Nicole's New Friend

By Dawn Brotherton

Has Nicole found a nasty enemy...or a new friend?
Nicole loves every moment she spends playing softball with her friends on the Lady Tigers fastpitch softball team. When her coach introduces a new girl, Nicole tries her best to welcome her onto the Lady Tigers. But Diana doesn’t seem interested in being friendly—or even polite. Nicole realizes that the team is infected with drama and negativity and Nicole finds herself dreading the practices she once loved. What will bring the team back together before the new girl can tear it apart completely?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Dragon Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Sep 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781939696243

Dawn Brotherton

Dawn Brotherton is an award-winning author and featured speaker at writing and publishing seminars. When it comes to exceptional writing, Dawn draws on her experience as a retired colonel from the US Air Force as well as a softball coach. She has also completed four books (Trish’s Team; Margie Makes a Difference; Nicole’s New Friend, and Tammy Tries Baseball) in the middle grade Lady Tigers Series about girls’ fastpitch softball, encouraging female athletes to reach for the stars in the game they love. As a mother of two female athletes, Dawn is intent on encouraging women to “play like a girl,” which means play with determination, teamwork, sportsmanship and most of all, a love of the game. Under nonfiction, the Softball Scoresheet was created to keep score during softball games with instructions written for those not as familiar with the intricacies of the game.

Book preview

Nicole’s New Friend

Lady Tigers Series

By

Dawn Brotherton

Nicole’s New Friend

Lady Tigers Series

All rights reserved.

Published by Blue Dragon Publishing, LLC for Smashwords.

www.blue-dragon-publishing.com

Copyright 2017 Dawn Brotherton

ISBN 978-1-939696-25-0 (hardback)

ISBN 978-1-939696-27-4 (IS)

ISBN 978-1-939696-24-3 (ePub)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017906844

Illustrations and cover by Vineet Siddhartha

http://www.DawnBrothertonAuthor.com

Dedication

I have many people that have given me the support I need to keep writing—most of all, my husband. He gives me my space and feeds me when I come out of my cave. I wouldn’t be able to do everything I do without him.

The Lady Tigers hold a special place in my heart because they remind me of my daughters. Rachel and Paige are the best things I have ever created, and I love them with all my heart.

Chapter 1

Bunt! came the yell from the Lady Tigers fastpitch softball team, as the pitcher, third baseman, and first baseman all rushed toward the plate.

Nicole Carter was easily the first to the ball. She reached to pick it up, and the ball wasn’t there. That didn’t make sense. She reached again, but it was as if the ball had a mind of its own as it skittered out of her reach.

C’mon, Nicole, she heard Margie call from the first base bag.

Nicole reached again, but she kicked the ball with her foot.

This time the pitcher, Jessica Fairfield, reached down and snapped up the ball, but by then it was too late. The batter had already safely crossed first base.

The girls got back into position. On the next pitch, the batter squared to the plate. Bunt! the infield yelled again. The players rushed the plate.

This time the ball had come to a stop by the time Nicole reached it. She extended her arm to barehand it, but it was gone. She searched wildly around her feet as her heart pounded in panic.

Nicole! Nicole, wake up!

Huh? What? Nicole opened her eyes to find herself sitting upright in her sleeping bag.

Tammy Marshall and Amy Dover were kneeling beside her. It took Nicole a minute to remember where she was. She was staying the night with a friend from her softball team. The girls went to different schools, but the Lady Tigers fourteen-and-under travel league had introduced them. Now they spent most of the summer together practicing and playing tournaments around the area.

Are you okay? Amy asked.

Nicole shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs her dream had left behind. I think so, she said, pushing the curls out of her face. During the day, Nicole tried to contain her hair with hair bands and clips, but at this time of night, it was a blonde, tangled mess.

That must have been one heck of a dream, Tammy said, sitting down beside Nicole. You were swinging your arms around grabbing for something.

The ball, Nicole said glumly. She flopped back down on her pillow. Thank goodness it was only a dream.

What was it about? Amy asked.

In the glow from the nightlight, Nicole could make out Amy’s thin outline. Her brown hair was long and straight, and didn’t seem to get messed up when she slept.

Bunts! Nicole said, exasperated. I couldn’t pick up a bunt to save my life.

The other two girls laughed. You’ve had too much softball when you start dreaming about it, Tammy said.

I mean, it was like the ball was trying to get away from me, Nicole said.

Amy leaned back on her elbows and added, I’ve had dreams like that before. Like when you can’t do anything right.

That was it! Nicole said. I got to the ball, but then it moved or disappeared. I’m so glad it was a dream. Nicole draped her arm over her eyes dramatically.

Before a big test at school, I always dream I miss the bus or that my pencil keeps breaking, Tammy said.

The girls laughed.

Come on, Amy. You have to share one of your dreams, Nicole prompted, sitting up to face her friends.

Amy rolled on her side as she thought about it. I’ve had dreams about missing the bus and dropping a fly ball, she admitted. But I think the worst one was when I was preparing for an art show at school.

I didn’t know you were into art, Tammy cut in.

She’s awesome, Nicole said. You should see some of the stuff she’s done.

I’ve been taking art classes for a few years now. I love to paint, but I really love to craft, Amy said, tracing the design on her pillowcase with her finger self-consciously.

"So,