This one goes back in time, so keep an open mind here! Work with me, people. ;) You'll see what I mean.
Feedback is as welcome as pineapple juice for a sore throat. LOL.
Summary: Susie receives just what she needs to allow her to soar.
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Standing Tall
"Bye Mum!" the twelve year old boy yelled, half-way out the door, visibly excited as he anticipated the friendly competition between the boys down at the park. He envisioned himself taking a mark, leaping in the air higher than everyone else, clutching the ball to his chest as he landed...
Thud. A girl landed on the ground in front of him from the tree branches hanging above, seemingly from nowhere. Her face mirrored his; an expression of eager happiness. He gave a frustrated sigh, his triumphant visions just broken. "Susie, what do you want?"
She looked at him. "I'm coming with you."
"Oh, no you're not," he replied firmly, pushing past her as he headed off towards the park. His little sister tagging along to a footy game, regardless of how casual it may be, was definitely not cool.
"Why not?" she demanded, running to catch up with him. He began to stride along faster, making it difficult for her smaller legs to keep the pace.
"Look, just go," he ordered. "Don't you have something better to be doing?"
"I want to go," she whined, refusing to be dismissed that easily as she jogged along the footpath next to him.
"You don't have any boots," he said, hitching his own pair over his shoulder.
"So?" Her well-worn runners were fine to her.
"Mum wouldn't let you."
"Matt, you won't tell her, would you?" Susie stepped in front of her brother, forcing him to stop mid-stride. "Please, Matty, I really want to come," she pleaded.
Matt looked at her young face warily. He really didn't want her to come, but all the same, he couldn't really stop her... "Fine," he muttered reluctantly, knowing he had no choice. He couldn't come up with a good enough reason why she couldn't go as well – at least, not a reason she hadn't already heard and rebutted against. Stubborn kid, he thought to himself.
Her face broke out into a broad smile that made it all seem worth it. "Thanks, Matt! You're the best!"
"Yeah, yeah," he brushed it off, his face a mixture of dull pride and embarrassment. "Come on, or they'll start without us."
-----
Upon reaching the park, the group of boys already there smirked when they saw the little girl following her brother like an excited puppy.
"Oi, Matt, who's your new girlfriend?"
"Does she have bigger muscles than you?"
"Shut up, guys," Matt snapped. "She's just my sister."
"Aww, Matty boy has to babysit his widdle sister," one of the boys jeered.
Susie's face burned with embarrassment, but held her head up defiantly. She now realised why Matt was so hesitant for her to come with him. Suddenly, she felt guilty that she had been so insistent. Still, it couldn't be changed now.
"If you really want to know, Matt didn't even want me to come," she retorted, her small face fierce. "So don't go making fun of him."
Matt spun around, his eyes sharp and warning as he shook his head at her.
"Look at that, his little sister's defending him," one boy muttered to another, nudging him with a smirk.
"You couldn't even kick a ball," another told her, looking her up and down. She was suddenly aware of how small and skinny she was, standing next to boys who were two or three years older than her. Nine years old didn't seem so big anymore. She self-consciously curled her finger around a wisp of blonde hair that had managed to escape its somewhat messy ponytail.
"Lay off her, guys." One boy stepped forwards, giving them a look. "Let her play." He flashed her a quick grin.
The others grumbled under their breath, but quit the jeering and slouched away to their positions on the field. Matt went to join them, not giving his sister another glance.
"Hey, thanks," Susie called to the boy who had stepped forwards, who was now turning away himself. He stopped and looked back.
"No problem," he replied easily. "What's your name?"
"Susie. What's yours?"
"Evan," he said. "How old are you?"
"Ten," she answered instantly, then dropped her shoulders. "Well... nearly. How old are you?" she asked quickly, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Thirteen... nearly," he added, making her burst into a peal of laughter. She liked him; he wasn't mean to her like the rest of Matt's friends.
"Hey Jonesy, are you going to play or what?" One of them yelled out.
He glanced behind him at the others. "Yeah, comin'! You can be on my side, if you want," he threw at her, before leaving her standing alone on the grass.
-----
"Run, Susie!" Evan yelled, fifteen minutes into the game. She took off, wind through her hair and looking as though she was having the time of her life. She could feel the rest of the boys' eyes set on her, judging her sporting abilities. But she wasn't deterred; she was better than all the girls in her class at school. Having three brothers who were all football-obsessed, and a street full of similar boys, had made her just as good as anyone.
The ball came towards her, yet there were three others around her, and they seemed so much bigger and taller than she was. Thinking she had no hope of reaching the height she needed in order to mark it, Susie suddenly felt two strong hands firmly hold her under her arms and lift her up into the air. She was now taller than anyone else! The football landed deftly in her arms and she clutched it tightly to her chest, grinning with delight. She felt herself being put back on the ground and looked behind her, to see Evan standing there grinning back and looking somewhat proud of himself.
"Thanks!" she squealed elatedly. "That was fun!"
"Well, take your kick," he replied simply, standing back to give her a clear space to the trees they were using as goalposts.
All eyes were on her as she took a run up and kicked the ball with all her might. She knew they thought she couldn't do it – but the ball flew in the air and sailed right through the middle, perfect! Susie pumped her fists in the air in jubilation, as the boys gave a cheer, or at least an impressed grin from the most grouchy ones.
"Jason, time to go!" A woman from the distance yelled commandingly. One of the grins faded.
"Mu-um," the boy whined.
"Jason, you heard me. Now." The woman came striding over, making it impossible for the kids to continue their game without her getting in the way. She caught sight of Susie, standing amongst the boys, her shorter height even more pronounced. The woman's eyes instantly darkened with disapproval. "Who are you?" she asked rather rudely.
