Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad No. 1: Absolute Hero
1 Izzy Newton let go The rope swing went slack and for a moment for one heartbeat Izzy was suspended in air Yes she thought This is how it feels to be weightless Then gravity took over Down she plummeted slipping smoothly into the water toes first She landed on the soft muddy lake bottom and then thrust herself up bursting into the fire-bright sunshine Air water earth fire she thought happily All four elements in a row How often can you experience that Yah-hoo Izzy cheered her friends Charlie Darwin and Allie Einstein who were treading water nearby The girls had biked to the lake for the last swim of the summer Tomorrow was the first day of school and they wanted to soak up every possible minute of being outdoors 7
preferably at the lake Actually preferably in the lake Allie churned up waves to splash Izzy in celebration You did it she shouted Finally Hurra yelled Charlie Way to go Izzy Admit it You loved it said Allie I did Izzy agreed She nodded sending water droplets sliding down her nose Other droplets that were caught in her eyelashes and her curly black hair refracted the sunlight like prisms You’re right The rope swing is The Best I can’t believe it took you all summer to jump said Allie You’re such a chicken Hey Charlie protested First of all chickens aren’t necessarily scaredy cats And neither is Izzy She’s just like you know slow and careful Right Iz Yeeesss said Izzy slowly and carefully In slo-mo she cupped her hands and with exaggerated care scooped up water and sprinkled it on her friends The three girls burst into laughter Izzy knew she wasn’t the bravest person in the world Take the rope swing for example It was a brand new addition to the lake this summer The very first time Allie and Charlie saw it their eyes lit up and they raced over to 8
test it out Not Izzy The first time and every time she’d thought about trying the swing she’d held back Questions flashed through her brain and set it whirling What if I let go too soon What if I belly flop Would all the other swimmers watch and laugh at me No wonder her nickname was Dizzy Izzy her mind was always spinning But tomorrow was a new day her first at Atom Middle School and Izzy was determined to leave Dizzy Izzy behind It may have taken all summer but Izzy felt that her leap off the rope swing was a giant step toward ditching her anxious alter ego She grinned at her friends and said Now that I’ve jumped once I want to do it again like a gazillion more times Me too said Allie already wading ashore Allie was too impatient to walk the long curve of the beach past the lifeguard’s chair and wait her turn behind the other kids headed to the tree She took a more direct route scrambling over the rocks at the tree’s base Allie Charlie called out in warning I think that might be But Allie was already too far away to hear Charlie She grabbed the rope ran back and then forward and 9
