Rivals by Tommy Greenwald (the speed reading book txt) 📗

right

Basketball players are cuter because they’re not all covered up

You can see Amir’s gorgeous face

And Carter’s got that pretty blond hair flowing as he runs up and down the court

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Wednesday at 6:43 pm

Janeece Whoa Sadie settle down

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Wednesday at 6:44 pm

Carter No don’t, keep going ☺

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Wednesday at 6:46 pm

Eddy Yo what about me? Am I pretty too?

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Wednesday at 6:47 pm

North4Eva You guys are so cute and funny hahahaha lolol but meanwhile over at W-North we’re practicing RIGHT NOW with one thing in mind, TAKE DOWN W-SOUTH and that’s exactly what’s gonna happen

so u all keep passing notes back and forth like fifth graders, we’ll pass the rock, and we’ll see who comes out on top Friday

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Wednesday at 6:50 pm

Amir Who is this dude

You up past your bedtime?

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Wednesday at 6:52 pm

North4Eva Doesn’t matter who I am it only matters what I do on the floor, who’s with me?

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Wednesday at 6:53 pm

Chase Can I be part of this fun little pep rally even though I go to Walthorne Academy? I play hockey which is much harder than basketball btw. Hey South how’s your hockey team, oh that’s right you don’t have a hockey team

But I think I saw some of your parents cleaning up the rink after our last game

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Wednesday at 6:54 pm

Kevin Chase man, they’re gonna kick you off of here

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Wednesday at 6:56 pm

Lucas What kind of a lame name is Chase

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Wednesday at 6:57 pm

Sham I know right??

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Wednesday at 7:00 pm

North4Eva The kind of name that smells like money

As opposed to Sham which, uh, doesn’t

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Wednesday at 7:01 pm

Chase Thank you my friend

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Wednesday at 7:02 pm

North4Eva No hard feelings tho right fellas?

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Wednesday at 7:03 pm

Admin Please be advised that this board is being monitored for inappropriate content, and appropriate action will be taken when deemed necessary.

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Wednesday at 7:04 pm

Carter Yo can everyone chill please

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Wednesday at 7:06 pm

Austin Whoa just reading this stuff now, not cool seriously

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Wednesday at 7:09 pm

Chase Hahahaha what are you guys, the principals? Do you want to see us in your office?

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Wednesday at 7:11 pm

Clay This is nuts

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Wednesday at 7:12 pm

North4eva I know right?

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Wednesday at 7:13 pm

Clay Austin dude

You better hope Coach doesn’t see this

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Wednesday at 7:16 pm

Ashley Hope to see everyone at Walthorne North girls volleyball next Tuesday against Caldwell Middle!

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Wednesday at 7:18 pm

Lucas Ooh Ashley I can’t wait, don’t forget to get a mani pedi and blowdry your hair and maybe get a nose job before the big game!

#northgirlsareplastic

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Wednesday at 7:19 pm

Janeece Lucas shut it, not funny

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Wednesday at 7:23 pm

Admin Please be advised that certain comments are being deleted and certain accounts are in danger of being blocked from this site.

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Wednesday at 7:25 pm

Clay Lol I don’t think this is going well so far you guys

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CARTER

I slam my computer shut.

The whole online thing was supposed to be chill, just talking about how we’re going to win and where we’re going to hang out after, stuff like that. And yeah, maybe a little flirting. But instead, everyone tries to act like high school kids.

The thing is, no one should be surprised. I mean, what did they think was going to happen? Walthorne North is our rival. More than our rival, actually. We hate them. I know I shouldn’t use that word. We dislike them a lot, okay? They’re across town, but they might as well be across the universe. That’s how different they are.

I mean, I don’t know any of those kids personally, but I know what they are. They think they’re special. When they turn sixteen, their parents give them cars, and when they turn eighteen, their parents give them new cars.

That’s what I’ve heard, anyway.

So yeah, I don’t like them, but I’ll give them one thing: They know how to play basketball.

Last year, we played them twice and went to a few other games to scout them. The first time we walked into their gym, my friend Eddy, who’s Black, looked a little nervous, and when I asked him why, he said, “Look around, man. This school is whiter than your left butt cheek.” And he wasn’t wrong. At South, we have all kinds of kids. At North, they have all kinds of rich white kids, and not too many of anyone else.

Maybe that’s why they have such a cocky attitude. They think they’re different from us, and they are. But they also think they’re better than us, and they aren’t.

And it can get a little intimidating over there, I’m not gonna lie. But there was this one time when Coach Benny came with us, and he told us to just keep on walking and hold our heads up high. A bunch of people came over to shake Coach Benny’s hand, because he’s pretty famous, like a legend basically. He used to coach Walthorne High for, like, thirty years and he turned them into a powerhouse, but then he got older and didn’t want all the pressure, so he came down to Walthorne South Middle. But he’s still the GOAT. And when we went to watch North play and Coach was with us, it felt different.

He protected us.

AUSTIN

My parents don’t let me go on social media very much. They’re always telling me that studies have proven it does way more harm than good. After seeing this stuff go back and forth in this ridiculous online pep rally thing, I think maybe they’re right.

A few minutes after I log off, I get a text from Clay.

PJ THAT WAS NUTS DUDE! BTW WHO WAS NORTH4EVA, DO YOU KNOW? CHASE TEXTED ME HE WAS GONNA HAVE SOME FUN BUT I DIDN’T REALIZE HE’D