Two Steps Back (7 page)

Ava stood and waited.

“See, I know you said you didn't want me to do the story about you?” Alex was speaking quickly. “But then when you decided to sit out? Suddenly I realized—wow. This would make an even better story than when the whole team wasn't going to play.” She stared over Ava's head and made a movie screen with her hands, her thumbs touching. “The triumph of the human spirit. The sacrifice of the individual in the service of the common good.” She dropped her hands. “And I knew you'd understand that it's kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, my big break. As a reporter. It's practically Pulitzer Prize material. So I told Marcy—”

“But I told you I didn't want you to do the story about me,” said Ava in a low, steely voice.

“Yes, yes, I know, but that was before, when the game was a forfeit. Of
course
you wouldn't want me to do a story when no game was played, because how boring would that be, right? Ha! Ha!”

Ava didn't laugh.

“Aaaaanyway,” Alex continued in a singsong voice, “I figured now that there's going to
be
a game, you'd see how awesome it would be, um.” Alex stopped and swallowed. “And, um, I talked it over with my production team and my crew, and they—”

“I'm your sister. What's more important? Your production team or me?” Ava felt hot, angry tears spring to her eyes. How could Alex betray her like this? And then the realization hit her: Alex had actually talked her into sitting out the game. Was it so that Alex could do this story? That whole speech she'd given Ava about doing it for the sake of her teammates, and all along, Alex's secret motivation had been to talk Ava into it so she could report her dumb story. Ava was so angry she couldn't say anything.

Alex seemed suddenly to be at a loss for words. She opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it again, her eyes pleading with Ava not to be angry.

Ava turned her back on Alex. “I can't stop you from doing the story, but I told you how I feel. Do what you feel you have to do,” she said bitterly, and left Alex standing there.

At nine thirty the next morning, Alex stood by herself at the main gate leading to the middle school football field, waiting for the film crew to show up for the Briar Ridge game. Spectators were already filing past her, carrying programs and portable bleacher seats. Even at this early hour, the crowd seemed much larger than was typical for an Ashland Middle School game, and Alex supposed that the news of Ava's situation had attracted curious fans from both sides. Neither she nor Ava had ended up going to Sal's the night before, and they hadn't spoken to each other at breakfast that morning. If their parents had noticed, they hadn't said anything about it.

Alex spotted the white news van pulling in, and her heart began to pound. She watched it park, and then Marcy stepped out from the front passenger side, looking breathtaking in a green dress with oversize pearls and complicated-­looking black, strappy, high-heeled sandals. It wasn't the sort of outfit one saw at a middle school football game very often. Marcy led the way toward the front entrance gate, stepping gingerly on the cracked and pebble-strewn asphalt. Behind her followed the cameraman, sound guy, lighting person, and Candace the assistant, like a line of ducklings trailing a mother duck.

“Hi, Marcy,” said Alex in a small voice as they reached her. She nodded to the rest of the crew. Candace took a phone call.

“Hello, Alexandra,” said Marcy. She flashed her thousand-watt TV smile. Alex marveled at how bright white her teeth were. “Are we ready to film Eva's game?”

“Um, actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about,” said Alex in a tiny voice. “I'm afraid we can't.”

Candace snapped her phone off and stared at Alex in disbelief. “I knew nothing about this,” she said to Marcy.

Marcy's smile evaporated. “What's the problem, Alexandra?”

Behind her, the other crew members exchanged uneasy glances with one another.

“Um, you can call me Alex?” said Alex. When Marcy didn't respond, she continued. “You see, my sister,
Ava
, doesn't want me to do this story about her. I thought I could talk her into it, but I realized I can't.”

Marcy crossed her arms and stared down at Alex with a deeply unhappy look. “And you decided to wait to the last minute to tell us this—why?” she asked. All hint of cheer had drained from her voice.

“I'm really, really sorry that you came all this way,” said Alex. “Honestly, when I got here, I was planning to just do the story anyway and try to make it up to Ava later. But I can't do that to my sister. We're twins. We're best friends. I need to take her feelings into account, and I just—I didn't realize just how strongly she felt.”

Marcy nodded. “Well then, I guess we'll just pack up and go,” she said. “But you do understand, Alexandra, that your story is supposed to air on the five o'clock news tomorrow night. I'm not sure what you have in mind for another idea, but your time is almost running out.”

“I think her time has already run out,” said Candace in a low voice. “I say we run that dancing parrot story.”

Marcy shook her head impatiently. Her perfect eyebrows furrowed and she tapped her shoe, considering the situation. Alex could see ruby-red lacquer on Marcy's toes. “No, let's not kill the story yet,” she said, half to Candace and half to herself. “I'll give her an hour to think of something. We'll see how she does under real-life deadline pressure.”

Candace glanced at Alex, sniffed haughtily, and checked her phone for messages.

“Alexandra,” said Marcy in a steely tone, “I need to warn you that if you can't come up with a quick idea for a
good
story, we'll need to fill that airtime with other programming. My boss, the head of the station, is not going to be pleased to hear this. People love the ‘Tomorrow's Reporters Today' segment.”

Alex nodded tearfully. Her chin quivered. “I know. I'm sorry. I'll think of something,” she said.

Candace speed-dialed a number and mumbled something darkly to the person who answered. Marcy gave Alex a last reproachful look and then turned her back on her. Alex watched them head back to their news wagon and drive off. Then she slumped against the chain-link fence, staring down at her sneakers. A huge lump rose in her throat. Her career as a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter was finished before it had even started.

“Hey there, Ms. Sackett,” said a smooth, friendly voice.

She jerked her chin up. Luke! She quickly wiped her eyes and tried to smile.

