Girls Only! (4 page)

“Uh . . . wait a minute, kiddo.”

She paused. “What is it?”

His eyes seemed to look right through her. “Must you get up so early?”

She sighed. “I
have
to skate. Every day!”

“But without a coach?” He placed his spoon in the cereal bowl, staring down at it.

“I’m doing my best on my own. A town this size . . .” She paused. Did she dare say it? Should she tell her dad what she really thought of his idea to come here?

His eyes met hers. “Are you trying to tell me there aren’t any coaches in Alpine Lake?”

“Not for advanced skaters like me.”

“I’m sorry, Livvy. I know it’s
your
thing.”

Quickly, she went to him. “You don’t have to be sorry. Just please share my skating dreams with me. At least pretend you care about them.” She touched his shoulder lightly. “I hated leaving Elena and all my friends. I despised it with all my heart. But I honestly think I can keep up without them . . . if I have
you
!”

Her father fidgeted and glanced at the wall clock nervously.

No comment
. Her dad couldn’t come up with one positive thing to say! Livvy wanted to shake him, to make him understand. Instead, she turned to go.

Her heart sank. She’d tried and failed to persuade him.

Bolting into the dining room, she passed the scraps of wood shavings and cans of stain.

Upstairs, she gathered up her three-ring binder and other school supplies, shoving them into her book bag. Before heading out the front door, she called to him. “I’m leaving now.” She fought back tears. No sense letting herself cry. Not now.

“Come home right after school,” he said from the kitchen.

“Can’t I go to the rink for a while?”

“Be home by five o’clock. No later.”

She snatched up her skate bag. Then, slinging her book bag over her shoulder, she left the house. She would never tell him that he sounded exactly like Mom just then. She would never dream of saying one word.

Dreams on Ice

Chapter Seven

Green and yellow gum wrappers were stuck all over the inside locker door next to Livvy’s. Two girls in matching blue T-shirts shared the locker. One of them kept snapping her bubble gum.

“Hi,” Livvy said, attempting a smile.

“Hey, you must be the new girl,” said the gum chewer with enormous blue eyes.

“Unfortunately.”

The girls turned away, whispering and giggling.

But she wouldn’t let their cattiness discourage her. “I’m Olivia Hudson,” she spoke up. “Most everyone calls me Livvy, so you can, too.” She slammed her locker door a bit too hard.

The girls spun around. “Whoa, the skater’s got a temper,” declared the blond-haired gum chewer.

Livvy bit her tongue. “I’m not mad . . . not really.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” sassed the blonde.

“Wait a minute. How’d you know I was a skater?” Livvy asked.

The girl rolled her eyes and tilted her head coyly. “I just do.”

Ignoring the comment, Livvy asked, “So . . . what’s
your
name?”

“Diane Larson. Captain of the cheerleading squad.”

Diane’s short, plump friend set the record straight. “You were captain
last
year. And don’t forget it.” The petite girl smiled at Livvy. “Hi, I’m Suzy Buchanan.”

“Nice to meet you,” Livvy said, observing both of them. Diane was tall and wiry, with chin-length blond hair. Suzy was perky and cute, with big brown eyes and a sweet smile, her brunette hair pulled back in a ponytail.

“By the way, have either of you seen my locker partner?” she asked.

Diane and Suzy displayed total shock. “You’re kidding! You don’t know who you’re sharing your locker with?” Diane gasped.

“All your stuffs in there, right?” Suzy asked.

Livvy felt nervous. “On second thought, maybe I’ll just lug everything around with me. Till I meet her.”

Promptly, she worked her combination lock again and yanked open the locker. Once again, Livvy noticed the
upper shelf—lined with hot-pink carpet—as she checked out the place. An oval mirror with bright pink rickrack glued to its frame was tilted on its side. The mirror was attached to the inside of the door. “Whoever it is, she likes pink. Likes to primp, too.”

“Don’t we all,” catty Diane remarked, popping her gum.

Suzy poked her. “Be nice, okay?”

“Whatever.” And with that, Diane turned and dashed away.

“Wow, your locker’s all jazzed up. That oughta tell you something,” Suzy offered.

