by Coco Simon
“Okay,” I said, taking a deep breath. “Just for fun. I can do that. At least Ms. Chen won’t be there telling me to look sharp.”
“And Sydney won’t be there either,” Emma promised. Then she started talking in a silly high voice. “Oh, help! Help! My hair!”
I laughed. Emma is one of those people who never says anything bad about anybody, but Sydney was being so ridiculous lately that even Emma couldn’t help it.
“Well, I don’t care if my hair gets messed up,” I said honestly. “I’d just like to make at least one basket for a change.”
“I’m sure you’ll do great,” Emma said confidently.
When we got to Emma’s house, her three brothers were already playing in the driveway. Matt was dribbling a basketball between his legs, and Sam was holding up Jake, so he could make a dunk shot. Jake dropped the ball through the hoop and then clapped his hands.
“I did it!” he cheered.
Sam swung Jake around and put him on the ground. Then he saw me and smiled. “Hey, Katie.”
“Hey,” I said back, and my heart was beating really fast, and my palms started to get sweaty. I didn’t mention this before, because it’s kind of embarrassing, but I guess I have kind of a crush on Sam. Mia does too. He’s got blond hair, like all of the Taylors, and he always smells nice; not sweaty like Matt. And, I know, he’s in high school and I’m in middle school, so I couldn’t date him or anything. (Actually, the whole idea of dating kind of terrifies me, anyway.) But still, I can’t help how I feel when I’m around him sometimes.
Then Matt ran up to the basket and did one of those shots where you jump up and sink the ball from the side. He was showing off, I think.
“So let’s get this game started,” he said. “Boys against girls, right?”
“Seriously?” I asked, and I suddenly felt cold and clammy. How were Emma and I supposed to play against two older boys who were practically professionals?
“Don’t worry, you can have Jake,” Matt said with a grin. He tossed the ball to Emma. “Girls first.”
Emma took the ball to a chalk line drawn across the driveway.
“This is the foul line,” she explained. “Every time we start, we start from here.”
“Got it,” I said.
“I’ve got Katie!” Matt called out, and he ran and stood next to me.
Sam stood facing Emma, blocking her. Jake was running around yelling, “Throw it to me! Throw it to me!”
Sam was a lot bigger than Emma, but Emma was fast. She ducked to the left, and before I knew what was happening, she threw the ball to me!
To my surprise, I caught it. And then … I stood there.
“Go to the basket, Katie!” Emma called out.
I turned around and started to dribble the ball. One … two … and then Matt slapped the ball away from me.
“Oh yeah!” he cried, dribbling up to the basket. Then he sank a shot cleanly through the net.
“Two points!” he cheered, and he and Sam high-fived each other. Then Matt took the ball to the foul line.
“Block him, Katie,” Emma instructed me. “Don’t let him get past you.”
I stood in front of Matt, like I had seen Sam stand before, and kind of spread my arms wide and bent my knees.
“Katie, you look like a gorilla!” Matt teased. “Come on, try and get the banana.”
He held up the ball, like he was going to throw it, and I jumped up to block it. Then he darted to the left and bounced the ball toward the basket, sinking another shot.
“And he scores again!” Matt congratulated himself.
“Dude, you’re hogging the ball,” Sam complained.
“I can’t help it if I’m awesome,” Matt replied, and Sam punched him playfully in the arm.
Then it was my turn to take the ball to the foul line. Matt was guarding me, and I was really stressed out. Sam was so tall that I couldn’t even see Emma, and Jake was running in circles again, yelling, “Me! Me!”
I just stood there, trying to decide what to do. Matt started tapping his foot impatiently.
“Sometime this century, please,” he said.
I had no choice. I bounced the ball to Jake, and he caught it! Then he ran up to the basket and chucked the ball underhand with all his might.
The ball rolled around and around on the rim—and then it went in!
“Yay, Jake!” Emma cheered.
Jake ran up and high-fived her. “I’m awesome too!” he bragged.