"Susan Raynor," Susie spoke quietly, yet politely.
"Elise's daughter? Matthew's sister?" At Susie's affirmative nod, her mouth turned into a tight line. "Does your mother know you're here?"
"No, I wanted to come with Matt," Susie answered defiantly, looking her in the eye.
"Right, well, you better come with me, then," the woman said, putting a firm hand on her shoulder, about to steer her away.
"Where are you taking her?" Matt piped up loudly.
"Home to her mother. Girls don't play football."
"I play," Susie retorted, wriggling out of the woman's grip.
"Well, Susan, you're coming with me."
"Leave her alone, Mrs T, she can play if she wants to," Matt said furiously, his attitude towards his little sister distinctly different to what it had been an hour ago.
"Matthew, I'll be sure to tell Elise about you, too," the woman snapped.
"It's not fair, I never get to play!" Susie exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes as she took off for the sideline trees.
"Susie!" Matt hollered after her, but quickly grew quiet as he got a sharp look from his friend's mother.
"Boys, I think it's time for you all to go home," the woman said firmly, grabbing Jason by the shoulder and promptly leaving.
As soon as she had made it to the edge of the park, all the boys began to grumble loudly. Except for Evan, who quickly headed for the trees.
"Hey, Susie, are you here somewhere?" he called out, checking behind some of the wide trunks scattered around the grass. He heard some quiet sobs, and followed the noise to discover her sitting on an old park bench.
She looked up hurriedly, wiping her tears away furiously with the back of her hand. "What?" she asked roughly.
"Don't worry about Mrs T," Evan said gently, sitting down next to her. "She'll always find something to complain about."
"I just hate how I can't ever play footy," Susie confessed, seeming a lot more like the nine year old girl she was, rather than a tomboy who was at the boys' level. She was still so young and innocent, Evan mused, and although he wasn't all that much older than her, he somehow felt protective of that. All he had at home was Dylan, who was more into making wooden aeroplanes and sucking up to the old man than playing sport, and he was a right pain in the neck about it, too.
"Well, if any girl should be able to play, it's you," he said honestly. Her eyes seemed as though they would now stay dry, although she occasionally sniffed. "Do you have any other friends who play footy?"
"No," she replied bluntly. "I have friends at school, but they go to dance lessons and play with their dolls. I have four dolls at home, though," she announced loudly, as though she was trying to convince herself that she was still a girl.
"Well, you know, I think dolls are really boring," Evan said truthfully, although he only meant it as a teasing. She gave a small smile.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Me too, sometimes," she admitted, and he laughed.
"I'll tell you what, Susie," he said earnestly, "You can do whatever you want to do. If you want to play footy, then go for it. But don't let anyone else try and tell you what you should and shouldn't do, because that's your decision. Got that?" he asked, and she nodded seriously.
"Okay."
"Good." He reached into his pocket and felt around. "Hmm. I thought I still had a fantail in there, but it looks like I only have this left." He opened his fist to reveal a slightly bent piece of chewing gum.
"Ooh!" Susie exclaimed, tears now forgotten. She loved gum, but was never usually allowed it at home.
"You can have it, if you like."
She reached her hand out to take it, but nimbly pulled it into two pieces. "You can have half."
"Thanks," he accepted, taking the small piece she held out.
After several minutes of listening to their own furious chewing, he paused. "You know, maybe Mrs T was telling part of the truth. Your mum doesn't know where you are, and Matt's probably gone home already."
"I can walk home by myself," she retorted, sitting up straighter.
"Nah, I'll take you." He stood up and held out a hand. "'Kay?"
She looked at his hand dubiously, before finally taking it and pulling herself up. "Do you have a little sister?" she asked curiously as they began to weave through the trees towards the road.
"Nope," he replied. "Why do you ask?"
"You don't act like I'm a girl," she said honestly, then screwed up her nose. "That didn't make sense, did it?" He waited wordlessly. "I mean," she continued, "you don't care that I'm younger than you, do ya? None of Matt's other friends would ever talk to me or give me gum. Why did you?"
"You're one obstinate kid, aren't you?" Evan said exasperatingly.
Instead of arguing back like he was expecting, she frowned. "I'm what?"
He sighed. "Never mind. I was just kidding, anyway," he added.
Susie relaxed. "Thanks, though."
"Any time. It's a pity you're not a boy, you could make a great footy player."
"You reckon?" Her eyes lit up.
"I reckon. Tell you what, come along the next time Matt plays. You'll only get better if you practise." She nodded eagerly. "Speaking of which, there's Matt up ahead," he added, pointing up the road. "You better go catch up with him."
"Okay," she answered with a grin. "Catch ya around, Evan!"
"Seeya, Susie," he grinned back, stopping to watch her scamper off down the road. Cute kid, he thought. It would be hard to be told what to do all the time like that.
"Matty!" Susie yelled, catching up to her older brother. "Wait for me!"
"There you are," Matt sighed with relief. "I was wondering what to tell Mum when I got home, that you weren't with me. Did you walk by yourself?" he asked severely.
"Nup, Evan did." Susie stopped and turned around, and seeing Evan in the distance, still watching her, she held up her arm and waved. He waved back, before trudging off down the street the opposite way, kicking stones along as he went. She turned back to where Matt too had stopped to wait for her. "So, I was pretty good today, huh?"
"Not bad for a sister, I s'pose," Matt answered grudgingly, although privately he was proud of her.
"Hey! I scored a goal, you only kicked a point!"
"You had help."
"You're taller than me." She shot him an impish grin. "Still, you're not any faster."
"I could beat you any old day."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah!"
"Last one home's the rotten egg!" Susie yelled, racing along the footpath back home, and for once, feeling indescribably good about herself.
the end