Twice the Talent (8 page)

The rest of the week was difficult for Alex. Lindsey still refused to speak to her, making every day at lunch awkward. Luckily, she had the social studies research to keep her busy, as well as the plans for the Variety Show.

On Thursday Alex met with the other members of the Variety Show committee after school. Besides Chloe there was Kendall, the eighth-grade class secretary, and Jerome, Chloe's vice president in the sixth grade.

Chloe opened up a notebook with a marbled cover.

“Okay, we have nineteen acts so far, and people are still signing up,” she reported. “We've
got twelve singers, six dance acts, and one guy balancing a chair on his nose.”

“Wow, that's a lot of musical acts,” Alex remarked. “Is that what it's always like?”

“Not usually,” Kendall said. “Last year Roman Hitchcock did a comedy routine, but he's in high school now. And two years ago some kid did magic.”

“That would be a nice break from all the singing,” Alex said. “Do we know anybody who does magic?”

“No, but there's this kid in my math class who's pretty funny,” said Jerome. “Maybe he could tell some jokes or something.”

“Okay, let's forget the acts for a second. How are we doing on the program?” Kendall asked. “Last year Julie O'Connor did the art for the cover, but she's in high school now too.”

“So all the talented kids graduated?” Chloe asked. “Great.”

“I'm pretty artistic,” Alex said. “I could try to come up with something.”

“The cover just has to go with the theme,” Kendall said. “Wild West. And it has to say, ‘Ashland Middle School Variety Show' and the date.”

Alex wrote quickly as Kendall was speaking. “Got it!” she said.

In social studies class the next day, Alex finished her workbook pages early and used the time to sketch out the idea she had for the program cover—a cowboy hat surrounded by a lasso. Drawing the hat was easy, but getting the lasso just right was more difficult than she'd thought it would be. She was erasing some lines on her latest sketch when the bell rang.

“Alex, Max, may I please see you both?” Mrs. Bridges asked.

Alex figured she wanted to check in on their report, or to see how Max was doing with Alex's help. But she wasn't expecting what happened next.

The teacher opened a folder and pulled out two papers—the homework assignment they had turned in on Wednesday. Alex immediately recognized her own handwriting on one paper, and the other one was Max's.

“So when I was grading Wednesday's homework, I noticed something,” Mrs. Bridges began. “Your answers are exactly the same—word for word.”

Alex got a sinking feeling. How could that have happened?

“Alex, I asked you to help Max, not do his homework for him,” Mrs. Bridges said.

Then Alex remembered—how Max had acted strange when she got back to the library on Tuesday, and how her papers were sticking out of her folder. He must have copied off her paper while she was trying to apologize to Lindsey! Mrs. Bridges had given the class the assignment on Monday and Alex had finished it on Monday night. It was in her folder, waiting to be handed in.

She glared at Max and opened her mouth to tell Mrs. Bridges what happened, but stopped when she saw the mortified look on his face. She closed her mouth. She had to tell the truth—or did she?

“Maybe you thought you were helping, but I'm going to have to talk with the principal about consequences,” Mrs. Bridges said. “This kind of cheating is taken very seriously, especially now that you're in seventh grade.”

Alex held her tongue. Back at her old school in Boston, she remembered when a kid in her class had been caught cheating. He'd been given a warning and told if he did it again, he would be
suspended. Alex knew that there was no danger of her ever being accused of cheating again, so the worst that would happen would probably be a warning. Which definitely stung, but she couldn't bear to tell on Max. He just looked so sad and sorry.

“That's all, Alex,” Mrs. Bridges said. “Max, I still have some things to say to you.”

Alex nodded and walked out the door, but her curiosity got the better of her. She hung back, listening.

“Max, you're going to be on academic probation soon if you don't keep your grades up,” she said. “You're a smart kid. You don't need to cheat. You can come to me for help at any time, okay?”

“Okay,” Max mumbled. Alex heard him start to leave. She took a few steps down the hall so he wouldn't know she had been listening. She stepped in front of him as he walked past.

“Max, I know what happened,” she said. “You copied my homework at the library on Tuesday!”

“I did not!” he insisted, but he was looking down at his sneakers, not at Alex's face.

“Max, I saw that my folder was messed up,” she said, starting to feel more angry at him than
sorry for him. “How else did you end up with the same answers as I did?”

“Right, like you're so smart that the only way it happened is if I copied from you,” Max said. “How do I know that you didn't copy from me?”

“Because I didn't!” Alex replied.

“Whatever,” Max said, and he pushed past her.

Alex stared after him, feeling hurt. She didn't have time to dwell on it, though, because she was going to be late to her next class.

What am I doing wrong?
she wondered as she hurried through the halls. It didn't seem right. She had ruined her friendship with Lindsey by standing up for Max. She hadn't ratted him out to Mrs. Bridges. And for what? So he could be a jerk to her?

She jammed her books into her locker just as the bell rang.

She would be so happy once this terrible week was over!

Alex did a double take when she passed by the kitchen Saturday morning and saw Ava standing there in her basketball uniform.

“Ava! You're not supposed to be playing yet. It hasn't been three weeks,” she said.

