Free Go! Fight! Twin! by Belle Payton Page B

suspended. And—”
    â€œAlex?”
    â€œAnd I totally understand why I shouldn’t be the assistant manager or the assistant to the assistant manager, but—”
    â€œAlex! Stop,” said Coach Jen.
    Alex closed her mouth. She waited for Coach Jen to start yelling.
    â€œYou’re right, Alex, that what you did was very wrong. But I think you’ve already punished yourself enough. And I do believe you’ve learned a valuable lesson.”
    â€œCrime doesn’t pay,” Alex said seriously.
    The corners of Coach Jen’s mouth twitched a little, and she nodded. “And I agree that youforfeited any right to be a manager, even if I did have a position available for you, which I don’t.”
    Alex swallowed down the lump in her throat and fought back the tears of shame that were welling up in her eyes.
    â€œI’m sorry about your injury, Alex. But it could have been so very much worse. You took a big risk not only with yourself, but with others. I shudder to think what could have happened. I do think you need to tell Rosa that the incident wasn’t her fault, because she feels terrible about the whole thing.”
    Alex nodded miserably. Of course it had to be Rosa. Rosa would tell the whole world, and Alex would be shunned for the rest of her middle school career. She didn’t even deserve to be in the Square Dance Club, after all that had happened.
    â€œBut I think we can leave it there,” said Coach Jen. “I don’t think there’s any value in sharing the whole story with everyone. But Alex?”
    â€œYes?” said Alex in a tiny voice.
    â€œMaybe don’t be so hard on yourself all the time. You don’t have to be good at every single thing. You’re good at enough!”
    Alex nodded. “Thanks, Coach Jen. I’ll try. AndI think I learned another lesson: Maybe I should be a little less quick to open my big mouth and make promises I can’t keep?”
    Coach Jen chuckled. “Maybe, Alex. Now I need to go to the rally. I’ll speak to Molly about a permanent spot on the team. She was already going to fill in for you today.”
    Alex smiled with relief. “Thank you,” she said, and she meant it.
    â€œWhy don’t you come along? You can tell the team your decision.”
    The squad was in the locker room, getting dressed in their uniforms, when Alex and Coach Jen appeared in the doorway together. The pep rally was due to start in ten minutes.
    â€œGirls,” said Coach Jen. “Alex has something to say to you.”
    Something in her tone must have told the girls it was serious, because they all stopped what they were doing and turned to listen.
    Alex stared down at her shoes and cleared her throat. She was more nervous than she’d been before her presidential candidate speech in front of the entire school. “Guys, I came to apologize to you.”
    Now the girls were so quiet you could hearthe ticking of the clock above the door.
    Alex took a deep breath and went on. “I was the reason Rosa slipped. I dropped my lip balm on the floor. And I haven’t been—um—myself the last few days. I don’t think I’m cut out for cheerleading, after all. I told Coach Jen that I’m resigning from the team.”
    Alex saw Lindsey and Emily exchange a shocked look.
    â€œI’m especially sorry to Annelise, for almost dropping her on her head. And to Molly, for almost taking her place on the team even though she deserved it. And to Rosa, because she slipped on the lip balm that I dropped. I wasn’t paying enough attention to Coach Jen and I was careless.” She looked up at them. “So, well, sorry again,” she said, and walked out of the room without looking back.

    She’d asked her mom to wait for her in the car, and now Alex hopped in and buckled her seat belt in silence. Her mom didn’t ask her anything. She seemed to sense that she should leave Alex