Football Double Threat Read online

  “Geez, Bobby, I thought you were my friend.”

  “I am.” Bobby’s voice was a mere whisper, barely audible over the shouts of the crowd.

  “Then . . . why?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I was sore at you.”

  “For breaking your leg? It was an accident!”

  “An accident that wouldn’t have happened if you’d just let me use your music player!” Bobby said.

  “An accident that wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t taken it after I asked you not to!” Rocky retorted.

  They fell silent. Then Bobby spoke again.

  “I didn’t mean to,” he said. “To take advantage of you, I mean. It’s just . . . when you told me you were taking over my position, it was like you stabbed me in the back. I love playing football and I was going to have a great season, I know I was! Then this” — he thumped his cast angrily — “ended it all. I — it wasn’t fair, that’s all.”

  Rocky drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “What wasn’t fair was the way you treated me. But I guess I’m partly to blame. You’re one of my best friends. I should have known you were upset.” He gave a half smile. “And I really should have said no to some of the things you were asking me to do!”

  A smile crept over Bobby’s face too. “I should have let you know I was mad. If I had, we would have gotten this out of the way a week ago — and I wouldn’t be stuck running for student council!” He made a disgusted face.

  Rocky laughed. “And I wouldn’t have been stuck selling your chocolate bars!”

  Bobby had the decency to look ashamed at that. “Say, Rocky, how about I sell the rest of them, huh?” He stuck out his hand then. “Friends again?”

  Rocky shook it. “Absolutely.”

  “Awesome.” There was a loud shout from the field. Bobby craned his neck around to try to see what was happening. “Say, Rock Star, I just have one last favor to ask . . .”

  Rocky groaned. “Now what?”

  “Move your caboose so I can swing my leg — my poor, poor, broken leg — onto the bench and watch the rest of the game!”

  And that, Rocky found, was one favor he didn’t mind doing.

  THE MATT CHRISTOPHER®#1 SPORTS SERIES FOR KIDS

  Read them all!

  Baseball Flyhawk

  Baseball Pals

  Baseball Turnaround

  The Basket Counts

  Body Check

  Catch That Pass!

  Catcher with a Glass Arm

  Catching Waves

  Center Court Sting

  Centerfield Ballhawk

  Challenge at Second Base

  The Comeback Challenge

  Comeback of the Home Run Kid

  Cool as Ice

  The Diamond Champs

  Dirt Bike Racer

  Dirt Bike Runaway

  Dive Right In

  Double Play at Short

  Face-Off

  Fairway Phenom

  Football Double Threat

  Football Fugitive

  Football Nightmare

  The Fox Steals Home

  Goalkeeper in Charge

  The Great Quarterback Switch

  Halfback Attack*

  The Hockey Machine

  Ice Magic

  Johnny Long Legs

  The Kid Who Only Hit Homers

  Lacrosse Face-Off

  Lacrosse Firestorm

  Line Drive to Short**

  Long-Arm Quarterback

  Long Shot for Paul

  Look Who’s Playing First Base

  Miracle at the Plate

  Mountain Bike Mania

  Nothin’ But Net

  Penalty Shot

  The Reluctant Pitcher

  Return of the Home Run Kid

  Run For It

  Shoot for the Hoop

  Shortstop from Tokyo

  Skateboard Renegade

  Skateboard Tough

  Slam Dunk

  Snowboard Champ

  Snowboard Maverick

  Snowboard Showdown

  Soccer Duel

  Soccer Halfback

  Soccer Hero

  Soccer Scoop

  Stealing Home

  The Submarine Pitch

  The Team That Couldn’t Lose

  Tennis Ace

  Tight End

  Top Wing

  Touchdown for Tommy

  Tough to Tackle

  Wingman on Ice

  The Year Mom Won the Pennant

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  Matt Christopher®

  Sports Bio Bookshelf

  Muhammad Ali

  Lance Armstrong

  Kobe Bryant

  Jennifer Capriati

  Dale Earnhardt Sr.

  Jeff Gordon

  Ken Griffey Jr.

  Mia Hamm

  Tony Hawk

  Ichiro

  LeBron James

  Derek Jeter

  Randy Johnson

  Michael Jordan

  Peyton and Eli Manning

  Yao Ming

  Shaquille O’Neal

  Jackie Robinson

  Alex Rodriguez

  Babe Ruth

  Curt Schilling

  Sammy Sosa

  Tiger Woods

  * Previously published as Crackerjack Halfbac (back to text)

  ** Previously published as Pressure Play (back to text)