“Yes, Dr. Alex, I know,” Ava said. “But the game is against Lewisville this morning, and I'm going to stay on the sidelines. I'm still a member of the team, you know.”

“I know,” said Alex, moving to the refrigerator and pulling out a carton of milk. “But won't it be kind of hard for you, sitting there?”

“Yes, but at least I'll be at the game,” Ava replied.

“That's the spirit,” Coach said, entering the room. “You ready?”

Ava nodded. “Let's go!”

Ava wasn't prepared for the response as she walked into the gym at Lewisville Middle School.

“Ava!”

Callie and Madison ran toward her, and each of them high-fived her. The other players gathered around, asking questions all at the same time.

“Does it hurt?”

“Can you play today?”

“I can't play for, like, another week,” Ava informed them. “Believe me, I'm itching to get back on the court!”

Coach Rader blew his whistle, and the other girls ran off to do warm-ups. Ava took her place on the bench with a little sigh.

No moping!
she reminded herself.
Kylie isn't even back in school yet!

All thoughts of moping left her mind as soon as the game started. She watched every move her teammates made, and she was surprised to realize how much she could learn just by watching. Like how Tessa was a cautious passer, and how Tamara seemed to be getting better and
better—and was being sort of a ball hog.

Ava cheered when her team scored, and was literally on the edge of her seat when Madison scored the winning basket in the last thirty seconds of the game. The Cubs got together in a huddle, and Callie pulled in Ava to join them.

“You guys did great,” Ava said.

“And we'll do even better when you're playing with us again,” Callie responded. Ava beamed.

After the game, Coach brought Ava out to the ranch for a visit with Kylie.

“See? I didn't even need the wheelchair. I can get around just fine on these,” Kylie bragged, as she crossed her living room quickly using her crutches.

“You are a speed demon,” Ava agreed. “Now, please sit down so I can finally sign your cast!” She waved the marker she held at Kylie.

Kylie propped her leg up on the coffee table. Her parents had already signed it, and Ava saw that Owen had written:

Andromeda United!
Owen

“Ooh, heart Owen,” Ava said, wiggling her eyebrows.

“I know, isn't he sweet?” Kylie asked, blushing. “I keep wanting to draw all over this cast, like a cool alien landscape or something, but Mom says I have to leave some space because everyone's going to want to sign it.”

“Like me,” Ava said, and the marker hovered over the cast as she thought about what to write. Something nice? Something inspirational? Something funny?

Funny won out.

Help! I'm trapped inside this cast!
Ava

Kylie laughed. “Oh my gosh, it really does feel like hundreds of tiny little creatures are trapped in there,” she said. “It's already itching like crazy!”

“That stinks,” said Ava. “We should do something to take your mind off it. How about a board game?”

Kylie brightened. “Citizens of Elvador?” she asked.

Ava stifled a groan. She had been thinking of something easy, like where you have to draw pictures to guess words. Citizens of Elvador was one of those complicated board games where
you created societies and went on quests and searched for gold. Kylie loved to play it with Owen. Ava had never been interested in playing it, but she couldn't say no to Kylie now.

Kylie got back on her crutches. “Going to the game closet! Be right back!”

Two hours later, Ava was absorbed in the game, much to her own surprise.

“Okay, my elves are exploring this mountain cave,” she said, moving her piece along the board.

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Kylie asked.

Ava knew Kylie was trying to give her a warning, but she didn't care. She wanted to see what happened. Kylie turned over a card in front of the cave.

“Dragon!” Kylie cried. “Your elves are not strong enough to withstand the attack.”

She moved a playing piece over to Ava's citadel. “Now that you are unguarded, I claim your citadel. I win!”

Ava sat back on her chair. “Wow, that was intense.”

Then Kylie's phone chimed, and she picked it up. “It's Keshawn, texting to ask if I'm okay,” she said. “He's so nice. I think I've been in every class with him since kindergarten.”

Then she looked up at Ava. “Hey, I meant to ask. How is the line dancing going?”

“It's great—really fun,” Ava lied, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Keshawn had sent her the steps days ago, but she hadn't practiced at all. She looked at her phone.

“My dad's picking me up soon. Let me help you clean up,” she offered.

The two girls put away the game and were sitting on the porch talking when Coach pulled up. He opened the window and waved.

“How you feeling, Kylie?” he asked.

“Great, Coach!” Kylie replied.

“I'll see you again soon,” Ava promised.

Kylie grinned. “Monday. I'm allowed to go back to school!”

Ava climbed into the car and Coach started chatting, something about getting Chinese food because her mom was going to be working late in her pottery studio and he didn't feel like cooking—or eating Uncle Scott's cooking. But Ava wasn't paying much attention. She was trying to figure out the best way to practice that line dance.

I bet I can find videos on the computer,
she thought. Yes, that would work. Alex did that all
the time. She could look online and practice all weekend. She wasn't going to let Kylie down!

When her dad pulled into the driveway, Ava rushed out of the car.

“You're welcome!” Coach called after her.

She ran upstairs and shut the bedroom door behind her. Somewhere in her backpack she had printed out the dance steps that Keshawn had e-mailed her. She rummaged around and found the paper crumpled up underneath her notebook.