Day by Day

Chapter 34: Girls are Strong Too

It was finally the weekend, and Jacey was excited to just have fun. Many kids were playing outside in the nice, warm sun. Jacey looked around to the different groups of kids there were. There were kids playing hopscotch, playing jump rope, and playing tag.

Jacey wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to play. That was until she saw it: soccer. There was a group of boys around her age that were playing the game. Jacey always had a competitive fire in her, so she went over to the group.

"Hey!" she called out. "Can I play too?" The boys began laughing at her. "What?"

"Why would we let you play soccer?" one of the boys asked,

"Why not?" Jacey said. "I'm really good at other sports.

"But your a girl."

"So?"

"Girls are weak and not strong at all," the boy said. "That is why girls should not play sports."

"Girls can play sports too!" Jacey said. Fury was building up in the little girl's body.

"No, they can't," the boy replied. "Face it, Jacey. Girls are meant to be princesses, and boys are meant to be playing Tourney and R.O.A.R. So, get lost!"

Jacey ran as fast as she could. She didn't want to have to deal with that little boy. I could totally beat him up, she thought to herself. I'm taller than him, so why is he telling me what I can and can't do.

During class on Monday, Mrs. Anderson could tell that something was wrong with Jacey. "Jacey, what's the matter?"

"The boys said I can't play soccer," Jacey replied.

"Why?"

"Because I'm a girl, and girls are supposed to be weak and can't play sports," Jacey said. "They said girls are only meant to be princesses, but I'm not even a princess, so what am I supposed to do?"

Mrs. Anderson bent down to Jacey's height. "Jacey, anyone can play sports, girl or boy."

"Really?" Jacey asked.

"Mmhm," Mrs. Anderson said. "Girls are not weak."

"I know that, but they don't."

"Do you want me to talk to them to let you play?"

"Even if they let me play, it doesn't me they will pass me the ball," Jacey said. "They'll just kick it away from me and laugh in my face."

"You shouldn't let them get under your skin," Mrs. Anderson said.

"How are they going to get under my skin?" Jacey asked with a worried expression while grabbing her arm.

"No, sweetie," Mrs. Anderson said, chuckling a little, "it's an expression. Getting under your skin means that they are trying to get in your head and make you rethink yourself."

"Oh. Then, how am I supposed to make them let me play?" Jacey asked.

"You show them that you are so much more than what they think you are," Mrs. Anderson said. "You show them that you and all other girls are strong like boys. You show them that girls can do those things too."

Jacey nodded as she began to think about what her teacher was telling her. Suddenly, it came to her. "I've got it!"

During lunch, Jacey spotted the boys playing soccer. "Hey!" she shouted.

"Get lost, princess!" one of them shouted. "We already told you you can't play with us."

"Just because I'm a girl, it doesn't mean I can't play with you guys," Jacey said.

"It kinda does," one of the boys said.

"How so?"

"It just does. It has always been like that. Boys play sports and girls don't. That's just how it is, so just accept it."

"I won't because I'm going to show you all that I can do and be anything I want," Jacey said confidently.

"Okay," one of the boys began, "how about you play against us?"

"All of you?" Jacey asked. "At once?"

"Yep. Unless, your girlie self doesn't want to get herself hurt."

Jacey suddenly had more determination build up inside of her. "It's. Going. Down."

To all the boys' surprise. Jacey was actually really good at soccer. She was playing against eleven boys, and she was able to outplay them all. She was in charge of the ball most of the game.

"Wow, she's actually good," one boy said.

"How did she learn to do all of this?"another one said.

"And that's game!" Jacey shouted. "I made 7 goals all by myself, when you guys only scored 3!"

"You know, Jacey," one boy began, "we were wrong about you, and I guess about girls in general."

"Girls can be strong too," Jacey said proudly.

"We know that now," he said. "Anyway, would you like to play with us? We're kind of uneven, so you can be on whatever team you like."

"Um," they heard a voice call from outside the playing field. When they looked over, they saw six girls standing there. "Can we play too?" one of the girls asked.

All the boys directed their attention to Jacey, telling her that the playing field was hers now. "Of course," Jacey said. "Anyone can play."

Most of the orphanage kids had joined in on the soccer game. It was definitely something new to see. From that day forward, the kids at the orphanage didn't feel subjected to what they were told they needed to be. They were all able to do whatever they wanted to do all thanks to Jacey.