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she said with surprise.
    “Because you know,” Amanda went on as if her mother hadn’t said anything, “you can’t always believe everything you read.”
    Her mother arched an eyebrow. “And what is it you think I’ve been reading?”
    Amanda pointed to the clippings. “You know what you’ve been reading.”
    “I see,” said Mrs. Caler. “And you don’t think I should believe what I’ve read in these articles?”
    Amanda shook her head.
    “Why not?”
    “Because the person who sent you that stuff wants you to take me off the team!” Amanda blurted out.
    Mrs. Caler stood up. “What!” she exclaimed.
    “It’s true,” Amanda said. She grabbed a banana and a bagel and headed to the kitchen door. “I know it’s not right to say something
     mean about someone. But this person has been mean to me, so why should I be nice to her?”
    “Her?” Mrs. Caler repeated. “Are you
sure
— ?”
    “I’m sure,” Amanda interrupted. “But I’m not going to let her get away with it.” She slammed the door behind her.
    Amanda arrived at the soccer field ready to show Eddie — and everyone else — that she was not about to give up her place on
     the Soccer ’Cats team. If that meant getting hit with the ball, then so be it!
    The game against the Torpedoes started off quickly. The Torpedoes had won the coin toss, so they had possession first. With
     a flick of his foot, the center striker sent the ball to his right forward, who dribbled rapidly down the sideline.
    Amanda was on him in a flash. She snaked her foot in, stole the ball, and rocketed a high kick to Stookie.
    Stookie trapped the ball against his chest and let it drop to the ground. Then he started dribbling toward the Torpedoes’
     goal.
    Torpedo fullbacks were on him in an instant. But just as quickly, Stookie got rid of the ball by passing it to Lou on his left.

    Amanda swooped in behind Lou, ready to counterattack anyone who stole the ball from him.
    Someone did. A Torpedo halfback nabbed the ball when Lou lost control of his dribble. The halfback dribbled away from Lou
     and Amanda. He scanned the field and pulled his foot back for a kick.
    Amanda charged in for the steal.
    Blam!
The Torpedo blasted the kick and sent it soaring right at Amanda’s head.
    Amanda didn’t have time to think. She threw her arms up to protect herself.

Chapter 9

    T he ball ricocheted off Amanda’s arms and bounced to the ground.
    Phweet!
The whistle blew. The ref signaled for a direct free kick.
    Stookie ran up to help his teammates defend against the kick.
    “Man,” he growled to Amanda as the Torpedo sent the ball flying high into the air and into the ’Cats’ territory. “Don’t you
     know handling the ball with your hands or arms is a foul?”

    Amanda reddened. “I do know that. I just —just —”
    “You were just afraid,” Stookie finished for her. “Just like Eddie said after practice yesterday.”
    Amanda stopped short. “Eddie said that, did she? And what else did she say?”
    Stookie didn’t have a chance to reply. The Torpedoes had taken a shot on goal, but Bucky Pinter had made the save. He cleared
     the ball with an enormous kick to the center of the field. Stookie and the rest of the forward line chased after it.
    Amanda followed. She was so simmering mad at Eddie for talking behind her back that she didn’t notice when a Torpedo forward
     stole the ball from Lou. Too late, she saw her dribble past.
    “C’mon! Pay attention!” Lou called as he ran after the Torpedo.
    Amanda spun around and gave chase. It was no use. The Torpedo had a head ofsteam. She made it to the goal before anyone could stop her. With a sharp kick, she launched the ball into the net.
    The scoreboard now read Torpedoes 1, ’Cats 0.
    “Rats!” grumbled Stookie. He shot Amanda a dirty look.
    Amanda jogged slowly to her position.
    “Pull yourself together,” she muttered to herself.
    But she couldn’t. A bad night’s sleep plus anger at Eddie added up to poor