“Heading to your sister's game?” he asked. He was wearing an Ashland Tigers T-shirt and a backward baseball cap.

“What game? Oh! Yes! Of course I am!” she said breathlessly. “I wouldn't miss it. Are you going?”

“Yup,” he said. “So have you started
David Copperfield
yet?”

“Who? Oh! Um, not quite. I have so much homework right now,” she said lamely. In fact, she hadn't even looked at it. The night before she'd accidentally dropped the huge book on her toe, which still hurt.

Luke peered at her. “Everything okay with you? You look a little glum.”

Alex blinked a few times and smiled bravely. “Oh, yeah, you know, reporter stuff,” she said. “It's all good.”

Luke nodded, looking a little unconvinced.

He's so sensitive,
Alex thought. So in touch with her feelings. It was another sign they were meant to be together.

“Yeah, I wouldn't dream of missing my little pal's game,” he said. “It's a shame what Briar Ridge is doing, but I'm proud of her for taking ownership of her decision.”

Alex swallowed down the lump in her throat. “Me too,” she said.

“I'm also meeting Tom here,” he added. “And then we'll head over to rehearsal afterward.”

Alex had almost forgotten about Tommy's concert in all the drama that had unfolded.

“So I'll see you there tonight, right?” asked Luke over his shoulder.

“Yes!” she said. Once again, he was double-­checking that she'd be there. For sure he was going to ask her to Homecoming. She watched him walk away, admiring the way his broad shoulders swung with each step.

And then an idea hit her like a bolt of lightning. She called after Luke.

“Hey!” she yelled.

He turned.

“Do you think Tommy and his trio would mind if I showed up at rehearsal too?”

He gave her the thumbs-up. “I'm sure they'd love it,” he said. “Another person to practice for. See ya there.”

Leave it to Luke to be the person to inspire her! Of course it would be him! She almost leaped into the air with joy. She had the best story idea ever!

Alex clicked her phone on and scrolled down to Marcy Maxon's number.

Ava turned around to view the crowd in the bleachers. It was the largest crowd they'd had at any game all season. Coach K had told her to get suited up, even though she was going to spend the game on the bench today. At first she'd thought that was weird, but now she was glad to be wearing her uniform. It made her feel more like a part of the team. And it made her stand out less. She hated standing out.

She spotted Alex. But where was the TV crew? She watched as Alex climbed up into the bleachers to sit with the rest of their family. Had she told the TV people not to come?

A movement in the parking lot caught her eye. A news vans was pulling in. But it was from Channel 7, a competing local station. And then another van pulled in, and another, in a caravan formation. The only crew she
didn't
see was the white KHXA van. Well, it seemed the media had found out about the controversy. From the size of the crowds in the stands, she supposed she wasn't surprised.

Suddenly Alex was behind her, calling to her from the fence. Ava stood up and trotted over to her.

“Ave,” said Alex. “I know this looks bad. I know it looks like I'm doing the story about you even though you didn't want me to. But I just told Marcy I'm not going to do it. I sent her away.”

“Was she mad?” asked Ava.

Alex nodded. “Yeah, she was furious. But I told her you're more important.”

“Thanks, Al,” said Ava.

“The thing is,” said Alex, “I don't know how all these other reporters found out. I did not tell anyone besides Marcy.”

Ava looked at all the TV vans lined up in the parking lot. She shrugged. “I guess this game is big news in this town.”

“I guess so,” said Alex. “Anyway, I had another idea for a story, and you're not in it, I promise. I'll tell you about it after the game.”

Ava smiled. “Okay. Thanks.”

“Good luck with everything,” said Alex, and they touched knuckles with each other through the fence.

Ava returned to the bench to watch the last few minutes of warm-ups, feeling relieved that Alex had finally listened to her, although still a little angry that it had taken her this long. Corey came over and sat down next to her. “Did you see the Briar Ridge cheerleaders?” he asked her, gesturing toward the other side of the field.

Ava leaned out from the bench and looked past him. There they were, a line of cheerleaders dressed in the Briar Ridge colors—crimson and white—but what were they
doing
? They were just
sitting
there, literally. Sitting on the ground, their pom-poms carefully aligned in a neat row in front of them, with their hands in their laps, watching the warm-ups. They seemed cheerful enough, chatting and laughing with one another, but they weren't
cheering
.

“What's going on?” asked Ava. “Why are they just sitting there? And since when do cheerleaders wearing crimson and white sport huge pink bows in their hair? Even I know those colors don't go together.”

“They're staging a demonstration. I guess it's what you might call a sit-in,” said Corey. “To protest the fact that their team won't play against a team with a girl. They're on your side, Sackett,” he added with a grin. “The pink bows are for you.”

Ava stared harder. This was a revelation of sorts. For the first time, it occurred to her that maybe not everyone from Briar Ridge School felt the same way.

Bryce trotted over to where Corey and Ava were sitting. “Hey,” he said. “Did you see what's on their helmets?”

Ava looked. Her eyes widened. The Briar Ridge team had pink heart stickers stuck to the backs of their otherwise crimson-colored helmets.

“‘Pro-girl,' their kicker told me those were,” said Bryce. “Seems like the kids all wanted to play against you. I guess it's the parents and the administrators that are the problem. The kids couldn't have cared less.”

“What's your sister up to?” asked Corey.

Ava looked. Alex was making her way down the bleacher stairs. Ava knew her sister well enough to recognize that Alex was on a mission. Ava watched her run over to Lindsey and Emily, who had just finished a cheer routine. Alex and Lindsey and Emily and the rest of the Tiger Cub cheerleaders formed a huddle.