Catalina Incognito by Jennifer Torres

Author:Jennifer Torres
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aladdin
Published: 2022-03-08T00:00:00+00:00

• CHAPTER 8 • BETTER THAN BEFORE

Walking back home, I hear the roll and smack of Coco’s skateboard on the sidewalk.

Then I hear new sounds: Thud. “Uf! Ow!”

I run ahead and find Coco sitting on the curb. She is rubbing her shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

Coco looks up. “You didn’t just see that.”

“No,” I say. “I heard it, though.”

Coco pushes the skateboard toward me. It rolls to my feet. “You should try again,” she says.

I push it back to her with the toe of my sneaker. She just wants to see me fall again. “No way.”

Coco wipes her palms on her flannel shirt, still tied around her waist. Then she holds out her arms like Baby Carlos does when he wants to be carried.

“Fine. Help me up.”

I grab Coco’s hands and pull. “What happened? You never fall.”

“I fall all the time when I’m learning a new trick,” she admits. She tightens the helmet strap under her chin. “But this time I’m going to land it. I can feel it.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “You’re not actually going to do that again, are you?” I ask. “Aren’t you scared you’ll mess up?”

Coco shrugs. “If I’m afraid to mess up, I’ll lose my chance to get better.” She hops back onto her skateboard.

I step out of her way.

Coco pushes down with her back foot and jumps up with the other as the board spirals underneath her.

For a split second she hangs in the air, and I think, She’s doing it!

But when Coco comes back down, the board skids out from under her, and she thumps to the sidewalk again. I cringe. I expect her to scream. Instead she smiles. “That was my best one yet!” Then she holds out her arms again. “Help.”

I pull Coco to her feet and glance down at the skateboard. If she can get that excited about falling, it might be worth another try after all.

“Maybe…” But no. I can’t do it. “Never mind.”

“Why not?” Coco unbuckles her helmet and lifts it off. “Don’t tell anyone I said this, but you didn’t do that bad the other day.”

“I didn’t?”

She shakes her head. “No. You were way better than that time at the skate park. I bet you stayed on the board a whole five seconds. Think you can make it to six?” She tosses the helmet to me.

I catch it but don’t put it on. “Some other time,” I reply. Standing on a skateboard for six seconds doesn’t seem like much, especially compared to what Coco can do. “After I’ve watched you some more. Then I’ll be ready.”

I try to give the helmet back, but Coco pushes it toward me again.

“Come on, Cat. You won’t start to get better until you… start.”

It reminds me of what Tía Abuela said about sewing. About how, whether it’s sewing or singing—or skateboarding—the most important thing is to begin.

“Well…” I look around. It’s only me and my sister. No one else is watching. “Maybe just one more time.”

Coco pumps her fist. “Yes!” She picks up the skateboard and positions it in front of me.

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