I was happy for Jake, but even more embarrassed than ever—a kindergarten kid was better than me!
Still, it was kind of fun, even though I was terrible at it. The next time our team got the ball, Emma threw it to me, and Matt accidentally knocked into me while he tried to block me.
“Foul!” Sam yelled. “Katie, you get a free shot from the foul line.”
Matt tossed the ball to me, and I stood on the chalk line, facing the basket. Everyone was staring at me, and I could feel my palms getting sweaty again. I wasn’t sure if I was holding the ball right or how to shoot. I swung the ball underhand and then let go. The ball soared through the air and … crashed into the garbage cans on the other side of the driveway.
“Wrong basket, Katie!” Matt teased, and my face went red.
Sam ran and got the ball. “She gets a do over,” he said.
“No fair!” Matt cried. “Why?”
“Because I said so,” Sam told him. (Didn’t I tell you he was nice?)
Sam stood behind me and reached over my head and put the ball in my hands. I could feel my heart getting all fluttery again. He placed my hands on the right spots on the ball and then he grabbed my arms.
“Pull back, then push up,” he said, moving my arms the right way as he talked. “Let go when you’re at the top. Don’t aim for the basket, aim for the spot on the backboard just above the basket.”
What I heard was “Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah” because I couldn’t concentrate with Sam so close to me. Then he stepped back.
“Okay, give it a try, Katie,” he said. “You can do it!”
I took a deep breath and tried to throw the ball the way Sam showed me. The ball soared through the air … and dropped down at least three feet below the basket.
“Painful!” Matt called out. “Better luck next time, Katie.”
Sam tried to cheer me up. “Don’t worry about it, Katie,” he said. “Anybody who can make cupcakes like you can shouldn’t worry about whether they can make a basket or not.”
“Thanks,” I said, but it didn’t make me feel much better.
Making cupcakes was not going to help me solve my problem!
CHAPTER 6
What’s the Point?
Even though I was terrible at basketball, I didn’t give up. I didn’t make any baskets at all during the game, but Emma and Jake made some. In the end Sam and Matt beat us by six points.
“Good game, Katie,” Matt said, giving me a fist bump. “You looked better the more we played.” That’s when I figured that his teasing was part of the game, like what my friend George does. He didn’t give me a hard time about losing or playing badly, and I was grateful for that.
Then Sam had to leave for work, and Matt had to go to a practice, so Emma and I did our homework in her kitchen while Jake colored next to us.
“So, what did you think?” Emma asked.
“Well, it was kind of fun,” I admitted. “But I definitely stink at basketball. There’s no way I can try out for the basketball team.”
“Oh, you weren’t so bad, Katie,” Emma said kindly.
I shook my head. “Emma, I tried to make a basket in your garbage cans,” I said, laughing. “I’m bad.”
Emma started to smile. “Well, maybe you wouldn’t be a good fit for the basketball team,” she said. “But I hope you’ll play with us again sometime.”
I thought about Jake being so cute when he made a basket, and Matt goofing around, and Sam showing me how to shoot the ball….
“Sure,” I s
aid. “That would be fun.”
Then my cell phone rang, and it was my mom calling to tell me she had pulled up outside. I packed up my books in my backpack and said good-bye to Emma and Jake.
I climbed into the car with Mom. Even though she wasn’t wearing her dentist jacket, she still smelled a little bit like a dentist’s office—a mix of mint and … teeth. “Did you have fun?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. “But I stink at basketball. Everything is still the same. I have no other talent, and I will always be a loser in gym. I don’t even know why I’m trying. What’s the point?”
“Well, sometimes the point is just to have fun,” Mom said. “And I wouldn’t give up yet. There are still lots of other things you can try.”
“I guess,” I said, and I sank down into my seat.
When we got home I helped Mom make dinner—a big salad with chicken and avocadoes and tomatoes and lots of other good stuff in it. Before we sat down to eat, I saw that I had a text from Grandma Carole on my phone.
