Win or Lose by Alex Morgan Read Free Book Online

said, “and watch the game.”
    â€œI’m starving,” Emma said. “Let’s sit near the snack stand.”
    We quickly found seats in the away section, right next to the snack stand. Emma got some fries, and Frida ordered the cheese nachos, but I wasn’t hungry. I slumped over as I sat down and put my chin in my hands, my elbows resting on my knees.
    Emma and Jessi immediately began stomping their feet on the metal bleachers. “The Rams are the ones that we’re gonna defeat! So come on, everybody, get the Kangaroo beat!” they yelled in unison.
    â€œUm, guys,” Zoe said, her eyes round as she pointed to a bunch of kids standing at the snack stand. They were all wearing red and yellow, Riverdale colors, and were giving us annoyed looks.
    Emma and Jessi just looked at each other and burst out laughing. “We are on Riverdale’s field. What did we expect?” Emma asked between giggles.
    â€œIs that Jamie?” I poked Jessi in the ribs before pointing to a girl with long blond hair. She was wearing a Riverdale jersey and scowling at us.
    â€œIt sure is.” Jessi’s eyes narrowed. “I guess she’s still madabout us beating out the Rams for a spot in the play-offs. Tough!” Jessi raised her voice loud enough for Jamie to hear her. “Get over it!”
    Jamie turned toward us. “Let’s go,” she said to her teammates as she wrinkled her nose slightly. “Something suddenly stinks around here.”
    â€œYeah, and it’s you!” Jessi said. Then she stuck her tongue out at Jamie. Emma started laughing hysterically again, but Zoe tapped Jessi on the arm. “Hey! Don’t stoop to their level.”
    â€œYou’re right. We are heading to the league championship. No need to hold a grudge,” Jessi said with a shrug. But the damage was done.
    â€œCome on,” Jamie said tersely to her friends before they stomped angrily away.
    â€œWhat a sore loser,” I said. “And after everything she did to us! We’re the ones who should be mad at her.”
    Jamie had pulled a lot of mean pranks to make sure the Rams would beat the Kicks in the last game before play-offs. But it hadn’t worked. In the end the Kicks had faced the Rams on the field and beat them fair and square.
    â€œWhatever.” Jessi rolled her eyes. “It’s about the boys’ team today. How’s Cody doing?” she asked as she sat forward, her eyes on the field.
    Since it had taken us so long to get settled, we’d ended up missing a lot of the game.
    â€œThe score is zero–zero,” Frida said. “It looks like this is going to be a close one. No one is giving an inch!”
    The Rams offense was putting a ton of pressure on the Kangaroos defense, but the Kangaroos were holding their own. But as the game wore on, our defense began to get tired out. At the game half we could hear Coach Valentine talking to the boys. Loudly.
    â€œGet it together, men!” he barked. He sat out some of the players and put in some new, fresh players.
    Then he paced back and forth in front of the benched players, telling them in detail where they’d gone wrong.
    â€œDylan! I told you to shoot wide, not high! Adam, you know that a player misses all of the shots that he doesn’t take. Look for openings!” He kept going on and on.
    â€œI’m so glad he’s not our coach,” Zoe said with a shudder.
    â€œI feel so bad for them,” Frida said. She cupped her hands over her mouth. “Go, Kangaroos!”
    We all joined in shouting encouragement, hoping to give the boys a boost. At first it seemed like it might have worked. The Kangaroos definitely had some more pep in their step, but unfortunately so did the Rams. The Kangaroos’ attacks seemed stronger now, and one of the Kangaroos got a good shot, but the Rams goalie shot straight into the air to make a spectacular save, catching the ball with