CHAPTER 4
READY TO CONQUER

Yasmin got to school super early the next morning and practiced on the outdoor courts. She loved early mornings for shooting hoops, when no one else was around. She felt herself go into the zone: her attention narrowed and it was just her and the ball.

She worked on her jump shots, trying to find the perfect shot pocket. She did her best to get rid of the hitches and to avoid two-motion shots. She loaded her shot pockets lower, making sure her legs and the ball went up at the same time. She wanted the jump shots smooth.

She clenched her jaw. She was going to do this. She was going to be the best at jump shots, free throws, layups, all of it. She’d be the best at everything and earn the respect of the whole team. And then girls like Kelly couldn’t say a word to her.

By the time the first bell rang and she had to go to class, she felt better. Her jump shots had improved. She felt strong.

During lunch, Yasmin found a seat in the cafeteria near the corner. She was staring into space, eating a carrot, when she heard, “Can I sit here?”

Yasmin looked up. It was Heidi, standing in front of her with a tray.

Yasmin glanced around the bustling cafeteria. “Oh, sure,” she said.

As Heidi sat down, Yasmin realized how relieved she felt. Apparently, Heidi hadn’t decided to hate her after all.

“Are those jelly donuts?” Yasmin asked, pointing to Heidi’s lunch.

Heidi nodded as she opened her lunch bag. “Yeah. Want one?”

As she took a donut, Yasmin realized she had questions for Heidi but didn’t know how to ask them. Heidi was so quiet—she never seemed to talk about her family or anything. And she didn’t seem to hang out with a lot of people. She was kind of a loner.

But before Yasmin could ask her anything, something small came sailing through the air and landed on her tray. She jumped in her seat, then poked at whatever it was: a crumpled piece of paper.

She looked around, but no one seemed to be looking at her. She couldn’t tell who’d thrown it.

Heidi looked worried. “Let’s eat somewhere else.”

But Yasmin had already opened the paper. Inside was a note scrawled: Go back to where you came from. No one wants you here.

She dropped the note. Her cheeks flamed red.

Heidi reached for the note and read it, her face turning pale.

“I gotta go.” Yasmin hurried from the cafeteria out into the hallway.

Heidi dashed after her, still holding the paper. She handed it to Yasmin. “You should tell someone,” Heidi said. “And show them this. It’s evidence. Go tell Principal Higgins.” Heidi pointed. “Her office is right down there. I’ll go with you.”

Yasmin turned and walked down the hall with Heidi, numb. She had only met the principal once, when she’d first enrolled. Principal Higgins seemed nice enough, but she couldn’t tell much beyond that.

The principal’s office door was closed. Yasmin lifted her hand to knock, but stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Heidi said.

Yasmin hesitated. She knew her mom and dad would want her to tell. But they didn’t get how it was in middle school. Even at her old middle school, which was pretty great, there was still bullying and kids who always felt left out.

She dropped her hand. Every place had rules for fitting in, even if no one talked about them. And she didn’t know the rules of this place yet. If she told on someone as popular as Kelly, the other kids would hate her for sure. Then she’d have no chance at all. They’d call her a snitch forever. Or worse.

Yasmin stepped back from the door. There were better ways to do this. She was Three-Point Jones, after all. Three-Point Jones didn’t let people get the better of her—she got even.

“I have a plan instead,” she said, spinning around. “I’m going to deal with this on my own.”

“I really think you should tell,” Heidi said.

“Trust me, they won’t mess with me anymore once I show them,” said Yasmin.

She headed back into the hallway. As she passed the other students, her head raced with suspicions: which one of these kids had thrown the note? It might have been Kelly, but it could have been someone else too. How many of them felt the way Kelly felt and just weren’t saying it?