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Tennis,Anyone?3

CampTennis4All

1

Mamawasstillfrozenonthestoop,staringatIris

andJavier.“Tellmeyoudidn’tdothisonpurpose.NowI’llhavetotakeyouthere.”

Iriscouldn’tbearthecrushedlookonMama’sface.Mamawasgoingtobelatetoherfirstdayofwork,anditwasalltheirfault.Orrather,Javier’sfault.

“I’msorry,”Javiermumbled,butIriscouldtelltheapologywouldn’tbeenough.

Mama’sjawclenched.“Takethese.”SheshovedthelunchesintoIris’hands.“I’mgoingtoseeifMrs.JoneswilllendmehercarsoIcandriveyou.”Shestormedbackinside.

“Goodgoing,Javier.”Irisrolledhereyes.“Whatkindofplanwasthat?”

2

“Ididn’tthinkitthrough,”hemuttered.

“Nokidding.”IrishandedoneofthelunchestoJavierandstuffedtheotherinherbackpack.

“Let’sgo.”MomentslaterMamareturned,holdingMrs.Jones’carkeys.Sheledthewayaroundthecornertowherethecarwasparked.Nobodysaidaword.

IrisslippedintothebackseatoftherustyHonda,hopingtostayasfarfromMamaasshecould,andJavierdidthesame.

Mamastartedupthecar.“YouseewhyIcan’tleaveyoutwoalonewhileI’matwork?Thiswascompletelyirresponsible!”

3

“IsaidIwassorry,”Javiersaid.“Iwon’tdoitagain.”

“No,youwon’t.TomorrowI’llhavetowatchyoutomakesureyouhaveeverythingandgetonthatbus.”Shebrakedatatrafficlightandturnedaroundtofacethem.“Also,incaseyouwerewondering,you’rebothgrounded.”

“What?”Irissatstraightup.“Ihadnothingtodowiththis.”

“Idon’twanttohearit!”Mamaheldupahand.“Nogamingorsoccerorfriendsfortherestoftheweek.”

Nosoccerorfriends?Irisscruncheddownontheseat,miserable.Sometimesshelikedhavingatwinbrother.But

4

todaywasdefinitelynotoneofthosedays!

***

“Begoodatcamp,”Mamasaidwhenshedroppedthemoff.“Bothofyouhadbetterkeepoutoftrouble.”

“Bye,Mama,”Irissaid.“Goodluckatwork.”

Mamaonlywavedinreturn,andIrisknewitwasbecauseshewasstillmadatthem.

Javierheadedtowardatablewithahugesign:WelcometoCampTennis4All.

Withasigh,Irisfollowedhim.Twoolderteenagers

stoodbehindthetable,brightsmilesontheirfacesand

5

nametagsstuckontheirwhitetennisoutfits.Thegirlhadblondhairpulledbackinasportyponytail.Accordingtohernametag,shewasAlly.Theboy’snamewasTrent.

AsIrisandJavierapproached,Trentsquintedata

clipboard.“Thesearethelastones!”hecalledtosomeone.“YoumustbeIrisandJavier.”Hehandedthemeachanametagandplacedacheckmarknexttotheirnamesonalist.

“Allright,then.”Agray-hairedwomanwearingavisorsteppedoutofasmallbuilding.ShetooktheclipboardfromTrentasifshewasincharge.

“Youtwocancomealongwithmeforannouncements,andthenwe’llspliteveryoneupintogroupsforlessons.”

6

Thewomanledthewaytoafieldbesidethetenniscourts,whereabouttwentykidsweregatheredonbleachers.

Irisstared.Everyoneelsewaswearingbrightly

coloredtennisoutfits.IrisglanceddownathernavybluegymshortsandblackT-shirt.Itwastheoutfitsheoftenworetosoccerpractice.ItlookedsimilartowhatJavierwaswearingbutnothingliketheotherkids’clothes.

“Thisisnotthewaytoblendin,”shethought.

SheglancedatJavier,buthesimplyshruggedandclimbedthebleacherstositnexttoanotherboysittingbyhimself.IrissatbelowJavier.

“Goodmorning!”thegray-hairedwomansaid.“I’m

7

Julie,thecampdirector.Theschedulefortodayissimple.We’lldivideyouintotwogroupsanddosometryoutsonthecourts.Thenwe’llputyouingroupsbasedonyourabilities.”Shetappedapenonherclipboard.“Afterlunch,you’llbeginlessons.Who’slookingforwardtothenextthreeweeksatCampTennis4All?”

“Me!”shoutedmostofthekids.

IristurnedtolookatJavier.Hewasjustsittingthere,buttheboynexttohimpumpedhisfistintheair.

“Woo!”hecalled.Theboy’sdarkhairwasshortandspiky,andhisnametagread,Jae.Hehaddeepbrowneyesandanicesmile.

“Averynicesmile,”thoughtIris.

8

JaepointedfromJaviertoIris.“Twins,right?”IrisandJaviernodded.“Yep,”Javiersaid.

“Twinswhoareidenticallybadattennis!”Irisjoked.

“Ilovetennis,”Jaesaid.“Atleast,IthinkIdo.Thisismyfirsttimeattenniscamp.Ihaven,tplayedalotofrealtennis,butIplaytabletennisinmybasementeveryday.”

“Tabletennis?”Javiersaid.“Youmean,likePing-Pong?”

“Yes.”Jaenodded.“I’mthestateyouthchampion.”

“Wow.”Irisraisedhereyebrows.Shedidn’tknowmuchabouttabletennis,buttobestatechampionatanythingwasimpressive.“Mysoccerteammadeittothestateplayoffslastyear,butwedidn’twin.”

9

“Listenup,everyone!”thecounselornamedTrentcalledout.“Ally’sgoingtotaketheyoungerkids.Ifyou’re13or14,you’recomingwithme.”

IrisjoinedtheoldergroupwithJaeandJavier.

“Let’sgetstarted,”Trentsaidwithagrin.Hepickedupabasketoftennisballsandheadedovertooneofthecourts,whereabigcrateofracketssat.“Ifyoudidn’tbringyourownracket,graboneandfindapartner.”

Iriscertainlyhadn’tbroughtherownracket.Shegotone,andsodidJavierandJae.

“Youwanttobepartners?”Jaeaskedher.

Yes.Yes,shedid.

“Sure,”Irissaid.Javierpairedupwithagirlwithblondhairandheadedt