Chapter 3 The girls walked back to the bench in silence. Amanda felt guilty for not having answered Eddie’s question. But then again, she told herself, my mother always says if you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all. Amanda’s mother arrived shortly after the girls returned. As Amanda expected, her mother looked like she was about to faint. “Oh, my poor little girl,” she cried as she crushed Amanda in a bear hug. “I knew this game was dangerous. Why, oh why, won’t you take up ballet like your sister?” Amanda rolled her eyes. “Because I don’t like wearing tights and toe shoes, Mom. I like wearing shorts and sneakers. Now let go, you’re squeezing the stuffing out of me!” “The coach said you collapsed on the field!” “I fainted when I saw the blood,” Amanda admitted and instantly wished that she hadn’t.
