Page 20 (2/2)

"I got a concussion in a freak baton-twirling accident," she blurted out

His eyes widened and he settled back in his seat "Now this I want to hear"

"I are at the Miss Garden State Teen co thumb tosses with Tour Jete—"

"Tour whats?" His face was screwed up in question

It took a second for her brain tothe baton up in the air really high and then, while it was in the air, leaping fro on the opposite foot"

"That sounds dangerous"

"It can be" Even worse, when her eant e at a pageant, but it's hectic That night, I thought I'd found a good spot away froh space to practice, but I wasn't the only one who'd been looking for a little quiet Another girl found me I heard a noise, lost ht on my head I went down hard"

"Sothat crown"

"Oh no Once I reain and pounded back sonited the fla sure to always catch the baton in thethree of them—and won that crown After that I insisted my mom take me to the ER"

So that looked like a ht her tooth and nail to stay in the lineup that night"

"Soe, but she'd lost that battle—just like she'd lost ainst her ar daddy "Actually, the exact opposite She said she wasn't going to lose out on the investeant dresses because I was clumsy"

He let out a lohistle "Wow"

"Yeah" The entire trip to the e about how this croas going to be the one to really make a difference in their lives

"Where is she now?"

"No clue" She hadn't looked back after crossing the GW Bridge into New York Maybe she should have—maybe she still should—but there were too h in her head toto knohen she was going to be bringingit all out