Split Decision by Belle Payton Read Free Book Online Page A

something else,” she offered. She hadn’t wanted to see a scary movie anyway.
    â€œNo. I don’t think so. There’s a lot going on right now, so it’s just not . . . not going to happen.” He took a large step back, then another, putting distance between them.
    â€œIs this about Max?” Alex asked suddenly. Corey couldn’t still be jealous, could he? She’d only been helping Max with social studies. “I don’t like him like that.”
    â€œI know, you told me that. But you can do whatever you like, anyway . . . it’s a free country.” He crossed his arms and refused to meet her gaze.
    Alex stared at him. Why was he talking about America being a free country? “So, are we—?”
    â€œNo. Look, I’ve got to, uh, get to class.” He hurried out of the cafeteria and was swallowed up by the hallway crowds. Part of her wanted to chase after him and beg for an explanation. But the part of her that stayed frozen next to the trash can knew the horrible truth.
    She had been dumped.
    â€œYou coming, Alex?” Emily waited for her with Lindsey and Rosa.
    â€œNo. I need to do something,” Alex lied, struggling to hold back the tears. She wasn’t ready to tell her friends—who all had boyfriends—that she been dumped before her first date.

    Ava burned up the court on Monday afternoon in the game against the Plainview Pioneers. The Plainview girls played hard. Ava tried to play harder. She dodged the guards and hit the rim from the outside. Then she sank a three-pointer. Mr. Wonder was right—she wasn’t a quitter.
    But Tamara was everywhere. Every basket Ava netted, Tamara netted two. Ava sprang upfor a layup. Tamara jumped higher. Ava blocked. Tamara blocked harder.
    â€œYou show ’em, Tam!” Mrs. Baker yelled over and over from the stands.
    â€œYou’re messing up our plays, Sackett,” Tamara said under her breath as they set up again. “Hang back a bit, okay? I’ve got this.”
    Ava seethed. She didn’t want to hang back. Why did Tamara think she was queen of the court?
    â€œTeamwork, girls!” PJ Kelly called from the side. He leaned heavily on his crutches, tracking the game’s progress.
    Just hearing his voice made her angry. Her dad still knew nothing about his dirt bike accident and the Saint Francis super-team tryout.
    Ava turned her focus back to the action on the court, but Plainview scored eight points in a row. The louder Mrs. Baker screamed and the more Tamara shone, the more frustrated Ava grew. She tried to get around the Plainview guard and found herself fouled once more for roughness.
    Coach Rader called her out and sent Jane in. Ava sat on the bench and closed her eyes. Why had she done that?
    â€œHey, Little Sackett.”
    Ava opened her eyes to find PJ sitting next to her. His brown eyes searched hers, and he gave her a slight grin. “Tough time out there?”
    Ava stiffened and looked away. She refused to talk to him.
    â€œDoesn’t look promising.” He pointed to the scoreboard. Their team was down sixteen points with only three minutes left.
    Ava stayed silent.
    â€œYou don’t need to do that out there, you know,” he said softly.
    â€œDo what?” So much for her short-lived vow of silence.
    â€œAll that pushing and fouling. You have great skills. Let them shine. You don’t need anything else,” he said.
    â€œThanks.” She folded her arms. She didn’t want him to see that she appreciated his compliment.
    â€œJust my opinion, but I think you’ve lost focus of who you’re playing against out there.”
    â€œI know who I’m playing against,” Ava retorted, annoyed again. He didn’t know her.
    â€œDo you? Sometimes you look as if you’re playing against Tamara, your own teammate.”
    Ava cringed inwardly. PJ was right. Today’s game had become about showing up