Ask Eva Read Online Free Page A

classes, so Ella and I didn’t see her until we were getting changed for PE after lunch.
    ‘Hey,’ I said, trying not to stare at Aretta’s old and faded track-suit, and her runners that were starting to split down one side.
    ‘Hey,’ said Aretta. ‘PE is my favourite subject. What do you think we’ll be doing today?’
    ‘Definitely badminton,’ I said.
    ‘How do you know?’ asked Aretta. ‘Is it always badminton on Fridays?’
    Ella giggled. ‘The teacher, Mr Holland, hates the rain, so if there’s a cloud anywhere within a hundred miles, he won’t bring us out to the playing pitches. That means we have to play badminton in the hall.’
    ‘And do you like badminton?’ asked Aretta.
    ‘I guess it’s OK,’ I said.
    ‘I love it,’ she said. ‘I used to play a lot when I lived in Kilkenny. Do we play in teams?’
    ‘Here we play knock-out competitions,’ I said. ‘And there’s this boy, Andy, who thinks he’s the best badminton player in the world.’
    ‘Andy probably is the best badminton player in the world,’ sighed Ella. ‘He wins the competition every single week. He played against the sixth-year boys one week, and he beat all of them too.’
    ‘We don’t mind Andy winning,’ I added. ‘The problem is that he goes on and on and on about it. He’s a total pain. He’s…….’
    But Aretta wasn’t listening any more. She’dfinished tying her laces and she was already on her way out of the changing rooms.
    ‘That was a bit rude,’ said Ella.
    I smiled. ‘Maybe,’ I said. ‘But something tells me this PE class is going to be very interesting.

    ‘Oh, dear. Poor you.’ said Ella when I told her that I was drawn to play Andy in the first round of the competition. ‘But look on the bright side – at least you’ll get a nice break while the rest of the competition is going on.’
    I didn’t answer. Losing a badminton match isn’t the biggest tragedy in the world, but being first up against Andy and being totally humiliated in public – that’s just rotten. I wondered if it was too late to pretend to be sick. Come to think of it, I did feel kind of sick at the thought of the match ahead.
    ‘Hey, Mr Holland,’ I said, trying to soundweak. ‘I think……’
    But before I could finish, Andy was in front of me, strumming his badminton racquet like it was a guitar. He probably thought he was cool, but he really looked like an idiot
    ‘Hey, Eva,’ he said. ‘I’ve never played you before. Are you sure you’re ready for this?’
    And suddenly, even though I knew it was pathetic, I really, really wanted to beat him. I jumped up from my bench. ‘Sure I am,’ I said. ‘Bring it on.’
    The first shuttle flew past my ear like a rocket. I didn’t even see the second one, and the third one hit me on the head. The game was over in about a minute and a half – and I hadn’t won a single point.
    Andy jumped up and down, like he’d just beaten the Olympic champion.
    ‘Yesss!’ he said. ‘Now who’s next?’
    Ella put her arm around me as I came off the court.
    ‘Don’t feel bad, Eva,’ she said. ‘Remember no one’s ever got the better of that boy.’
    Next to her, Aretta was smiling, and swinging her racquet to warm up. Suddenly I felt like I could read her mind.
    ‘Don’t even think about it,’ I said. ‘He’s just too good.’
    But Aretta kept on smiling. ‘I’m not so bad myself,’ she said.

    By the time the final between Andy and Aretta came around, the class was going crazy. We were all jumping up and down on the benches, screaming for the person we wanted to win. (That meant most of the class screaming for Aretta, and a few of the silly girls screaming for Andy because they like his hair and think he’s cute.)
    Andy and Aretta walked on to the court, and everyone clapped, like it was the final of Wimbledon or something.
    ‘Quiet, please,’ said Mr Holland, and amazingly, everyone obeyed. The sudden silence was weird, and a bit scary.
    Andy was jogging