Read the opening
Act One · Scene 1: A Day at the Park
It’s a beautiful, sunny day at the park. You can hear birds chirping and children playing. It isn’t warm; the air is brisk and cool, but still pleasant. People are walking their dogs, and others are jogging on the trail that circles the park. The basketball court is empty.
A Mercedes-Benz pulls into the parking lot. It’s Chris. Chris’s father rolls down the window and says, “Cedar isn’t here yet. Would you like to wait in the car until he arrives?”
Chris replies, “No thanks. I’ll shoot some hoops while I wait for him.”
Chris exits the car and begins practicing, continuing to shoot while waiting for Cedar. Chris and Cedar grew up together and have been best friends for years. Cedar is like a brother to Chris, and they see each other almost every day. Their fathers are old friends from college, where they both became attorneys. They stayed close even though Chris’s dad chose the corporate world, chasing his dreams of wealth and financial security, while Cedar’s dad, encouraged by Cedar’s mother, went into environmental law and makes very little money. Even though they come from very different families, Chris and Cedar are a lot alike, though they are very competitive with each other.
Cedar rides up on a bright pink girls’ bike.
Chris yells, “Hey, Cedar!”
Cedar replies, “Hey, Chris!” He gets off his bike and walks it over, asking, “Have you been waiting long?”
Chris answers, “No, just a few minutes, but I wanted to practice first, so I got here early.”
Cedar replies sarcastically, “That’s good. You need the practice.”
Chris responds, “Oh, you think so? I’ll show you who needs practice.”
Chris throws the ball at Cedar with force. Cedar catches it, and they begin playing. After quite a while, they take a break.
Cedar says honestly, “Wow, you have been practicing. You’re getting a lot better.”
Chris replies, “Thanks. I thought you were getting a new bike. You’re still using my old bike?”
Cedar answers, “My dad said this wasn’t a good time for us to spend money on a new bike. He has a new friend. I wish he would spend as much time with me as he does Jeff.”
Chris takes off her hat and removes her ponytail, exposing her long hair. She says teasingly, “So you ride around on a girls’ bike,” and laughs.
Cedar says smugly, “I don’t care. It’s a good bike, and it gets me around. I don’t care what people think. Sometimes they laugh, but I think it’s funny too.”
Scene 2: Professor Ant Is Impressed
Professor Ant was watching the kids play and walked up to them.
“Good morning, Chris. Good morning, Cedar. I was just watching you both play. Chris, I’m very impressed. You’re a very good player. Cedar is the best on our team, and you’re just as good as he is.”
Chris says, “Thank you, Professor Ant. I tried to start a girls’ basketball team, but not enough kids signed up.”
Cedar joins in, “Can she be on the boys’ basketball team?”
Chris says with excitement, “I would love that. Can I, Professor Ant?”
Cedar adds seriously, “She’s better than the boys on the team. You even said so yourself.”
Professor Ant replies, “She sure is, but it’s not up to me. I’ll see what I can do.”
Chris jumps up and says, “Awesome!”
Cedar adds, “That would be great, and I’m sure we will finally start winning games.”
Professor Ant laughs and says, “That would be nice. We have lost every game so far this year.”
Chris says jokingly, “Maybe you need a better coach.”
Cedar and Professor Ant laugh. Professor Ant responds, “I’m more of a professor than an athlete, but I have lots of fun coaching the team.”
Professor Ant notices a car pull into the parking lot. He looks at Chris and says, “Isn’t that your dad who just pulled up?”
Chris’s dad honks the horn to let her know he is there. She gives Cedar a quick hug and a fist bump. Cedar gets on his bike, and Chris hops in the car, and they take off.
Chris shouts out the window, and Cedar yells from his bike, “Bye, Professor Ant!”
Chris looks at Cedar and says, “Bye, Cedar.”
Cedar nods and waves goodbye.
As he continues, he rides into a neighborhood where his friends live. It is on his way home. His friends are outside in a group, and they spot Cedar as he passes them. Cedar waves, and his friends yell out, making fun of him.
“Hey, Cedar, that’s a girls’ bike! Hahaha, Cedar rides a pink girls’ bike!”
The boys laugh. “We should call him Barbie. Hey, Barbie, where’s Ken?”
Cedar, unashamed, responds, “It sure is a girls’ bike. Why, are you jealous? I can beat you in a race even on a girls’ bike.”
He laughs along with the boys as he rides off.
What happens when Emma arrives? Find out in the book.
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