Fabulous Five 030 - Sibling Rivalry by Betsy Haynes Read Free Book Online

up, you'll feel much
different about each other."
    Beth stared at Marcel, his words ringing in her ears. When
you two grow up. Did he see her as a child, too? What was the matter with
him? Couldn't he see that it was Todd who was behaving like a little kid?
    Marcel turned back to his game of pool. Beth stood there for
a moment, wondering what to do. Then she squared her shoulders and pulled
herself up to her full height. Mustering her courage, she smiled at Todd and
his friends and said in her most dignified voice, "Well, I think I'll turn
in now. See you all in the morning."
    Then she disappeared out the door.
     
    "Today we will try a slightly steeper hill,"
Marcel said when the class assembled again the next morning. "You all
learned ze snowplow very well yesterday, and I think you're ready."
    An excited murmur ran through the class. Beth was excited,
too, but she was also nervous. Skiing had been fun and almost easy on the bunny
slope. A steeper hill sounded scary.
    Beth followed Marcel along with the rest of the skiers. Of
course, Brittany, Julie, and Sarah were right at the front of the group, making
cute remarks to him. Occasionally he would turn and smile or say something
clever back to them. No matter what he said, though, the girls giggled wildly
and flirted with him all the more.
    Marcel led the group to a slope, which Beth could see was
definitely steeper than the one they had skied yesterday. A small building sat
about a hundred feet away. It had the same rustic look as the lodge, only it
was smaller and built above the snow on heavy stone legs at each corner.
    "Oh, Marcel, what an adorable little house,"
Brittany gushed. "Is that where you live?"
    She turned around to acknowledge the laughter of some of the
class. Beth wanted to burrow into a snow bank and hide with embarrassment.
    "No," Marcel answered patiently. "That is
where ze ski lift equipment is stored during ze summer. Now, it you will grab
ze towrope, we'll meet at ze top of ze slope." Then he gestured for
Brittany to start up the hill first. "After you, mademoiselle."
    Brittany giggled. "Why, thank you, kind sir!" Then
she grabbed the towrope and rode up the hill with the rest of the class following.
    "I want you to try ze snowplow on this slope
first," Marcel said when the class had gathered around him. "It will
be more of a challenge for you." He turned to Beth. "Mademoiselle,
would you like to go first today?"
    "Oh, uh, sure," replied Beth, her face getting
hot. "I'll try."
    "You'll do splendidly," said Marcel. "If you
fall, don't be embarrassed."
    Beth grinned at Marcel, even though Brittany was shooting
daggers at her. "I'll probably fall."
    From the top of the hill the slope looked even steeper than
it had from below. Beth's heart was pounding, partly because she was first and
everybody was watching, and partly because Marcel seemed to expect good things
from her.
    She pushed off with her poles and started snowplowing down.
It was fun, and she felt a thrill run up her back as she let herself pick up
speed. Then she tried making slow turns to the right and then to the left.
    Suddenly the run was over. Beth snow-plowed to a stop and
looked back up the slope, beaming. She had made it all the way to the bottom
without falling. She felt like cheering and jumping up and down, but she
didn't. After all, she didn't want to look foolish or childish in front of
Marcel.
    "Excellent!" Marcel called from the top.
"That is exactly ze way to do it!"
    He turned to the other skiers, and Beth could tell by his
gestures that he was telling them to follow Beth's example. Beth let out a deep
breath. Skiing was fun. For what seemed like the first time since she had
gotten to Stony Lookout, she was actually enjoying herself.
    When Brittany skied down a few minutes later, Beth thought
her older sister might really be trying to do her best on this hill. Beth
decided, with a certain amount of satisfaction, that maybe Brittany didn't want
her little sister to upstage her