Free Twice the Talent by Belle Payton Page A

much attention. She was trying to figure out the best way to practice that line dance.
    I bet I can find videos on the computer, she thought. Yes, that would work. Alex did that allthe time. She could look online and practice all weekend. She wasn’t going to let Kylie down!
    When her dad pulled into the driveway, Ava rushed out of the car.
    â€œYou’re welcome!” Coach called after her.
    She ran upstairs and shut the bedroom door behind her. Somewhere in her backpack she had printed out the dance steps that Keshawn had e-mailed her. She rummaged around and found the paper crumpled up underneath her notebook.
    She smoothed it out and started to read.
    Walk Forward
    Grapevine Right
    Grapevine Left
    Step, Tap
    Step, Tap
    It might as well be written in Elvadoran, Ava thought. She flipped open her laptop and started typing, Video of basic line dancing steps .
    â€œYes!” Ava cried, as a list of videos popped up on the screen. There was one—four minutes long—“Basic Grapevine for Beginners.”
    â€œPerfect,” Ava murmured, and she hit play. Aman and a woman wearing cowboy hats were facing the camera.
    â€œTo grapevine right, you need to start with your right foot,” the woman began.
    â€œRight foot,” Ava repeated, and she started mirroring the steps on the screen. She stepped with her right foot, then put her left foot behind her right foot, and then . . . what were they doing?
    â€œHow did their feet end up there?” Ava asked out loud, and she started the video from the beginning.
    She heard a whining, and Moxy pushed through her door, attracted by Ava’s voice and the music. When she saw Ava dancing, she started to bark.
    â€œMoxy, I am not some sheep you can order around!” Ava scolded. “Come on, I’m trying to dance!”
    She walked back to the laptop and started the video again. Then she took a deep breath.
    â€œOkay, start with a step to the right,” she muttered as she tried to follow along.
    â€œWoof! Woof! ” Moxy barked.
    Then Tommy stuck his head into the room. “Hey, Ave, Coach wants to know what you want to order—what are you doing? You look ridiculous.”
    Ava paused the video. “I am trying not to make a fool of myself!” she cried, flopping down on the bed.
    â€œUh-oh. Sounds like a crisis,” Tommy said. “What’s up?”
    Ava launched into the story about how she had volunteered to take Kylie’s place in the line dancing act.
    â€œAnd I’ve realized I’m in way over my head. I can’t do it!” she wailed.
    â€œCome on, Ave, you know you can do anything you set your mind to,” Tommy said, sitting on the bed next to her.
    â€œUsually I can. But not this,” Ava said. “It’s like it’s some weird Texas thing. I think you have to be Texan to do it.”
    â€œBut you are Texan,” Tommy said.
    â€œNot really. We just moved here,” Ava argued.
    â€œI don’t mean that. I mean Dad. He was born in Texas. So that makes us, like, authentic half Texans,” Tommy pointed out. “In fact, you should probably ask Coach for help. He’s a good dancer, and since he grew up here, I bet he knows how to line dance.”
    â€œMaybe,” Ava said. She sat up and looked at the dancers paused on her computer screen.“Right now, I don’t think anybody could help turn me into a line dancer. Not even the Grand Wizard of Elvador.”
    Tommy looked at her. “You sure you’re feeling okay?”
    Ava sighed. “I’m fine. Just spent two hours playing a board game with Kylie.”
    Tommy stood up. “So, anyway, I’m supposed to ask you what you want from the Hungry Panda.”
    â€œBeef lo mein, please!” Ava replied, and then she flopped back down on the bed as Tommy left.
    Moxy nudged Ava’s feet with her nose.
    â€œWoof! Woof!”
    â€œForget it, Moxy,” Ava said. “I am