Free Heads Up! by Matt Christopher

Chapter 1

    “H ere!” a familiar voice yelled from Amanda Caler’s right side.
    Amanda, left halfback for the Soccer ’Cats soccer team, glanced up to see Stookie Norris waving to her. He was in the clear
     so she kicked the ball to him. It was a perfect shot to the striker. Stookie stopped the ball, dribbled half a dozen feet
     toward the goal, then gave it a hard kick at the net.
    Goal!
    “Good shot, Stookie!” several ’Cats yelled. The fans yelled, too. The score narrowed the gap. Now instead of Panthers 3, ’Cats 0, it was Panthers 3, ’Cats 1.

    But the game was in its final minutes and the chances of the ’Cats scoring again were slim. That dismal thought raced through
     Amanda’s mind as she watched the Panthers move the ball down the field with short, surefooted passes.
    The ball crossed the center line before Amanda could reach it. Three Panthers were passing the ball among them, eluding their
     attackers like mice eluding cats.
    For a couple of seconds Amanda studied their pattern. When she sensed an opportunity to steal the ball, she raced in. With
     a lightning-quick move, she trapped the ball with the instep of her right foot, spun, and dribbled the ball out of the attacking
     zone.
    The Panthers were caught by surprise. That gave Amanda enough time to move the balldeeper into the Panthers’ territory. Jerry Dinh came up alongside her, but Amanda kept control of the ball until she saw an
     attacker sweeping up from her other side.
    “Jerry!” she called and passed the ball to him.
    Jerry, a striker, slowed it down with the instep of his foot. Two Panthers were on him in an instant.
    Amanda followed, ready to receive a pass if Jerry got into trouble.
    Jerry did get in trouble. Usually as cool as a cucumber, he looked flustered as both Panthers stabbed at the ball with their
     feet.
    Stookie Norris swooped in to try to help, but the Panthers boxed him out. “Get rid of it!” Stookie cried.
    Jerry didn’t hesitate. He walloped the ball as hard as he could — right at Amanda.
    Blam!
Amanda was hit full force in the face!
    The contact was so solid, she saw stars.Then she saw something else. Blood, and lots of it. It was spilling from her nose onto her shirt. One look was all she got.
     Dizziness swept over her. The last thing she remembered was hitting the turf.

Chapter 2

    W hen Amanda came to, she found herself being carried. Something cold was pressed against her nose.
    “Hey, what’s going on?” she cried, struggling to get free.
    “Whoa, hold on a minute,” came a deep voice. It was Coach Bradley, the person who was carrying her. He removed the ice pack
     from her nose and sat her down gently on the bench.
    “Are you okay?” he asked, looking at her with concern. “That was some nosebleed you got.”

    She touched her nose gingerly. The bleeding had stopped. “Guess I passed out,” she mumbled.
    The coach smiled. “Guess you did. Are you in much pain?”
    She wiggled her nose from side to side. “No, it’s not too bad,” she said. “I think I can keep playing.”
    The coach shook his head. “I don’t think so. You’re sitting out the rest of the game, Amanda.” He pulled a cell phone out
     of his team duffel bag. “In fact, I’m calling your mother to come get you right now.”
    Amanda’s heart sank. Her mother turned white at the sight of a skinned knee. She usually stayed away from Amanda’s soccer
     games because she didn’t want to see anyone get hurt. What would she do when she heard Amanda had had a bloody nose?And what about her T-shirt? There was enough blood on it to equal a dozen skinned knees!
    Well, she couldn’t stop the coach from calling her mom. But maybe he could help with the T-shirt.
    “Uh, Coach, do you have any extra Soccer ’Cats shirts in that bag? I think mine is ruined.”
    Coach Bradley nodded. “Go ahead and look. You can change in the rest room.”
    Amanda searched the bag and found what she was looking for. As she started toward the