Alex's Challenge Read Online Free

her.
    Candace said, “We can kick their tails!”
    Jessie yelled, “You betcha!”
    Others stood in the huddle with their mouths open. Some were really passionate about soccer, but most just saw it as a way to have some fun. Those who weren’t as competitive were the ones Alex had to get pumped up.
    â€œMy shins are getting sore,” Alyssa said, bending over to rub them.
    â€œMy throat hurts,” Chelsea whined, twirling her hair around her pointer finger.
    That’s when Valerie stepped in, “You all are fine. You have to be! We’re gonna win!” Valerie was always like that—she had the sunniest attitude of anybody. Alex was starting to realize that Val was never, ever in a bad mood.
    â€œThat’s right, we are,” Jenna added with pursed lips and furrowed brows. She took soccer as seriously as Alex did.
    â€œWho’s the best?!” Alex yelled, relieved that the whiners—there were always two or three on every team—had been shut down. She was even more relieved that Valerie had been the one to do it. She was such a cool girl. No one could argue with Valerie.
    â€œUm, you are,” Natalie answered, looking at Alex.
    â€œNo!” Alex laughed. “ We are!”
    After the pep talk, Alex started talking strategy. She told Sarah to run past the other team’s best runner—that would distract her from the game at hand. Jenna had three girls to cover. Brynn was supposed to stand near the goal and block anyone who came toward Alex when she went in for the point. Even the whiners came on board for the winning plans.
    By the end of the time-out, no one was unmotivated anymore. Instead, their expressions were determined. The girls looked like they took this game seriously, and even better, they looked like they wanted to win.
    They huddled up in a circle like a bunch of NFL football stars and yelled their bunk cheer, “We be 3C!” It wasn’t poetry, but it was catchy. They high-fived and cheered one another as they ran back to the field.
    The other team watched them quietly. Alex could tell her opponents were worried, and she was glad. Her team really did have the edge on the winning mindset, which meant they were halfway there.
    Alex was so pumped. She stole the ball from Gaby, wheedled it through the players with ease, and scored. Then she scored again. And again.
    Because of Alex’s talent and the rest of the crew’s enthusiasm, they were able to take the game, and they took it fast. Neither team could even believe what had happened. The girls from 3C, with Alex in the lead, had won. But most surprising was that it hadn’t even been very difficult. Alex was proud and happy and confident all at the same time.
    Afterward, panting and sweating like happy puppies, the girls congratulated the other sullen-faced team, and then they hugged one another. They clapped and laughed and basked for just a few extra minutes.
    Even if they were getting the end-of-the-summer blues at times, everyone really had bonded over the last few weeks. They’d proven it on the soccer field—whenever someone needed support, another girl ran to her rescue. Together, when 3C needed to rally, they could do it.
    Alex couldn’t have been more pleased—she forgot all of her problems for that second. Nothing else mattered except that she had done her job, and she had done it well.
    Of course, that was typical for Alex. Anytime there were tasks to be completed, Alex was always asked to do them. Teachers knew if they needed help grading papers, Alex was their girl. Moms would let their kids stay out later as long as Alex was with them. Friends could count on Alex to help them with their homework or any other problems that they had. Alex just had this way about her of doing the right thing. But she was really hard on herself—she was a total perfectionist.
    Alex wasn’t judgmental of others, though. She figured that people had their flaws,