Bad Shot by Sylvia Taekema

Author:Sylvia Taekema
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lorimer
Published: 2017-08-16T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Cody played more and more ball at home. He’d show everyone he could play as well as anyone, on his own terms. He delivered his newspapers early so he could get in practice shots before school. On no-practice days, he played through the afternoons until the light began to fade and his mother told him to come in before he got frostbite. He felt a little bad about ignoring Charlie, but he didn’t have time for any games of Twenty-one. He began to feel very tired, but he wouldn’t stop.

He couldn’t.

At the end of their last practice before the Christmas break, Coach Evans called the team to

the bench. “I’m not scheduling any practices during your time off, guys. Just remember we have a game the first week back. Stay in shape! Have a great holiday, everyone.”

Something inside Cody tingled. All the ball he wanted at home, and no Nick for two whole weeks? That sounded great. As he and Talal put everything back in the equipment room, Coach Evans poked his head around the corner. “Is it safe? No slithery, slimy things on the loose in here?”

The boys laughed. “All clear.”

“Mr. Kahla, Mr. Mendoza tells me that you have an overdue assignment, some sort of speech you

have to write. I’m sorry to sound like the Grinch, but I can’t let you play basketball until it’s handed in.”

Cody looked at Talal. “The speech? You haven’t handed that in yet?”

“It’s all good. I’m just finishing my research. I’m almost done.”

“All right,” said Coach Evans. “See you in both in January then, I hope.”

“Research?” Cody asked Talal when Coach was gone.

“Yes.”

“You’re on top of this?”

“Yes.”

“Cuz he said no basketball. No basketball!” Cody couldn’t picture life without basketball. And he couldn’t picture the team without Talal.

“No worries.”

But Cody was worried. He was quiet on the ride home.

“Something the matter?” asked his mom.

“I hope Talal gets that assignment done. Basketball won’t be nearly as much fun if he’s not there.”

His mother took a deep breath. “Speaking of fun, Cody, I want you to have some. So I don’t want you playing any basketball either for the next little while.”

“What do you mean?” Cody gaped at her in

disbelief. “How is that fun?”

“I’m calling a hoops-free week,” she said.

“What? Why?”

“You can have too much of a good thing, you know. You’ve been playing too much ball. It’s just for the first week of the break. You can have your ball back for the second one.”

“You’re not serious.”

“I am. Very.”

“But what am I going to do?”

“It’s December. We’ll get some snow. You can go sledding. You can build a snowman.”

“A snowman?”

“Or have snowball fights. You’ll think of something.”

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