Golden Girl by Mari Mancusi Read Free Book Online Page A

all. I would have loved everything about it before my accident.
    Now it just filled me with dread.
    No big deal, I told myself, trying to ignore the eyes of my fellow students glued to my every move as I prepared to push off. I’d taken breaks from snowboarding before—it was like riding a bike. Not something I’d ever forget. Dad told me to get right back on that horse—that holding back would only psyche me out and make things more difficult in the end. This was my chance to prove not only to them—but also to myself—that I still had it. That Golden Girl still reigned supreme.
    All I had to do was hit one feature. A jump, a rail, something to show them I hadn’t lost it completely. As I squared my shoulders and attempted to force down my fear, I worked to summon up the adrenaline rush I used to get from looking down into a park. Could I find that somewhere again, buried deep inside?
    â€œLexi!” Coach Basil’s disapproving voice cut through the crisp air. “I just spoke with your father, and he said you were supposed to—”
    I pushed off, her protests lost in the crunch of snow as I dropped in, heading toward the first rainbow rail. The wind whipped at my face, stinging my cheeks and making my eyes water, but I ignored the pain, focusing on the task at hand. All I had to do was pop up onto the iron railing, slide down it, then jump off. Maybe throw in a little trick—a tail grab, a 180 turn, something small. No big deal. A six-year-old could do it.
    Well, if that six-year-old got up enough speed, they could. Which, for some reason, I was having difficulty doing—my legs refusing to obey my brain’s instructions, deciding instead to dig the edge of my board into the snow, forcing me to slow down. By the time I reached the rail, I didn’t have enough speed to launch onto it, and I had to totally bail, skipping the feature and heading farther down the mountain.
    You’re okay, I told myself. You’ll just hit the next one.
    Unfortunately, the next one in this case turned out to be a huge tabletop jump. The same kind of jump I’d fallen on back in December. Great.
    â€œLexi!” I could vaguely hear Coach Basil’s voice from far away. “Stop right now! You’re not supposed to be—”
    I tucked my body in tight, forcing myself to hit the launch pad head-on. Clenching my hands into fists, I attempted to find both speed and courage at the same time.
    But just as I reached the jump, my vision spun, throwing me off-balance. A dizziness crashed over me and my throat locked up—stealing away my breath. My knees buckled under me as I careened off course, flew up into the air, and face-planted in the snow. As my heart pounded in my chest so hard I was sure it would break my ribs, a scream echoed through my ears. It took me a moment or two to realize it was coming from my own mouth.
    â€œLexi!”
    Coach Basil’s voice sounded like it was coming from far away, muffled by a thousand layers of cotton. I shook my head, attempting to clear my vision as I swiped away the snow caked onto my face. I tried to sit up, only to find myself collapsing back onto the trail, my hands shaking hard enough to create a whirlwind of flakes swirling around me.
    â€œAre you okay?” Coach Basil cried, her voice closer this time. I felt hands on me, helping me sit up. I was still dizzy, but my vision had started to clear. “Did you hurt yourself?”
    Did I? It took me a minute to assess. But no, nothing seemed to be injured. Except, of course, my pride. Not to mention my hopes and dreams.
    And my golden snowboarding career, which now had officially turned to tin.

CHAPTER SIX
    S eriously, what were you thinking, Lexi? Hitting the hardest snowboard park in the history of snowboard parks your first run after your accident? That’s crazy—even for you!”
    Caitlin plopped down beside me on my bed, where I was currently curled up,