by Jake Maddox
“I’d love one,” she finally said. “But our insurance doesn’t cover it.”
Autumn’s health insurance covered her regular wheelchair, which was great for everyday stuff. But sports chairs weren’t considered “medical necessities.”
Tara sighed. “I know. But there are some other options. There are grant programs that help cover the cost of equipment for adaptive sports. Or even crowdfunding, church fundraisers, stuff like that.”
Autumn stiffened. It wasn’t that those ideas weren’t good ones. But she and Marmee took care of things themselves. They always had.
She sighed, thinking about her roommates. Bree and Coral and Ashti probably never had to ask strangers for money to get their basketball chairs. It didn’t seem fair.
As if she could read Autumn’s thoughts, Tara asked, “How’re you getting on with the other girls? Making friends?”
Autumn shrugged. “I guess. Ashti’s nice.”
Ashti had actually been friendly from the start. She hadn’t laughed about Marmee’s name or Autumn’s accent like Bree and Coral had.
But Autumn knew she still wasn’t one of them.
It didn’t make sense. For the first time in her life, Autumn was surrounded by other girls who used wheels and loved basketball, just like her.
But somehow those things weren’t enough to make her feel like she fit in.
CHAPTER 7
BENCHED!
Two days later, flyers started appearing around campus. Camp was already halfway over, and different end-of-camp committees were looking for volunteers. There was a decorations committee, a prize committee, and others. Everything would be presented at the banquet after the final basketball game.
As she rolled past the library on her way to the mail room with a postcard for Marmee, Autumn paused to read a flyer for the staff appreciation committee. That sounded like fun—everyone who worked for the camp had been great. Carlos and Tara, Keoko and the dining hall staff, the workers who cleaned the gym each morning. Autumn was even on a first-name basis with Edna and Sergei, two housekeeping employees who kept the dorm halls and shared spaces clean. It would be nice to help think of a way to say thanks.
If I have the time, Autumn reminded herself. She was here to play ball, not hang decorations or choose prizes.
She got to practice just in time to hear Carlos call out the positions for the morning scrimmage.
“Harrington and Holloway!” he shouted. “Center circle! On the double!”
Autumn stifled a groan at hearing Bree’s last name and hers called together for tip-off. Of course.
She clenched her jaw and rolled to the center circle. Bree quickly followed, and the rest of the players took their positions on the court behind the two girls.
Carlos blew his whistle and tossed the ball. Autumn and Bree both lunged for it.
Autumn got there a second sooner. She slapped the ball away from Bree and dribbled up the court.
Take that! she thought with satisfaction.
Her good mood didn’t last long. In the second quarter, she and Bree both went for a rebound and collided. Autumn yelped as pain shot through her wrist.
Tweet! Carlos blew his whistle and ran over. “You girls okay?” he asked.
Autumn glared at Bree. “I was until she bulldozed me,” she grumbled, rubbing her throbbing wrist.
Bree, who was cradling her own hand, glared too. “Like you wouldn’t have run me over if you could’ve,” she shot back.
Tara raced over. “That’s already starting to swell,” she said, frowning at Bree’s jammed finger. “And you’re going to have a nasty bruise,” she added, nodding at Autumn’s wrist. “Let’s get you two checked out.”
In the health center, the athletic trainer examined them. She wrapped them up and gave both girls the same instructions. “Keep ice on it for forty-eight hours and leave the wrap on except for showers. You’ll probably be able to get back on the court after that.”
“Forty-eight hours?” Autumn cried. “The final game is five days away! I can’t be out for two whole days!”
The trainer shrugged. “Sorry,” she said. “Afraid you’re both benched for a bit.”
Autumn couldn’t believe it. Two entire days off the court? It was impossible!
But Tara was firm. “It’s not the end of the world,” she told them as the girls waited for the lift van to take them to the dorm. “Better safe than sorry.”
“This stinks,” Bree muttered, glaring at Autumn.
