Double Dutch Read Online Free PDF

do your thing!”
    â€œYou’re just lucky we let you hang around such fine young things!” Yolanda teased as she tossed her ponytail inhis face. Randy laughed and bounded down the hall to his class.
    Delia was quiet as she watched him disappear down the hall. She had trouble acting silly around Randy. He made her feel sweaty and self-conscious. But it wasn’t Randy who was making her armpits feel clammy today. It was the test. It was rumbling down the road like a runaway truck, and she was standing, helpless, directly in its path.

four
    D ELIA WAS GLAD SHE HAD D OUBLE D UTCH ON S ATURDAY . It took her mind off the threats of tests and twins, and worries about reading and homework. When they were younger, all of the girls had jumped rope for fun on the city sidewalks during summer vacations—doubles, singles, twirls, fancy jumps, and trick moves—each showing off to impress one another, as well as the boys who had always gathered to watch from a distance when they took a break from playing basketball. But
this
was official Double Dutch, sponsored by the American Double Dutch League. It had official rules, standards, and regulations, with teams for kids as young as third grade, and even a senior division for adults who wanted to jump.
    Delia and Yolanda hurried into the gym at the recreation center where Double Dutch practices and events were held. They had practice at least three times a week after school or in the evening, but this Saturday morning event was the first qualifying tournament of the year—the one that led to the state and national championships. Teams from all over Cincinnati were meeting today to decide which of the participants would compete at the next level.
    Charlene had just arrived, and the three friends, dressed in shorts, tennis shoes, and matching navy blue DoubleDutch T-shirts, tossed their gym bags in a corner, pulled out their practice ropes, and began their warm-up stretches and practice jumps. Around the noisy gym, dozens of other jumpers from ages eight to eighteen were doing the same.
    â€œLet’s practice compulsories,” Delia suggested, “before Randy and Bomani get here.” Bomani was their coach, and Randy was equipment manager. Randy really seemed to enjoy his job, and Delia was sure it had something to do with hanging around a gym full of girls.
    She got into position, signaled to Yo Yo and Charlene, and took a deep breath. For Delia, jumping was more than exercise—it was magic as she stepped and jumped gracefully in between the twirling ropes. Yolanda and Charlene turned, going through the standard moves for the compulsory part of their routine, which included two clockwise right turns on the right foot, two counterclockwise left turns on the left foot, four crisscross jumps, and ten high step jumps with their knees lifted up to waist level, sung to a chant.
    â€œOne-TWO
One-TWO/Three-FOUR!/Five-SIX/Seven-EIGHT
One-TWO
    â€œOne-TWO
One-TWO/Three-FOUR/Five-SIX/Seven-EIGHT
One-TWO
“Right over left / Left over right / One-TWO

“Now HIGH!
TWO!
THREE!
FOUR!
FIVE!
SIX!
SEVEN!
EIGHT!
NINE!
TEX!
One-TWO-Exit!”
    Delia jumped out of the ropes with skill, barely out of breath. She could do this with her eyes closed now.
    Two girls from a recreation center across town sauntered over to them. The first girl, who was short, sturdy, and looked like she could punch out a grizzly bear, said nothing at first, but her friend, who was tall and thin, giggled a little as they approached them.
    â€œYou been jumping long?” the giggling girl asked Delia.
    â€œI’ve been jumping on the Queen Bees Double Dutch team since fifth grade,” Delia replied, yawning as if she were bored. “What about you?”
    â€œI been jumping since I could walk. My mama runs our team. My name is Shana, and this here is Jackie. What’s yours?”
    â€œI’m Yolanda, she’s Charlene, and this is Delia,” Yo Yo replied.