How is your sports quest going?
I quickly wrote her back.
Terrible. Played basketball today. Couldn’t make a basket.
Then I got another text from her.
Keep trying! I am sure you will find your talent.
Maybe. I just hoped I’d find one soon.
Tx Grandma. ♥ you.
She texted me back.
♥ you too Katie-kins!
But even Grandma’s texts didn’t make me feel better. During dinner I didn’t feel like talking much, and so most of the time all you could hear was me and Mom crunching on lettuce. But then Mom had an idea.
“I was thinking of going for a run after dinner,” she said. “Do you want to join me?”
I didn’t. I was still bruised and sweaty from playing basketball, and besides that I was cranky.
“I just don’t get the idea of running,” I said. “You run and run and then you end up in the same place where you started. What’s the point?”
“The point is that running is really good for your cardiovascular system,” Mom said in her I’m-going-to-teach-you-something voice and then she proceeded to tell me how great running is for your health and stuff. It still didn’t make me feel like running. “Plus, you just feel great after.”
“Not now,” I said. “Maybe some other time, okay?”
“Okay,” Mom said, and her voice changed. I could tell she knew something was bothering me. “How about when I get back we make some cupcakes? I’ve got this green-tea recipe I want to try. And if you say ‘What’s the point?’ I’ll probably scream.”
I had to smile. “There is always a point to making cupcakes,” I said, and I realized I meant it. Even if baking cupcakes didn’t help me be good at sports, at least it was something I was good at. And that was something to be proud of, right?
Even Sam thought so.
CHAPTER 7
I Hate to Admit It, but Sydney Is Right
Mom and I made a batch of green-tea cupcakes with cinnamon and other stuff in the icing. The green tea tasted weird and good at the same time, and the sweet cinnamon icing tasted really good with it. I brought four cupcakes into school the next day—Cupcake Friday.
I decided to have some fun with the cupcakes. When we were done eating lunch, I handed one to each of my friends.
“Okay, welcome to everyone’s favorite game show, Guess That Cupcake!” I said, using the banana from my lunch as a microphone. “Take a bite and see if you can guess what flavor it is!”
Alexis answered first. “No idea, but it’s green, so … cucumber?”
I shook my head. “Nope! Emma?”
“Um, maple?” Emma answered.
“Not maple,” I told her. I turned to Mia. She was taking a second bite, and she had a thoughtful look on her face.
“Hmm,” she said, thinking out loud. “I think this is … green tea.”
“You are correct!” I cried. “How did you know?”
“My dad and I get green tea when we go out for sushi,” Mia replied. “So what do I win?”
Whoops! I hadn’t thought of that. I handed her the banana. “You win this delicious banana!”
“A banana? I’ve always dreamed of owning a banana,” Mia joked, and I laughed with her.
“So is this a flavor your grandma likes?” Alexis asked, opening her notebook.
“No, that’s just something my mom wanted to try,” I replied. I reached into my lunch bag and pulled out a piece of paper. “I made a list of Grandma Carole’s favorite flavors last night.”
Alexis took the list from me. She looked impressed. “Thanks.”
“Maybe Alexis is rubbing off on you,” Emma suggested.
Alexis turned over the list. “Katie, this is written on the back of your math quiz,” she said.
I shrugged. “I’m recycling. Anyway, check it out. There’re some good flavors in there.”
“Blueberry, chocolate, raspberry, lime, and … chubby?” Alexis asked.
“That’s cherry,” I said. “Although chubby cupcakes would be awfully cute, wouldn’t they?”
Alexis sighed. “I think there are some good flavor combinations here,” she said. “We need a baking session. How about Sunday?”
“That’s perfect,” Mia said. “Because tomorrow we’ll be teaching Katie how to play soccer before our game.”
I had almost forgotten about that. “Oh yeah, sure.”
Then I heard a loud voice behind me.
“Watch out for Silly Arms, Mia.” It was Sydney, of course. “She’ll spill her lunch all over that designer sweater you’re wearing.”