The brown-eyed girl was actually trying to help. “Hey, super,” Livvy said, laughing. “She’s probably a wanna-be teen model or something.” She stared at the gum wrappers on Suzy’s locker door. “And you must be into bubble gum. Do you sell it or just chew it?”

“Both,” Suzy said, swinging her ponytail. She shoved her hand into her jeans pocket. “How many packs do you want?”

“Later, maybe.”

“So who’d you get for homeroom?”

Livvy dug through her book bag and found her schedule.

“Smith . . .
Mrs
. Smith.”

Suzy clutched her throat and made a gagging sound.

“What’s wrong?”

Suzy shifted her books. “You’ll find out soon enough. Diane and I had her last year.”

“So you’re seventh graders?” Livvy asked.

“And proud of it.”

The first bell interrupted them.

“Well, is there something I should know about Mrs. Smith before I head for homeroom?” Livvy asked.

“Just don’t ever let her catch you reading or writing while she’s talking. It’s her pet peeve. And I’m not kidding!”

“Thanks for the hint.” Livvy was glad that Suzy was so friendly. Things had started out pretty iffy.

“Hope you meet your locker pal soon,” Suzy called over her shoulder.

“Thanks. Me too.” Livvy pushed her skate bag in the far corner of the locker and headed for Room 123—Mrs. Smith’s homeroom. She reminded herself to give her undivided attention when the teacher was talking.

No problem . . . easy as a single toe loop!

Mrs. Smith got things started by greeting students. “It’s good to see so many scrubbed faces . . . and smiling ones, too!”

A nervous ripple spread through the classroom. Nobody was smiling, at least not that Livvy could see.

“Now, let’s get down to important business.” She gave instructions for expected behavior, including the rule about paying attention at all times. “I assign 500-word essays for students who think I’m kidding.”

The teacher wrote her name on the board. “This is just in case some of you forget.”

Several kids snickered, but Livvy looked straight ahead.

Attendance was taken, and a few papers were handed out. “Please take these home and have a parent sign them. Return them by Wednesday . . . two days from now.”

Mrs. Smith made an announcement about cheerleading tryouts. The girls sprang to life. “Sixth-grade girls will meet in the gymnasium at seven o’clock on Friday morning, September eleventh,” said the teacher. “Seventh-grade girls, immediately after school on the same day. That’s nearly two weeks to get in shape.”

Livvy groaned inside. Why did sixth-grade tryouts have to be so early? Too close to early-morning skate time.

She waited until the teacher finished her announcements before jotting down a note about cheerleading. She didn’t want to start the year out on the wrong foot. Especially in a new school.

She observed Mrs. Smith while waiting for the first-period bell. The teacher couldn’t have been a day over twenty-five and was well dressed. She could’ve passed for
a department-store clerk. Or . . . a judge at an important skating event.

Livvy shrugged the last thought away. No matter where she was, no matter what she was doing, her mind kept creeping back to skating.

During lunch period, Livvy ended up sitting alone. She was glad she’d packed her own sandwich. The meatloaf from the cafeteria looked absolutely mushy. Super ick!

Her friends back home would be choking if they could see the week’s hot lunch menu. Livvy had stuffed it into her book bag—with the rest of her first-day papers.

Feeling like a stranger in alien territory, she started working on her homework. Math had always been one of her favorite subjects, so she began with the first page of problems.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice. “Well, hello there, Livvy.”

She looked up to see Mrs. Newton. “How are you?”

“Now that you’re smiling, I’m doing just fine.” The woman sat across from her, fingering her charm bracelet. “How’s your first day so far?”

“Oh, you know . . . being the new girl is a pain.” She
hated to admit that she disliked the school and the town, too. “It takes time to fit in, I guess.”

“Not if you’re personal friends with the cheerleading coach.” Mrs. Newton was beaming, pointing to herself.

“Really? You’re in charge of tryouts?”

Mrs. Newton was nodding emphatically. “I guarantee you’ll be as popular as punch if you hang out with me.”

Livvy closed her homework. “You said you were a school volunteer when we met at the mall. I had no idea you were the cheerleading coach.”

“Stick with me, Livvy. I’ll make sure you get acquainted around here. And fast.”

“Hey, thanks. Such a deal.”

Grinning, Mrs. Newton excused herself. “I best be heading back to the library. I’m also the librarian’s assistant.”

