Time's Up (9 page)

Later that day, Katani got to math class early to give Reggie an opportunity to talk to her. But Reggie avoided looking in Katani's direction for the whole class. Mr. Sherman was there to check on their progress, and everyone else in class was talking about what they were doing. She cringed when she saw Betsy and Charlotte exchange notes.

She hoped that the printouts on Egyptian math she had gathered would show Reggie that she meant business, but right after the bell rang, Mr. Sherman asked Katani if he could talk with her in his classroom next door. After the last student left the classroom, Mr. Sherman stood behind his desk, rubbing his thick, dark brow.

“I thought you and Reggie would make a good team for this math project,” he said, “but Reggie came to me this morning saying he didn't want to work with you.”

“What?” Katani's cheeks went hot. How totally humiliating—she was getting dumped by Math Boy! This was beyond a bad day.

“Yes. So I've decided—because of the time—to let you submit separate projects. Reggie is going to work on Egyptian math.” Mr. Sherman paused. “He said that was his idea. And he mentioned you were entering a business contest for young entrepreneurs. I assume you have a financial strategy and that sort of thing.”

“Yes, I do,” Katani mumbled. She was still trying to deal with the idea that Reggie didn't want to be her partner. What made him think he could just drop her like that? Just because she forgot one appointment? Katani could feel her temper rising.

“I'll let you submit your business plan for your math project then. It'll have to be five pages like everyone else's and you'll have to present it to the class. It'll show how math factors into real life.” Mr. Sherman stopped frowning to add, “I'm impressed, Katani. Most kids aren't thinking of running their own businesses in seventh grade.”

“Thank you, Mr. Sherman.”

“You better go to lunch now.”

Katani was grateful to be able to submit her business plan as her math project, but before she left Mr. Sherman's classroom, she felt her face burning again. She had never let a partner down on an assignment before, but she only missed an appointment. She just had a lot on her plate. If only Reggie would have let her explain. By the time she reached her locker, she was furious with Reggie.

Instead of going to lunch, Katani headed to the library, where at least she could tackle a piece of her business proposal and avoid any inquiring minds in the cafeteria. What if Reggie
told everyone? She could just hear Anna and Joline whispering. The QOM loved this kind of stuff. She reached a hand up to her cheek. Maybe she was coming down with a fever.

Katani nodded to the librarian as she made her way to the back table. Before she sat down, she took out her three colored folders and her clipboard with the contest application from her bag and organized them in front of her, setting the financial papers on top. But she couldn't concentrate on anything. At Ms. Pink's store, Katani had felt like she was on top of the world, but now she was beginning to feel like she was in the bargain basement of life.

T
he sound of dribbling and sneakers screeching echoed through the gym. Coach Porter blew her whistle. “One more round of layups, then we'll go into scrimmage mode, everybody!”

“I can't believe the exhibition game's tomorrow,” Anna whispered to Amanda Cruz.

“You know it's going to be on the news? I, like, sooooo want to be on TV!” Amanda squealed.

“Like who doesn't?” Anna responded in her trademark “I am so superior” tone of voice. But then, faking an uninterested tone, she asked, “Do you know how many people will be watching?”

“What do you care, Anna, if it's not such a big deal?” Amanda asked with a smirk.

Avery couldn't believe the two of them. Tomorrow was the day of the big game—they needed to focus and stop with the put-downs. Twenty-eight more hours until she and her teammates would be on the court at “the Garden.” She glanced at Isabel, who was ahead of her in the layup line
behind Anna and Amanda. The line was moving fast as her teammates dribbled toward the basket, one by one. When it was Isabel's turn, she drove to the basket. Her layup hit the rim and bounced twice before falling back to the floor. Avery clapped hard, anyway, and shouted, “Let's go, Abigail! Let's do it!”

The team was really pumped for the next day's game, and energy was high in the gym. Avery's hands were sure as she caught the ball, dribbled in and
swish
! She nailed it! After practice, Coach Porter was going to announce the five players who would be playing in the exhibition game. All the girls were nervous, because they really wanted to be picked. During the scrimmage, some players were trying to show off, hoping Coach would choose them at the last minute.

After ten minutes of scrimmaging, Coach Porter finally blew her whistle. “Okay, Abigail Adams, break!”

