Eleven

THE NEXT MORNING, Dana rushed to school in hopes of seeing the list before anyone else got there. She didn’t expect to make the team. Still, if her name wasn’t there, she’d rather be alone with her disappointment.

The schoolyard was deserted as she wheeled her bike to the racks. Good. She smoothed her hair, took a deep breath and walked inside. As she walked toward the gym, Dana immediately spotted the list taped to the door, but the names were still too small to read. Her heart began to beat more quickly. She walked the last few steps with her eyes closed, then took a deep breath. She opened one eye. The names blurred together as she scrolled down the list. Dana opened both eyes wide and read it again. Her throat started to hurt. She read it slowly one more time to be sure. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she took off down the hallway. Dana unlocked her bike, threw on her helmet and tore down the street, pedaling like crazy. After several minutes, she began to slow down. Finally, she stopped her bike by the side of the road, propped it up against the curb and sat on the grass. She took in a few deep breaths. Then she smiled. She smiled so wide it almost hurt. She laughed out loud. She’d made it. She’d made the team. She was an Eagle.

After a moment, a bike skidded up beside her. “You’re not stuck again, are you?” It was Jason.

“Nope, not today. Look at this stylish Velcro band my mom got me.” Dana patted her shin and grinned. Her lip got hung up on her braces, but she didn’t even care.

“Nice. What’s up? You seem pretty excited about something.”

“I made the volleyball team.”

“Oh yeah? Congratulations. I knew you would.”

“You did?”

“Of course. I’ve seen you play.”

He did?

“And you’re tall. That helps.”

Hmmm. He’d noticed that too.

“Well, are you coming to school or not? Won’t be as much fun without you!” He smiled his bright smile.

Dana’s cheeks flamed. Had he actually just said what she thought he said? “You bet. I’ve got a volleyball practice at lunch.”

“Yeah?”

“And a game next week!”

“What do you say we get going then? It’s pretty cold just sitting out here.”

We? Here it was! Her chance to ride in with Jason Elwood. What a great day this was turning out to be. “I know,” Dana agreed, hopping onto her bike. “My fingers are freezing. My nose too.”

“Yeah, it’s red. It looks kind of like a tomato.”

A tomato? Couldn’t he at least have said a cherry?

Dana had planned to spend most of her time on the bench that first game, but Mr. Finch had other ideas. He had asked Dana to be a blocker because she was tall. This should have made her feel good, but it didn’t. She wanted Jason to keep noticing her, but not because she was a giant! Dana scanned the crowd, but she didn’t see him even though she’d let it slip more than once during the day that there was going to be a game after school.

The team formed a huddle at their bench. “Eagles on two!” shouted Emily.

“One, two, Eagles!” they all shouted in return. “Let’s fly.”

Dana laughed. She almost turned to the girl beside her to give her a high five and shout, “For Janelle!” but she caught herself just in time.

Dana was so nervous, she felt like she was shivering all the time. She wasn’t the only one. The first serve landed in their end without anyone even moving to touch it. “Eagles,” shouted Mr. Finch. “Wake up! Look alive! You look like statues out there. Let’s move!”

When the second serve landed the same way, he called a time-out. “Ladies,” he said when the team gathered near the bench. “You’ve got to loosen up! Come on. Do what I do.” He shook his head from side to side. It looked like he had disconnected it from his neck somehow. He jiggled his cheeks. The girls just looked at each other. Was he serious? “Let’s go,” he said. “We’ve only got thirty seconds here.” He shook his head again. No one else did. Mr. Finch stood up very straight and put his hands on his hips. “Let’s go, girls,” he said. “Go crazy or go home! I mean it.” He shook his head again, and this time all the girls did too. He shook out his legs. The girls copied him. He flapped his arms. The girls did the same. Then he did all three at once.

“Good. Now, again,” said Mr. Finch, “with a little more enthusiasm this time.”

By the time the thirty seconds were over, the Eagles were back on the court, red-faced but warmed up and ready. The other team was smirking. A few of them were laughing out loud. Not for long though. The next serve was returned with one bump, and the Eagles went on to win the game easily.

Dana had made a couple of good blocks, and the girls had all cheered her on. That had felt really good, like she belonged. Still, when the game was over, the other girls paired off and Dana biked home by herself. Oh well. She plunked her stuff in the hallway and went to take a shower.

Dana looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She did the head-shaking move Mr. Finch had done, and she laughed. She noticed she had mud splatters on her nose from the bike ride home. As she tried to wipe them off, she saw…oh no. It wasn’t mud. She leaned closer. Pimples! Three of them! Crazy, sticky-up hair, chewed-up jeans that were already almost too short and now pimples on her nose! Her tomato nose. Dana, Dana, is it all in vain-a? What would Jason think now? Just when she was beginning to think she’d gotten his attention, she started to wonder if it might be easier just to be like Neta and blend in.