The Real Lucky Charm by Charisse Richardson

Author:Charisse Richardson [Richardson, Charisse]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Published: 2005-09-08T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

Mia struggled through her spelling test that Friday morning.

Ms. Jordan passed them back at the end of the day. The teacher frowned and placed Mia’s test facedown on her desk.

Mia was scared to turn it over. Slowly, she lifted the corner of the paper and peeked at the other side. A big “70” glared at her.

It was worse than she had imagined. She had never scored below an 80 in her entire life.

Mia folded the paper in half and stashed it in her backpack before anyone could see it.

Gabbie rushed up to Mia when the bell rang. “I got a ninety,” she said. “How did you do?”

“Not good,” Mia said. “I can’t seem to do anything right since I lost my lucky charm.”

When Mia got home she searched her room again. She found a dirty gym sock, thirty-seven cents, a stick of gum, and a candy wrapper. But she didn’t find the charm.

THUMP! THUMP!

Mia heard a familiar sound below her window. She peeped out. Mr. Robinson had come home early, and was shooting hoops with Marcus.

Mia watched them for a while, then she headed outside.

Marcus smiled when he saw her. “Want to play?” he asked.

“No,” Mia said. She went to the corner of the garage and took her bike helmet off the shelf. She strapped it around her head. Then she pushed her bike out into the driveway.

“Where are you going?” Marcus asked.

“For a ride,” Mia said.

“Don’t forget we have a big game coming up next weekend,” Marcus said. “You know you should practice.”

Mia frowned. She knew she couldn’t play basketball as well as Marcus could, but she didn’t think he needed to rub it in.

“I don’t need to practice anymore,” Mia announced. “I’m quitting the team.”

Marcus’s and Mr. Robinson’s heads jerked toward Mia. They looked at her as if she were a ghost.

Her father’s voice was calm. “You want to quit the basketball team?” he asked.

“Yes,” Mia said. “Without the charm, there’s just no use.”

“You can’t mean that,” her father said.

“Are you serious?” Marcus asked. “I didn’t know the charm meant that much to you.”

Mia looked at him. He sounded like he really cared.

Just then, the front door opened. “Marcus, telephone. It’s Juan,” their mom interrupted.

“Coming,” Marcus said.

With a dazed look on her face, Mia stared at Marcus as he ran in the house.

Mr. Robinson walked to the garage and wheeled out his bike. “Mind if I join you for that ride?” he asked his daughter.

“I don’t mind,” Mia said.

They rode down the sidewalk in silence.

Mr. Robinson pedaled to Mia’s side. He glanced over at her and chuckled. “Seeing you on your bike reminds me of when you first learned how to ride.”

“It does?” Mia asked.

“It sure does,” he said. “When you got your first bike, your mom and I would give you a push to get you started. But every time we let go, you would fall over in the grass. Then you would pout and say you hated that bike.”

Mia giggled. “I don’t remember saying that.”

“Well, you did,” he said.

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