Twice the Talent Read Online Free Page A

slid off her ankle onto the floor. “It’s my turn to set the table! I’m doing that!”
    â€œAva, you need to take it easy,” her mom insisted. “Lie down and get that ice pack back on your ankle, please.”
    Scowling, Ava limped back to the couch, picking up the ice pack along the way. As she propped her leg back up, her dad came home.
    Moxy rushed over to greet him. Coach puthis briefcase down in the hallway and came into the living room.
    â€œI heard that ankle of yours was sprained pretty badly,” Coach said. “That’s tough, Ave.”
    â€œYeah, I know,” Ava said.
    â€œThen you know you need to take it easy, right?” Coach asked. “That’s the only way you’ll heal properly. I’ve seen it too many times. Kids who get back in the game too fast after an injury, and they end up with a problem the rest of their lives. But you’re smarter than that, right?”
    Ava sighed. Somehow, Coach could always get through to her when nobody else could.
    â€œYes, I’m smarter than that,” she replied. “I’m a regular genius!”
    Coach laughed. “That’s my Ava,” he said.
    â€œDon’t worry, Coach,” she said. “I’ll take it easy. I won’t even run late to my English class like I always do. I’ll walk late instead!”
    Mrs. Sackett popped her head into the room. “English class?”
    â€œWell, Dr. Rodriguez said I couldn’t play basketball, but he didn’t say I couldn’t go to school,” Ava pointed out. “And it would be really bad for me to miss school, wouldn’t it?”
    Coach and Mrs. Sackett exchanged glances.
    â€œPlease promise me that you won’t be running through the halls,” Mrs. Sackett said.
    â€œPromise!” Ava assured her.

    The next morning Ava heard a knock on her door as she was pulling on a T-shirt.
    â€œIt’s me!” Alex said.
    â€œCome on in,” Ava called out, and Alex stepped inside.
    â€œI thought you might need some help making that brace look more . . . fashionable,” Alex said, looking down at the bulky black straps around Ava’s ankle. “Were you really going to wear shorts to school? In January?”
    Ava shrugged. “I can’t get my jeans over it,” she said, and then she caught the look in her sister’s eye. “And no, I am not wearing a skirt!”
    Alex wore skirts to school all the time. Today she had on a cute blue skirt that came to just above her knees, paired with a short-sleeved white cropped cardigan over a blue tank top. White knit tights and blue flats completed the outfit.
    â€œBut I have the most adorable floral maxiskirt you could borrow,” said Alex. “It would totally cover up that brace.”
    Ava tried to picture herself in a flowing, flowery skirt. “Um, no thanks. Any other ideas?”
    Alex bit her lower lip. “I know!” she blurted out, after a moment. “Wait right here.”
    She ran out of the room and came back with black leggings and a long red tunic. “This is perfect!” she said. “The black leggings are stretchy enough to go over your brace, and they’re black so nobody will notice. And the tunic just looks supercute with the leggings.”
    Ava nodded. “This is definitely better than a flowery skirt. Thanks.”
    Alex left, and Ava quickly changed. The leggings did kind of blend in with the brace, she thought. The last thing she wanted was everybody making a big deal about her ankle. Especially the other girls on the basketball team.
    But it was no use—everyone still noticed her injury. Ava and Alex got only a few feet down the school hallway when Lindsey spotted them.
    â€œHi, Alex, hi—Ava, what’s wrong with your ankle?”
    She said it so loudly that a group of kidsbegan to gather. Callie and Madison pushed their way through to talk to Ava.
    â€œIs it true? Did