Total Knockout: Tale of an Ex-Class President (Mix Series)

by Taylor Morris

Overview

There's nothing ordinary about Lucia Latham - she gets straight A's, she's been middle school Class President for two years running and she's a great boxer - nothing is more fun than a good old sparring match with best friend Cooper, especially since she usually wins. In short, there are few things Lucia tackles that don't turn out exactly how she wants them.

So at the beginning of her 8th grade year, Lucia has no reason to believe that things won't continue being easy - until she sticks her foot in her mouth in a HUGE way. Then it seems her carefully constructed world is crashing down around her. Can she regain her super star status or will she be forced to lower her expectations?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442459298
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	03/06/2012
Series:	Mix Series
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
Lexile:	870L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	9 - 13 Years

About the Author

TAYLOR MORRIS is the author of the Hello, Gorgeous! series and the Aladdin Mix titles Class Favorite and Total Knockout. She lives in New York City with her orchestra conductor husband, Silas, and their two cats, who have hyphenated last names. She thinks that having a fight with a best friend is one of the worst things a girl can go through. Tell her about your BFF woes at www.taylormorris.com

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1

Cooper "Gravy" Nixon just nailed me with a left hook to the shoulder.

It knocked me back a step, but I regained my stance, my pink gloves on either side of my face. I jabbed right, narrowly missing his chin. He returned the punch, but I weaved around it, then went for an uppercut. Cooper dodged that, too, which frustrated me even more. I knew I was on the verge of losing control. We'd been knocking each other pretty steadily for three two-minute rounds, and we were both sweating and breathing heavily. I needed to focus, but I kept thinking about tomorrow, when I'd become president of Angus Junior High for the third year in a row, the first student to ever accomplish such a feat. Future generations of Angus Blue Jays would revere the name Lucia Latham.

That's me, by the way.

I refocused my energy and upped my momentum, finally landing some solid body shots — and maybe even hitting my best friend a little harder than we normally allowed. But how could he blame me? I was all pumped up on the adrenaline of my final year at Angus Junior High and leaving my mark, my legacy, on our school. With each jab I saw my student council victory; with each hook I imagined my eighth-grade year a stunning success; with every uppercut, I envisioned my classmates cheering for my victory.

I guess Cooper finally got frustrated at being smacked around — he is, frankly, stronger (although shorter) than me. He usually just dodges my punches or hits at half strength. I guess he'd had enough, because he pulled himself together and starting swinging back, landing one perfectly executed blow to my cheek. It barely hurt, thanks to the massive headgear our parents make us wear (which also protects our faces), but I still knew in those seconds right afterward that I needed a strategy.

"Ow, Coop," I cried, turning my back on him. "Shoot, that really stung." I peeked over my shoulder. We'd been best friends since before we knew any better — you know, that it's taboo or something for boys and girls to be just friends. By the time we figured it out, we were over it and thought everyone else should be too. Still, every so often someone decided to be oh-so-original and ask us when the wedding was.

"You okay?" Cooper panted, taking a step toward me.

"Man, you got me good," I said. "Made me bite my tongue. I thought we said not in the face."

"Hey, I'm sorry," he said, resting his paw on my shoulder. "Does it hurt — "

Turning quickly and deftly, I struck a solid punch into Cooper's stomach. "Fooled you!" I pummeled his body as he twisted his torso, trying to block my ferocious punches. With each hit I silently chanted, win, win, win, win.

"Cheater! That ain't fair and you know it!" Cooper hollered as he blocked my punches.

"And another one for bad grammar!" I yelled, jabbing him in the side.

"Fine! I give! Stop it!"

Seeing that he'd really had enough — his round cheeks had flushed a darker shade of red — I lowered my pink Everlast gloves (my prized possession) and wiped away the sweat trickling into my eyes with my shoulder. I extended my hands and said, "Good match, Coop."

He eyed me for a moment, sweat rushing down his own face. Finally, he lightly tapped my gloves back. "Yeah, you, too," he sighed. "Even if you did cheat."

I pulled off my gloves and headgear and wiped my face with a towel that hung from a gray metal folding chair. The breeze from the open garage door of Cooper's house instantly cooled my face. "Sorry about that. I'm just so pumped about the elections. Aren't you?"

Cooper grimaced. He was only running for secretary at my insistence. He knew how much this final year meant to me, and how much I needed him so that I didn't have any opposition on the council. This way, with my two closest friends, Cooper and Melanie, by my side, I wouldn't have any trouble making all the bold changes I had planned for this year — changes that wouldn't just affect our school, but the entire school district. Besides, Copper was only nervous because he had to make a speech today. Even though he was running unopposed, Mrs. Peoria, the student council advisor, said he had to do it. The election rules clearly stated that everyone had to give a speech to showcase their abilities, so there was nothing I could do.

"Well, I'm excited," I continued when Cooper didn't respond. "Starting high school next year will be like moving up in weight class. That means we have to really prepare ourselves for the next challenge. Now's not the time to get soft."

"I guess," Cooper said, obviously not convinced. He wiped his brow with the bottom of his shirt. I looked away from his exposed belly. "I just hope I don't puke before I can get that speech out."

"It's nothing, Coop. I'll be right there beside you the whole time," I assured him. But he didn't look convinced.

Copyright © 2008 by Taylor Morris