Fabulous Five 030 - Sibling Rivalry Read online

  Beth was left standing alone. She glanced toward Todd and Alicia. Their attention was fixed upon the hot-dog skiers, and they had forgotten she was there. Next she looked in the direction of the teenagers. Maybe she could hang around with them for a while, at least until she found someone her own age.

  "Why not?" she whispered. It might be a good chance to prove to Brittany that she wasn't just a little kid. Actually, this looked like the perfect opportunity to join in. Beth hurried to the hot chocolate dispenser and filled a cup, then casually sauntered over to the group and stood next to Brittany.

  At first it seemed as if her sister didn't notice her. But then she heard Brittany whisper harshly, "What do you want?"

  Beth was determined to stay cool. "I'm having hot chocolate. Do you mind?"

  Brittany rolled her eyes toward the ceiling and then turned back to the group.

  "So what time do the lessons begin in the morning?" Beth blurted out.

  Brittany gave Beth a look that was absolutely meant to kill. "Butt out, Beth," she growled. "Go find someone your own age to play with."

  "Is this your sister?" asked Julie.

  Brittany nodded, but she didn't speak.

  Beth felt a tight ball of anger form inside her chest. Brittany is hoping that if she ignores me, I'll go away, she thought.

  "Hi," Julie greeted Beth. Molly and Sarah smiled and chimed in their hellos, too.

  Beth forced a smile. "Hi, I'm Beth." Suddenly she wanted badly to be one of them. They were obviously having such a good time, and there wasn't that much difference in their ages. "I'm really eager to learn to ski," she added hopefully.

  Brittany turned to Julie. "Didn't I hear that there was tiny tot skiing here at Stony Lookout? Beth could be part of that!"

  Brian laughed. Beth felt her cheeks flush.

  "Come on, Brittany," said Julie. "Don't give your sister such a hard time. She's the right age for the beginners' lessons. Anybody over six can take them."

  Brittany threw back her head and laughed uproariously, as if Julie's comment were the funniest thing she'd ever heard. Then Brittany snapped her fingers. "Oh, well, Beth. It's too bad, but you're just over the age limit for tiny tots."

  Beth's blood was boiling, but she forced herself to keep her mouth shut. She didn't dare let her temper get out of control and make a fool out of her.

  "You sure have a big family," Molly remarked.

  "We sure do," Brittany agreed with a definite lack of enthusiasm.

  "There are five kids in the family," said Beth.

  Brittany made a face. "I'm sure Molly can count, Beth."

  The girls laughed, and Julie looked at Molly. "Is this what's known as sibling rivalry?" When Molly laughed and nodded, Julie added, "I'm an only child, so I wouldn't know."

  An only child! Beth thought. How lucky can you get!

  "How lucky can you get!" Brittany said, echoing Beth's thoughts. "I can't imagine what it would be like not to have little kids under foot all the time."

  Everyone looked at Beth and laughed again.

  Beth smiled back through clenched teeth. Keep your chin up, she told herself. Show them you're as mature as they are.

  Luckily her parents entered the great room just then and approached them.

  "Hi," Mrs. Barry said, glancing at the three girls sitting with Brittany, Brian, and Beth.

  "Hi, Mom and Dad," replied Brittany. She introduced the girls to her parents.

  "It's nice to meet you," said Mrs. Barry, and Mr. Barry smiled and nodded. "But it's time for dinner so we'll have to pull Brian, Brittany, and Beth away for a while."

  "Great. I'm famished," said Brittany. "Brian and I will see you guys later."

  And me, too! Beth thought, but she knew better than to say it out loud.

  CHAPTER 3

  Beth glanced around the dining room as she followed her parents to a table. It was a big room, paneled in knotty pine, like the rest of the resort. There was a large dance floor in the front of the room, and all the tables were covered with red-and-white checkered tablecloths. Small red candles sat in the center.

  The Barrys chose a table by a window that looked out at the mountain. The last skiers of the day were gracefully drifting down the snow-packed slopes toward the lodge. Beth sighed, trying to imagine how it would feel to be one of them.