When they were all gathered around, their coach said, “As you know, we're stopping a little early today to talk about tomorrow's game. Choosing five of you to play has been a very difficult decision. I hope all of you who haven't been chosen will come and support the five who have. The most important thing to remember is we are a team, one team. Abigail Adams.”

Coach Porter folded her arms across her chest and said, “If I call your name, please stay here for a few minutes. Everyone else can head to the locker room.” She paused as she consulted her clipboard.
Hurry up!
Avery thought impatiently. The coach finally went on, “Okay. The five who will play tomorrow night are Amanda, Avery, Julie, Sarah, and Anna.”

Avery looked straight at Isabel, who shut her eyes and squeezed her hands into fists.
Uh-oh,
Avery thought.
She wanted to run over right then and do something—ANYTHING—to make Isabel feel better. Like tell one of her famously corny Avery Madden sports jokes! Isabel loved those. But Coach had asked them to stay. Avery watched helplessly as Isabel ran out of the gym, alone.

By the time Avery got to the locker room, Isabel was dressed and on her way out the door. Avery stuffed her clothes in her bag and, still in her practice T-shirt and shorts, ran down the hallway and outside the building after her. Charlotte was in front of the school looking very confused.

“What's going on, Ave? Izzy ran by me and didn't even say hello.”

“She didn't make the exhibition team. Come on!” Avery told Charlotte, waving her on. “Let's go after her.” They took off down the street after Isabel.

“I see her! She's just up there at the light,” Charlotte puffed, racing to keep up with Avery. “You must be freezing!”

“Not yet.” Avery turned back to Charlotte, running at full speed behind her. “What were you…still doing at school…anyway?” Avery panted as she ran.

“Library. Ms. R…just approved…my book…report…topic. And working on my…” Charlotte was desperately trying to catch her breath. “Math project!”

“There!” Avery pointed. “Let's grab her!”

They sprinted ahead. Avery grabbed one of Isabel's arms and Charlotte caught on to the other.

“Izzy,” Avery said, gulping air as she caught her breath, “I'm really sorry about the team.”

“Forget it, okay?” Isabel replied, struggling to loosen her friends' grips. “I don't care.”

“Come on, Izzy, we're going to Montoya's. We all need a hot chocolate,” Charlotte told her.

“I just want to go home. Please let me go.” Isabel wouldn't look at her friends.

“Only five of us made the team and we've been playing for years,” Avery said. “You just started again, with your bad knee and everything.”

“I know. It doesn't matter. I really have to go.” Isabel yanked her arms back, but Charlotte immediately put a hand on her arm again, this time more softly.

“It
does
matter,” Charlotte insisted. “We know you really wanted to play tomorrow night.”

“Well, I did,” Isabel said slowly. “I really wanted to tape the news segment from TV and send it to my dad.”

Avery and Charlotte nodded. Isabel's dad was in Detroit, where he was running the family's accounting business while Mrs. Martinez was treated by her doctors in Boston. He came to visit as often as he could, but it was never enough. Avery knew exactly how Isabel felt. She wanted to send a video to her dad, too. She loved playing one-on-one with him in the driveway of his place in Colorado.

The overhead streetlights blinked on, and the three friends could see one another clearly. Avery was shivering in a gust of winter wind, and Isabel's long dark hair was blowing around her face.

“I know! Why don't we tape one of your upcoming games?” Charlotte suggested. “I could ask Chelsea Briggs to help us.”

“Really? Do you think Chelsea would do that?” A touch of hope brightened Isabel's face.

Charlotte grabbed her friend hard. “I know she will. Chelsea loves anything to do with photography and video. We'll tape the whole game and then edit it down and add music and whatever else we want.”

“That's a great idea. Thanks, you guys are the best.” Isabel's face brightened. “But could you let me go now? I'm starting to feel like a criminal.”

“No!” Avery yelled, latching on to Isabel's arm again. “We won't let you go until we're at Montoya's!”

The girls laughed into the cold air and raced down the street, holding on to Isabel's arms all the way across the park. The three of them ran until they were out of breath and giggling hysterically.

“BSG rocks!” Avery shouted. “And I'm not even cold!”

An old woman in a black fur hat and coat shook her finger and yelled at them for running through the park. “You girls better watch out. Do you hear me? Be careful!”

