Go Long! by Ronde Barber Page A

Barber, had two long touchdown runs of his own.’”
    Tiki looked up and grinned, and Mrs. Barber rubbed his head lovingly, planting a kiss on it, and then one on Ronde’s head, too. “My boys,” she cooed. “I’m so proud of you both.”
    â€œThanks, Mom,” Tiki said, grinning.
    â€œKeep reading,” Ronde told him. “I want to hear the rest.”
    â€œâ€˜Quarterback Cody Hansen, however, had his challenges in the game. His play, as well as the whole team’s, will have to improve if the Eagles are to live up to their promise this year.’”
    â€œMan,” Ronde said darkly, “Cody’s not going to like hearing that.”
    â€œIt’s the truth,” Tiki said. “Let’s just hope he takes out his anger on the Patriots tomorrow.”
    â€œYou boys just focus on doing your best,” said Mrs. Barber, doling each of them out another scoop of mac and cheese. “What do I always tell you, before every single game?”
    Tiki and Ronde looked up at her and grinned. “Play proud!” they said, and slapped each other five.
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    â€œIt’s all Wheeler’s fault,” Cody said, crumpling up the paper and tossing it into the garbage bins filled with lunch leftovers. “Maybe if he was there on the sidelines with us, instead of hiding in the stands, you guys would’ve played better and not made me look so bad.”
    â€œHey, man,” Fred Soule said. “You’re the QB. The buck stops with you.”
    â€œWrong,” Cody argued. “The buck stops with the head coach. Ask anyone.” He looked around, and most of the kids surrounding him at the lunch table nodded their heads in agreement.
    Ronde wasn’t about to say anything. Like Fred, he didn’t think Cody had played all that great. But he knew if he said anything, Cody would make him look stupid, and all the other kids would probably pile on, just like they did on the football field. Except for Fred and a few others, they were just a bunch of followers and would do whatever the leader did.
    He looked over at Tiki, and Ronde could tell that his twin was annoyed too. But for now, Cody was the unspoken leader of the team, and everyone seemed to be falling in line behind him—or at least keeping their mouths shut. Like Ronde, Tiki was too afraid to speak out.
    Except that Cody must have noticed the expressionon Tiki’s face. “What, Barber?” he challenged. “You got something to say?”
    Ronde could read his twin’s thoughts. Should he say something? Should he back down? Ronde thought Tiki would be too scared to come back at Cody.
    But he was wrong. “I think you messed up as much as anybody,” Tiki said simply.
    Cody’s face grew red. “Maybe if I had a back who could block for me . . . or hold on to the football when he’s tackled . . . or get with the program!”
    â€œYeah, shut up, Tiki!” Sam Scarfone said, getting up and staring down Tiki with his six-foot-tall, two-hundred-pound frame. “Quit dividing the team! We’ve gotta be united, or we’re going down.”
    â€œYeah!” a bunch of the others agreed.
    Tiki looked to Ronde for help, but Ronde kept silent. He didn’t want the team members ganging up on him like they were on Tiki.
    Tiki frowned, grabbed his books, and said, “Later.” He walked away, and Ronde went after him.
    â€œTiki, wait up!” he called after him. Tiki didn’t stop, and Ronde had to run down the hallway to catch up with him.
    â€œTiki, man, I—”
    â€œWhy didn’t you back me up, yo?”
    â€œI . . .”
    â€œYou were scared!”
    â€œWas not!” Ronde defended himself.
    â€œWhat, you agree with them?”
    Ronde shrugged. “Not really . . .”
    â€œWhy didn’t you say anything,