Even the Score Read Online Free

with Mrs. Hyde ever since she’d been diagnosed with ADHD, to help figure out the best ways for her to study. Mrs. Hyde taught her to make up rhymes or come up with a picture that went with the word.
    Acute. A cute. Cute.
    Immediately her gaze drifted toward Jack.
    Jack was cute. Very cute.
    She loved his caramel skin and his shaggy, jet-black hair. She loved how thick his eyelashes were. They made his dark eyes look huge.
    She shook her head. They’d tried going out on a sort-of date, but it was way weird. Neither of them knew how to act. Afterward they seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement to just be friends. Shoot hoops at the park, watch sports on TV together, that kind of thing.
    Ava was glad.
    But she still thought he was cute. No, she thought he was acute !
    Jack listened to Mrs. Vargas and had no idea Ava was staring at him. It figured! Boys were so clueless.
    She tried to listen too. Then she felt it.
    At first she wasn’t sure what exactly. Just a feeling. A sense.
    She blinked rapidly and kept her gaze on the board. Mrs. Hyde had warned her about allowing her mind to wander in class. She couldn’t let it happen. Focus!
    Mrs. Vargas called up Megan Schiller to solve a problem. Megan’s green marker squeaked onthe whiteboard, as she furiously crossed out several false starts. Ava was proud of herself. She knew the answer. She tapped her pencil impatiently, watching Megan fumble her way through.
    The feeling was still there.
    The feeling of being watched.
    Ava dropped her pencil. Then she swiveled in her seat, pretending to search for it. Her eyes darted around the classroom, and she spotted him.
    Owen.
    He was staring right at her!
    Ava quickly snatched her pencil and turned forward. She shook her head. He wasn’t staring. He was probably just spacing out, because watching Megan cross out number after number is torture, she reasoned.
    Mrs. Vargas finally came to Megan’s rescue, and then moved on to a different type of problem. More triangles. More mystery angle measurements.
    Ava felt his eyes on her again. Was she imagining it? She tried to stay focused on Mrs. Vargas, but curiosity won out. She turned.
    He was staring! Immediately Owen whipped his head down, knocking his chin against his chest.
    Ava turned back. He looked angry. Was he angry at her? She hadn’t done anything.
    â€œOkay. Do I have any volunteers to solve this problem?” Mrs. Vargas asked.
    Ava barely glanced at the problem. Instead she remembered Coach K’s speech. The team needed Owen to be able to catch. Was she making him angry and causing his problems?
    â€œNo one?” Mrs. Vargas frowned. “Ava, why don’t you give it a try?”
    â€œMe?” Ava gulped and stood shakily. The entire class now stared at her as she made her way to the front. She had no idea where to even start.
    And then the bell rang. Saved! She hoped Mrs. Vargas didn’t hear her exhale in relief.
    â€œNext time, you’re up, Ava,” Mrs. Vargas called, as Ava hurried back to her desk to scoop up her books.
    Ava chased after Owen. If I can make him my friend, that’ll help the team.
    â€œHey.” She tapped his shoulder as she caught up with him in the doorway.
    He flinched but stopped.
    â€œCan you believe how harsh Coach K has been?” Ava asked, as the rest of the class streamedpast. “You know, I don’t think it’s us. My sister Alex has him for homeroom, and she says he’s been really cranky all week.”
    Soon they were the only ones in the doorway. Owen didn’t answer. He stared at her in surprise. Ava plunged ahead. “You know what drives me crazy? His mirrored sunglasses. I can’t see his eyes. I think eyes say a lot about what a person is truly thinking, don’t you?”
    â€œI, uh . . .” Owen opened, then closed his mouth. The tips of his ears flamed, and he scowled. Then, without speaking, he turned and pushed his way into the