  When the family was seated, a waitress came to their table and filled their water glasses. "I'm Cindy," she said. "For dinner you have your choice of steak or chicken. I'll bring the vegetables in bowls, and if you need more of anything, all you have to do is holler."

  Cindy brought them bowls heaped with mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and green beans. Then she brought a cutting board with a loaf of bread and a knife, and gave them plates with the entrees they had ordered.

  While the rest of the family talked and laughed, Beth picked at her food and stared out the window. All the skiers had left the slopes, but that hardly mattered. She was still smarting from Brittany's nasty comments in front of the three girls in the great room. Why did Brittany always treat her like a baby?

  Well, maybe it's a good thing there aren't any girls my age here at Stony Lookout, she thought, stabbing a piece of chicken and popping it into her mouth. This is my chance to prove once and for all that I'm just as mature as Brian and Brittany. I'll show them, if it's the last thing I ever do.

  After about twenty minutes, Julie, Molly, and Sarah came in and sat down across the dining room. They waved at the Barry family.

  "Hey, look," said Todd. "The band is setting up."

  Brittany whirled toward the front of the room, her eyes glowing. "Finally some real action," she said.

  Beth saw Brian glance at the table where the girls were sitting. Would he ask Molly to dance? she wondered. Molly had certainly flirted with him earlier in the great room.

  This is definitely my big chance, Beth thought. She slipped her mirror out of her purse and quickly checked her lipstick and hair. Then she sat up straight and looked around the room, a tiny smile playing on her lips.

  Within fifteen minutes the band began to play. There were two guitars, a synthesizer, and drums. Most of the music was made up of current Top 40 tunes, but the band also mixed in some oldies to please the parents and grandparents in the audience.

  "Come on, honey, let's dance," Mrs. Barry said to her husband. "It's been ages."

  "But, Mom," Todd said, slouching down into his seat. "No one else is dancing yet."

  "So we'll get them started," replied his mother. "I love this song. It's easy to dance to." She laughed.

  Beth watched her parents head for the dance floor.

  "Is this embarrassing or what?" Todd mumbled, staring at his empty plate.

  "I think they're kind of cute," Brittany answered.

  Beth looked around the dining room, wondering if anyone would ask her to dance. After all, she and Keith Masterson had broken up, and she could dance with anyone she pleased. She spotted a few older boys about Brian's age. Maybe one of them would ask her.

  A tall, dark-haired boy around sixteen was staring in her direction. She felt herself blush and glanced away shyly. When she looked back, she gave him a little smile. The boy got up from his table and started walking toward her. Beth's heart leapt into her throat.

  He's going to ask me to dance! she thought. She didn't know whether to jump up and run to meet him halfway or hide under the table. So she held her ground, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

  When he was in front of her, Beth looked up and smiled.

  He didn't even notice her. "Want to dance?" he asked Brittany.

  Brittany hopped up, grinning, and walked with him to the dance floor.

  Let me die right now, Beth thought. She shrank into her seat, her face as red as a traffic light, and glanced around. Had anyone noticed that she had just totally humiliated herself beyond belief? Maybe she could slink off upstairs without anyone's seeing her.

  Beth glanced out of the corner of her eye at Brittany, trying to figure
out why the boy had picked her instead of Beth. Brittany didn't look that much older, and she was only a couple of inches taller than Beth. Maybe he likes longer hair, Beth mused, running her fingers through her own short, spiky do. Brittany's hair was the same dark brown, but it hung to her shoulders in back and waved gracefully around her face in front.

  Beth looked up with a start and realized that Molly was standing next to Brian.

  "Want to dance, Brian?" Molly asked.

  Brian smiled. "Sure."

  Beth gazed around the dining room, reminding herself that there really weren't many boys her age. And the boys who were her age all looked pretty immature. They were the "hot-dog skiers" Julie had mentioned. Brian and Brittany were just lucky.

  Then Beth noticed a red-haired boy about her age heading for her table. Oh, no, she thought, cringing. Not a hotdogger. I don't want to dance with one of them. He'll probably stomp my feet to a pulp.

