Schultz Nicholson - A Time to Run: Stuart and Sam

Copyright 2018 by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

EPub edition copyright 2018 by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

A Time to Run: Stuart and Sam (A One-2-One Book) ISBN 978-1-988347-09-7 (Paperback) Data available on file

eISBN 978-1-988347-10-3

Data available on file

Publisher Cataloging-in-Publication Data (U.S.)

A Time to Run: Stuart and Sam (A One-2-One Book)

ISBN 978-1-988347-09-7 (Paperback)

Data available on file

Cover design concept by Tanya Montini

Interior design by CommTech Unlimited

Printed in Canada by Webcom

Author's Note

The Best Buddies is a real program that operates in schools, including colleges, all over the world. Students with intellectual disabilities, including people with autism, pair up with volunteer peer "Buddies." They meet together, one-to-one, at least once a month to engage in fun, social interactions. They also participate in group activities. That said, this is a work of fiction. Stuart and Sam are fictional characters and I made them up. I also made up where they live, their high school, their families and all their situations. Yes, I did a tremendous amount of research so I could write this novel but, in the end, it is a work of fiction. This fiction is pleasure reading. So, please, enjoy!

This book is dedicated to the Rossi clan.

- L.S.N.

CHAPTER ONE STUART

My body vibrated. The cheerleaders bounced up and down on their toes and waved their blue-and-white pom-poms. The noise in the gym sounded like a booming bass drum and I liked it . I watched the cheerleaders as they dropped their pom-poms and ran to do cartwheels and flips. My job was to stay quiet on the bench, and give out towels and water bottles.

More cartwheels. More cheering. More buzzing. The gym was like a video game on high speed, so many colours, all moving and spinning and changing. Our school, Sir Winston Churchill, was playing in the city finals against Woodland School. HUGE basketball game. My Best Buddy, Sam, was the team captain and one of the best scorers because he could run fast. I needed to run or do something. Right now!

One of the cheerleaders did a back flip. I jumped up off the bench, stuck my hands up, ran forward, and did a front flip too, something I'd learned to do on the trampoline ages ago.

When I landed, I felt a tug on my shirt. "Don't do that," whispered Cassandra, the team trainer. She tried to pull me back to the bench.

But I wanted to do another flip. I stuck my arms in the air.

"You're not a cheerleader," she said, still whispering, and tugged on my shirt. "You're the team manager. Sit on the bench."

"I'm not the team manager," I said. But I liked being called the team manager better than the water boy so I sat down. Water boy sounded totally lame. Team manager sounded cool.

Cassandra leaned over. "I like the stars you put on the water bottles."

I looked down at the green water bottles I had filled up. At first, I had just put a star on Sam's but then he had told me to put a star on every bottle. He said a team is a team. Before every practice, we pumped our fists together and he said we were a team, meaning him and me, and I liked that because it meant I had a friend. Kids don't really like me. My mom says that's okay, that not everyone will like me. I guess I don't care that no one likes me, but then sometimes I do care. A lot.

The cheerleaders kept jumping and cheering and they got the crowd going. The noise made my body jittery. Metal music does the same thing. Now, at home, I have to sneak into Declan's room if I want to listen to anything heavy. Declan is my biological brother. The noise in the gym got louder and louder and I stood and yelled along with everyone.

Go Greyhounds, go!

Go Greyhounds, go!

There was no way I could be banned from the gym. Well, okay, I could. But not for cheering for the basketball team. I could be as loud as I bloody well wanted. The cheerleaders danced and flipped around and thenthe real song came on. "We Are the Champions" by Queen. During playoffs, they play this song when the basketball team runs onto the court just before the start of the game.

The cheerleaders moved to the side and I watched as the other team came out first and their fans cheered. A yellow bus full of kids from the other school had come to watch the game. I booed. Cassandra pulled on my shirt and told me to be quiet. I booed again.

Then our team came flying out and the crowd revved up totally. I felt fueled, like I'd just had a Red Bull. This time Cassandra didn't say anything to me.

Both teams warmed up by taking shots on net. Basketballs bounced on the wooden floor. Then the buzzer blew and all the players came over to the bench and that's when I started handing them each a water bottle, the one with their name on it. Now, only the referees were on the court. They stood in front of the table where the scorekeepers sat. After getting their bottles, the players gave me a high-five, but only Sam gave me a high-five and a wink.

An announcer came on and we had to stand to listen to "O Canada." Booooring . I wished it was rap instead.

Once the song was over the announcer spoke again and said the names of the players who would start the game. When Sam's name was announced I clapped so hard my hands hurt. He ran onto the court and took his place in the middle circle. He told me that he didn't take the jump ball because he wasn't the tallest, but Cecil did because he was almost as tall as a door and skinny like a string. His black dreadlocks were so cool.

The starting lineup crouched around the centre circle. The gym went silent. The whistle blew, the ref threw the ball, and the players ran, and I could hear feet on the floor and a basketball bouncing. Sam was the one bouncing the ball and running down the court with it. Coach Nelson liked him taking the ball down the courtcalled him the guard man because he was the best passer on the team. He was good at setting up the play.

Sam slowed down and they set up. The ball went from player to player like a video clip. Boom. Boom. Boom. My eyes followed the ball, just like when I played video games. Back and forth. Back and forth. I watched the ball. Sometimes Sam and I played 21 together. He told me to always watch the ball. Then Sam got the ball, jumped, and swooshed it through the net. I stood, cupped my hands around my mouth, and screamed!

The crowd screamed and my heart pounded against my skin.