I turned and saw that Sydney was standing with the whole PGC—Maggie and Bella, who were giggling, and Callie, who looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.
“I’m not worried, Sydney,” Mia said. She’s one of the only girls in school who can stand up to Sydney. They were kind of friends, once, but I don’t think that worked out too well.
Sydney rolled her eyes. “Have you seen this girl in gym? Loser! She’s a safety hazard. The school should make her wear a helmet just to walk down the hall.”
“There are no losers at this table,” Mia said, and she looked angry. “I think you need to apologize to my friend.”
Mia is so brave! I love her so much. I wanted to hug her. Then Callie spoke up, and I thought she was going to defend me too. After all, we were best friends for, like, twelve years. But instead she just tried to distract Sydney.
“Hey, Syd, Eddie Rossi told me he wanted to talk to you before,” she said.
Sydney took the bait. “Really?”
“Yeah, I think we should go see him now,” Callie told her.
“Bye, Mia,” Sydney said, as if she had just been talking about tuna fish instead of insulting me.
Sydney marched off across the lunchroom and Callie and the rest of the PGC followed her. Callie kind of glanced over her shoulder at me with a worried look, but I just turned away. I guess by distracting Sydney she was trying to help me out, but frankly it just didn’t seem like enough.
“Oh, Katie, Sydney is just awful!” Emma cried.
“Don’t worry,” Alexis said. “One day, when we’re all cupcake millionaires, we’ll buy a big billboard that says ‘Sydney Is a Loser.’”
I turned to Mia. “You are awesome for standing up for me. Thanks.”
“It’s okay, Katie,” Mia said. “You’re the one who’s awesome. Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Actually, she does,” I pointed out. “She’s right. I’m a total spaz. I probably should wear a helmet.”
“You’re letting her psych you out,” Mia said. “You’ll see. Tomorrow, when we play soccer, you’ll see you’re not a spaz.”
“I really hope so,” I said. “You know, I started out just wanting to be good at something besides cupcakes. But now I feel like I’ve got something to prove. I’ll never get through middle school and high school if I can’t get through gym.
I’m tired of being teased, you know?”
My friends nodded sympathetically. Alexis was punching in numbers on a calculator with a serious expression on her face. Then she looked up and smiled.
“The way I see it, there’s about an eighty percent chance that you’ll be good in at least one sport,” she said. “Maybe it will be soccer. I haven’t worked out the numbers for that yet.”
“Those odds sound pretty good to me,” I said. “Just keep your fingers crossed. Or else the next six years of my life will be totally miserable!”
CHAPTER 8
I Discover My Secret Skill
You can do it, Katie-kins!
I tried to imagine Grandma Carole’s voice cheering me on as Mom drove me to Mia’s house for my soccer lesson.
“I’ll pick you up at four, okay?” Mom asked as we pulled up in front of the big white house.
“Okay,” I replied. “Hopefully I won’t have some freak soccer ball accident and end up in the hospital or anything.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll do fine,” Mom said. “Just remember to have fun! And don’t forget to wear your mouth guard!” With a mom as a dentist, I practically have to wear a mouth guard to walk down the hall.
Remember to have fun. Who says that? Moms, that’s who. Why on Earth would someone have to remind you to have fun? Shouldn’t fun just … happen?
I heard noises coming from Mia’s backyard, and when I walked back there, I saw Mia and Alexis. Alexis was setting up orange cones all over the biggest part of the yard. In the side yard next to the garage, Mia’s stepbrother, Dan, and some other guy were playing catch with a softball.
Alexis marched up to me. Like Mia, she was wearing her red soccer shorts and her practice T-shirt. But Alexis had a whistle around her neck and a clipboard in her hand.
“Okay, so we’re going to start with some drills,” she said crisply.
I had to laugh. Alexis sure loves being in charge—no matter what is going on.
“Um, hi, Alexis, nice to see you, too,” I said.