“Don't worry,” Isabel reassured the lady, “we're fine! Better than fine!”

Mad with a Capital M

Still giggling, the girls spilled into Montoya's and sat down at their usual table. It was warm and bright and smelled of chocolate and coffee, honey, and pastries. Nick's older sister Fabiana brought over their hot chocolates. All the BSG loved Fabiana. Even though she was a junior in high school and had the lead role in
My Fair Lady
, Fabiana was never too busy to cover shifts at Montoya's or talk with the girls, and she always did everything with such style. She'd topped off their drinks with mounds of whipped cream and sprinkled on shaved chocolate and a touch of cinnamon.

Isabel felt so at home here. She loved the color of the sky blue walls that month to month displayed a local artist's photos or paintings. As Isabel sipped her hot chocolate, she felt her body relax for the first time all day. She looked up at her friends, grateful that they had made her come here.

“Your mom was right, Avery—chill time was in order,” Isabel acknowledged. “Thanks for dragging me here.”

“The pleasure was all ours!” Charlotte smiled after a big gulp of hot chocolate that left a whipped cream mustache. “I just hope we didn't scare that poor lady too badly.”

“If anything, she's going to scare someone, dressed up like a bear!” Avery pronounced.

“Avery!” Isabel giggled into her hot chocolate.

“So, how'd your meeting go with Ms. R?” Isabel asked Charlotte.

“Great!” Charlotte answered. “She said my choice was fine, which is a relief because I've already written half of it.”

Avery rolled her eyes jokingly. “
Half
already? You're the only person I know who gets her homework done early! I haven't even started mine. I can't concentrate at all this week. Maybe after the game. I'm psyched to write about MLK, though. Ms. R totally thought it was a great topic.” Avery fake-shot a basket. “Two points for Abigail Adams!”

“I'll definitely be at the game, and Maeve's going too,” Charlotte announced. “Are you going, Isabel?” she asked carefully, in case Isabel was still feeling sensitive about it.

Isabel smiled. “Of course! I wouldn't miss it. I have to support my team.”

“What about Katani?” Avery asked.

“I don't know. I haven't really talked to her lately. Have you?” Isabel asked.

“Not really. She hasn't been at lunch for two days,” Charlotte added. “It's like she's disappeared.”

“Maybe the chill police should drag her down here to Montoya's, like you did to me!” Isabel laughed.

“Chill police—I like that,” Avery smiled as she slurped some of her drink.

“What about you, Izzy? What happened with your idea of illustrating a myth?” Charlotte asked, spooning up the last bit of gooey chocolate at the bottom of her glass.

“Ms. R said she loved the idea. Big sigh of relief to that!” Isabel lifted her cup in a toast. “She thought it was a really creative approach to the book report idea.” Isabel blushed a little when she told her friends, but couldn't wait to start painting the illustrations of Icarus.

“That's so great,” Charlotte added.

The door to Montoya's opened and in walked Yurt and Dillon. The boys waved and headed toward the girls, who scooted over to make room for them.

“We need our chocolate fix, too,” Dillon said.

“Especially this week,” Avery agreed. “We're all in a state of total system overload!”

“How'd it go with Ms. R?” Charlotte asked the boys.

“Ms. R rejected my favorite book,
Smackdown at the WWE
. I am massively depressed,” Yurt complained.

“What'd she say?” Avery asked.

“She said I should write about something like
A Wrinkle in Time
. Def not my thing.” Yurt groaned. “Like I even understand that crazy story. Now I have to read an entire book
and
write a paper on it. I prefer politics.” With that, the Yurtmeister popped a piece of Charlotte's cookie in his mouth.

“Don't worry, bro. Just hire Betsy Fitzgerald and you'll get a B or better,” Dillon said. “You know I convinced Maeve to use her too.”

“You did?” Avery blurted. “I mean, did she?”

“I think so, why not?” Dillon said. “Betsy's like some kind of tutoring genius. Now my paper is like something Nobel Prize winner Char here would write.”

Uh-oh,
Isabel thought. Why didn't Maeve talk to them
about this first? She was hiring Katani's rival. They all knew how competitive Katani was and how much this contest meant to her. The BSG looked at one another. Each of them knew what the others were thinking. Katani was going to be mad with a capital M.