Breakaway by Andrea Montalbano

Author:Andrea Montalbano
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 8217-09-02T04:00:00+00:00

The next morning, Lily lay on her little brother’s top bunk, images from the game replaying endlessly in her mind. She couldn’t shut them off. She’d tried burying her head under the pillow as an escape, but the images just followed. She’d felt so certain she would score and at least tie the game. Why had it all gone so wrong? If Chris hadn’t made her play goalie, she would have had a whole other half of offense. It was his fault.

She wanted desperately to talk to Vee but couldn’t seem to pick up the phone. She had called while Lily was in the shower on Saturday night, but Lily still hadn’t called her back. She was dying to know what the select team coach had talked to her about, but a pang of jealousy hit her like a punch to the stomach. Vee had never said she wanted to be on the state team; she knew that was Lily’s dream. Without Lily, Vee wouldn’t even be playing for Brookville. Lily felt cheated and angry.

She rolled over and spied a snapshot on her brother’s bulletin board. Lily recognized it from the previous summer and a road trip the family had taken to Maine. Her mother was wearing a fuchsia tank top that read Keep Your Proboscis to the Grindstone, and her father was kissing a massive red lobster. Why did her family have to be such a band of freaks? No one else she knew had to share a bedroom with their phrase-spouting little brother, and she couldn’t even contemplate the HAZMAT zone that was once her beautiful bedroom.

Lily’s mind raced. Maybe if her parents supported her more at the games, she’d have scored. Why can’t my parents just have normal jobs like everyone else? she thought. Why do we always have to be so worried about money? Lily was developing a long laundry list of people to blame when she heard the front door slam and a familiar voice call, “Anybody home?”

Mom. Lily had forgotten she was due back this morning.

“Mom!” Lily answered in a yell, bolting up and forgetting she was in the top bunk. She cracked her head on the beam above and let out a sharp yelp. “Ow!”

“Lily!” Her mother flew into the room in a panic. “Oh my goodness, baby, are you okay?”

Lily suddenly broke into tears. She told her mom all about Saturday’s loss and not making the select team tryouts. Her mother stroked her face and wiped her tears away.

“Everyone has to lose sometime, honey,” her mom said. “You know that. Just be proud of the fact that you and your teammates played your hearts out. You’ll get them next time, I’m sure of it.”

Lily’s tears didn’t stop. Her mom kissed her. “What’s all this about, sweetie? Did something else happen?”

“Mom, I don’t want to share a room with Billy. Why can’t Dina take Pop Pop with her to Hoboken? Why does he have to stay here? He smells old!”

Her mother’s face changed with the speed of Lily’s best full volley.

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