Cassie Comes Through by Ahmet Zappa Read Free Book Online Page B

would give her some inspiration. Her eyes fell on a stick with a star-shaped net on its end propped up in the corner, and she picked it up. “The real reason I came over was to ask you for help. Believe it or not, I’m not doing very well in P.E.”
    â€œPhysical Energy?” asked Astra, a shocked look on her face.
    â€œYes, Physical Energy,” said Cassie. “I was wondering if you could teach me how to handle this star…” Her mind raced. What was that thing called, anyway?
    â€œStarstick,” said Astra. “It’s called a starstick. You know, for playing Star-Away. It’s an important skill to master. You’ve come to the right place.” She raced to a closet, threw open the door, and started tossing sports equipment behind her. “There it is,” she said, pulling out another starstick and a medium-sized ball. She tossed the ball into the net at the end of her stick and began to bounce it up and down. “You know, where you have to get the ball into your opponent’s basket to score a point? It’s a lot of fun.”
    â€œRiiiight,” said Cassie, nodding. All these star sports were so similar to her she could never keep them straight.
    After showing Cassie how to hold the starstick properly, Astra tossed her the ball. But Cassie’s initial instinct was to duck. The ball hit the wall and bounced to the floor.
    Astra shook her head. “You’re supposed to
catch
it, silly,” she explained. “Hand me the ball.” Cassie did and Astra placed it in her net and tried again. That time Cassie bobbled the ball for a moment but held on to it.
    â€œGreat job!” said Astra encouragingly. “Now toss it back to me.”
    Cassie did. Her throw was off target and Astra had to lunge sideways. Still, she caught it neatly.
    Toss after toss, Cassie began to fall into the rhythm. Scoop and toss, scoop and toss. “Hey, this is kind of fun!” she said.
    â€œIt is,” Astra agreed. “Just wait till you try star ball,” she added.
    Cassie could see the flowers out of the corner of her eye, mocking her with their mere existence, their presence intensified by the cloying smell of silverbellas. Suddenly, she had another crazy idea. She had no idea if it would work. But she kept moving closer and closer to the vase of flowers. The two girls tossed the ball back and forth, back and forth as she made her way across the room.
    She was within arm’s reach of the blooms. And suddenly, the front door slid open. Clover was standing there. Cassie saw her chance. She tossed the ball as far past Astra as she could, then scooped up the vase of flowers in the net of her starstick.
    Astra jumped over her round red couch and made a flying leap, catching the ball.
    â€œDuck!” Cassie cried to Clover. Looking puzzled, Clover did. And Cassie hurled the vase of flowers as hard as she could. Astra turned around, obviously pleased with her stellar catch. When she saw her beloved flowers hurtling through the air toward the open door, her mouth opened in shock. It seemed to Cassie as if everything was happening in slow motion: Astra’s loud “Noooooo!” and her desperate lunge for the flowers. But she was too late, for miraculously, Cassie’s aim was true. The flowers landed right inside the mouth of the waiting disappearing garbage can and then they were gone—instantly.
    Cassie was panting hard as Clover straightened up. The roommates were both staring at Cassie in shocked silence. Astra scowled at her. “Cassie!” she shouted. “Why in the stars did you…” Then she noticed her roommate. “Clover!” she said pleasantly. “There you are! How did band practice go?”
    â€œIt was great,” said Clover. “Star salutations for asking. Did you have a fun time with Cassie?”
    â€œI did,” said Astra. “Who knew Cassie was such a natural Star-Away player? Did you see