Even the Score by Belle Payton Read Free Book Online

else? Clay.”
    â€œYou look really tired.” Alex noticed the dark circles under her glassy eyes. “Maybe you should—”
    â€œWhat about food?” Tommy asked. “My stomach is telling me it’s time to refuel.”
    Figures, Alex thought, looking up at the clock. Her brother’s stomach was better than an alarm. The family tried to eat together at six o’clock every night.
    And now it was ten minutes after six.
    â€œRight, dinner,” their mom said, as if this were a surprising idea. She opened the refrigerator and studied the contents.
    Alex peered around her shoulder. Pretty slim pickings. Unless they were having a meal of condiments, cheese, and a wrinkled red pepper.
    â€œThere must be something in the freezer.” Her mom pulled open the bottom drawer.
    â€œEverything’s frozen,” Alex said. Her mom usually had casseroles or stews ready for dinner, but she’d been at her potter’s wheel all weekend. They’d barely seen her.
    â€œMichael, I wish you had gone to the market this weekend,” Mrs. Sackett said, eyeing her husband.
    â€œIt’s football season, Laur, you know that,” he replied.
    â€œThe game was Friday night,” her mother pointed out.
    â€œAnd on Saturday I started preparing for this week’s game. This is a big one coming up. The Cleary Titans. Besides, you didn’t tell me to go to the market,” he protested.
    â€œI need to tell you? You could figure it out too.”
    â€œYou can’t blame me. Maybe you’re in over your head with these orders—”
    â€œI’m not in over my head!” her mom shot back. “I’ve got it all covered.”
    â€œActually, I think it’s covered you. The pottery, that is,” Tommy joked.
    Besides her hair, Mrs. Sackett had streaks of clay on her bare arms and shirt.
    Alex tried to stifle her giggles. Ava laughed and their mom grinned, pausing to look down at herself.
    Alex was glad Tommy had defused the tension. Her parents had rarely snapped at each other back in Massachusetts, but the move toTexas had been hard. Her dad was under a lot of pressure to produce a winning team. Her mom had left behind her friends and job and now was starting a new business. A few weeks ago, the first time their mom was swamped with work, they had spent a lot of time bickering, but then Alex and Ava helped Coach surprise Mrs. Sackett with a special anniversary dinner, and things seemed to get better. Alex vowed to try to help keep her parents happy this time too.
    â€œI’m craving pizza. Anyone else?” Alex hurried to the desk and opened the top drawer, where they kept the take-out menus. “Sal’s Pizzeria delivers. Good?”
    Her parents both nodded.
    â€œExtra sausage on mine,” Tommy said. “Or meatballs.”
    Alex grimaced. “You’re such a carnivore!”
    â€œGrr! I’m an Ashland Tiger,” he growled with a mischievous grin.
    Alex rolled her eyes. She called in their order for two pizzas and made sure the second one had no meat. She’d been a vegetarian for several months now.
    Once the steaming pizzas arrived and the table had been set, Alex could see her mom relax. Shetold them about the new pots she’d created. Her dad worried over the weather report. It looked like heavy rain was coming later in the week. He hated having his team play in the mud.
    â€œEnough football,” their mom chided. “Tell me something good that happened today at school.” She liked to ask variations on this question. Some days she asked for something funny that happened at school. Or something strange. Even something bad.
    â€œThe student council did something colossally good,” Alex said proudly. She told them about the drama club decision.
    â€œWait! We’re not getting the new scoreboard?” Ava asked mid-bite.
    â€œNot this year,” Alex explained. “The drama club’s need is