Double or Nothing

by Belle Payton

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  CHAPTER

  ONE

  “Alex?”

  No answer.

  “Alex?”

  Not so much as a twitch. Ava took a step into the room. The shades were up, but it was still dim and shadowy in her sister’s bedroom, as the September sun had not yet risen.

  “Al!”

  Alex, a lump beneath the gray covers, mumbled something Ava couldn’t hear and turned her back to her sister.

  Desperate times called for desperate measures. Ava strode in and sat down heavily on her twin’s bed, causing the lump under the covers to give a little bounce. Then she pulled the pillow out from under her sleeping sister’s head.

  Alex sat up, her long, curly hair wild, her hands groping blindly. “What? What! Time to get up! What day is it?” A second later, her eyes focused on Ava. Her expression turned from sleepy confusion to wide-awake panic. “Ava!” she whispered, throwing back the covers. “Did I oversleep?”

  Ava stood up. She was glad Alex wasn’t sick or anything, but this was still weird: Alex never overslept. She was always the first one up; annoyingly chipper in the morning, to the dismay of Ava, who was not a morning person, and their older brother Tommy, who wasn’t either.

  “Yes, but you’re not going to be late,” said Ava. “We have plenty of time before the bus comes.”

  “Plenty of time!” repeated Alex as she flew to her chair and grabbed the clothes she’d laid out the night before. “Twenty minutes is not ‘plenty of time.’ ” She headed toward the bathroom. “How could I have overslept today, of all days! I have seventy-eight signatures, and I still need twenty-two more by the end of the day.”

  “Relax, Al,” said Ava. “Just don’t spend nineteen minutes on your hair today and you’ll be fine.”

  Ava heard her twin grunt and slam the door to the bathroom, which was between their bedrooms. A second later, she heard the shower going.

  Ava stood and contemplated her sister’s neat-as-a-pin bedroom, now bathed in pinky-gold tones as the sun rose in the eastern sky. Alex’s clipboard was on the top of the tidy pile of books on her desk. She was running for seventh-grade class president at Ashland Middle School, and campaign petitions were due today. But today was a big day for both of them; she, Ava, had slept fitfully all night long and finally gotten up before her alarm had rung. This afternoon was the first day of football tryouts, and she was a combination of excited and nervous.

  The kitchen was bustling when Ava entered. Coach Sackett had his orange Ashland Tigers hat on, his briefcase was near the door, and he had just finished packing the girls’ lunches. Mrs. Sackett was still in her workout clothes—an oversize Patriots T-shirt and yoga pants—her long, curly hair pulled back into a ponytail. She had just come back from walking Moxy, the Sacketts’ Australian shepherd. Tommy’s mouth was full—a common occurrence—as he downed what remained of his bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich and stood up from the table.

  “Alex overslept,” announced Ava.

  Coach froze in mid-swig of his coffee.

  Tommy stopped chewing.

  Mrs. Sackett stood, holding Moxy’s food dish.

  They all gaped at Ava.

  “Wow. Alex overslept?” asked Tommy.

  “Is she feeling sick?” asked Mrs. Sackett. Moxy thumped her tail loudly on the kitchen floor, waiting for Mrs. Sackett to set the bowl down.

  “Nope, she’s fine,” said Ava, pouring out her cereal. “She was probably up late texting with Emily about her campaign strategy.”

  Coach grabbed his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Sackett good-bye on the cheek, and leaned across the table to ruffle Ava’s already-mussed-up hair.

  “Hey, careful there, Coach. I worked hard on my hairstyle this morning,” said Ava. She twirled a piece of short, curly brown hair around her finger and laughed.

  “Good luck at tryouts today, darlin’,” he said, heading for the door. “Remember to stay low and move those feet.”

  Ava grinned. “I will, Coach. I will.” Was his Texas accent re-emerging? He had grown up near Ashland but had lived in the Northeast for most of his adult life. They’d been back in Texas for several weeks now, and Ava was starting to detect an accent creeping back into his voice. Subtle stuff—like dropping the g’s on his –ing word endings. She made a mental note to ask Alex if she had noticed this too.

