Going Wild by Lisa McMann Read Free Book Online Page A

exclaimed, tearing open the box. In her excitement, the flap ripped off in her hand as easy as a piece of paper. She tossed the hunk of cardboard aside and pulled out her favorite soccer ball, her shin guards, and the brand-new cleats her parents had bought right before the move because her old ones were too small. She didn’t have much time to break them in.
    With her gear in hand and the new bracelet on her arm, Charlie left the wreckage and went to the grassy area in the neighborhood to practice dribbling. She wished doubly hard now that Kelly had invited her to the after-school practice on the field, and wondered why she hadn’t. Maybe she’d forgotten. And maybe Kelly was just being Kelly.
    Charlie shook her head as she missed a shot in her imaginary goal, trying to get the negative thoughts out of her brain. She focused on the bracelet and reminded herself that she was an excellent player. And that she did know what to do. And even if she hadbutterflies inside, the bracelet made her look like a pro. “Okay,” she said under her breath. “Let’s do this.”
    â€œHow’d today go?” Charlie’s dad asked the kids as they sat at the table to eat. His voice had taken on a hint of anxiety since the move. He loosened his necktie and rolled up his sleeves. “I told my students you were settling in.”
    â€œWhat?” moaned Charlie. She still wasn’t used to her dad having students, and now he was talking to them about her. “Please don’t do that.”
    â€œWhere’s Mom?” asked Andy, eyeing the take-out pizza on the table. “She said she was going to be home for dinner.” It was the third pizza night they’d had since they’d gotten here.
    â€œShe’s on the way,” their dad explained, “but said to start without her.”
    â€œGood. I’m starving,” Andy said. He grabbed a slice. “My day was great. Juan and Zach came over to play video games for a while.”
    â€œThat’s cool,” Dad said. “How was school?”
    â€œFine.”
    â€œAnd how about you, Charlie?” he asked cautiously.
    Charlie looked at her mom’s empty chair and sighed. “Feeling guilty again, Dad?” She reached for a slice.
    â€œNo-o-o,” he said, making a face.
    â€œMy day was okay,” she said.
    Dad’s face cleared. “Good! How are things with, um . . . Katie?”
    Charlie glanced at him. “Who? You mean Kelly?”
    â€œSorry. Yes.”
    â€œShe’s fine, I guess. I didn’t hang out with her much today.”
    â€œOh.” He pressed his lips together and spread a napkin on his lap. “Have you found any other friends yet?”
    â€œDad, please.” Charlie took a bite of her pizza and wrinkled her nose. The crust tasted like the desert itself. Arizona pizza makers could sure stand to learn a lesson from Lou Malnati’s or Connie’s.
    â€œPlease what? I’m just wondering about your life.”
    Charlie chewed and swallowed, and gave her father a bored look. “Yeah, okay, I met a girl named Maria and her friend Mac. Maria plays soccer, too.”
    â€œWonderful!” said her father.
    â€œOh, and after school I found my soccer stuff, so you can cross that off the to-do list—I saw it on the counter.”
    â€œGreat job handling that one on your own!” Dad exclaimed as Charlie’s mom came walking up the driveway from the bus stop. “And look, Mom’s home.” He paused, and his voice softened. “I’m very glad you found a friend, Charlie.”
    Charlie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, you make it sound like I’m in first grade, Dad.” They all looked up when they heard the door open, then Charlie continued. “You’d better not go around telling your students that you’re so glad your kid finally found afriend. That’s embarrassing.”
    â€œWhat’s