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better impression at the scrimmage. After all, back home he was the star of his team. He entered the locker room filled with guys changing into their uniforms and cleats, and took a seat next to a new player from Australia named Simon.
    â€œHey, don't worry about missing those goals this morning, mate,” Simon told him. “You'll get better with practice.”
    â€œThanks,” Xander said and changed into a jersey with an emblem of a cartoonish giraffe on it. He and some team members filed out onto the middle of the field. Xander spotted Andrew, and his stomach twisted into a knot.
    â€œI wasn't sure if the Yank was going to show,” Andrew muttered to a teammate, just loud enough for Xander to hear.
    The coach clapped his hands for attention. “Okay, Giraffes! I've arranged for us to scrimmage with a visiting team—the Knuckers.”
    â€œWhat's a Knucker?” Xander whispered to Simon.
    â€œA legendary beast,” Simon replied. “A sea serpent. There's a folktale about it scaring the farmers in the south of England.”
    â€œOh,” Xander said. A fierce sea serpent seemed way cooler than a dorky giraffe.
    â€œThis is just a practice game,” Coach Craig told them, “but I still want you to play hard. Got it?”
    â€œRight!” the team shouted. “Go, Giraffes!”
    The two teams met in the middle of the field. The Knuckers wore bright green jerseysbearing the image of two scaly sea serpents, one blue, one yellow, battling on top of a gray shield. Xander thought the crest looked cool—and it kind of reminded him of something. Before he could figure out what, a whistle blew and the game began.
    The Knuckers were as fierce as the legendary water monster they were named for. They stole the ball again and again, and drove in two goals. “Are you awake, Giraffes?” one of them called during a time-out. The others hooted.
    Xander briefly had the ball before a short, chunky Knucker stole it from him. Darn! he thought. Next time I'll score!
    But it was Andrew who scored the first goal for the International School. In the next play Xander ran fast as Andrew advanced the ball again. Xander cut to the left and positioned himself for a clean pass.
    Andrew kicked it straight to him. “Get it, Holmes!”
    A small crowd cheered from the sidelines.
    Yes! Xander thought, ready to accept the ball. He pictured smacking it with his foot. He imagined watching it flying into the Knuckers' goal. He set up the kick—and a flash of purple caught his eye.
    He lost his concentration. It was just for an instant, but that was enough. In the flash when he saw the girl in the purple hat passing by the field, a Knucker intercepted the ball and disappeared down the field.
    A moment later the Knuckers scored another goal. The International School never really recovered. They scored one more goal, but lost 4–2.
    As the team straggled off the field, Xander heard Andrew talking to Zafir, a Turkish boy who had scored the Giraffes' second goal. “That's what happens when you allow Yanks to play,” Andrew was saying.
    Xander clenched his fists. He burned with shame. Not only did that girl keep appearing and disappearing mysteriously, but he'd lost the game for his new school because of her! The next time she showed up, he vowed silently, he wouldn't let her escape.

C HAPTER 11

    T he next day was cold and drizzly. As Xena and Xander emerged from the Tube after school, they opened their umbrellas and trudged toward home. The few blocks hadn't seemed like much before, but Xena's backpack was heavy with homework and Xander was still sore from yesterday's soccer match.
    â€œWant to play the Game?” Xena asked.
    Xander looked around. The people on the sidewalks were walking fast, heads down and half hidden under umbrellas, raincoats dripping. “I don't think we can in this weather.”
    â€œThen how about a snack?” Xena fingered the change in her