Windmill Windup Read Online Free PDF Page B

first baseman, see who can pitch windmill, and who’s new that can try to fill your very big shoes.”
    Kelly sniffed back the tears that she felt coming. “Are you saying I’ve got big feet?” she tried to joke. She burst out laughing
     and crying at the same time.
    Coach Masur gave her a tight hug. “Hey, Kelly, believe me, if I could have changed it, I would have. I hope your dad has better
     luck than I did. And if he doesn’t, you’re gonna have a great season anyway. It just won’t be for us and nobody’s sorrier
     about that than I am.”
    “Thanks, Coach,” Kelly said in a voice no louder than a whisper. “Bye, guys. See you at the next practice, after I get switched.”
     Wiping her nose with her sleeve, she picked up her stuff and walked slowly into the outfield, headed for field number three.
    “Kelly!” A girl came running toward her from first base. It was Allie Warheit, the one who’d tried to make friends with her
     in school the other day.
    Why is she being so nice?
Kelly wondered.
She doesn’t even know me!
    Kelly didn’t want to make friends with Allie, or with any of these kids. What for, anyway? Tomorrow, she wouldn’t even be
     with this team anymore —
probably.
…
    “Hi!” Allie greeted her, flashing such an irresistible smile that Kelly couldn’t help smiling back. This girl was just so
     thrilled to see her, it was almost weird.
    “Do you want first base?” Allie asked her. “I’ve always played first, but I know you did, too, and so if you want it, it’s
     okay. I could play short or something. Or maybe even pitch.”
    “Yeah,” Kelly said, trying to make herself sound tough. “First.” She really was touched, though. “That’s nice of you, Allie.”
    “Oh, that’s okay,” the other girl said, flashing that smile again that was just like a light bulb lighting up.
    “’Kay,” Kelly said. She dumped her gear on the bench, then went to meet the coach, a tall, gawky-looking guy with glasses,
     who was wearing a T-shirt, khaki shorts, big sneakers with no socks, and a yellow Diamondbacks hat. He looked like some big
     wading bird — or like a kid who was lousy at sports, but was now all grown up.
    “Hi, I’m Kelly Conroy,” she said, holding up a hand in greeting.
    “Hey! Nice to see ya!” the man said, shaking hands. “I’m Coach Beigelman. Welcome to the team!”
    Ugh
. Kelly nodded, but couldn’t manage a smile. She couldn’t even look the guy in the eye.
    “Okay, Diamondbacks!” Coach Beigelman called out. “I think we’ve got a quorum, so let’s start our practice. First of all,
     I think we should introduce ourselves to each other. So please share your first and last names, what grade you’re in, and
     what position you want to play.”
    Kelly listened as the girls took turns introducing themselves. She knew some of the players, of course. It was a collection
     of girls from other teams,plus a few girls whose parents had filled out the applications after the deadline and so got shunted onto the last team available.
    Five of the Diamondbacks were sixth-graders, including Allie Warheit. Of the seventh-graders, a few were good athletes, but
     one or two were just hopeless. This was not going to be pretty.
    “Oh, boy,” Kelly said under her breath, “I get to be the star of the worst team in softball history.”
    “Okay.” Coach Beigelman applauded them when they were done with the introductions. “I want you to know that we’re all here
     to have fun first of all and that no matter what happens out on the field, to me, you’re all winners!”
    Oh, brother
, Kelly moaned inwardly. He was going to be big on the rah-rah, and nonexistent on the fundamentals. A perfect coach for a
     team full of losers!
    “Okay, everybody out to the positions you asked for!” the coach yelled. “Go, D’backs!”
    The girls cheered, except for Kelly. They all made their way into the field at various speeds. Some, eager to claim a favorite
     position, ran to