  Instead the boy skirted around the table and stopped next to Todd. "Want to go to the video arcade?" he asked him.

  "Sure," said Todd, hopping out of his chair. "It beats sitting around here watching a boring dance."

  "That's what I thought," the boy agreed. The two of them headed out the door.

  Beth sighed as she sat with Alicia and watched her parents, Brittany, and Brian on the dance floor.

  "Hey, that was fun," said Brittany after the song was over and she and her parents had returned to the table. "Wasn't he cute? His name's Brad Jenkins, and he's from Wisconsin."

  "I'm glad he asked you to dance," said Mrs. Barry. "We had a good time, too." She gazed sadly at Beth and then patted her husband's arm. "Jeff, why don't you dance with Beth?"

  Beth looked up. "What!"

  Brittany exploded with laughter.

  "Go on, honey," her mother urged. "Dance with your father."

  "Yes, Beth," Brittany teased. "Dance with your daddy!"

  "Oh, that's okay," Beth said, glaring at her sister. "I'm having fun watching."

  Please, oh, please, Beth thought desperately. I don't want to dance with my own FATHER! I'd die of embarrassment!

  "Go ahead, you two," said Mrs. Barry. "I'm going to take Alicia upstairs to bed."

  "Come on, Beth," her father said. "It'll be fun."

  "Sure, Beth," Brittany said, grinning wickedly. "It'll be fun."

  Beth didn't know what to do. She didn't want to hurt her father's feelings, but she just couldn't dance with him.

  "I have a little stomachache," she lied.

  "Come on." Her father pulled Beth out of her chair. "It'll do you good."

  As he led her to the dance floor, Beth heard Brittany giggle. When Beth saw her sister again, Brittany was holding one hand over her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter.

  It was a slow dance, so her father put one arm around her waist, placed one of her hands on his shoulder, and took her other hand.

  Maybe I'll have a heart attack and die right here, Beth thought. She felt stiff and awkward as her father led her around the dance floor. Glancing over his shoulder, she saw Brian dancing with Molly. Molly was practically plastered against him. Brian looked over and grinned at Beth.

  He's laughing at me, too, Beth thought. Why couldn't I have been born an only child?

  When the music stopped and she started back to her seat, her face was hot and prickly. She was positive that everyone in the entire dining room was looking at her and snickering.

  Julie and Sarah were sitting at her family's table when she got there. Brian and Molly followed close behind her and sat down.

  "Well," said Mr. Barry, "I think I'll find Todd and then go up to the room and join your mother."

  "Okay, Dad," Beth said.

  What a relief, she thought. With her parents out of the way, maybe she could blend in with the older kids.

  "Want to come back, too?" her father asked, looking at Beth.

  "Uh, no, thanks," Beth said. "I think I'll—just stay and listen to the music for a while."

  He checked his watch. "For an hour, okay? Then you come up to the room and watch Alicia so your mother and I can come back down."

  Beth started to open her mouth and say, "Why do I always have to be the sitter?" But she didn't want to act like an immature kid, arguing with her father in front of everyone, so she forced herself to smile. "Okay," she replied softly.

  "Look after your sister," Mr. Barry told Brian and Brittany.

  "Sure," Brittany said. "We'll look after our little sister, and in one hour we'll send her up to bed."

  Beth was determined not to give Brittany the satisfaction of watching her get angry. She made herself look her father right in the eye. "I'll be fine, Dad."

  Beth expected another snide remark from Brittany as soon as her father left, but her sister was too interested in the other kids to bother with her.

  The band started playing again, and Molly turned to Brian. "Want to dance again?" she asked.

  "How about sitting this one out?" Brian said.

  "Oh, but Brian, this is my most favorite song in the whole world," Molly pleaded, tugging his arm.

  Brian laughed. "Well, I guess in that case we'd better not waste it."

  As they were getting up to go to the dance floor, a man walked into the dining room, and Beth caught her breath. He was tall, tanned, muscular, and the best-looking guy she had ever seen. She quickly estimated his age to be twenty or so, too old for her, but she didn't even care. She would be happy just to look at this incredibly handsome guy.