Autumn glared back. “At least we agree on something.”
Autumn spent the afternoon in her room, icing her wrist and watching wheelchair basketball on Ashti’s computer, which she had said Autumn could use. If she couldn’t go to afternoon practice, at least she could work on her strategy.
But close to dinnertime, Autumn couldn’t take it anymore. She had to get some fresh air.
Autumn rolled carefully into the suite’s common area and bit back a groan. Coral and Ashti were still at afternoon practice, but Bree had transferred herself onto the sofa. She was watching a show on her tablet while she iced her hand.
The two girls ignored each other. Using mostly her good arm and switching from rim to rim now and then, Autumn slowly rolled out to the front lobby of the building. She looked at the bulletin board until she found the flyer she was searching for.
Autumn copied down the information. Then she rubbed her still-swollen wrist, thinking. She had two entire days to fill, so she had no excuse. She was going to join the staff appreciation committee.
Autumn sighed. “Not exactly how I’d planned to spend my time,” she muttered to the empty lobby.
Back in the suite, the common room was now empty. But from inside Bree and Coral’s bedroom, Autumn could hear Bree talking on the phone. She sounded upset.
Autumn paused. Bree sounded close to tears, even through the door. She thought about checking on her. But then she remembered all the times she and Bree had clashed this week, like when Bree had made fun of her accent or cut her off on the court. If it weren’t for their stupid collision this morning, Autumn wouldn’t be stuck with a sore wrist and two days on the bench.
Bree doesn’t need my help, Autumn decided. She’d probably bite my head off if I tried, anyway.
Decision made, Autumn rolled into her own bedroom and shut the door. Marmee would probably be disappointed in her if she knew.
Then again, Marmee hadn’t raised a doormat, either.
CHAPTER 8
JUST THIS ONCE
The staff appreciation committee met later in the afternoon in the downstairs lounge. Amira was there, along with some other girls Autumn hadn’t talked to much. There was music and snacks, and they spent the first hour just hanging out and snacking.
Autumn learned she wasn’t the only one whose family wasn’t wealthy. There were girls at Blazing Hoops from all over. There was Consuela, whose parents were both paramedics, and Emma, whose single mother worked in a flower shop.
Autumn let herself relax a little. Maybe she hadn’t given things enough of a chance.
The girls had fun, but they didn’t get too much staff appreciation planning done. Soon it was getting to be evening, and everyone headed off to dinner.
Autumn decided not to strain her wrist by pushing herself all the way to the dining hall. Tara had dropped off some boxed meals for her and Bree earlier. That would be good enough.
When Autumn got back to the suite, Ashti and Coral were watching a show in the common room.
“Hey, Autumn,” Ashti said with a smile. “We’re having movie night. You can help pick.”
Coral chimed in. “We’re getting takeout too. Do you like Thai?”
Autumn was about to reply that she’d never tried Thai food and would pass. But suddenly, she stopped. Ashti and Coral were inviting her to enjoy dinner and a movie. She’d just had a good time with the other girls at the meeting.
Why shouldn’t I accept? Autumn wondered. Just this once?
“Sure,”
she answered. “I like pretty much anything.”
When the food arrived, Autumn quickly realized her mistake. None of the few restaurants in Sandy Pines cost much—you could easily get a whole dinner for less than ten dollars. So she nearly gasped when she saw the takeout bill. The spending money Marmee had given her would just cover the cost. She definitely wouldn’t be able to afford any Blazing Hoops gear now—not even a water bottle.
Autumn went to her room and got the money for her share.
“Here you go!” Ashti said as she handed Autumn a plate filled with food. “Their pad thai is the best in town—my parents and I probably order it twice a month.”
Autumn balanced the plate on her lap and tried to enjoy the movie and the Thai food. Beside her, Ashti and Coral were sampling food from the takeout boxes, gushing over their favorites.
