Free Alana Oakley by Poppy Inkwell Page B

Wah, you very stylo milo one!”

CHAPTER 14
    Alana has a ball
    Alana had been looking forward to Sunday soccer practice all week, particularly soccer practice with Uncle James. She had high hopes this year. Their five-a-side team promised to be really tight with the addition of Khalilah, who turned out to be a skilful goalie. Not much got past her and, if it did, it wasn’t because she hadn’t leapt into the air to a ridiculous height or thrust out a leg at an impossible angle. Khalilah was a vast improvement on Sofia, whose strategy was to close her eyes and point the Confuse and Defeat Your Enemies Magical Talisman at incoming balls. Sofia willingly gave up her position to play reserve. She was running out of amulets.
    Sometimes the rest of the team joined Alana for soccer practice in one of the local parks. Sometimes it was just her and James. On this occasion everybody was there, and they practised passing while they waited for him to turn up.
    Apart from Sofia and Khalilah, the two other girls on their team were the Ashley twins, Prita and Preyasi. It was impossible to tell them apart. Both had dark brown hair and skin the colour of strong tea. Both were petite and fast. They’d earned the nickname ‘Pocket Rockets’, a far cry from the real meaning of their names, which was ‘Dear One’ and ‘Beloved’. They always wore the same outfits and often spoke at the same time. It was like listening in stereo. When they didn’t speak together, they finished each other’s sentences – a habit Alana found just as spooky. Their footwork was telepathic too, and they worked fluidly on the field.
    Alana felt they had a good chance this year to chalk up some decent points, especially now they had the twins and Khalilah in goal. To date, the soccer competitions had been dominated by the Soccer Academy – students who had been training since before they could walk. Although Gibson High trained hard, they had never collected enough points to compete in the more serious leagues. It was critical they won the next game.
    James arrived at the field soon after the girls began their 2-km warm-up.
    â€œOoh,” said Maddie, “someone got into a fight with a lawnmower and lost,” she teased.
    James gave her a good-natured grin and fell into step next to them. He had no trouble matching the girls’ pace. James’s longish locks had been trimmed and he looked good, although they would never dare tell him that. His hair now just scraped the bottom of his nape, and in the heat, he had wrapped a bandana around it to keep it off his neck.
    â€œA little less talk and a little more action, thanks,” he said, picking up the pace.
    â€œOh yeah? Let’s see how fast you can run then, old man,” Prita and Preyasi both challenged. The 2-km jog turned into a 2-km sprint. Sofia was the first to drop away, and Khalilah soon joined her. By the end of it, Maddie and the twins were neck and neck, with James not far behind. Not bad, considering Alana had wrestled onto his back for a piggy-back ride!
    â€œNo ( pant, pant ) fair,” James gasped, falling to the ground. The girls giggled and ran to get the ball.
    â€œCome on, Uncle James,” Alana teased, “we’re not going to win the next game by lazing around.”
    James jumped up to give her a tickle before leading them in some drills. By the time they were finished, everyone was hot and sweaty and in need of a cold drink. While the others scooted off to the Milk Bar across the road to grab one (and to chat about Flynn), Alana continued practising with James, relishing the one-on-one time.
    Alana and James began with headers. Pum , the ball went as it bounced off Alana’s head into James’ waiting hands. Before long they had worked themselves into an easy rhythm.
    â€œMum had a date last night,” Alana said mid-bounce.
    James fumbled the ball – it rolled away to the side. He walked over