  Brittany had spotted him, too. In fact, Beth noticed that just about every female in the room had turned to stare at him.

  He nodded cordially to people sitting at tables scattered across the room, and his gaze stopped when he looked their way. Beth watched in amazement as he waved and smiled in their direction. Julie, Sarah, and Molly returned the wave.

  Brittany grabbed Julie's arm and whispered. "Who is that guy?"

  "I knew that would be your next question," Julie said, laughing.

  "Isn't he unbelievably good-looking?" asked Sarah.

  "Incredible," answered Brittany, not moving her eyes from him even for a second. "He looks like a movie star!"

  "His name is Marcel Goujon," Julie told her. "He's from France."

  "He's the ski instructor here," explained Sarah. "And you should hear his accent. It's wonderful!"

  "He's the ski instructor, is he?" asked Brittany, a smile creeping across her face. Beth could guess what was going through her sister's mind.

  "Uh-huh," said Julie. "We take lessons every chance we get."

  Brittany grinned. "Surely you're getting too good for lessons by now."

  Sarah shrugged. "It takes a long time to learn to ski well. Lots of people take lessons over and over again."

  Beth smiled to herself. Probably some people did take ski lessons over and over again, but she wasn't fooled by Julie, Sarah, and Molly. They wanted to be close to Marcel.

  "Is Marcel married?" asked Brittany.

  "Nope," Julie said.

  "Great!" exclaimed Brittany. She still hadn't taken her eyes off Marcel, who was now sitting with a couple at a table near the far wall.

  "Who's he sitting with?" Brittany was craning her neck to see across the crowded room.

  "Mr. and Mrs. Martin," said Julie. "They own the resort. He comes in here several times a week to have dinner with them."

  "Do you think he'll ask anyone to dance?" asked Brittany.

  Julie sighed. "He never does."

  "But we've seen plenty of girls ask him," added Sarah.

  "Really?" Brittany said. "Have you asked him?"

  Sarah chuckled. "No. We're still working up our nerve."

  "But does he dance with the girls who ask him?" Brittany pressed.

  "Yes," said Julie. "But I think he's just being polite."

  Just then Brad Jenkins, the boy who had danced with Brittany earlier, approached and asked her to dance again.

  "Sure," Brittany said. But Beth noticed that she
glanced over at Marcel as she made her way to the dance floor.

  It was a fast dance, and Brittany really threw herself into it. Beth knew Brittany was an excellent dancer, but she hadn't realized just how good her sister really was. Brittany swung around and waved her arms in the air and really looked great.

  Beth noticed that Brittany moved a little toward the far side of the dance floor, and Brad followed. Seconds later Brittany took a few more steps to the side, and Brad followed again.

  Then it dawned on Beth what her sister was doing. She's moving closer to Marcel! She wants to get his attention with her dancing!

  Well, that should do it, Beth thought. If Brittany's dancing won't get Marcel to notice her, nothing will.

  Beth sat up as tall as she could and was able to see Marcel. He and the Martins were talking. Once Marcel looked up, seeming to watch someone on the dance floor.

  It was Brittany, of course. Who else?

  Beth sighed and rested her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands. This is the crowning blow, she thought. Brittany gets a bed all to herself, she doesn't have to go back to the room early, and she doesn't have to baby-sit Alicia. And now she's got the attention of the most handsome man in the whole world. It just isn't fair!

  Frowning, Beth checked her watch. Her father had left only ten minutes ago. That meant she could stay for another fifty minutes, if she wanted to.

  But why bother? she thought gloomily. Everyone will dance except me, everyone will have fun except me, everyone will talk and be included in the conversation. Except me. There's no point in hanging around. It's just too depressing to be left out. Not to mention embarrassing.

  She faked a yawn. "I'm pretty tired," she told Julie. "Guess I'll go upstairs and let my folks come down for a while."

  "Okay," Julie said faintly. "See you tomorrow."

  Beth sighed. She got up and headed upstairs to her room, where she could have her own dream about whirling around the dance floor with Marcel Goujon.

  CHAPTER 4