“Oops!” Coral accidentally dripped some sauce on her Blazing Hoops hoodie. “That’s totally going to leave a stain!” She dabbed a napkin over the spot. “Maybe I’ll head to the bookstore and grab a new one tomorrow.”
Autumn couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It was another reminder: I’m not like these girls. Money doesn’t grow on trees for me.
She wouldn’t forget again.
A few minutes later, Bree came out of her bedroom, balancing her towel and shower stuff on her lap. Her eyes looked red.
“Everything okay?” Coral asked quietly.
“Fine,” Bree said quickly.
“How’s your finger?” Autumn asked before she could stop herself.
Bree shrugged. “I’ll live. Sorry to disappoint.”
She disappeared into the bathroom before Autumn could reply.
Autumn and Bree were finally cleared to play again.
“But take it easy,” Tara said, looking straight at Autumn. “This is supposed to be fun.”
Autumn, already headed to the court, barely heard her. She had lost time to make up for.
For the next several days, Autumn pushed herself extra hard in practice, determined to be ready for the final game. Tara had reminded them it was only an exhibition game, but Autumn wasn’t about to go into it unprepared. Most of the girls had a chance to play year-round, but this might be the only time Autumn ever got to play in a game, and she wanted to make Marmee proud.
At least she and Bree had stopped tangling on the court since their collision. They still didn’t talk more than necessary, but they left each other alone—mostly.
After practice, Autumn, Emma, and Amira hurried off to the third staff appreciation committee meeting. The final game and banquet were coming up fast, and they needed to get things settled.
Junta, a third-year camper and committee head, called the meeting to order.
“Okay! We’re in pretty good shape overall, and we’ve stayed within the budget that the donors gave us. We’ve got gifts and cards for Carlos and Tara, the athletic director, and the counselors. Besides getting the gifts wrapped and cards signed, I think we just need to decide who’ll present them at the banquet.”
Autumn suddenly thought of something. “But we haven’t decided what to get for the housekeeping and dining hall staff,” she pointed out. “Or maintenance.”
There was a pause. Some girls looked surprised or confused. But Autumn noticed that Emma nodded in agreement.
Junta blinked. “That’s thoughtful,” she said slowly. “But the other times I’ve been to camp, we’ve sort of stuck to honoring the people who’ve made camp great for us.”
Autumn frowned. “But those workers do that too! They clean our dorms and keep us fed. And someone in maintenance fixed the sports chair I’ve been using.”
Another girl chimed in. “True. That’s their job all year, though—not just during camp.”
Emma spoke up. “Does that matter?” she asked softly. “Keoko has been making special meals for me because of my allergies. They’re really going out of their way for us.”
“That’s sweet,” Junta said. “But the committee really only focuses on everyone who’s helped us with basketball. How would we even know what sort of gift the maintenance staff would like?”
They took a vote. Emma, Amira, and Consuela voted for Autumn’s suggestion. Junta and five others voted against it. So much for that, Autumn thought.
CHAPTER 9
SHINY ON THE OUTSIDE
Autumn was full of frustration. After the meeting, she went for a long ride around campus to clear her head. She shoved hard on her push rims, glad her wrist was better. She rolled fast over the paved paths, crisscrossing campus without paying attention to direction. When she finally stopped to rest her tired shoulders, she didn’t recognize where she was.
Whoops. Autumn studied the unfamiliar stone buildings—all the buildings seemed to be stone, so it was hard to tell them apart. She tried to figure out which side of the big campus she was on. She followed one path for a while, and then another, but nothing looked familiar.
Then her chair made a scraping noise. Autumn leaned over to inspect it and groaned. Great. One of the casters at the front of the chair was sticking, making the chair move unevenly. Maybe she’d gotten some debris or a small rock caught in it while rolling over one of the cobblestone paths.
Autumn sighed. If only she’d brought her toolkit with her.
“Hi, Autumn!” someone called.
Autumn turned and smiled. It was Keoko, from the dining hall. “Keoko! Hey, nice haircut!”
