Free Blow Out by M. G. Higgins Page A

Bye.” She set the phone back in its cradle. “She just wanted to wish me luck on my second semester at ‘that Yankee school.’ Told me to hurry up and pledge the right sorority.”
    â€œWhen are they getting back?” Lacy asked.
    â€œIn a week. Unless the Hawthornes convince them to go to Monaco.” Carrie switched to her snooty English accent. “You know how Mum and Da get sidetracked when they’re
on the Continent
.”
    Lacy couldn’t help laughing. Her sister always knew how to cheer her up.
    â€œGo back to sleep, okay?” Carrie winked at Lacy and closed the door.
    Instead of sleeping, Lacy lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. She bit her lip as she thought about returning to school. Was her leg completely healed? Her surgeon—the top orthopedic specialist on the East Coast—told her she’d had a full recovery. She prayed he was right. If he wasn’t, she couldn’t play soccer. Lacy knew it was pathetic, but besides Carrie, her teammates were her real family. She couldn’t imagine a future without them.

T
    he next morning, Lacy drove her blue T Mini Cooper into the Fraser High School parking lot. The car was a gift for her sixteenth birthday. Her dad had wanted to buy her a Lexus, but Carrie helped talk him out of it. Lacy felt uncomfortable flaunting their wealth. Plus, the Mini was seriously cute.
    In order to get a good parking spot, Lacy arrived at school ten minutes earlier than usual. Then she took her time walking through the parking lot. She gripped the railing as she climbed the ten steps up to the school building. Her leg felt bare without the brace. She kept feeling for twinges and pangs in her knee. If she noticed anything out of the ordinary, she was driving home and getting her brace.
    Lacy took a deep breath.
You are such a wimp. Dr. Sinjaya said you don’t need the brace anymore
. But her doctor’s opinion didn’t lessen her fear. The pain—both after the injury and after the surgery—had been agonizing. Pain pills had helped, but she hated the drugged-out way they made her feel. She had hobbled on crutches for five weeks, dependent on her mom, Carrie, and their housekeeper, Mrs. Langley, for even the smallest things. Physical therapy was frustrating too. It was like learning to walk all over again.
    But that wasn’t the worst of it. Dr. Sinjaya had said that her injury was one of the worst he’d ever seen. The day he told her she might never play soccer again was one of the most devastating of her life.
    But she hadn’t let that happen. She’d proved him wrong.
    Lacy let go of the railing for the last three steps. As she reached the top landing, she heard, “Lace!” Someone grabbed her from behind in a huge hug.
    She panicked as her right leg twisted awkwardly. “Nita!” she cried. She pushed her best friend away. “My knee! Be careful!”
    Nita pressed her hand over her mouth, eyes wide. “I’m sorry! You’re not wearing your brace, so I thought—”
    â€œNo, it’s okay,” Lacy said. “You just scared me.” She gave Nita a quick hug and grinned. “I’m okay, see?” She held out her arms and turned in a slow circle.
    â€œYay! I don’t know what I’d do without you making me look good for the scouts.”
    â€œUm, thanks?” Lacy laughed and glanced at Nita’s hair. “Touch up?”
    The tips of Nita’s hair were a vibrant blue. She had dyed the ends in honor of the University of North Carolina, where she hoped to attend on a soccer scholarship after graduation. As always, Lacy felt a little pang of envy. She wished she had cool parents like Nita’s, parents who didn’t care so much about appearances.
    Nita flipped her hair with her fingers and batted her eyelashes. “U-N-C!”
    Lacy smiled. “Come on, or I’ll be late for chemistry.”
    Nita sighed. “Are you aware