Wake Up Jack

The Boys and the Girls

"Wake up Jack! You're gonna be late for school. You're gonna be late for school. I hope you get another detention."

"Go away Keira. Leave me alone."

"Jack's gonna get a detention!  Jack's gonna get a detention!" She teased while circling the bed and poking her brother's covered back with a toy sword.

"Keira, honey, come downstairs, we have to leave." called their mother, Maria, from the base of the stairs.

"You're gonna be late for school. You're gonna be late for school," retaliated Jack as Keira ran down the stairs.

"Leave her alone Jack. Now get up or you'll be late for school!"

"How is that fair," muttered the pile of rising blankets.

"Oh, and don't forget about looking after Sam and Nicole later."

"Ughhhh, them again. How often do their parents go out? This is the third time this month!"

"That's none of your business. You look after the kids, eat their food, watch their television or do your homework. Then they come home, you get paid, and come home. That's how babysitting works. You should know that by now Jack."

"I do know that mum. I didn’t need the lecture," replied Jack as he thudded down the wooden stairs.

"Okay. Don't forget about them though."

"I won't mum."

"Okay, bye Jack. Love you. And be careful on the tram."

"I will. Bye"

The door shut and Jack headed towards the kitchen. Jack was a tall boy who was slim and sporty. He had brown hair. Dark in places and very light in others. His eyes changed colours. When he was younger they were always blue. But now they change from green to grey to hazel and then back to green. Jack was 14 years, nine months and 18 days old. Jack was also 5,405 days old. This made him 129,720 hours old which is also 7,783,200 minutes old which made Jack approximately 466,992,000 seconds old. Not that the stats matter.

90 minutes later Jack walked into the school yard. The school was not large. Only 573 students attended it. The yard was too big for the amount of students. There were three basketball courts, two tennis/netball courts and a large asphalt area for just hanging out around. Behind the school were a soccer field and also an Aussie Rules pitch. Jack loved all sports but his all-time favourite was soccer. Or football. The world game. The beautiful game. He just loved it. Jack also liked basketball, and was fairly good at it due to his height, but nothing came close to his love of the beautiful game. Jack walked right around the back. There was still a half an hour before the school doors would open so he had a bit of time to kick the ball around with his mates. Before Jack even reached the goal, he was tackled from behind. He turned, expecting to see one of his close mates. He couldn’t see anyone nearby. Then it happened again. This time they didn’t let go. A hug.

“Hey beautiful,” he said as he held the smooth hands wrapped around his waist.

“Hey Jackie,” replied Lily as he turned to hug her back. Lily was a girl of average height with dark hair and olive skin. She had beautiful brown eyes and a smile that lit up the whole world.

“I missed you,” he said.

“We saw each other yesterday.”

“That was a whole … 16 hours ago,” he argued.

“Hahaha. Toughen up Jackie. I wonder how you will survive three weeks in London next year.”

“Me too,” he concluded as he kissed her.

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. You guys could have warned me. I’m leaving.”

That’s when Jack noticed Emily, Lily’s best friend, walking away from them.

“Come back Emily, we’ll stop. Let’s go play ‘the beautiful game’.”

“Fine. I’ll race you two to the goals. I’ll count to three. Three!” And she raced off, getting a head start on Jack and Lily.

There was no way that either of them could keep up with her anyway. Emily had been the state 100 metre and 200 metre champion for three years running. The other two had no chance. When Jack and Lily arrived at the goals, Emily was already taking on three of Jack’s best mates. Harry, George and Tim had known Jack since the beginning of primary school. No big surprise considering that around three quarters of kids at Paradise High School had come from Paradise Primary School. Those four boys had always been the best of mates. Helping, annoying and teasing each other. Always around when the others were bored, and always there in stressful times. That’s what friends are for. Harry and George had both turned 15 in the months just gone by, while Jack’s fifteenth was just around the corner and Tim’s another month behind.

“And Emily runs towards the penalty spot, George crosses in front of her. He tries to slow her down but she just nutmegged him. George looks slightly dazed, wondering what just happened. Timothy charges towards Emily with the same intention as George. Emily pulls the exact same trick as she did with George. Now it’s just her and the keeper. Harold moves forward to narrow the angle. Will she score? Or will Harold make one of his famously rare saves? Wow! Just Wow! She pulls the exact same trick a third time. Emily stops the ball on the goaline. She lies down next to it and slowly, making a performance out of it, headers the ball. It rolls over the goaline and INTO THE GOAL! EMILY SCORES AGAIN!” commentated Jack from the sideline.

“AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!”

He and Lily jumped and down. The boys were getting annoyed as they ran onto the pitch.

“Security! Where’s the security,” called Harry from the goalmouth.

All of a sudden George and Tim dived on Jack from behind and tackled him to the ground.

“Mate that was all your fault!” George growled in his ear as they stood up and brushed the grass off their uniforms.

“You think you would’ve prevented the goal being scored if I hadn’t been commentating?” asked Jack. “That’s a pretty crap excuse Georgie.”

“Respect your elders Jackie boy,” added Tim.

“Okay, I’m sorry George. But Tim mate that defending wasn’t great.”

Before Tim could respond Jack continued.

“Don’t argue. Remember, respect your elders.” He gave Tim a teasing smile.

“Idiot “mumbled Tim under his breath as they picked up their school bags and headed to the first class of the day.