Read Online Swap Over by Margaret Pearce - Free Book Online Page B

difficult about playing tennis after all! It was just a matter of having a straight swing and a straight eye, like any other game that connected a bat with a ball.
    She never knew that tennis could be such an enjoyable game. The sun was warm, but there were just enough clouds in the sky to keep it from being too dazzling. The coolness in the air was just right for an energetic game. In fact, it was an absolutely perfect day.
    â€œGame and set,” Katrina yelled at last.
    They had won! Bronwin and Linda had won the first two sets, and she and Katrina had won the last four. It was a wonderful feeling! Maddy grinned at Katrina. She knew exactly why sporting people hugged each other when they won. She felt like hugging the grinning Katrina until she squeaked.
    â€œIt’s not fair,” Bronwin yelled. “I’m going to complain to the coach. You had no right to win!”
    â€œRight is on the side of the best players,” Katrina said with a grin.
    â€œThink you’re smart don’t you, Maddy Walton,” Bronwin almost hissed. “You’re still cheating, keeping quiet about how good you’ve got at tennis. Suppose Mummy and Daddy paid out for a professional coach for their dear little gold-plated Maddy.”
    Maddy stared at Bronwin. She recognized the tone behind that bitter accusation. Bronwin was jealous! Wasn’t she aware of how petty, spiteful, and nasty she sounded as soon as she opened her mouth?
    Bronwin was jealous because nice Jennifer Walton, who was now Jennifer Matson, must have had it all; wealthy parents who cared for her, popularity, and good looks. Bronwin must be the nastiest, most spiteful person she had ever come across, and she was such a bad loser!
    Time seemed to slow and stop. The background noise of the yells and thuds of balls on the next courts faded. The day had stopped being perfect. The warmth and pleasure of winning at tennis was gone as well.
    Something was happening inside herself, but she needed more time to work out exactly what it was. She, Maddy Matson, was as bad as Bronwin! She squirmed. She was a bad loser as well! She had cheated at draughts. Inside herself, it wasn’t just something stupid to forget as quickly as possible. It had become a big deal, because it was herself she had somehow cheated.
    She was just as jealous and nasty as Bronwin! She was nasty to Merry, because she was the baby of the family, and everyone made a fuss of her. Milly always got top marks for her schoolwork because she worked so hard. Maddy, who never worked if she could help it, resented Milly’s good marks, and spent all her time upsetting her when she wanted to study.
    The timeless unpleasantness of looking inside herself shattered at Katrina’s voice.
    â€œIt just happens that Maddy is having a good day for a change.” Katrina’s grin had gone and there was disgust in her voice. “Everyone knows you’d rather terrorize weak players with your nasty serve than be on the receiving end. Well, tough luck! You’ve lost fairly and squarely, so don’t bother to snivel to the coach about it.”
    Bronwin was certainly a bad loser, Maddy realized, recognizing the familiar expression as she stared at the furious eyes, the thinned lips, and the rage colouring Bronwin’s face.
    â€œFairly and squarely!” Bronwin yelled back. “Two good players against me and me, handicapped by this dummy.” She shoved at Linda, sending her staggering. “It’s all the fault of this stupid, moronic idiot, me losing the game like that.”
    Linda started crying. Maddy felt her temper and her guilt rise. Suddenly, it was as if it was her sister, Milly, on the receiving end of her own nasty resentment and that shove, not Linda. She could never make up for all the bad things she had done to Milly, but she wouldn’t let them happen anymore.
    â€œPoor loser, sore loser,” Maddy chanted as she shoved Bronwin hard.
    Bronwin went