Twice the Talent by Belle Payton

Author:Belle Payton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Spotlight

CHAPTER

TEN

Ava spent the hour after school sitting on the bleachers in the gym, watching her basketball team practice. Everyone cheered when she came in, and it was more fun than she thought it would be to watch them run drills. She paid close attention to everything Coach Rader said—when it came time for her to get back in the game, she wanted to be ready.

Then her phone beeped at four o’clock, reminding her she had somewhere to be. She waved good-bye to her team and headed for the auditorium.

Carly Hermano had approached her at lunchtime, all smiles.

“Kylie said you would take her place in the line dance,” Carly said. “That is awesome!”

“I feel so bad for Kylie,” Ava said, “and if it helps you guys to have a sixth person, I’ll do it. I’m excited to learn how to line dance.”

Carly’s smile faded a bit. “You mean you’ve never done it?”

“Um, no, didn’t Kylie tell you?” Ava asked, starting to feel nervous.

“No, but I’m sure you’ll work out just fine,” Carly replied.

“I’m good on my feet, honestly,” Ava said, and Carly’s gaze drifted down to her ankle. “Well, except for that. But that was an accident.”

“Okay. We’re practicing in the auditorium at four o’clock. I’ll call out the steps as we dance, and you can just follow along,” Carly said.

Ava nodded. “Yeah, sure. I’ll see you then.”

So Ava’s palms were a little sweaty as she headed to the auditorium. What if the other dancers didn’t want her to join them? And what if she couldn’t keep up?

The first of her fears disappeared when she entered the auditorium.

“Hey, it’s Ava!” Carly called from the stage. “Come on up!”

Four other kids stood onstage with Carly, and Ava vaguely knew them all from seeing them around school.

“Everybody, this is Kylie’s friend Ava,” said Carly. Then she pointed to a girl who wore her black hair in a high ponytail.

“This is Hana,” Carly said, and then she proceeded to introduce Ava to the rest of the group. Keshawn, a tall, skinny boy; Kimberly, a petite blond girl; and David, a short boy with glasses, who pointed his fingers like pistols in the air when Carly said his name and pretended to shoot them.

“Pleased to meet you, pardner,” he said. “Welcome to Toe the Line.”

“I hope I can help out,” Ava said. “I’ve never line danced before.”

“I’ve seen you on the football field. You’re fast on your feet,” Keshawn said, and Ava blushed.

“Thanks,” she said.

“Okay, let’s line up,” Carly said, and the dancers fell into two rows. In the front was David, then Carly, then Kimberly. Keshawn stood behind Carly, Hana stood behind Kimberly, and Carly instructed Ava to stand behind David.

At least I’m in the second row, Ava thought. If I mess up, it won’t be too noticeable, right?

Carly turned to look at the back row. “Okay, I’m going to call out the steps as we go,” she said. “Ava, just try to copy what we’re doing, okay?”

“Okay!” Ava said.

Carly called offstage. “All right,

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