Soccer Hero Read Online Free Page B

talked to someone at the newspaper?”
    “That's right.” Benji sounded surprised. “I put the posters up in the stores, too. But how did you find out about the paper?”
    “Ha, ha, very funny,” Rob responded. “Listen, Benji, I appreciate what you're trying to do. But next time, leave me out of
     it, okay?”
    Benji didn't say anything for a moment. Then, “Gee, Rob, I thought you were on board with it. Sorry if we got our signals
     crossed.”
    “Yeah, well, next time, double-check with me first, okay?”
    “Ooo-kaay,” Benji said slowly. “Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school. Um, good night.”
    “Yeah, good night.”

7
    R ob had been in bed reading for fifteen minutes when the phone rang again. His mother answered it and then opened his door,
     phone in hand.
    “It's for you,” she said.
    “Is it Dad?”
    Mrs. Lasher shook her head. “No, but trust me, you want to take this call.”
    Rob took the phone. “Hello?”
    “Howdy, son,” a man with a gravelly voice said. “I'm Stan Benoit. I'm the Pirates' new coach.”
    Rob sat up straight, stunned. “No way! Really? That's great!”
    “The first practice is tomorrow after school,” the man said. “See you then.” He hung up, leaving Rob to wonder how in the
     world he'd heard about the Pirates' need for a coach so quickly.
    Rob got out of bed to return the phone to its cradle. He thought about calling Benji to celebrate the good news but then saw
     how late it was.
    I'll talk to him first thing tomorrow
, he thought. Then he went to bed.
    He woke up early the next morning. When he got downstairs, he grabbed the phone and opened the front door to get the morning
     paper for his mother to read. He'd punched in the first three numbers of Benji's phone number when the newspaper's top story
     caught his eye.
    LOCAL HERO SAVES LIFE the headlineread in huge letters across the front page. Below the headline was his picture!
    Rob hung up the phone and stared at the paper. That's how Mrs. Lasher found him.
    “Goodness,” she said when she saw what he was looking at. “I certainly didn't expect you to be the top story, did you?”
    Rob shook his head and then began to read the article. Mrs. Lasher read over his shoulder.
    “Well,” she said when they were both through, “Ms. Carmichael certainly got the facts right. Reading this makes me prouder
     of you than ever! And that's really a great picture of you.”
    Rob nodded dumbly, still amazed by the prominence his story had gotten in the paper. “The funny thing is,” he said at last,
     “I didn't even have to do the interview because Mr. Benoit had already signed on to be our coach!”
    “Well, I think it's a marvelous story and well deserved, too. Here, let me have it. I want to send it to your father.”
    All through breakfast, Rob wondered who else had seen the story. He found out the minute he walked into school that morning.
    “Hey, look, it's Rob!” a loud-mouthed girl cried. Rob recognized her as Ming's twin sister. “Will you sign my backpack?” She
     handed him a marker and then turned so he could scrawl his name on her bag.
    That's how things went on all day. Kids he didn't even know slapped him on the back and congratulated him. Teachers complimented
     him, too. And at the end of the day, the principal got on the loudspeaker and asked that everyone take a moment to applaud
     their local hero, Rob Lasher. All the attention was too much for Rob.
    Rob couldn't wait to get to soccer practice.There, at least, he hoped he'd be treated normally! He caught sight of Benji heading into the locker room to get ready for
     practice. Rob hadn't seen him or talked to him all day. Now he barreled toward him.
    “Thanks a lot, Benji!” he said when he reached the other boy.
    Benji stared at Rob in surprise. “What did I do?”
    “The newspaper article!”
    “But I didn't —” Benji started to say. Then his gaze shifted from Rob to someone behind him and he snapped his lips shut