Snowboard Showdown Read Free Page B

thinking about Dondi and Clarissa. He imagined Clarissa coming into the place
     where Dondi worked. It was painful to imagine them together.
    Well, he consoled himself, maybe Dondi wouldn't get a job. After all, not many people were willing to hire fourteen-year-olds.
     And if he did get a job, it probably would be something nasty, like taking out smelly garbage from restaurant kitchens. Freddie
     chuckled at the thought of Clarissa coming to visit Dondi at his job and being grossed out because he smelled like rotting
     garbage.
    But no such luck. That evening, Dondi burst into the kitchen, his fists raised in triumph and a big smug smile plastered all
     over his face.
    “Guess what—I got a job!” he crowed. “Say hello to the working dude, here. Yes! I am the man!”
    Aida Ruiz rose from her chair to embrace her son. “My baby! That's fantastic!” she cried.
    “Bueno,
Donovan. I'm proud of you,” Esteban said lightly. “Come, sit down, let's eat, and you'll tell us all about it.”
    They sat down, and Dondi launched into his story. “I couldn't believe it—I figured I'd have to go into half a dozen places
     before I found something. But I happened to go straight to Buddy's, first thing, 'cause I wanted to check out this excellent
     snowboard.”
    Buddy's Sporting Goods was Freddie's favorite store in all of Crestview. He had bought his baseball mitt there, and his Rollerblades
     and hockey stick, and his soccer ball, and his tennis racket.
    “And I see this sign in the window saying they're hiring part-time, and I figured, Well, that's me, so I go up to the guy
     and show him my working papers, and he remembers me because I'm in there a lot, so he hires me! Is that awesome or what?”
    Dondi's eyes were sparkling with joy. “And guess what else? I get to buy anything in the store at a special employee bargain
     price! Man, I'm gonna get me some gooood stuff!” He clapped his hands delightedlyand dug into his food. “I'm gonna buy you something too, squirt, you'll see,” he told Freddie. “Something you'll like.”
    Freddie was startled. Evidently, Dondi was in such a good mood that he'd decided he could afford to be nice to his brother.
    “So what do you say?” Dondi prodded, leaning forward.
    “Thank you,” Freddie mumbled, knowing that was what his parents were expecting him to say. Sure enough, he caught them smiling
     at each other. They did that whenever Dondi and Freddie were getting along.
    Enjoy it now, Freddie thought ruefully. Dondi will never get me anything. We'll be sworn enemies again before too long, I'm
     sure.

4
    F reddie was in social studies class a few afternoons later when his friend Steve Myers leaned over and whispered in his ear,
     “Your brother has been dissing me around.”
    Freddie's eyes widened. “Really? What'd he say?”
    “Tell you after class,” Steve said, eyeing the teacher, Ms. Raven, who was turning in their direction.
    Once the bell had rung and the two boys were gathering their books, Freddie said, “Tell me. What'd he say?”
    “He's been telling everybody in school that I don't know how to snowboard,” Steve said, his mouth twisting into a grimace.
    “Dondi's a jerk,” Freddie said sympathetically. “It's not like he's so great himself, either.”
    “I know!” Steve said as they went out into the hallway. “He acts like he's all that, but he isn't that much better than me.
     And you're much better than he is, Freddie.”
    “Yeah, well, so what?” Freddie asked glumly. “What good does that do me?”
    “Huh?”
    Freddie sighed. “Oh, nothing. Forget Dondi. I try to,” Freddie said. “We could go out to the halfpipe after school.”
    “Cool!” Steve said, brightening. “You could show me some fresh moves and maybe tell me what I'm doing wrong.”
    “You don't necessarily have to be doing something wrong,” Freddie commented. “Dondi could just be trying to push your buttons.
     He does that to me all the time.”
    “What if he's there?”