Go! Fight! Twin! by Belle Payton Page A

feet for the fourth time. It was there. It had Tommy’s music and a change of clothes in it. Plus, to add to her general sense of unease, she had the date with Jack to look forward to after the game.
    â€œI’m fine,” she said with a weak smile. “Just nervous about the game. Coach thinks it’s going to be a close one. And also . . .” She hesitated. Then she decided she might as well share. “And also, I have a kind of, sort of date with Jack after the game, at Sal’s.”
    Kylie gave a low whistle. “Wow! Good for you! Is that why you have lip gloss and an actual shirt on rather than your usual football jersey?”
    Ava felt herself flush. “That was Alex’s doing,” she said. “She laid the whole outfit out for me last night—including the lip gloss. Does it look stupid?”
    â€œNo,” said Kylie. “You look really nice. I mean it.”
    â€œThanks,” said Ava. “I hope this isn’t a bad idea. We really like hanging out together. I justdon’t know if he looks at me as girlfriend material. Or if I look at him that way, to be honest. I don’t want to spoil things.”
    â€œStop overthinking it,” said Kylie, lightly whacking Ava on the arm. “And stop talking. It’s kickoff time, and I want to concentrate on the game.”
    Ava grinned. Her friend had come so far in such a short time! When they’d first met, Kylie couldn’t have explained the difference between a punt and a field goal.
    The game was close, and the score toward the end of the first half was 7–7. As the clock ticked down to the halftime, Ava could feel herself tensing up. Twice she saw Tommy glance up at her in the stands from the sidelines. He looked grimly determined. I guess he’s not backing down, thought Ava.
    At halftime, Ava stood up quickly. “Be right back,” she said to Kylie. “I’m going to run to the bathroom before the lines get crazy.”
    Kylie nodded, hardly looking up. She liked to stick around for the halftime show, which was still her favorite part of every game. But then she glanced back at Ava. “What’s in the gym bag?” she asked casually.
    Ava had slung Tommy’s bag over her shoulder. She glanced down at it. “Oh, this? Just some stuff my brother wanted me to drop off.”
    Kylie shrugged and looked back at the show. That seemed to satisfy her, luckily.
    As the band marched out onto the field, Ava wound her way down through the crowded stands and to the locker room area.
    About four minutes later, Tommy emerged from the locker room. He’d taken off his pads and uniform and was wearing a T-shirt and sweats. He saw her immediately and took her by the elbow. They moved down the hall and ducked around a corner.
    â€œHere,” said Ava, handing him the bag, which he slung onto his own shoulder. “How did it go?”
    â€œPretty well,” he said. “I ran ahead of the team to the locker room. When Coach came in, I told him I’d just puked and that I should probably get out of there. He bought it. I guess he was so distracted by the game, he barely seemed to hear me.”
    Ava felt like she was going to puke.
    â€œSo remember the plan,” said Tommy. “If he gets home first and asks where I am, you tell him I called Luke and he took me to the walk-inclinic. I texted you to tell you this because I didn’t want to bother him or Mom.”
    Ava nodded, swallowing hard. “Okay. Good luck at the concert.”
    Tommy glanced at his phone. “Thanks. I better run. Luke’s waiting at the side exit. Text me and let me know what happens in the game.”
    Ava said she would. He gave her a quick Tom version of a hug—enveloping her head in the crook of his elbow—and off he went.
    She watched him hustle away down the empty, dimly lit hallway. Outside, she could hear the band still playing, and the shouts of the