Boot Camp Read Online Free Page A

hooted. Jerome stepped over and gave him a big high-five.
    Down at the far end of the line another kid jumped forward. He did a moonwalk and then a really cool, running man sort of thing! He was amazing!
    â€œLook at this man dance!” Johnnie yelled, and there was more cheering as the kid continued to make move after move.
    Up and down the line people were moving—some a lot and some just a little. I was probably moving less than anybody else. I couldn’t dance.
    â€œCome on, Nick, just shake some body parts,” Kia chided me.
    I tried to follow the lead of the guy over from Kia. He was moving but not too much. I shook a little and clapped my hands…sort of in time with the music.
    The kid beside me started to laugh.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?” I asked.
    â€œMan, I’ve heard of people busting a move before, but I ain’t never seen a busted move!” he said.
    Kia broke out laughing.
    â€œI don’t know why you’re laughing, girl. It ain’t like you’re doing any better,” the kid said.
    Suddenly Kia’s laugh stuck in her throat. I knew this wasn’t going to end there.
    â€œLook who’s talking!” Kia said. “You better play ball smoother than you dance or this is going to be one embarrassing week for you.”
    â€œI’m gonna school you and everybody else in this whole—”
    His words were cut off by a wave of cheering and screaming. Up at the front one of the guyswas on the floor, spinning and doing all sorts of break dance moves. People were going crazy cheering him on.
    â€œAnd we have a winner!” Jerome yelled, and the cheering got even louder.
    He reached down, offered his hand to the kid, and as they shook he pulled him to his feet, grabbed him and tossed him into the air, catching him on the way down.
    The music got quieter and quieter, and then it stopped completely.
    â€œAnd can you show the audience what the lucky winner gets?” JYD said, sounding like a game show host.
    JY the mascot bounced forward, carrying a duffle bag over his shoulder. He set the bag down and loosened the string that holds it closed. He reached in and pulled out a T-shirt. He held it up. There, in big letters it said “JYD Basketball Boot Camp” with an outline of Jerome, arms raised, forming the letter Y.
    The kid pulled off his T-shirt and put the new one on. He raised his hands in the air to imitate the front of the T-shirt.
    â€œWow, that is so cool,” Kia said. “I should have danced better.”
    â€œDancing?” the mouthy kid asked. “Is that what you were doing?”
    â€œDid you think I was talking to you?” Kia asked. “If I wanted your opinion, I’d…I’d…come to think of it, there’s no way I would ever want your opinion.”
    The kid’s mouth opened, but he didn’t say anything. I think Kia had caught him by surprise. She had a way of doing that.
    I looked at the kid. He was around our age but bigger than both of us. He had a short, short brush cut and studs in both ears.
    â€œHold on!” Johnnie said. “It looks like JY has a few more T-shirts in his bag!” He pulled out a handful of shirts.
    â€œAnd I found another bag over here!” Sergeant Kevin called out as he dragged another duffle bag—a big duffle bag—across the floor.
    â€œIn that case,” JYD called out, “I think we have shirts for everybody!”
    A big cheer erupted.
    JY, along with Johnnie, went down the line handing out T-shirts. Each person stripped out of his shirt and replaced it with the new JYD camp shirt.
    â€œI hope they don’t run out,” the kid said.
    â€œI think they can count,” Kia said. “The number of kids at the camp matches the number of T-shirts required. Not difficult…at least for most of us.”
    I expected him to react to Kia’s comment, but he didn’t.
    Johnnie and JY continued down the line,