  Alex hurried into the kitchen just after Tommy and Coach had backed out of the driveway and driven away. Her expression was frazzled, but the rest of her looked as smooth and put-together as ever. “Mom, no time for breakfast,” she said, picking up her lunch and swinging her backpack onto her shoulder. “I need to get to the bus stop in time to plan my strategy. I need seventh graders to sign my clipboard.”

  Mrs. Sackett handed Alex a piece of toast and a peeled banana on a paper towel and nodded. She probably knew there was no arguing with Alex about the importance of a good breakfast on a day like today. “Good luck today, girls,” she said, as the sisters traipsed to the door, laden down with heavy backpacks. “It’s a big day for both of you.”

  And out they went.

  “Al, you know there are only four kids at our stop, and three are in sixth grade and one is in eighth,” said Ava, huffing along beside her sister toward the bus stop just around the corner. For someone who hated sports, Alex could certainly walk fast!

  Alex nodded, finished her toast, swallowed the last of the banana, and brushed the crumbs off her shirt, all while maintaining her breakneck pace. As they turned the corner, they could see the bus in the distance, making a stop at the far end of the street. “I know,” she said. “But I think a couple of the kids two stops after us are in seventh. It can’t hurt to ask.”

  “Speaking of asking, were you going to ask me how I was feeling about today?” asked Ava.

  The bus was approaching their stop, and Alex had joined the little line of kids waiting to board. She turned and looked at her sister quizzically. “You? Why would you be stressing about me getting twenty-two more signatures? You never worry about details like that.”

  Ava rolled her eyes as the bus doors opened. She followed Alex up the steep steps and said good morning to Mrs. Fogarty, their bus driver. “I meant how I was feeling about football. Which starts today, as you’ve obviously forgotten.”

  “Oh. Right,” said Alex, and she slid into their usual seat midway down on the right. “You’re still absolutely positive you want to try out?”

  Ava glared at her. “I’m a good kicker. Coach and Tommy both say I am. Why shouldn’t I try out for the team?”

  “Because we’re in Texas,” said Alex patiently, with the air of someone who has explained the same point many times before. “And they do things differently here. What if they say girls can’t try out? Are you going to make a big fuss about it?”

  “They’re not going to,” said Ava, hoping if she said it convincingly it would turn out to be the truth. “I looked up the rules on the district sports website, and there’s nothing on there that says girls can’t play.”

  “Probably because the situation has never arisen,” Alex mused. “And it’s doubly complicated, of course, because of who our dad is. If you do make the team, how will you know if it was based on your talent or if it’s because our dad is the coach of the Ashland Tigers?”

  “Wow,” said Ava, her voice dripping with hurt a
nd sarcasm. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Al.”

  “Ava,” said Alex, more kindly. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just—” She broke off as the brakes squeaked, the bus slowed to a stop, and the doors swung open. “Be right back.” Alex jumped to her feet and squeezed past Ava to intercept the three kids making their way down the aisle.

  “Hey! Hi!” she said brightly. “Aren’t you guys in seventh grade?”

  Ava groaned inwardly. She could see Mrs. Fogarty’s furrowed brow in the rearview mirror as she waited for Alex and the others to sit down so she could get moving again.

  Out the window, Ava could see several cars that had stopped for the bus’s flashing red lights, most likely people in a hurry to get to work.

  The first kid, a tall girl that Ava vaguely recognized from her Spanish class, blinked at Alex in surprise. “Um, yeah,” she said. “I’m in seventh.”

  “I thought so!” said Alex eagerly. “Would you mind giving me your signature for my candidacy for class president?”

  “Find a seat, please, ladies,” Mrs. Fogarty called.

