Lucy’s “Perfect” Summer by Nancy Rue Read Free Book Online Page A

Inez’s chili peppers, and from the third row, Lucy heard her scream, “That was a foul! He charged me!”
    The ref shook his head and waved her back, but she wasn’t going anywhere.
    “Not fair!” the girl screamed. “He should get carded for that!”
    “She’s gonna get carded if she doesn’t shut up,” someone said behind Lucy.
    She wasn’t sure what a card was, but it couldn’t be good. The ref pulled something yellow out of his pocket. Calf Girl swatted it out of his hand.
    The whole crowd groaned, the way people did at the movies when the bad guy made his move. Without even opening his mouth, the official pulled another card out, a red one this time. But before the girl could bat that one away, the microphone squealed and every kid in the stands went stone silent. Lucy held her breath.
    Hawke’s voice boomed low and scary. “Young lady, leave the field, and don’t plan to come back.”
    “I wouldn’t play here again if you paid me!” she shouted back. Most of the rest of what she sputtered out was lost as she marched, stiff-legged, off the field. Lucy figured whatever it was couldn’t be good.
    Before the crowd could start to mutter, Hawke raised his arm. “Soccer is the beautiful game,” he said. “It brings people together, teaches them how to work as a team. We reward that at LCSC. Every week, I’ll be giving a VIP award. What does that mean?”
    “Very Important Player!” the kids who had been there before all yelled.
    “And it won’t be going to people who behave like that. Or people who come running to me, tattling about every little thing. Or players who can’t think of the team instead of themselves. Am I clear?”
    He got a huge “yes.”
    “Then shall we play soccer?”
    He got an even huger “yes.”
    “All right then!”
    The whistle blew, and the game started again. All down the third row, Lucy felt the Los Suenos Dreams stiffen as their eyes bulged and their faces went a shade paler. Even Gabe was cracking his knuckles, and she was sure Oscar was about to swallow his toothpick.
    “Hey, Team,” Lucy hissed at them.
    They all leaned toward her.
    “We don’t do that stuff, so we don’t have to worry, okay?”
    “What about everybody else, though?” Dusty said. “These people are vicious.”
    Lucy shook her head. “As long as we’re together, we’ll be fine.”
    They nodded at her, and Lucy nodded back. “What’s our team motto?”
    “What’s a motto?” Carla Rosa said.
    “The Dreams Don’t Die!” Veronica cried, with a wave of her gangly arms.
    Yeah , Lucy thought. That’s what I’m talkin’ about.

5
     
    “So, yeah, everybody grab a ball. All except you, Vanessa.”
    “It’s Veronica.” She giggled at Seth.
    Lucy didn’t. Coach Seth hadn’t gotten anybody’s name right all morning, and it was the second day of camp. Mostly he’d been calling them “guys,” and if Carla Rosa said, “Guess what? Some of us are girls,” one more time, Lucy might scream, except she was pretty sure that was against camp rules.
    “Everybody with a ball start juggling it,” Seth said out of the only side of his mouth he used.
    Oscar tossed the ball in the air with his hands, and Lucy groaned.
    “With your feet, Moron,” Gabe said.
    The whole team said, “Buzz!”
    Seth looked at them over the top of his sunglasses.“What’s up with that?”
    “Our coach buzzes us if we say something mean to somebody,” Lucy told him. She wished Coach Auggy was there buzzing like an entire hive of bees right that minute.
    “Did somebody say something mean?” Seth shook his head. “Whatever — so, yeah, juggle it with your feet — everybody except Valerie.”
    “Guess what?” Carla Rosa said. “Her name’s Veronica.”
    “Yeah, well, right now she’s the Hunter. She’s gonna move around while you’re all juggling, waiting for somebody to drop their ball. When somebody does, she’s gonna go after it and try to gain control.” Seth looked at Veronica. “That’s