Keoko smiled back. “Thanks! What brings you to this side of campus?”
Autumn explained how she’d gone for a ride and gotten lost. “To top things off, I banged up my wheels too!” She showed Keoko the damaged caster.
Keoko took a look and said, “Come with me.”
Autumn followed her to the back entrance of a building, past a small sign that said FACILITIES. Keoko led her inside and called, “Nathaniel! We need your magic touch!”
“Coming!” A young man came in from a side door, wiping his hands on a rag. “What can I do for you?”
Keoko introduced Autumn and explained about the broken caster.
“No problem.” Nathaniel crouched down to inspect it. “I worked on this chair last week.”
“So, you’re one who fixed it for me!” Autumn said. “It’s worked really well. Thanks for tuning it up. And I’m sorry—I know I should have left it in the gym and switched to my other chair. But I was late to a meeting.”
Nathaniel just shrugged. “No worries.” He and Keoko led Autumn to a small break room full of comfortable chairs. Autumn transferred into an armchair so Nathaniel could take her chair to the maintenance shop.
“Want a snack?” Keoko offered Autumn a cookie from a tin. Several other employees taking their afternoon breaks joined them. They munched their cookies and chatted quietly.
Autumn finished a cookie and was surprised to find herself completely relaxed. She looked around and realized why. Everyone in the break room reminded her of people in Sandy Pines. They had uniform shirts embroidered with their names and tools in their belts. They were working-class, like Marmee.
Like her.
Autumn sighed deeply. It felt good to be here. But it also felt good to be out on the court, weaving and darting toward the basket. Feeling the slap of the ball in her palm and the rush of adrenaline when she made a perfect basket.
But could she have both? Could she belong in both worlds?
Keoko heard her sigh. “Heavy thoughts?” she asked.
Before she knew it, Autumn had told Keoko everything. How she’d expected so much from Blazing Hoops and felt so much pressure to make the most of it. How she’d been so excited to meet other girls who used wheels but hadn’t expected to feel so out of place.
“It doesn’t make any sense!” Autumn finally burst out.
But Keoko smiled knowingly. Nathaniel, who’d come back with her repaired chair, nodded. “Makes a lot of sense, actually,” he said.
Autumn blinked. “It does?”
Keoko shrugged. “We know how y
ou feel. We work here all year.”
Autumn saw what they meant. Working service jobs at an expensive college must be hard too.
“Do people make fun of you?” she asked, remembering how Bree had imitated her accent on the first day.
Nathaniel laughed. “Not openly. Sure, some professors—and students—act like we’re beneath them. Or invisible. But some are plenty nice. And any who underestimate me—well, that’s their problem, not mine.”
Autumn remembered how friendly Ashti always was, and she came from a well-off family. Not everyone with money acted high and mighty all the time.
“Money doesn’t fix everything,” Keoko added, as if reading Autumn’s mind. “Everyone’s carrying some sort of load—no matter how shiny things look on the outside.”
Autumn thought about how upset Bree had sounded on the phone the other day and how red-eyed she’d been when she came out of her bedroom.
Did I give up on making friends too quickly? Is there still time to try and fix that?
After thanking Nathaniel and Keoko and getting directions, Autumn headed back across campus. When she reached the grassy middle area that Keoko had called the quad, she saw Bree parked under a big, shady tree. She was doing something on her phone.
Autumn started to roll past. Then she stopped.
“Looks like your finger’s feeling better,” she said, watching Bree scroll rapidly through her phone.
Bree half-looked up. “Yeah,” she said coolly.
Autumn took a breath. Bree wasn’t going to make this easy. But enough was enough.
“Look,” Autumn said, “I’m glad we’ve stopped messing with each other on the court. So why can’t we just get along? What’d I ever do to you?”
Bree bristled. “What do you mean?”
“Come on,” Autumn persisted. “You started in on me the second day. Remember making fun of my accent?”
Bree blushed. “I remember you getting a letter,” she said in a quiet voice.
