Free Queen of the Fae: Book Two in the Fae Unbound Series (Fae Unbound Teen Young Adult Fantasy Series) by Jill Nojack Page B

her office. She tossed volleyball into a large wire container as she walked past it on the way to her desk, "If you are, better take a seat."
    Lizbet followed her into the office but stood next to the chair instead of sitting. This kept her at eye level with the woman who was eyeballing her back while sitting on the edge of her sturdy metal desk. "I just wanted to tell you that it isn't right I can't run with the team. I didn't grow an extra set of legs or get super strength. I've just got wings—useless ones, too. Mostly, they just get in the way. They are definitely not going to make me a better athlete. There's no reason I shouldn't be allowed on the team."
    Lizbet kept eye contact with Mrs. Armstrong. The teacher's tough expression softened a little as she did.
    "Moore, I didn't make the rule. I didn't even say I like the rule. I've got a nephew in California who never learned how to swim, but since Fae Day he dives right in at the beach and stays under water for hours at a time. The gills he grows when he hits the water really help. So, I get it. But I also wouldn't let him compete on the swim team. It wouldn't be fair to the other kids."
    "That's kind of different, isn't it?"
    "Truthfully, I don't know. Can you really say for sure that there's nothing about you that won't affect your running abilities, even things you don't know about yet? According to my sister, Jared keeps finding out new things about himself every day."
    "No, I can't say for sure...but I'm really going to miss being on the team."
    The teacher looked thoughtful for a moment. "Okay, kid...here’s what I can do. No one said you couldn't work out with us. You can compete with us during practice and be water girl at the meets. Would that help?"
    "Mrs. Armstrong, thank you! That would help. I wish I could participate all the way, but being able to compete during practice will be great, if that’s the only way I can be on the team."
    "Sure—it'll probably help a couple of your team-mates if they've got somebody else at their level to go up against. Might even give us a stronger team. And if anyone on the school board has a problem with it, I don't think they're going to be able to come up with any good reason you can't participate as a non-competitor."
    As Lizbet walked to her next class, she not only felt like she'd won a worthwhile victory, she felt pretty grown-up about it. Two days ago, she'd gone off like a scolded puppy with its tail tucked between its legs when the coach told her she couldn't be on the team. Today, she'd faced down what had been hurting her, and she realized her teacher probably hadn't even meant to make her feel so bad. She thought that if she could get back that level of confidence all the time, things would definitely be a few more steps toward normal. Even the headaches seemed to stay away when she was acting like the old Lizbet, the wingless Lizbet.

    "Hey runt," Lizbet called out when she heard Bobby's voice as he entered from the garage with Mom.
    "Hi Lizzie-tizzie," her brother called back.
    Lizbet walked over to hug him as he entered the kitchen, and he pulled back just the slightest before he stopped himself, smiled, put his arms around her neck, and hugged her tight.
    "Dad says I can't go flying with you, so don't try to make me."
    "I wasn't thinking of taking off right this minute anyway." Lizbet got him in a gentle headlock and rubbed the top of his head with her knuckles. "How about noogies? Are noogies okay?"
    Bobby shouted, "Stop, stop! Mom! Make her stop," but he was laughing, and Lizbet loved hearing it. Maybe things really were going to go back to normal.
    She let her brother go, and he bounced over to the sliding glass door to the backyard, then turned back to her, "Hey, the gnomes are all coming back now, too. I'm glad, because Daddy wanted to have Mr. Ross take them away. I wouldn't like it if anybody hurt the gnomes. That just wouldn't be right." Then he was out the door, laughing, as a group of gnomes ran