Sweet Victory by Sheryl Berk Page B

Sadie. She was startled for a second—and nearly dropped the boxes of cupcakes.
    â€œHey!” she said, tightening her grip. “You scared me! We almost had a cupcake catastrophe.”
    â€œ ROAR! ” the boy repeated. “That’s my T. rex voice.”
    â€œWell, it’s impressive,” Kylie complimented him. “You must be Justin, the birthday boy.”
    â€œHow’d ya know?” he asked, eyes wide.
    Kylie pointed to his T-shirt that read, “I’m the Birthday Boy.”
    â€œOh.” He grinned sheepishly. “I can’t read yet.” He raced back to his classmates, who were all jumping headfirst into a pit filled with colorful plastic balls.
    Kylie glanced over at Sadie who was mesmerized watching the action. “You want to try it, don’t ya?” Kylie teased her. “You want to go jump in the ball pit.”
    â€œKinda.” Sadie blushed. “Would that be silly? An eleven-year-old playing with kindergartners?”
    Kylie put down her boxes and took Sadie’s cupcakes from her. “I’ll set these up. You go have some fun.”
    She put out all the cupcakes on the platters, admiring how each of the fondant figures attached to a toothpick was a little boy or girl in midair. They were perfection! She looked around the room for Sadie and spied her on a huge trampoline with Justin. When she walked over, she discovered the pair trying to outjump each other.
    â€œBetcha can’t do a knee drop into a backflip,” the little boy dared Sadie.
    â€œOh yeah? Watch this!” Sadie expertly dropped to her knees, then sprang in the air into a flip.
    â€œI can bounce higher than you,” Justin taunted her. “I can bounce all the way to the moon!”
    Sadie never backed down from a challenge. “But can you do it with your eyes closed?” she dared him back.
    â€œWait, Sadie,” Kylie tried to warn her, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea…”
    But Sadie paid no attention—she was too determined to win this trampoline showdown. Kylie watched as her friend covered her eyes with her hands and bounced higher and higher on the trampoline.
    â€œGo! Go! Higher! Higher!” Justin egged her on.
    Sadie was laughing and bouncing wildly. “Check this out!” she said, doing another backward somersault—this time with her eyes closed. Kylie watched it unfold in slow motion: Sadie flipped in the air but missed the trampoline on her landing. She crashed to the floor and fell flat on her back.
    â€œI win!” Justin cheered triumphantly.
    Kylie raced to Sadie’s side. She was lying on a mat, dazed. Her foot was twisted under her.
    â€œAre you okay, Sadie?” Kylie asked, helping her sit up.
    â€œYeah, just embarrassed that I lost to a five-year-old.”
    A crowd of kids and parents was now gathered around them, and Mr. Harris pushed his way through.
    â€œWhat happened, honey? Are you okay?” he asked anxiously.
    â€œI’m fine, Dad,” Sadie replied. “I just got the wind knocked out of me, that’s all.” She leaned on Kylie and tried to stand up—but her foot gave way under her.
    â€œOuch!” She grimaced at the pain.
    â€œYou are not okay,” Mr. Harris insisted. “I hope you didn’t break something.”
    Sadie gritted her teeth and put pressure on her sore foot. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I just need to walk it off…”
    She hobbled around the floor, and Kylie saw tears welling in Sadie’s eyes. It hurt terribly.
    â€œSadie, I think you should go to the hospital and get it x-rayed,” Kylie said softly.
    Mr. Harris nodded. “I agree. I’ll bring the car around, and we’ll go to the emergency room.”
    Justin’s mom brought over a chair. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized.
    â€œNo, it’s not your fault,” Sadie insisted. “I was the one who told Justin I