Free It's Only Temporary by Sally Warner Page B

the field, over the heads of the players, who seemed to be waiting for a decision to be made toward one end of the field while their coaches stalked back and forth like outraged flamingos along the sidelines, and competing cheerleaders shook their pom-poms in each others’ direction.
    The panorama stretched in front of Skye and Maddy like a movie scene. The football players looked kind of small from where she and Maddy were lurking, Skye thought, almost feeling sorry for them.
    But no, the guys who’d been bullying them deservedwhat was going to happen, she told herself sternly. And anyway, it was too late to change things now.
    At the opposite side of the field, in front of the bleachers, were strung a few long benches where the extra football players sat, though a few players in front of the benches were stretching and running in place like windup toys.
    And behind them sat Aaron, Cord, Danko, and Kee, helmets in their laps. Although she was staring across the width of the field, Skye could see them as clear as anything. It was as though her vision was suddenly super-powerful.
    â€œThat’s the offense sitting on the bench,” Maddy informed her. “I guess Thomas Alva Edison is about to score, that’s what the problem is. Our defense is trying to stop them.”
    â€œHow do you know all that?” Skye asked, astonished, turning halfway around to stare at her friend.
    Maddy shrugged. “I watch a lot of football with my dad,” she explained. “It’s a very interesting game.”
    Skye turned her gaze back to the field – and then the butterflies stopped fluttering for a moment. “Oh, no,” she whispered.
    â€œWhat?” Maddy whispered back.
    â€œThey’re handing out the newspaper
now
” Skye said. “To the players on the sidelines, anyway. Too early! Too early!”
    And the scene unfolded in what seemed to Skye likeslow motion: the floppy stack of newspapers – complete with inserts – made its way down the football players’ benches. Win or lose, receiving this newspaper – getting this
honor
– was supposed to be the players’ supreme moment of glory, Skye realized, suddenly feeling sick.
    The Amelia Earhart players – including Aaron, Cord, Danko, and Kee – opened the papers casually, not wanting to seem too eager to see their own faces.

    And then the guffaws rippled up and down the benches as other players saw the insert for the first time. Many of the boys got to their feet, trying to catch a glimpse of the look on the faces of the four players Skye had drawn.
    And in spite of how far away she stood, Skye could see Aaron’s head bend low over the opened paper as if he couldn’t believe his eyes.
    Cord threw the paper onto the grass in front of him, disgusted.
    Danko sat perfectly still, staring at the ground.
    And Kee seemed to be looking straight across the field at Maddy and Skye.
    He couldn’t actually see them, could he?
    â€œQuick,” Skye told Maddy. “Behind the bus!”
    â€œBut then we’ll be in the street,” Maddy pointed out, her brown eyes wide with alarm. “And we could get run over.”
    â€œJust do it,” Skye cried, and the two girls virtually oozed around the bus in their attempt to escaped Kee’s steady gaze.
    Skye peeked around the corner of the bus one last time. The crowd in the bleachers was murmuring now like a single giant beast, curious about what was happening down on the sidelines – but the fistfuls of newspapers now being handed out in the stands soon filled everyone in.Skye could hear the laughter build from where she stood.
    And Aaron, Cord, Danko, and Kee just sat there.
    Dear Scott, Well, I drew the cartoons of those football guys, and we sneaked them into the newspaper, all right. Now everyone has seen them. And it’s hard to explain, but I feel really bad about the whole thing.
    But tonight I have to go to that dance. I