  The girl probably saw the determination on Alex’s face and figured the quickest way to resolve the situation would be to comply. She took the clipboard from Alex and hastily scrawled her name on it. Alex looked like she wanted to blockade the way until the other two could sign, but then Mrs. Fogarty actually half stood, looking extremely annoyed, so Alex quickly squeezed back into her seat beside Ava. “Twenty-one to go,” she said, and clicked her pen closed.

  CHAPTER

  TWO

  Alex filed off the bus behind Ava. “We’re a few minutes early, so I’m going to see if I can get some more signatures. See you at lunch!”

  Ava frowned and gave a little shrug, then was swallowed up in the crowd of chattering kids who were gathered around the front of Ashland Middle School.

  Alex watched her sister go, feeling troubled. Was Ava mad at her for what she’d said about the football tryouts? Or maybe she wasn’t mad at all—just preoccupied and nervous about trying out. Ava was naturally shy, so she was probably not psyched about putting herself in the spotlight. That must be why she hadn’t wished Alex good luck with her signatures.

  She spotted a kid she’d met last week at the after-school origami club and made her way over, clipboard at the ready.

  The second bell was ringing as Alex hurried into third-period social studies. Her friend Emily Campbell was already sitting at her desk, so Alex had missed out on the pre-class socializing. She slid into her seat next to Emily.

  “Where’ve you been? You’re always here early,” said Emily, and then, without waiting for Alex to answer, she said, “What a cute shirt!”

  “Thanks,” said Alex, smoothing down her shirt and then patting her hair into place. Thank goodness she’d shampooed and conditioned it last night, or today might have been a disastrous hair day. “I feel like I just ran a marathon. But I got seven more signatures on my petition last period.” She showed Emily her clipboard. “Just fourteen more to go. It’s been really hard to nail these last few signatures, because I’m new and I don’t know all the seventh graders the way Logan Medina and Ella Sanchez do.”

  “Logan probably does know everyone, but not Ella,” said Emily. “I’m pretty surprised she wants to run for president. It doesn’t seem like her thing. She’s all about being a brainiac, not Miss Popularity. Anyway, did you try going to some of the after-school clubs like you said you were going to?”

  Alex nodded. “I went to the origami club last week. I had to fold about a zillion paper cranes, but I got six signatures, so it was worth it. And I went to Ultimate Frisbee and got hit on the head. That was fine, though, because practically everyone signed out of sympathy, at least those who hadn’t signed Logan’s petition.”

  “Logan.” Emily rolled her eyes. “He’s totally riding the popularity wagon. I don’t think he’s serious enough to be a good class president.”

  “Tell that to the ninety percent of the girls in our grade who have a crush on him,” said Alex grimly. She stared down at her clipboard. “Where am I going to get fourteen signatures before the end of the day?”

  “Maybe you should get yourself a detention,” said Emily with a laugh as Mrs. Bridges clapped her hands to get the class’s attention. “There’s always a ton of kids in there.”

  At lunchtime Ava found Alex in the cafeteria and observed with annoyance that her sister was still brandishing her dumb clipboard. They had a quick, silent exchange—a twin thing, their mom called it. A creepy twin thing, their brother called it. Whatever it was called, Ava and Alex definitely knew how to communicate with each other without coming right out and speaking, and today they were in silent agreement that they both wanted to sit apart from their usual tables full of chattering friends. Ava led the way to a table in a corner, one that wasn’t usually occupied because it was so far away from the serving stations.

  “How are your signatures going?” asked Ava, unzipping her lunch bag and pulling out the peanut butter and banana sandwich Coach had made for her. She figured she might as well ask, since that was what Alex was going to talk about anyway.

  “Still working on them,” said Alex with a sigh. “I just got one on the way here, when a girl dropped her water bottle in the hallway and spilled it. I ran and got paper towels in the bathroom for her, and she was so grateful she signed, even though I think she had been planning to sign Logan’s. Look at the guy.”

  She gestured across the cafeteria with her sandwich.

  Ava looked. Logan was perched at the edge of a table full of girls, talking and gesturing animatedly. Every few moments the girls would break into a fit of giggles. “Didn’t he read the announcements over the intercom this morning?” Ava asked.

