Free Live Love Lacrosse by Barbara Clanton

still
there, but walking made it hurt less.
    Kimi ran inside for some bottled waters and after handing one to
Addie, sat down on the grass in her front yard and did some stretching.
    Addie took a sip of water and sat next to Kimi. She did some
butterfly stretches while Kimi did an entire routine of sit-ups and push-ups.
She made it look so easy. Despite feeling lousy and getting out of breath
within the first minute of running and despite her sore muscles and her fat
stomach, Addie vowed to one day get in as good of shape as Kimi.
    Having firmly decided to become a warrior like Kimi, she asked Kimi
a thousand questions about eating and nutrition. She hadn’t been sure what to
ask at first, but once they got going, she had more and more questions. When
one was answered, fifteen more popped into her head.
    Addie wondered if Brooke knew as much about food and nutrition as
Kimi did. Thinking about Brooke and knowing she would be practicing with her
the next day, Addie got to her feet. “Let’s get this boot camp thing started.”
    Kimi leaped up. “How about we finish that jog
we started earlier?”
    “You got it.” Addie sprinted down the street ahead of Kimi,
knowing full well that Kimi would catch up instantly. Which she did.
    Later on at dinner that evening, Addie thought about all the
running and circuit training she and Kimi had done earlier that day. She never
knew that squats could be so tiring, or that burpees were an actual exercise.
Kimi knew so much about exercising and getting in shape that Addie couldn’t
help but be swept up in her enthusiasm. Oh, her muscles and lungs protested
every step and jumping jack, but she didn’t care. She liked the idea of having
a friend, maybe even a best friend, that she did every crazy stretch and
exercise that Kimi asked her to do.
    Lunch at Kimi’s was about the same as the last one, but this time
she ate most of the actual green leafy salad. Not all of it. One day maybe.
Soon. She just wasn’t used to chewing, chewing, chewing on green stuff. It was
like eating grass. Like cows. Oh well, it was supposed to be healthy.
    “You were up and out early this morning,
Addie,” her mother said as she pulled the French fries from the oven and dumped
them in a shallow bowl before putting them on the table.
    “Yeah, Kimi is making me do a boot camp thing. We have lacrosse
practice with Brooke tomorrow and then I might . . .”
    “Might what?” her grandmother prompted. “Speak up.” She placed one
hamburger and roll on each plate.
    “Uh, I might try out for the lacrosse team on Saturday.”
    Troy burst out laughing. “You? What’re you going to do? Be the
mascot?” He pounded the table. “No, wait, wait, wait. They’re going to make you
the goalie! All you have to do is stand there and you’ll block the whole goal.”
He held his hands out wide to indicate her massive girth.
    “Troy! That’s enough,” their mother said. She turned to Addie.
“This lacrosse thing means a lot to you, doesn’t it?”
    Addie couldn’t trust her voice past the knot
that had grown in her chest and throat from Troy’s teasing. She simply nodded.
    Her mother smiled. “How about after dinner we go to that sporting
goods store at the mall and get that stick you want.”
    “Really, Mom? Really?”
    “Lydia, why bother?” Grandma grumbled. “She’ll just lose interest
and then you’ll be out a lot of money. Money that you don’t have right now, I
might add.”
    “I have some emergency money for times like these, Mother. And
since we’ll be here all summer, Addie will have to promise to honor her
commitment. Right, Addie?”
    Addie nodded vigorously. “I will, Mom. I will.”
    “Pfft,” Troy spluttered in disbelief.
    “And you, young man, will show more respect
for your sister.” Their mother pointed at Troy. “Do you understand me?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Speak up, young man,” Grandma commanded.
    “Yes, ma’am,” Troy said, this time with defeat in his voice.
    Feeling