Renegade World: Future Past Read Online Free Page B

somersault? I know I can do them!”
    “You need to get into a real gymnastics program! It’s not
safe to do these tricks without a spotter.”
    “I'll only do them when you’re here.” She jumped higher,
dropped into a backdrop and then continued backward over to her feet. “How was
my technique?”
    “It was fine.”
    She did a front somersault and then looked over at him.
    “Tighten your tuck, and try it again.”
    She did another one.
    “Better!”
    She did another one. “I think I've got it.” She did three
in a row. On her final one, she rotated too far and hit the mat leaning
forward.
    Aaron put his hands up to stop her from flying off the
tramp, but she caught her balance just as he touched her. “That’s why you need
a spotter!”
    She ignored him. “I got dizzy doing that many in a row. I'm
going to do a back one now.” She bounced up with a half twist so that she was
facing away from him, took two more bounces, and did a back flip.
    “That was real good. Do a couple more.”
    She did two more and then sat down on the edge of the tramp
next the Aaron. “Do you think I could be a good gymnast?”
    “You learn quickly, you’re strong for your age, and you are
fearless.  With good coaching and lots of practice, I think you could be very
good!”
    “Will you coach me?”
    “You need a real coach if you want to be good. I'll talk to
my old coach. I'm not sure if he still coaches, but if not, I'm sure he'll recommend someone.”
    “Thanks!”
     “Naami, I need to leave now.”
    Naami pouted. “If you really have to.”
    He waved goodbye as he started for his house. “I can't be
late for practice.” He was almost out of her yard when he yelled back, “I
almost forgot. We got the OK for you to come watch us practice archery.”
    Naami smirked. Last spring she had asked Rebeka Lee to let
her watch. Rebeka Lee had told her to wait until she was eight. She yelled,
“Thanks, Aaron!”
    I want to see Aaron play basketball. I’ll change quickly
and see if I can sneak into the high school to watch his practice. Abraham,
pull together whatever photos and stats you can find on the team.
    T he team was already scrimmaging as Naami climbed up the
bleachers.  Her slicked down hair was now tucked under a baseball cap, and she
had on a pair of sunglasses. In her faded blue jeans and gray long-sleeve
shirt, she knew she looked like a boy. She sat down two rows behind the ten
teens, nine of them girls, who were watching the practice.
    She didn’t see any coaches. Abraham, why aren’t there
any coaches? Who is the big guy who seems to be running the practice?
    The big guy is the team captain, Matt Jackson. The
league rules do not allow the coaches to work with their teams until basketball
season, but they are allowed to have captain's practices. Matt was
all-conference last year.
    Was Aaron all-conference?
    No. According to the records, Aaron didn’t start any
games until late in the season.
    I wonder why?
    Maybe it’s because he was a freshman.
    As she watched the scrimmage, it looked like Aaron and his
taller teammate, a guy called Thor, were having the most fun.  Abraham, how
tall do you think Thor and Matt are?
    The stats from last year say that Matt is six feet eight
and two hundred fifty pounds. There was no one named Thor on the team last
year. Based on Aaron at six feet two and Matt at six eight, I estimate that
Thor is six feet five or perhaps a little more, but he probably only weighs two
hundred and twenty pounds plus or minus five pounds.
    She continued to watch Aaron’s team play against Matt’s
team. Other than Matt, Aaron, and Thor, the other players looked tired. Thor
was guarding Matt, and throughout the scrimmage whenever Matt put the ball on
the floor, either Thor or Aaron or both of them took a swipe at it. They were
both quicker than him and frequently were able to knock it to one of their teammates. 
    Naami, from last year’s team roster, I see that Matt’s teammates
will be