  Alex rolled her eyes. “He reads them every chance he gets,” she said. “Emily told me he wants to work in Hollywood and be a voice-over guy someday—you know, like the voice that does suspenseful movie previews?”

  “He does have a nice voice,” admitted Ava. “And that guy next to him—Xander somebody-or-other—came to our homeroom this morning and passed out candy bars that said ‘Vote for Logan—A Sweet Deal.’ ”

  Alex looked at Ava in alarm. “He did? That’s so sneaky! We’re not supposed to put up our posters and start campaigning until tomorrow! We haven’t even turned in our petitions!”

  Ava shrugged. “I guess he figured he’s a shoo-in—Xander was bragging that Logan got his hundred signatures in, like, two days.”

  “Candy bars,” muttered Alex. “Talk about buying votes.” Her eyes widened. “Wait. You didn’t take one, did you?”

  Ava was holding up one of Xander’s candy bars. She gave her sister a guilty look and put it down. “I figured if I took one, that would be one less he’d hand out to someone who might actually vote for him,” she said. “It was all for the right cause.”

  “Very noble of you,” said Alex dryly. She took a moody bite of her sandwich.

  Ava took out her napkin to wipe some peanut butter off her hands and saw that there was something written on it. A message from Coach: Work ethic, talent, and heart. You’ve got ’em all, Ava Sackett. She smiled and leaned down to tuck the napkin into her backpack. She couldn’t expect Alex to understand her jitters about tryouts today, but at least Coach did.

  “And that’s Ella over there,” Alex continued.

  Ava tuned back in to what her sister was saying.

  “She’s sitting at the smart-kid table. And I admit, she’s really smart. She’s in my science class, plus we’re both in debate club and math club. I bet her posters are going to be super fancy. Her dad owns a copy company, which is so not fair.”

  “Where does the campaign money come from?” asked Ava. “Where does Logan get the funding for candy bars and Ella for fancy posters?”

  “That’s just it,” said Alex. “They say we shouldn’t spend more than twenty-five dollars for our campaign, but that’s what, like, five posters cost to make. I’m positive they’ve bo
th already spent way more than that.” She sighed and looked down at her clipboard.

  “I don’t think you should be too worried,” said Ava. “They might have fancy campaign stuff, but you’re a great public speaker. And you’re super organized, and you have great ideas. Just play your game. That’s what Coach always says.”

  Alex nodded and smiled gratefully. “Thanks, Ave. I appreciate your support.” But the worried look reappeared on her face. She took a long sip of her milk. Then she started gathering up her lunch stuff. “Sorry to leave you here, but I better get going. I still need thirteen signatures before the end of the day.”

  As Alex stood up, Ava gave her an expectant look. “Aren’t you going to wish me luck?”

  Alex looked up from her clipboard, puzzled. “Do you have a test today?”

  Ava sighed. “No. Never mind. Go get your signatures.”

  “Oh, wait, sorry,” said Alex, light finally dawning. “Right. Football. Good luck, Ave. Knock ’em dead.”

  As she left the cafeteria and headed toward English, Alex felt her desperation growing. Where was she going to find the last thirteen signatures? Clearly her two opponents had already gotten their hundred signatures easily. She looked around her at kids heading toward their next class. She thought about stopping people randomly, but she wasn’t even positive who was in seventh grade! It really wasn’t fair—she was new to the school. She’d already asked the kids in all her classes. Some had signed, but just as many had said they’d already signed for Logan or Ella.

  Then a sudden idea struck her. She stopped short, and a girl who’d been walking behind her bumped into her. The girl’s books tumbled to the floor.

  “Oh! I’m so sorry!” said Alex, stooping down to help her retrieve them.

  “That’s okay,” said the girl. She stood back up, and Alex handed her the last of her books. “Hey, are you in seventh grade by any chance?” asked Alex eagerly.

  The girl shook her head. “Sixth,” she said, and went on her way.