Over The Top: Chess

I am standing in the school field. The sun is burning my face. I am hungry, and lonely. I have been standing here for over an hour. I will miss the ball even if they hit it straight at me. I am hopeless at cricket. Utterly hopeless.

I can hear them shouting.

"Catch it! Catch it!"

I hold my hands out but the ball lands beside me. The crowd groans. That would have been the most important catch of the game. I cannot see their faces from here but I know what they will look like. They will be scowling.

I've always been useless at ball games. It's because of my eyes. They're not very good. I always wear glasses with thick lenses. They make my eyes look huge, but they don't help me very much, except to make people laugh. As long as people are laughing at me I'm safe.

The other team hits a six. I heard the crack of the ball against the bat, but I didn't see where it went. The game is over. I can see the other team patting itself on the back. My team has gone. They never wait for me to come in. Why should they? I'm the most useless player they have. I'm only on the team because the teacher said I have to be given a chance to play. Why should I be given a chance to do something I'm no good at?

I go to the cloak room and get my bag. Nobody speaks to me. I start to walk home, by myself. I have let the team down again. I am a failure.

APRIL 1st

Dear diary, you are the only friend I have. I can tell you everything. Today was terrible. I was included in the school cricket team because they felt sorry for me. Even Mr Swan thought it was a stupid idea. "He can't see the ball, let alone catch I!" he said. I heard him, when the team was being picked. He didn't know I heard him, but I have very good ears. I can hear a bird twittering in the garden outside, from my bedroom. I can hear when the dog wants in. He scratches on the door. Mum and Dad can't hear him scratching. But I can.

I was put out at the boundary. I stood there for two hours twenty minutes. My face and arms are sunburnt. The ball came my way three times. I missed it every time and the other team got eight points because of me. And I dropped one easy catch.

I wish I could go to another school. Why do so many people think cricket is important? It's just another game with a bat and ball. Why can't the school play chess instead? I am good at chess. I can beat Dad at chess. Good night diary.

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I am standing in the field again. The teacher is trying to give us cricket practice. He wants all the boys in his class to be good at it. That's a laugh. I'll never be good at cricket. I really wish I was, but how can I ever be good at cricket when