Emma, one of the tallest girls on the team, stood about a foot taller than Zoe. Her long black hair was pulled into a ponytail, while Zoe’s short strawberry blond bob was held back with a blue headband.

“I have finally come to realize that Devin was sent here, from Connecticut, to bring me good luck in all my endeavors,” Frida stated.

Jessi shot me a look that was half eye roll, half surprise. “Huh?” she asked Frida.

“I think that Devin brought all of us luck when she moved here,” Zoe jumped in. “The Kicks were the last-place team in the league, but thanks to Devin, we made it to the championships.”

Frida sighed, her hand still on her heart. “It goes way beyond the soccer field, dear Zoe.”

I could tell that both Zoe and Emma were trying to stifle giggles. Frida was really on a roll now.

“You see,” she continued, not realizing her friends were holding back laughter, “when I got the callback for my second audition for Mall Mania, who was there? Devin! When I passed that science test—the one my mom said if I got a bad grade on, I would not be able to go on any more auditions—who was sitting next to me in class? Devin!”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I do sit next to you in science class. What does that have to do with anything?”

But Frida ignored me and kept right on with her monologue. “And when I had the pizza commercial audition, who told me to wear red, which turned out to be Chef Antonia’s favorite color, which got me the job? You did, Devin!”

I vaguely remembered sitting in Frida’s bedroom, with her frantically holding up different tops, and pointing at one and saying, “That one.” But I didn’t think that made me good luck.

“Yeah, I guess,” I said, at a total loss for words.

Frida spread her arms wide open. “The bottom line is this, Devin. You are my good luck charm.”

“Devin Burke, a human rabbit’s foot!” Jessi joked, causing Emma and Zoe to crack up. “Do you come in pocket size?”

Since Frida was all wound up, she ignored Jessi’s jokes and kept going as she pointed both her arms at me. “So you must, must come with me to my next commercial audition. It’s this Tuesday after school. You cannot say no. I need you there. If you are, I know I’ll get that part!”

I thought it over. I didn’t know if I believed in good luck charms, but we didn’t have practice this Tuesday, and I had never been to something like a commercial audition before. It sounded fun.

“If it helps you, of course I’ll come,” I told her. “I just have to ask my mom first.”