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

her misery.
    She heard boots tromping toward her in the snow.
    "Beth? Are you okay?"
    It was Charles. She tipped her head up and saw him on his
knees, peering at her through the opening between the snow and the floor of the
house.
    "Yeah," she said weakly, feeling a sudden spurt of
tears in her eyes. "I'm fine."
    Charles's face disappeared. "She's okay!" he
shouted to the others, and a cheer went up.
    Beth's skis had come loose, and she managed to turn over and
crawl out from under the house, dragging the skis behind her. Hands reached for
her and helped her up, and everyone crowded around, asking her if she was sure
she was okay.
    Marcel had been at the top of the hill when the accident
happened. He quickly skied down and pushed through the circle of skiers
gathered around Beth. "Are you all right, mademoiselle?"
    "Sure, I'm fine," she mumbled. Actually her head
was throbbing, and she wasn't sure how steady her legs would be. But she was
too humiliated to admit it.
    "You are a very smart young lady," Marcel assured
her. "It was quick thinking to duck under ze storage house. Très bien . "
    Quick thinking? Beth blinked in surprise. Was he just saying
that to make her feel better? Still, she thought, it had been a pretty dramatic
performance, if she did say so herself.
    Slowly a sly smile spread across her face.
"Thanks," she said to Marcel. And in a louder voice, she added,
"Just thought that since I was falling anyway, I'd do something to
entertain the crowd."
    Bowing theatrically to the sound of both laughter and
applause, she headed to the end of the lift line for another turn on the slope.

CHAPTER 7
    After the lesson Marcel instructed the class to spend the
rest of the day practicing the techniques they had learned. Brian, Molly,
Brittany, Julie, and Sarah went off without a word to Beth, but that suited her
fine. She rode the towrope to the top of the hill and enjoyed being alone to
really concentrate on turning and stopping. Sometimes, though, she couldn't
help thinking about Winter Carnival. She sighed as she remembered the beautiful
ice sculpture of a snowbird that had stood in the middle of the park and how
kids from Wakeman had congregated there to talk and laugh. I'll try to call one
of The Fabulous Five again later, she thought. I just have to find out what's
going on.
    As she stood in the lift line after her fourth run, she
heard Todd calling her name.
    "Hey, Beth! Wait up when you get to the top, and we'll
ski down with you!"
    Beth's heart sank as she saw Todd waving from the end of the
line, because Jason and Mike were with him. "Just what I need," she
muttered.
    "We watched your last run, and you're looking
good," Jason said, when the boys caught up with her at the top.
    "That's right," agreed Mike. "A couple more
days and you'll be ready for The Jaws of Death."
    Beth laughed good-naturedly, but deep down she suspected
that they were just buttering her up so that they could ask her for a loan
again.
    "If you want to go a little faster, just bend your
knees a bit," offered Jason.
    Beth looked questioningly at Todd.
    "Try it," said Todd. "I told you these guys
are okay."
    "If you say so," Beth murmured as she pushed off
and started her run down the slope. The boys started down, too, Todd on her
left and Jason and Mike on her right.
    "Like this," called out Mike. He crouched slightly
and sped ahead of her.
    Beth took a deep breath and bent her knees. She immediately
picked up a little speed. It was fun, and when she snowplowed to a stop at the
bottom of the hill, she was laughing.
    Todd's skis sprayed snow as he stopped beside her.
"See? Now will you trust us with a little loan?"
    "Todd!" Beth shrieked. "I knew that was what
you were up to! Now stop bugging me and get lost!"
    Looking discouraged, the boys shrugged and skied off toward
the lodge.
     
    A little while later Beth flopped onto the bed she shared
with Alicia, exhausted. She had skied the rest of the afternoon by herself,
practicing everything Marcel