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Authors: Belle Payton
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formed in her throat. She and Corey were not going to happen, and she didnât understand why. It was so unfair. She shoved her uneaten veggie wrap back in her bag and stood.
âI just remembered I have to talk to Ms.Palmer about student council.â She left before anyone could reply.
Across the cafeteria, Ava chewed the last bite of her sandwich and examined the newest photo of Chester.
âI think Chester has a crush on Carmelita,â her friend Kylie McClaire confided. âCanât you see it in his eyes?â
âWhoâs Carmelita?â Ava studied Chesterâs soft brown eyes.
âSheâs being boarded at our ranch temporarily,â Kylie said. âShe has a beautiful tawny coat. I wish I could ride her.â A few weeks earlier, Kylie had fallen off one of her horses and broken her leg pretty badly. She was still using a wheelchair at school, but she was so upbeat about everything that Ava sometimes forgot about her injury.
âAre you sure horses can have crushes?â Ava asked.
âOf course! Chester is totally into Carmelita. Obsessed, really,â Kylie replied confidently. Sheâd spent her whole life on the ranch, surrounded by horses.
Avaâs phone buzzed, and she quickly glanced over at Mr. Antonucci, the teacher on lunch duty. He joked with Andy Baker and Logan Medina at the far end of her table. Phones were supposed to be off during school, but Mr. Antonucci had his back turned. Ava slid her phone discreetly under the table and sneaked a peek.
The text was from Tommy. That was weird. Her brother never texted herâespecially not during school.
Insanity here! Read this!
Ava clicked on the link heâd sent.
Breaking News! Kelly Departs Tigers for Saint Francis Falcons
The short article revealed few details, reporting only that PJ Kelly had formally announced today that he was switching schoolsâand switching football teams.
He actually did it! Ava thought incredulously. Unbelievable! Why would PJ toss away a statechampionship team? There was no guarantee Saint Francis could build its so-called super team.
Then she realized that the article never mentioned the super team. Was it a secret? Did only she and Alex know about it? Would they try to steal other Ashland players? She tried to puzzle this out.
âAva.â Kylie nudged her.
Ava blinked, slowly growing aware of the increased chatter around her.
âEveryoneâs talking about your dad!â Kylie whispered.
Other kids must have also been on their phones, because the word of PJâs defection had snaked its way throughout the cafeteria. Exclamations of outrage and shock echoed.
âCoach Sackett did this!â Andy Baker exclaimed.
âHow?â asked Logan.
âCoach took away PJâs status as captain. Thatâs the same as kicking him off the team,â Andy said, his already pink skin growing red with outrage.
âCoach Sackett just lost us our best player,â grumbled Owen Rooney.
âMy uncle says his practices are brutal. Hewas totally unfair punishing PJ,â Andy ranted.
âHe should get in trouble for sending our best QB to another school,â Logan put in.
âOh, he will.â Mr. Antonucci jumped into the conversation. âThe Tigers will lose, and itâll all be his fault.â
âAnd get this! With Kelly gone, Tom Sackett will be QB1! Thatâs Coachâs son!â Kal Tippett hurried over from a different table to join in.
âWhat about Dion Bell?â Xander asked.
âHeâs still hurt, so Tommy gets it. I bet Coach planned this from the very beginning,â Kal reported.
âHey!â Ava stood to tell them to stop talking trash about Coach. Coach had never planned this. Tommy must be horrified to be thrust into being the first-string quarterback. He was barely comfortable playing third string!
Suddenly all the other conversations swirling about the cafeteria reached her ears. Andy and
âI just remembered I have to talk to Ms.Palmer about student council.â She left before anyone could reply.
Across the cafeteria, Ava chewed the last bite of her sandwich and examined the newest photo of Chester.
âI think Chester has a crush on Carmelita,â her friend Kylie McClaire confided. âCanât you see it in his eyes?â
âWhoâs Carmelita?â Ava studied Chesterâs soft brown eyes.
âSheâs being boarded at our ranch temporarily,â Kylie said. âShe has a beautiful tawny coat. I wish I could ride her.â A few weeks earlier, Kylie had fallen off one of her horses and broken her leg pretty badly. She was still using a wheelchair at school, but she was so upbeat about everything that Ava sometimes forgot about her injury.
âAre you sure horses can have crushes?â Ava asked.
âOf course! Chester is totally into Carmelita. Obsessed, really,â Kylie replied confidently. Sheâd spent her whole life on the ranch, surrounded by horses.
Avaâs phone buzzed, and she quickly glanced over at Mr. Antonucci, the teacher on lunch duty. He joked with Andy Baker and Logan Medina at the far end of her table. Phones were supposed to be off during school, but Mr. Antonucci had his back turned. Ava slid her phone discreetly under the table and sneaked a peek.
The text was from Tommy. That was weird. Her brother never texted herâespecially not during school.
Insanity here! Read this!
Ava clicked on the link heâd sent.
Breaking News! Kelly Departs Tigers for Saint Francis Falcons
The short article revealed few details, reporting only that PJ Kelly had formally announced today that he was switching schoolsâand switching football teams.
He actually did it! Ava thought incredulously. Unbelievable! Why would PJ toss away a statechampionship team? There was no guarantee Saint Francis could build its so-called super team.
Then she realized that the article never mentioned the super team. Was it a secret? Did only she and Alex know about it? Would they try to steal other Ashland players? She tried to puzzle this out.
âAva.â Kylie nudged her.
Ava blinked, slowly growing aware of the increased chatter around her.
âEveryoneâs talking about your dad!â Kylie whispered.
Other kids must have also been on their phones, because the word of PJâs defection had snaked its way throughout the cafeteria. Exclamations of outrage and shock echoed.
âCoach Sackett did this!â Andy Baker exclaimed.
âHow?â asked Logan.
âCoach took away PJâs status as captain. Thatâs the same as kicking him off the team,â Andy said, his already pink skin growing red with outrage.
âCoach Sackett just lost us our best player,â grumbled Owen Rooney.
âMy uncle says his practices are brutal. Hewas totally unfair punishing PJ,â Andy ranted.
âHe should get in trouble for sending our best QB to another school,â Logan put in.
âOh, he will.â Mr. Antonucci jumped into the conversation. âThe Tigers will lose, and itâll all be his fault.â
âAnd get this! With Kelly gone, Tom Sackett will be QB1! Thatâs Coachâs son!â Kal Tippett hurried over from a different table to join in.
âWhat about Dion Bell?â Xander asked.
âHeâs still hurt, so Tommy gets it. I bet Coach planned this from the very beginning,â Kal reported.
âHey!â Ava stood to tell them to stop talking trash about Coach. Coach had never planned this. Tommy must be horrified to be thrust into being the first-string quarterback. He was barely comfortable playing third string!
Suddenly all the other conversations swirling about the cafeteria reached her ears. Andy and
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