𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 - 𝐋𝐢𝐯 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲

𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦-𝐀-𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲

"12 minute mile, girls. What happened?" Pete asked as Maddie and Frankie came running up in front of the school.

"Oh, I ran two," Maddie said.

"I tried taking a shortcut. I had to stop to get all the rocks out of my sneakers. I think some are still there," Frankie explained.

"Nice, Cassie. Personal best," Pete said when Cassie showed up next.

"Last time I walked cause I didn't wanna get a blister," Cassie told him. "But I ran this time cause I was being chased by a squirrel."

"Look at you, Stains."

"School bus ran through a puddle and splashed me," She sniffed.

"Team meeting, everybody. Grab some water," Pete announced. "Hustle it up, Willow. Hustle it up."

Willow ran up, huffing and groaning and pushed Maddie aside at the water cooler before setting it on the ground and dipping her feet into it.

"My dogs have been barking since Sycamore Street," She sighed in relief. "Oh wait, were you guys using this?"

"Not anymore," Frankie sighed.

"Okay, don't forget. Team retreat, my house, this weekend. Also, your votes are in," Pete said. "And the Ridgewood High Fighting Porcupines have themself a new team captain. She's the first Sophomore ever chosen. Maddie Rooney."

Frankie shook Maddies shoulders with excitement as everyone cheered.

"You're gonna be a great captian, Maddie," Cassie told her. "Unless you're really bad and the whole team turns against you.

As the team walked into the school to see the principal taking a party hat off their school mascot, Polly the Porcupine.

"Uh, Principal Fickman, what are you doing?" Frankie asked.

"Is it Polly the Porcupines birthday?" Maddie added.

"It most certainly is not," Fickman told them. "Someone out there thinks it's a big hee-haw to keep dressing up the mascot. Well, I'm neither hee-ing nor haw-ing." Pete started chuckling at that but stopped when Fickman turned to him.

"It's a travesty, sir," Pete said, clearing his throat.

"I've been making budget cuts and the girls' basketball team got hit hard," Principal Fickman said. "The good news is I got you those new uniforms you requested." He emptied the bag on the floor in front of them. "The bad news is that they're the boys' old uniforms, sweaty and unlaundered."

"No, we need new uniforms," Maddie told him. "We're going to a tournament in Chicago."

"Yeah, the Walter Worciechowski Invitational," Pete said. "It took me three days to learn how to say it."

"I'm only funding things the student body cares about."

"People care about girls basketball," Frankie scoffed.

"Oh..." Fickman wheezed. "Sure they do. And you keep telling yourself that."

"Principal Fickman, we're not gonna let you treat us this way," Maddie said. "Right, team?" She looked back to see the team looking away. "Frankie?"

"I'm sorry, Maddie," She whispered. "I can't risk it."

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I promised mother I'd be home in time for Wheel of Fortune!"

"Principal Fickman, before you go, would you like a nice, cold glass of water?" Maddie asked, dipping a plastic cup into the water Willow's feet had been in.