Gracie Faltrain Takes Control Read Free

‘You’re important.’
    I’m not great at basketball. But I’m good. On the soccer field the ball belongs to me. Bought and paid for. On the court it’s mine on loan and I’m a little behind in the payments. But I have speed. I have determination. And today I have what Annabelle Orion doesn’t. I have the ball.
    I shadow her the whole game. Every time someone passes I’m there first. I’m playing my own form of extreme sports – Extreme Orion Humiliation.
    â€˜She’s not letting me have the ball,’ Annabelle complains to the teacher halfway through.
    â€˜That’s the point,’ Mrs Tunnisi answers. ‘She doesn’t have to.’
    I keep it up the whole game, even though there’s a stitch sewn tight across my middle. Even though I’m sweating harder than Corelli, the worst player on our soccer team, on a bad day. I want to send Annabelle a message she can’t miss: mess with Alyce, and you mess with me.
    About five minutes before the end of the game Annabelle decides I’m not going to win without a fight. Someone passes to her and she starts running. I’m a step behind her the whole way. If she makes it, Alyce will have lost. I grit my teeth and slam my feet at the ground. She slams hers harder. I reach out to grab the ball but she’s too quick. I trip and slide along the ground, collecting stones in my skin on the way.
    Annabelle shoots at the ring. Everyone stops. I catch sight of Alyce, faded in the background while everyone else is colour. I find the last scrap of energy left in my legs and I leap. I’m in time to tap the ball once. It spins round the edges, licking the lip of the hoop. It circles twice. And drops out.
    â€˜And that,’ Flemming says on the way off the court, ‘is why I don’t make Faltrain mad anymore.’
    Annabelle snarls at me as I walk past. I wave back at her.
    â€˜No need to thank me,’ I say to Alyce as we walk towards the change room. She gives me that funny little half smile of hers.
    That’s another reason my job this year won’t be easy. Sometimes I wonder exactly what it would take to make Alyce Fuller really happy.

4
    Mum used to say, ‘Marty, good soccer players can read their team-mates’ minds. They can anticipate their every move.’ But then my mum was never around to meet Faltrain.
Martin Knight
    â€˜Heard about your basketball game today,’ Martin says when I get to his place after school.
    â€˜Annabelle had it coming.’
    â€˜I reckon she did . . .’
    I can hear the ‘But . . .’ dangling from his lips. ‘But what, Martin? Say it.’
    â€˜You ever think maybe stuff like that doesn’t help Alyce?’
    â€˜I humiliated Annabelle today. How’s that not helping?’
    â€˜I reckon you need to let her stand up for herself, that’s all.’
    â€˜She doesn’t though. That’s the thing. She lets Annabelle treat her like a loser.’
    â€˜From what I hear, Faltrain, people thought Alyce was a loser today for another reason besides Annabelle.’
    â€˜You mean I made her look like a loser? I helped her. Annabelle’ll think twice before she lays into Alyce again.’
    â€˜That’s not the way she works and you know it. Orion gives Alyce a hard time because she knows how much you hate it.’
    â€˜I do hate it. And you know what else I hate?’
    â€˜I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.’
    â€˜You. And everyone else who stands back and lets Annabelle do whatever she likes to the little people.’
    â€˜Not so long ago you were picking on the little people yourself.’
    â€˜You think I’m like Annabelle Orion?’
    â€˜That’s not what I said.’
    â€˜That’s exactly what you said.’ I turn my back on him.
    â€˜Come on, Faltrain. I was only trying to help.’
    So was I, you idiot, I think as I walk away, but does anyone