on the map//spencer 'spider' white

21

Spider corners me as I walk down the hall. He grabs my arm and pulls me into an empty classroom.

"Knock it off," I tell him.

Spider laughs. "I'm happy to see you too."

"What do you want, Spider?" I ask.

"There's still time to back out," Spider tells me.

"Of the footy match?" I ask. Spider nods his head. "No chance. You know we're not gonna back out."

Spider shrugs his shoulders. "Thought I'd offer."

"Did you want something else?" I ask. "Other than to taunt me? Or psych me out? Or whatever it is your doing?"

"I could come over after school," Spider offers. "Give you some advice."

I laugh as I shake my head. "Family dinner."

Spider smiles. "Your mum's home?"

"Yeah," I tell him.

"That's good," Spider says.

I nod my head. "I'm gonna go."

I warm up with all the girls for our footy match. Amerie is about to give us a pep talk.

"Are we gonna let these knuckleheads rob us of our basic school rights?" Amerie asks.

"No!" we all shout.

"We have just as much of a right to sports facilities as those dickheads. This bullshit idea that men get first dibs on sports grounds just 'cause they got dicks."

Sasha interrupts, "Transphobic, but..."

"Are we gonna stand for that?" Amerie asks.

"No!" we shout.

"I said, are we going to stand for that?" Amerie asks.

"No!" we shout.

"Okay. So get out there and give 'em hell," Amerie says.

I turn and notice Malakai has switched sides.

"He can't do that!" Sasha shouts.

For once I agree with her. We needed Malakai to give us any kind of edge.

"I can go mid if Malakai's out," Harper offers.

"Oh. Actually, Harps... Um... We're cool if you sit this one out," Sasha tells her.

"What?" Harper asks.

"You sure you wanna play?" Missy asks.

"Yeah. Why?" Harper asks.

"You know, men running at you might be a little bit triggering," Sasha offers.

"No, I'm playing. If anything, those shitheads should be scared of me," Harper states.

I smile as I wrap my arm around her. "Yes, Harps. Now go be a scary girl out there on the field."

The game goes as I expect. The CUMLORDS score first, and we trail behind the whole time.

Suddenly Harper tackles Ant. She sits on top of him hitting him. The ref blows her whistle, but Harper doesn't stop. Not until Woodsy pulls her off.

I laugh as Spider fumbles the ball. Missy grabs the ball. She runs it before kicking it into the goal. I run over to hug her with Sasha and Amerie.

We're still riding high on our win as we walk into SLTs.

"No, I think we should take over the showers. Let them wash their nuts in the dunnies," Sasha says.

Missy laughs. "Did you see their faces? Dumb Lords."

"Literally," Sasha says.

"It's great that the conflict was resolved through physical methods, but there are plenty of other safe spaces in school that we can..." Jojo starts. Zoe laughs. "Something to add, Zoe?"