Give Me a Break (From the Files of Madison Finn, 18) by Dower Laura

Author:Dower, Laura [Dower, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781480423190
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2014-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

BY MIDDAY, MADISON AND Aimee were feeling more in control of their skis—and their crushes. When she wasn’t attempting to balance herself on her skis, Madison was busy figuring out new ways to get closer to Hugh.

Aimee was sticking close to Carlos, of course.

“The key to skiing is to master your equipment and your speed. If you feel yourself start to lose control, fall onto your backside or your side, and don’t attempt to get up until you stop sliding,” Carlos explained.

Madison snickered. “Fall on my butt? That’s no problem for me.”

“Me, neither,” Hugh laughed.

“The easiest way to get hurt while skiing is to try a run or a move that is too hard,” Carlos went on. “Never attempt a jumping move or other trick unless you are being taught by an instructor.”

Carlos led the group over to a large billboard with a map of the entire Big Mountain area and pointed out the easy and difficult slopes.

Madison noticed a trail marked Bad Luck Gully. She gulped.

Bad luck?

“Got any questions?” Carlos asked when he saw Madison’s face. “You look a little worried. No worries, okay?”

Madison smiled. “Okay,” she said softly.

Carlos clapped his hands. “Now, I need a volunteer for another demonstration,” he said.

Aimee and Madison thrust their hands into the air at the same moment.

“I’ll do it,” they each said.

But Carlos looked in the opposite direction and called on someone else in the group, a girl named Beth. Carlos walked over and arranged Beth’s body in the proper skiing position.

“Oh, that’s great,” Aimee huffed. “She didn’t even volunteer.”

“What’s the big deal?” Madison asked.

“What do you mean, ‘what’s the big deal’? You raised your hand, too.”

“Yeah, but…” Madison thought for a moment. “Forget it.”

“Why are you acting so strange?” Aimee asked.

“Me? You’re the one who’s acting a little strange lately, Aimee. You remind me of… oh, I won’t say it.”

“Who?” Aimee asked.

Madison raised her fingers to her face and pretended to zip her lips.

“Who?” Aimee asked. “Tell me.”

“You’re acting like Poison Ivy would act,” Madison said.

“What?” Aimee said. “You think I’m acting like the enemy?”

“No… of course not… oh… I don’t know,” Madison said, unsure about how to respond. She wanted to say, Look, Aim, you are acting like Ivy and you can’t deny it. You can’t always hog Carlos, you know. You’re not the center of the universe, you know.

But that was the very last thing that Madison would ever have said out loud.

Carlos clapped his hands together again.

“I want you to try leaning on one ski,” Carlos said. “It is the best way to get ahold of your balance.”

Aimee tried putting all of her weight onto one ski. She got wobbly right away. Madison reached out and grabbed Aimee’s parka.

“That was close,” Aimee said, flailing with her right arm. “Wait, I’m not… wait…”

Madison wanted to let go, but her glove got stuck somehow in the crook of Aimee’s arm. She tried very hard not to cross her right ski over her left ski and lose her balance, but—

Crash.

The two friends fell on top of each other.

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