Skinny Read Free

something else, Mel?” Mom pulled her gaze from the road to look her daughter in the eye.
    “I wish they were M&M’S.”
    “You wouldn’t have any allowance left, and you would never fit into your uniform if they were M&M’S,” Mom said with a laugh. “You would eat them all yourself.”
    The silence surrounded them again.
    Melissa reached to turn up the volume of the Third Day song coming from the speakers.
    “Is there something else , Mel?”
    Mom always knew when something was up.
    “Todd announced officer tryouts today,” Melissa said, tracing the designs on the Tootsie box with her index finger.
    “Oh?” Mom turned the volume back down.
    Melissa knew she was supposed to say more, but she was afraid to say the words out loud.
    “Yeah. They’re open to everyone.” Melissa looked out the window, then back at Mom. “Even underclassmen.”
    “Are you going to try out?”
    For a second Melissa couldn’t breathe. She chewed on the hangnails on either side of her right thumbnail. There it was, out in the open. Was she going to try out?
    “I was thinking about it. Well, I’m sure I won’t be picked, but I want to try. It sounds silly, doesn’t it?”
    The moment of silence that followed confirmed Melissa’s fears. This was foolish. Then Mom let out a sigh and put her hand on top of Melissa’s. “Melissa, if this is something you really want, then you need to go for it.”
    “Maybe I will.” Melissa nodded, relieved. “Maybe.”
    At bedtime Melissa pretended her pajamas were the stark white captain’s uniform. She marched around her room blowing an imaginary whistle until she laughed out loud at herself. She tumbled onto her bed and pulled out the leather-bound study Bible she read each night. She opened the vellum pages to the Ten Commandments bookmark her second-grade Sunday school teacher had given her.
    She read the words of Matthew 7:7: “Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
    Here it is in print. Lord, if I ask You to make me lieutenant or maybe even captain of the team, will You give it to me? I’ve never wanted anything this badly. I know it sounds selfish, but I really think I could help. Oh, by the way, could You help me sell all of my Tootsie Pops too? Back to the officer thing, I could make the underclassmen feel wanted. I could start a Bible study for the girls who were interested after practice. I could . . .
    Melissa drifted to sleep.

Chapter Four
    M elissa stared at the clock: 5:53 a.m. She turned off her alarm before it rang and reluctantly peeled off her cozy covers. Classes started at seven thirty, and if she wanted to have time to get ready, eat, and stop by her locker before school started, she had to wake up even before her parents!
    She showered, pulled on her pleated uniform skirt and matching sweater, and brushed her hair into a sleek ponytail. Fridays meant football games, and the dance team had to wear their uniforms with their hair pulled back to school. She loved Fridays! Melissa felt important wearing her uniform. The entire school could see she was a good dancer, that she had made the team. Did Beau know she was on the dance team?
    She bounded downstairs, planning to grab a bagel before Gracie’s big brother, Tanner, showed up to take her to school. Tanner was sixteen. Ever since he got his license, he had been driving Gracie and Melissa to school. Although Melissa lived close enough to walk to school, it was more fun riding with her best friend, and it was cool showing up each day in a car.
    Melissa rounded the corner to the kitchen.
    “Happy birthday!” Mom and Dad grinned, still in their pajamas.
    The kitchen table was piled with chocolate chip pancakes, syrup, and butter. Yellow balloons and streamers hung from the brass chandelier. Three packages wrapped in crisp white paper and tied with yellow bows sat at her place.
    Melissa’s whole face smiled, even her eyes.
    “Yummy!”
    She sat down at her place and glanced at the