Too Equal For My Taste

Chapter 10: Weekend One- Soccer

A/N: Hey, just before I begin the chapter. This is the first game they play. The name says which one it is, so who cares. This game will go kind of like the FIFA. So, enjoy.

Kate stood as referee for the very first sports game that was to take place. Across the large field, blinking in the bright sunlight, Jimmy and Tom faced each. The field was reserved for them, at a high price, at the field at the University of Chicago. Serina laughed herself silly when she heard that they paid a lot of money to reserve a field. At least it was half off because one of their children was studying in the campus. The game they prepared for, for one whole week, was soccer. Soccer was the opening sport, and one that they were all quite good at.

Only this time, the Bakers had only their younger kids playing, and the Murtaugh's still had all players on the field. This was what made it even for the teams, and yet, one still had to win, even if they were tied. It had to be decided. The best player for the Bakers was actually Mike. Henry was best next to him, and they were evenly good against the two best players on Murtaugh's team; Calvin and Daniel. Tom and Jimmy would not be playing. They would instead coach the team, and instruct them. The captains, (Mike and Calvin), were to order the teams to their positions, and base their strategies on the other teams' formations.

The field was outside in the bright sun. Above it was a bunch of benches and chairs used to watch student/teacher games. The field was located in what looked like a large, oval pit, like a professional field for the jockeys.

"First, the two will shake hands," Kate ordered.

Tom and Jimmy stepped forward and shook hands promptly.

"3…" Kate counted down. "2… 1… GAME!"

Serina threw the ball in, and Calvin seized it. He rolled it only a short way before Mike and Jake ganged up on him, and was forced to pass. Sarah was on hand and intercepted it from the intended Daniel. She kicked it hard and high over to the Murtaugh's side to score. Henry jumped up, and used his head to knock it into the goalpost.

However, the attempt failed, and Anne at the goalpost dived and caught it. Henry punched the air in anger, and ran off back to his position. The game stayed as a stalemate for quit a bit, and thirty minutes into the game, no goals were made.

Tom was starting to get anxious as the umpteenth attempt failed, and Anne threw it over to Robin. Sarah ran in promptly, and without hesitating, stole and shot. The ball flew through the air, and hit the net. Tom jumped up in glee, and Jimmy looked down.

Mike was running with and between Sarah and Jake. Mike looked over to see Daniel attempting to steal the ball from Nigel. Nigel was too small to keep it for long compared to Daniel. Mike looked at Sarah, "Take Calvin!" he yelled. Mike directed Nigel to pass it to Kim, and at the same time, he ordered Jake to Kim's side.

Nigel had obliged and passed it just in time. Jake caught and passed to Kim, and the two ran off towards the posts. However, they were quickly intercepted by Kenneth. He stole the ball, kicked it up high, and used his head to knock it away. Daniel picked up Lisa for her head to hit it right past Mark, and into the goal.

Now, it was Jimmy's turn to jump up happily. Tom punched the air angrily, but looked up as the bell rang to signal halftime. He called his team over immediately.

"Alright," he said to Mike. "It's going ok, but that last goal should not have been made. We need to try harder."

"I'm trying as hard as I can," Mike panted. He seized his bottle of water, and drank. "I'm only nine, y' know."

"Ok, change of goalkeeper," Tom announced. "Mark, you go in and show them what you're made of. Henry, you take over."

"Henry's been good," Mike protested.

"At intercepting," Tom corrected. "He can defend the posts well."

Meanwhile, Jimmy used the time to yell at his team about what they were doing wrong. "You need practice. I told you all week to practice, and you kept turning it down. Next time, you're listening to me. The good news is now we know their strategy. They always have someone to protect the kid they're passing to. So, Calvin, Daniel, I have jobs for you two. You need to stay out on different sides of the field, and intercept the ball when it is passed. This was our weakness. It's time we correct it."

Ken nodded, "Right."

"Now GO!"

The two teams ran out again. Looking above, one could see that the game attracted attention. What was at first a couple students became half an auditorium class plus few instructors.

They game drew boos and oohs when the first foul was committed. Jake roughly bashed into Calvin as he successfully intercepted the ball from Kyle. Calvin fell down, and Jake body slammed him.

"Cheater!" Jimmy yelled angrily.

Calvin was taken away, and Jake was kicked out. He walked the field, and up to watch the game. Some students laughed at him, and jeered, "Body slam in a game you idiot?"

He shrugged off some jeers at the same time as Daniel attempted a goal for his team. He looked up in time to see it fail. It looked like Tom's replacement did the trick.

Henry kicked the ball to the other side, and Sarah caught and actually balanced it with her head. Kyle ran open in front, and with Calvin absent from his side of the field, Kyle took and kicked it to the posts. Anne caught it again, and high-kicked it to Daniel. Mike jumped up and used his head once again, intercepting and scoring at the same time.

Tom yelled in triumph as another goal was made half an hour later. They were up by two points, and he took the opportunity to join the cheers and jeers coming from the students up above. He privately and guiltily felt grateful that Jake kept Calvin out of commission. Calvin was actually back in soon after Mike made the shot, but his left leg was paining him and it was the one he shot with. It was more difficult to do his duty to the team.

Jimmy sat down angrily, cursing at Tom's son privately. The game ended quickly, with the Bakers up four to one. Tom raised his hands in triumph as his kids ran to him happily in triumph, and Calvin limped over to Jimmy slowly.

"We won! The first game is ours!" Tom yelled out loud.

"The first game," Jimmy emphasized. "Wait till Basketball."

"Oh, I will," Tom said gleefully.

The triumphant Bakers waved happily to the University students who now got up and departed to their classes or dorms or wherever they had to go. They took the University bus, and rode down to the main campus and out the front gate, being hailed the whole way.

"We're quite popular, and I didn't even start University yet," Jake said happily.