Read Online Kickoff! by Tiki Barber - Free Book Online Page A

be patient, and hope we’ll get our chance sooner or later.”
    Ronde shook his head. “Whatever,” he said. “But it had better be sooner, not later.”
    The boys walked off in silence. What more was there to say?
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    It was another bad day at school, naturally. It had been a terrible, terrible week, and today was the worst day of all— Friday.
    Usually, Friday was the best day of the school week, with the whole weekend to look forward to. But not this week. Tomorrow was Saturday—and the first game of the Eagles’ season.
    In class, concentrating was impossible. Only in Mr. Wheeler’s class, where he feared being hit by flying paper balls, was Tiki able to buckle down and pay attention. And when the school day was finally over, Tiki could tell by the look on his brother’s face that things hadn’t gone too well for him either.
    At practice Tiki and Ronde went through all their paces, but their hearts weren’t in it, and their weak effort showed. The coaches were constantly urging them to do more, to try harder. But nothing seemed to help.
    Once they got home, the boys were in no rush to do their homework. They didn’t even want to go out and play, because that meant playing football —and even thinking about football was painful. It only reminded them of their failure to make the starting team!
    Tiki played with his pencil and protractor. He drew doodles. Homework time seemed longer than football practice time. The doorbell rang, but neither Tiki nor Ronde cared to answer it.
    Their mom did. “Paco’s here to see you,” she said.
    â€œTell him we’re sick,” Ronde said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWe don’t feel good, Mom,” Tiki said. It was the truth, too. He felt like absolute crud. He just didn’t feel like talking about why.
    â€œDon’t feel well, you mean,” Mrs. Barber corrected him. “Here, let me feel your foreheads.”
    But the boys didn’t have fevers. They were sick to their stomachs, and had a bitter taste in their mouths—a taste even Mom’s chicken soup couldn’t cure.
    â€œWell, I’ve got to go out after dinner,” said Mrs. Barber.
    â€œWhere are you going, Ma?” Tiki asked. “Out with Mrs. Pendergast again?”
    â€œNot tonight,” she said. “Tonight’s Back to School Night.”
    â€œAlready?” Ronde gasped.
    â€œBut it’s only the second week!” Tiki said in a scared voice.
    â€œSooner the better,” Mrs. Barber said. “I’m anxious to see what Hidden Valley Junior High is all about.”
    What she didn’t say—but both Tiki and Ronde knew—was that she also wanted to ask their teachers how the twins were doing in class.
    Uh-oh  . . .
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    It was nearly ten o’clock at night when the front door opened and closed.
    â€œMa?” Tiki called from the living room sofa where he and Ronde were sitting, watching the NFL report on TV.
    Nobody answered.
    â€œMa, is that you?” Ronde called.
    She appeared in the doorway, frowning. “Well!” she said, coming slowly into the room and dropping down in her favorite armchair. “Did I ever get an earful tonight!”
    â€œWhat do you mean, Ma?” Ronde asked innocently. But he knew what was coming.
    â€œI found out that most of your teachers don’t even know who you are!” she said. “Apparently, you never raise your hands in class, you seem not to be paying attention, and you show no interest in learning anything. Both of you!”
    â€œThat’s not true, Mom!” Tiki protested.
    â€œWe were just distracted,” Ronde explained.
    â€œOh, really? By what?”
    â€œBy the football team,” Tiki said. “But that’s all over now, Ma, so you don’t have to worry about it anymore.”
    â€œâ€˜All