Read Online Shaken Up by Alex Morgan - Free Book Online Page B

Emma. “Since you have helped all of us, it’s our turn to help you! Each of us has something special planned for you.”
    â€œOh no! More suspense? I can’t take it!” I joked.
    â€œI’m up first,” Zoe said. “I’ll be at your house tomorrow after practice, Devin. Okay?”
    I knew I had no choice. That was one thing all of my friends had in common. When they put their minds to something, they didn’t back down.
    â€œOkay!” I replied.

When the doorbell rang the next afternoon, I raced from the kitchen, where I’d been having a snack after soccer practice. I could not wait to see what Zoe had planned for me!
    I opened the door, and my friend stood there in her soccer practice clothes, a stylish messenger bag slung over her shoulders.
    She saluted me. “Zoe Quinlan of the Devin Confidence Squad, reporting for duty!”
    I laughed before I stood up straight and saluted her back. “Yes, sir!” I said, and we both cracked up.
    â€œSo, how’s your soccer mojo doing?” Zoe asked as we walked through my house to the sliding glass doors that led out into the backyard.
    I sighed. “I’ve been holding back a lot, I guess. I’ve been doing a little better at practice, but I can’t seem to score a goal.”
    Zoe’s face turned serious. “Remember how I used to be? I was so nervous on the field that I couldn’t concentrate, and it affected my playing. But you had confidence in me, Devin, and that helped. And when Frida showed me tips, they really clicked for me, and it worked!”
    I shook my head in agreement. “You are a beast on the field now, Zoe!”
    Zoe’s cheeks turned a little red under my praise. “I try my best. It’s such a relief not to be nervous out there anymore!”
    She spotted the soccer ball in my yard. “I think I can help you relax when you play,” Zoe said. “You’ve just got to promise me that no matter how silly these things seem, you’ve got to commit and give them your all.”
    I gulped. I didn’t like feeling silly or stupid. But at least Zoe and I were alone in the backyard. My mom was in her office, working, and Dad and Maisie were at her soccer practice. So there was no one around to point and laugh.
    I took a deep breath. “Okay, Zoe. I’ll do what you say. I trust you!”
    Zoe smiled. “Good! Now, the first thing you need to do”—she took off her bag, opened it, and took out a small bottle of orange juice—“is drink this.”
    I felt my eyebrows arch as I looked at her questioningly. “Orange juice?” I sounded totally bewildered.
    â€œIt’s a trick Frida taught me,” Zoe shared. “It can help lower blood pressure and make you less anxious. It’s something actors who suffer from stage fright use to calm themselves down.”
    â€œOkay, so drinking orange juice,” I said. “That’s not so bad. I thought you said I was going to have to do something silly.”
    Zoe grinned. “That comes later,” she said. “Let’s just chill for a minute while you drink your juice.”
    We relaxed on the grass, chatting about the day while I drank some of the orange juice. When it was about halfway finished, Zoe told me to lie on my back.
    â€œGet comfortable,” she suggested. “You can leave your hands by your sides, or put them on your stomach, whatever feels best.”
    I lay back on the grass and rested my hands lightly on my stomach. I looked up at the bright blue California sky. Fluffy white clouds were dotting it, and it looked so pretty that I began to relax right away.
    â€œNow close your eyes,” Zoe said in her gentle voice. “Picture the rays of the sun coming into the top of your head. The warm light is gently moving through your head, easing any tension. It’s taking all your worries away. Feel it move through your eyes, your nose, your