The Mystery of the Soccer Snitch Read Online Free PDF

direction.
    â€œShow-off!” Danielle said, flipping her long pony tail over her shoulder.
    â€œI’m not showing off,” Kayla said. “I’m playing soccer the way you’re supposed to play soccer.”
    â€œYou’re always showing off,” Danielle said.
    â€œYou’re always being mean,” Kayla retorted. “You and your mean friends.”
    Betsy said to Danielle, “You just don’t like that Kayla can get the ball away from you so easily.”
    Danielle turned away, but not before Jessie saw the angry look that crossed her face. Jessie braced herself, waiting for Danielle to say something else mean. But Danielle didn’t say anything. She put both hands in the pockets of her shorts. Jessie thought that was odd.
    A few minutes later, Henry blew his whistle and called out to Danielle, “Why are you running with your hands in your pockets?”
    Danielle ignored him. She kept her hands in her pockets.
    Henry and Jessie exchanged puzzled glances. “We’d better keep an eye on them,” Jessie said.
    â€œOh, yes,” Henry said.
    â€œCan someone else have a turn being goalie now?” Jessie asked. The goalie has to stay near the goal. Jessie wanted to stay close to Danielle and Kayla.
    â€œCertainly,” Mia said, “if you don’t want to any more.”
    â€œHow about Jennifer?” Jessie suggested. “She hasn’t had a turn yet.”
    Jessie took off the goalie’s vest and threw it to Jennifer. As the girls ran up and down the field, practicing, Jessie made sure to stay between Danielle and Kayla. She wanted to be able to prevent trouble, if she could. She knew from the way Kayla and Danielle looked at each other that both of them were still angry.
    Ashley was dribbling toward the goal. Kayla easily stole the ball from her, then turned and dribbled the opposite direction.
    Just then, in a flash, Danielle darted in front of Kayla. She took something from her pocket and dropped it on the ground at Kayla’s feet.
    Kayla tripped. She screamed and sprawled forward. She landed face down, in the grass.
    Jessie ran to Kayla, and knelt next to her. “Kayla! Are you okay?”
    Kayla pushed herself up to a sitting position. She had grass stuck to the side of her jersey and some mud on her face.
    Others, including Henry, ran over and knelt next to Kayla.
    â€œI’m fine,” Kayla said. Jessie could see she was shaky and angry. Mia ran to them. Together, Jessie and Mia helped Kayla to her feet.
    Kayla looked down to see what she’d tripped on. There, on the ground at her feet, was a golf ball. Kayla picked up the golf ball, and marched over to Danielle. “Did you do this?”
    Jessie ran to be next to Kayla. “It’s okay, Kayla,” Jessie said. “Let’s not have a fight.”
    Kayla shook the golf ball at Danielle. For a horrible moment, Jessie thought Kayla was going to throw it at her. Instead, Kayla whirled around and said, “I’m finished.”
    Kayla dropped the ball into her own pocket. She went to the bench, picked up her water bottle and sports bag, and walked from the field. The other girls were silent, watching, as she crossed the street and sat on a bench. She changed from her cleats into her regular shoes.
    â€œMaybe we should stop for today,” Mia said. “Everyone is a little testy.”
    â€œYou can say that again!” one of the girls said.
    â€œI’m glad she won’t be mascot,” Ashley said.
    Jessie shot Ashley a quick glance. She couldn’t understand how anyone could take sides against the girl who had just been tripped. Jessie looked closely at Ashley. Maybe Ashley and Danielle were the ones who had written that letter to sabotage Kayla’s chances.
    â€œMy opinion,” Mia said, “is that Jessie should be mascot.”
    â€œI don’t want to be mascot,” Jessie said quickly. “I wouldn’t want to take