Read Online Camp Confidential 05 - TTYL by Melissa J. Morgan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Melissa J. Morgan
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Gregorson asked.
“Okay. Alex, you obviously have played soccer before,” Henry said, looking at his clipboard. “You’ve got good skills with the ball, and you’re fast. That’s really great.”
“That is really great,” Lisa put in. “We are a little worried that you aren’t as skilled as some of the other players when it comes to strategy.”
“I can learn that stuff!” Alex exclaimed. “I am a really fast—”
Coach Gregorson cut her off. “We know you can, Alex. You’re on the team.”
Relief flooded into Alex’s body. “I am?” she asked tentatively.
“You are,” Coach assured her. “But, to begin with, you might not get to play as much as some of the older girls. That isn’t a bad thing. It just means that you need to pay attention and learn about game strategy. That’s your goal for the year: Learn about strategy.”
“I don’t get to play?” Alex said softly.
“To begin with, you’ll just watch. Then, when we feel like your performance in practice shows that you’re learning, you’ll play a little. It’ll be hard work, Alex, but I know you can do it,” Coach said, reaching over and patting her on the shoulder. “After all, all of our star players have to start somewhere. Any questions?”
Alex felt tears welling up. “No,” she said quickly. “See you at practice tomorrow.” She got up and walked to the school as fast as she could. She didn’t bother to change out of her practice clothes; she just threw on her regular sneakers and put her school clothes into her bag. She couldn’t believe how disappointed she was! She’d made the team, after all. But she wanted to play.
Alex walked home quickly, and called to her mom, who was in the kitchen making dinner. “I made the team,” she yelled.
Her mom came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel. “Honey, that’s great!” she said. “I’m so proud of you.” She reached toward Alex for a hug, but Alex drew away.
“They said I wouldn’t get to play, Mom,” she said sadly.
“What?” her mom said, pulling away.
“They said I have to learn about strategy, and so my goal for the season is to learn about strategy, and if I do, I’ll get to play a little.”
“Oh, honey,” her mom said, walking to Alex and wrapping her arms around her. “Don’t worry, you’ll show them how good you are, and you’ll play before you know it.”
“I know, Mom,” Alex said. And she did know. That didn’t stop her from feeling disappointed, though. She was used to being a star—it was going to be hard to start at the bottom.
“Dinner’s almost ready, so why don’t you go upstairs and change and wash up?”
“I’m not really hungry right now, actually. Is it okay if I eat later?”
With a concerned look on her face, Alex’s mom nodded. “Sure, honey. I’ll save a plate for you. Is your blood sugar okay?”
Alex sighed. She had to eat regular meals because of her diabetes, even when she wasn’t hungry sometimes. “I feel fine. But I can check it. And I’ll eat in a couple of hours or something.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Come find me if you want to talk.”
Alex picked up her bag and ran up the stairs to her room. She flopped down on the bed. Too exhausted to think about anything, she just fell asleep.
chapter FIVE
grace > MONDAY
“Pass the pepper, please, honey,” Grace’s mom said. Grace’s father handed the wooden pepper mill to Grace, who placed it into her mom’s hand. Dinner was chicken, peas, and rice: Grace’s favorite combo.
“How was school today, Grace?” her father asked between bites of his chicken.
“Um, well, I learned about ecosystems in science,” Grace replied. “About how all life relies on other life and stuff, and food chains.”
“That’s interesting!” Grace’s mother said.
“How is your English class going?” Grace’s dad asked abruptly.
Grace took a big forkful of peas and chewed and swallowed before answering. “It’s . . . it’s okay,” she
“Okay. Alex, you obviously have played soccer before,” Henry said, looking at his clipboard. “You’ve got good skills with the ball, and you’re fast. That’s really great.”
“That is really great,” Lisa put in. “We are a little worried that you aren’t as skilled as some of the other players when it comes to strategy.”
“I can learn that stuff!” Alex exclaimed. “I am a really fast—”
Coach Gregorson cut her off. “We know you can, Alex. You’re on the team.”
Relief flooded into Alex’s body. “I am?” she asked tentatively.
“You are,” Coach assured her. “But, to begin with, you might not get to play as much as some of the older girls. That isn’t a bad thing. It just means that you need to pay attention and learn about game strategy. That’s your goal for the year: Learn about strategy.”
“I don’t get to play?” Alex said softly.
“To begin with, you’ll just watch. Then, when we feel like your performance in practice shows that you’re learning, you’ll play a little. It’ll be hard work, Alex, but I know you can do it,” Coach said, reaching over and patting her on the shoulder. “After all, all of our star players have to start somewhere. Any questions?”
Alex felt tears welling up. “No,” she said quickly. “See you at practice tomorrow.” She got up and walked to the school as fast as she could. She didn’t bother to change out of her practice clothes; she just threw on her regular sneakers and put her school clothes into her bag. She couldn’t believe how disappointed she was! She’d made the team, after all. But she wanted to play.
Alex walked home quickly, and called to her mom, who was in the kitchen making dinner. “I made the team,” she yelled.
Her mom came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel. “Honey, that’s great!” she said. “I’m so proud of you.” She reached toward Alex for a hug, but Alex drew away.
“They said I wouldn’t get to play, Mom,” she said sadly.
“What?” her mom said, pulling away.
“They said I have to learn about strategy, and so my goal for the season is to learn about strategy, and if I do, I’ll get to play a little.”
“Oh, honey,” her mom said, walking to Alex and wrapping her arms around her. “Don’t worry, you’ll show them how good you are, and you’ll play before you know it.”
“I know, Mom,” Alex said. And she did know. That didn’t stop her from feeling disappointed, though. She was used to being a star—it was going to be hard to start at the bottom.
“Dinner’s almost ready, so why don’t you go upstairs and change and wash up?”
“I’m not really hungry right now, actually. Is it okay if I eat later?”
With a concerned look on her face, Alex’s mom nodded. “Sure, honey. I’ll save a plate for you. Is your blood sugar okay?”
Alex sighed. She had to eat regular meals because of her diabetes, even when she wasn’t hungry sometimes. “I feel fine. But I can check it. And I’ll eat in a couple of hours or something.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Come find me if you want to talk.”
Alex picked up her bag and ran up the stairs to her room. She flopped down on the bed. Too exhausted to think about anything, she just fell asleep.
chapter FIVE
grace > MONDAY
“Pass the pepper, please, honey,” Grace’s mom said. Grace’s father handed the wooden pepper mill to Grace, who placed it into her mom’s hand. Dinner was chicken, peas, and rice: Grace’s favorite combo.
“How was school today, Grace?” her father asked between bites of his chicken.
“Um, well, I learned about ecosystems in science,” Grace replied. “About how all life relies on other life and stuff, and food chains.”
“That’s interesting!” Grace’s mother said.
“How is your English class going?” Grace’s dad asked abruptly.
Grace took a big forkful of peas and chewed and swallowed before answering. “It’s . . . it’s okay,” she