tomorrow,”
said Paivi, pulling Jason toward the cafeteria. “I’ll catch you
later Crystal.”
She turned to Jason. “Look, clearly you feel
strongly about this, but you aren’t going to get people to see it
your way if you yell at them!”
“Don’t you feel the same way I do, Paivi? I didn’t
peg you for a sheep.” His words were sharp.
“I’m not a sheep! But nothing has even happened yet.
Besides, what can we do? The election is tomorrow. Let’s hope that
the people who do have a say will do something about it. Until
then, relax!” She spun angrily on her heel, looking over her
shoulder and stuck out her tongue.
Paivi joined Michaela at their lunch table.
“What’s his problem? He looked really mad,” observed
Michaela as she dug through her gigantic purse, looking for her
wallet.
“Ah, he’s just mad about that debate last night. You
know, politics and all that, nothing you would find too exciting,”
she said, watching Jason across the room at his lunch table, still
sporting a sour look.
“You are right about that, sister,” Michaela said,
finding the wallet. “Let’s go. I am starving! I hope they have my
favorite M&M cookies today! Yum!”
As they made their way through the line, Paivi could
see the tater tots arranged in a message.
SEE ME
Ugh, she thought.
Christian really seemed to have a thing for leaving
her messages in food. Couldn’t he just write her a note, or better
yet, talk to her like a normal person?
After she had finished her lunch and Michaela was
engaged in a very serious conversation over which football player
at the next table was the hottest, Paivi excused herself and made
her way over to Christian’s table. He noticed her walking over, and
told the guy next to him to move. He patted the seat, indicating to
Paivi that she should sit.
“Gee, thanks,” she said sarcastically. “So, you
wanted to see me?”
“Yeah, we need to get together this week, I was
thinking Wednesday at Al’s Café,” he said, not waiting for an
answer.
“I hate to break this to you, but I start basketball
today and I have practice every day this week after school. There’s
no way my mom will let me go out on a Wednesday night,” Paivi
responded.
“What about Saturday, then?” Christian asked through
a mouthful of tater tots.
“Yeah, I guess Saturday would be alright, but it
would have to be in the afternoon,” she answered.
“So, Saturday it is. Al’s, two o’clock.” Christian
looked satisfied. “Have you had any good dreams lately?”
He smiled.
“Very funny,” she said. “And no, I haven’t. See you
Saturday. And by the way, I do have a phone.” She grabbed a tater
tot off his plate and held it up to him before popping it into her
mouth. She stood up and headed back to her table, not looking
back.
* * *
Paivi’s first day of basketball tryouts had gone
very well. She’d hit a few good shots and done everything the
coaches had asked. At the end of the tryout, she was sore and all
her muscles ached, but it was a good ache. She was pretty satisfied
with her effort. Paivi went to bed early that night, completely
worn out. Her head barely hit the pillow before she drifted off
into a deep sleep.
Suddenly, she was walking down the hallway at
school. She looked down and noticed she was dressed for practice.
She entered the large gym, where groups of girls were practicing
out on the basketball courts. The freshman team coach, Ms. Jensen,
was talking with the head coach, Mrs. Espinosa. They both turned to
her as she walked up.
“I was just telling your coach that I’m afraid we’re
going to need you on varsity,” Mrs. Espinosa patted Paivi on the
shoulder. “My center just quit on me. I’ve seen you play. You look
perfect for the job. Now, I know it’s a lot to ask, and it’ll be
rough in the beginning, getting used to the speed of varsity. Are
you up for the challenge?”
“Oh my god, yes! Of course!” Paivi could hardly get
the words out; she was so
said Paivi, pulling Jason toward the cafeteria. “I’ll catch you
later Crystal.”
She turned to Jason. “Look, clearly you feel
strongly about this, but you aren’t going to get people to see it
your way if you yell at them!”
“Don’t you feel the same way I do, Paivi? I didn’t
peg you for a sheep.” His words were sharp.
“I’m not a sheep! But nothing has even happened yet.
Besides, what can we do? The election is tomorrow. Let’s hope that
the people who do have a say will do something about it. Until
then, relax!” She spun angrily on her heel, looking over her
shoulder and stuck out her tongue.
Paivi joined Michaela at their lunch table.
“What’s his problem? He looked really mad,” observed
Michaela as she dug through her gigantic purse, looking for her
wallet.
“Ah, he’s just mad about that debate last night. You
know, politics and all that, nothing you would find too exciting,”
she said, watching Jason across the room at his lunch table, still
sporting a sour look.
“You are right about that, sister,” Michaela said,
finding the wallet. “Let’s go. I am starving! I hope they have my
favorite M&M cookies today! Yum!”
As they made their way through the line, Paivi could
see the tater tots arranged in a message.
SEE ME
Ugh, she thought.
Christian really seemed to have a thing for leaving
her messages in food. Couldn’t he just write her a note, or better
yet, talk to her like a normal person?
After she had finished her lunch and Michaela was
engaged in a very serious conversation over which football player
at the next table was the hottest, Paivi excused herself and made
her way over to Christian’s table. He noticed her walking over, and
told the guy next to him to move. He patted the seat, indicating to
Paivi that she should sit.
“Gee, thanks,” she said sarcastically. “So, you
wanted to see me?”
“Yeah, we need to get together this week, I was
thinking Wednesday at Al’s Café,” he said, not waiting for an
answer.
“I hate to break this to you, but I start basketball
today and I have practice every day this week after school. There’s
no way my mom will let me go out on a Wednesday night,” Paivi
responded.
“What about Saturday, then?” Christian asked through
a mouthful of tater tots.
“Yeah, I guess Saturday would be alright, but it
would have to be in the afternoon,” she answered.
“So, Saturday it is. Al’s, two o’clock.” Christian
looked satisfied. “Have you had any good dreams lately?”
He smiled.
“Very funny,” she said. “And no, I haven’t. See you
Saturday. And by the way, I do have a phone.” She grabbed a tater
tot off his plate and held it up to him before popping it into her
mouth. She stood up and headed back to her table, not looking
back.
* * *
Paivi’s first day of basketball tryouts had gone
very well. She’d hit a few good shots and done everything the
coaches had asked. At the end of the tryout, she was sore and all
her muscles ached, but it was a good ache. She was pretty satisfied
with her effort. Paivi went to bed early that night, completely
worn out. Her head barely hit the pillow before she drifted off
into a deep sleep.
Suddenly, she was walking down the hallway at
school. She looked down and noticed she was dressed for practice.
She entered the large gym, where groups of girls were practicing
out on the basketball courts. The freshman team coach, Ms. Jensen,
was talking with the head coach, Mrs. Espinosa. They both turned to
her as she walked up.
“I was just telling your coach that I’m afraid we’re
going to need you on varsity,” Mrs. Espinosa patted Paivi on the
shoulder. “My center just quit on me. I’ve seen you play. You look
perfect for the job. Now, I know it’s a lot to ask, and it’ll be
rough in the beginning, getting used to the speed of varsity. Are
you up for the challenge?”
“Oh my god, yes! Of course!” Paivi could hardly get
the words out; she was so
Similar Books
