myself because I can’t carry much home. I pick up some bread, milk, cereal, spaghetti, and marshmallows and call it a day.
My basketball garb is on way before three, so I laze around on the couch until it’s time to leave. I hope I don’t run into Kate and Zoey again; I’m not in the mood for their crap. I walk fast, past the shops and restaurants, past the beachgoers and bike messengers. No time to even look at wacky tourists as they whiz by. I just want to get out on the court and hustle. I’ve got to really focus on the ball today so I don’t lose control. Coach told us during the first practice that nothing beats determination. Where does she gets this stuff? Did she read it in a self-help book? Or is it from years of coaching?
I’m ready to give it my all today. Whatever that is … I’m not really sure. I spot Liz crossing the street and speedwalk to catch up to her. “Hey, girl, wait up,” I yell.
She turns around. “I thought I smelled you.”
“Ha, funny. It’s probably your new perfume.”
She sticks her armpit in my face and makes sniffing noises.
“It’s you.” I laugh. “Is Harry coming to the game?”
“He wanted to, but then he’d have to get off work early. I told him to come on Thursday instead. That’s his day off. What about Graham?”
“What about him? After he meets with my dad today, the game will be over.” I hit the walk button and wait for the little man to appear.
“Come on, coast is clear.” Liz pulls my arm and we dash across the street.
“Yeah, I guess it’s better to get hit by a car than be late for a game.”
“Hey, do you want to run extra laps?” Liz is a few feet in front of me. She swings open the court gate.
Coach is over on the grass talking to some parents and a few girls are already doing their stretches. The Brown team has gathered at the other end of the court. As far as I can see, they don’t have any players as tall as Thunder or Zoey.
Liz and I spread out on our side of the court with the rest of the Red team. We’re finished with the jumping jacks when Zoey and Thunder arrive. Joy to the world!
Coach joins us on the court. “Good, everyone’s here. Finish your stretches, then grab a ball and practice your shots.”
Wait a minute—did she not notice that the Amazons were late? How unfair!
We all line up, but Thunder cuts in front of me. “What’s the rush, chica?” Liz asks.
“Well, excuse me,” Thunder barks back.
“Damn right, excuse you.” Liz clicks her tongue.
“Go ahead, Kate,” I say, hoping to avoid an all-out cat fight.
“Now, she speaks.” Kate looks me dead in the eye . I think she has smoke coming out of hers. I guess that makes me the fire extinguisher.
I hold my hands out to either side in case one of the cats decides to pounce. “It’s really no big deal guys.”
Coach walks up to us. “Is there a problem, girls?”
“No,” I mumble.
Kate hisses, but then grabs a ball, runs up, and shoots. She misses and slams the ball on the ground.
“Cool it, Kate,” Coach yells after her. “Don’t make me bench you for the game.”
“Don’t let that psycho chica intimidate you,” Liz says to me once Coach is out of earshot.
“Yeah, you’re right.” I reach for a ball. “She’s getting on my nerves with that ’tude.” I know that if I just said the word, Liz would threaten her with a barrage of insults in Spanish and her evil stare, but I don’t want her to fight this battle for me. Instead, I’m going to do what I usually do: try and ignore the Thunder beast and hope she goes away.
“Keep it moving,” Coach yells.
I quickly run down the court. I pretend the ball is Thunder’s head and throw it hard. It bounces off the rim, but I give “Thunder” a good slam.
We practice shooting until Coach calls us over for a team huddle. I make sure to stay away from Thunder and so does Liz. Coach is sporting a brand-new Nike outfit with spandex shorts. She looks like that tennis player Serena
My basketball garb is on way before three, so I laze around on the couch until it’s time to leave. I hope I don’t run into Kate and Zoey again; I’m not in the mood for their crap. I walk fast, past the shops and restaurants, past the beachgoers and bike messengers. No time to even look at wacky tourists as they whiz by. I just want to get out on the court and hustle. I’ve got to really focus on the ball today so I don’t lose control. Coach told us during the first practice that nothing beats determination. Where does she gets this stuff? Did she read it in a self-help book? Or is it from years of coaching?
I’m ready to give it my all today. Whatever that is … I’m not really sure. I spot Liz crossing the street and speedwalk to catch up to her. “Hey, girl, wait up,” I yell.
She turns around. “I thought I smelled you.”
“Ha, funny. It’s probably your new perfume.”
She sticks her armpit in my face and makes sniffing noises.
“It’s you.” I laugh. “Is Harry coming to the game?”
“He wanted to, but then he’d have to get off work early. I told him to come on Thursday instead. That’s his day off. What about Graham?”
“What about him? After he meets with my dad today, the game will be over.” I hit the walk button and wait for the little man to appear.
“Come on, coast is clear.” Liz pulls my arm and we dash across the street.
“Yeah, I guess it’s better to get hit by a car than be late for a game.”
“Hey, do you want to run extra laps?” Liz is a few feet in front of me. She swings open the court gate.
Coach is over on the grass talking to some parents and a few girls are already doing their stretches. The Brown team has gathered at the other end of the court. As far as I can see, they don’t have any players as tall as Thunder or Zoey.
Liz and I spread out on our side of the court with the rest of the Red team. We’re finished with the jumping jacks when Zoey and Thunder arrive. Joy to the world!
Coach joins us on the court. “Good, everyone’s here. Finish your stretches, then grab a ball and practice your shots.”
Wait a minute—did she not notice that the Amazons were late? How unfair!
We all line up, but Thunder cuts in front of me. “What’s the rush, chica?” Liz asks.
“Well, excuse me,” Thunder barks back.
“Damn right, excuse you.” Liz clicks her tongue.
“Go ahead, Kate,” I say, hoping to avoid an all-out cat fight.
“Now, she speaks.” Kate looks me dead in the eye . I think she has smoke coming out of hers. I guess that makes me the fire extinguisher.
I hold my hands out to either side in case one of the cats decides to pounce. “It’s really no big deal guys.”
Coach walks up to us. “Is there a problem, girls?”
“No,” I mumble.
Kate hisses, but then grabs a ball, runs up, and shoots. She misses and slams the ball on the ground.
“Cool it, Kate,” Coach yells after her. “Don’t make me bench you for the game.”
“Don’t let that psycho chica intimidate you,” Liz says to me once Coach is out of earshot.
“Yeah, you’re right.” I reach for a ball. “She’s getting on my nerves with that ’tude.” I know that if I just said the word, Liz would threaten her with a barrage of insults in Spanish and her evil stare, but I don’t want her to fight this battle for me. Instead, I’m going to do what I usually do: try and ignore the Thunder beast and hope she goes away.
“Keep it moving,” Coach yells.
I quickly run down the court. I pretend the ball is Thunder’s head and throw it hard. It bounces off the rim, but I give “Thunder” a good slam.
We practice shooting until Coach calls us over for a team huddle. I make sure to stay away from Thunder and so does Liz. Coach is sporting a brand-new Nike outfit with spandex shorts. She looks like that tennis player Serena
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