Livvy couldn’t believe her ears. “You’re everywhere, Mrs. Newton!”

“No place I’d rather be.” She waved, her bracelet jangling. “Come see me at the mall when you practice again.”

Before Livvy could stop her, Mrs. Newton was swallowed up by the cafeteria crowd. Mostly by girls vying for her attention.

So . . . Mrs. Newton had seen her skating at the mall
rink. That meant she must work at the Cloth Mill
after
school hours. Livvy made a mental note to stop in and see the friendly woman there.

“Hey,” Suzy Buchanan said, sliding in next to Livvy. “Are you saving a seat for me?” She blinked her eyes fast.

“Maybe.”

They laughed together, which dismissed the tension a bit.

“I see you met our stunning Mrs. Newton,” Suzy said.

“Yeah, she’s super cool.”

“You can say that again.” Suzy opened her brown bag lunch and pulled out a napkin. “Have you met ‘Hot Pink’ yet?”

“Who?”

“Your locker partner.”

“Oh,
her
. I’ve been back to my locker after every class but haven’t seen anyone. Maybe she’s absent today.”

Suzy shook her head. “Whoever heard of missing school on the first day?” Neatly, she spread out her sandwich, some mini-pretzels, sliced apples, and chocolate-chip cookies. “Why don’t you just hang out at your locker after school? That way you won’t miss her.”

“Super idea.” Livvy watched her new friend first eat her sandwich, then her pretzels. The cookies came next, followed by three fat apple slices. “Any special reason why you save the apples for last?” she asked.

Suzy nodded, waiting to answer till she was finished chewing. “Apples clean your teeth. Did you know that?”

Livvy thought about it. “Why don’t you just bring your toothbrush along and brush your teeth?”

Suzy reached into her book bag and pulled out a small zipper case. “Ta-dah!”

“You’ve gotta be kidding.” Livvy spied a toothbrush, dental floss, and a teeny tube of toothpaste. “Looks like you’re prepared for anything.”

“Always!” Suzy grinned.

“So why bother eating your lunch in
any
order?” Livvy asked, noticing the remaining apple slice.

Eyebrows high, Suzy zipped the little bag shut. “Guess it’s just a habit. I sorta drive people crazy that way.”

“Like who?” Livvy was pretty sure she already knew.

“Diane, for one. But it’s easy to annoy her, if you know what I mean.”

Livvy wondered about that but played it safe and didn’t ask. She thought it would be nice to talk to Suzy—friend to friend. Maybe even mention her skating goals and ask Suzy about her hobbies. Stuff like that.

She was that close to sticking her neck out and getting better acquainted when Diane Larson showed up.

“Are you trying out for cheerleader this year?” Diane asked, looking only at Suzy.

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t,” Suzy sassed with a grin.

“Aw, c’mon,” the taller girl said, sitting down across from them. “You have to at least try out.
Everyone
will be.”

Livvy’s ears perked up. “
All
the girls?”

“Well, you know.” Diane seemed too eager for Suzy’s reaction to make eye contact with Livvy. “So . . .
are
you?”

Suzy muttered into her brown bag, then stashed her trash inside. Turning, she looked at Livvy. “You’ll come and try out, won’tcha?”

Livvy crumpled up her napkin and the sandwich bag. “Me? I doubt it.”

“Why not?” Suzy persisted. “You ought to. You’re tall . . . and pretty. And it looks like you’re in tight with Mrs. Newton, too.”

“Leave Livvy out of this,” Diane blurted, her eyes flashing.

“Don’t be rude,” Suzy shot back.

“Don’t be stupid!” Diane flounced off.

Suzy stood up, eyes pleading. “Honestly, she’s totally insecure.”

Livvy chuckled. “I never would’ve guessed.”

Suzy laughed, too, and tossed her trash into the receptacle. “Hey, you’re cool, Liv. See you at your locker.”

Livvy felt as warm as cocoa on a winter day. Now . . . if she could just meet “Hot Pink,” her mystery locker mate!

Dreams on Ice

Chapter Eight

So far, things had gone semi-okay for the first day of school. There was only one thing left to do. And Livvy was determined to do it. Even if she had to stand in front of her locker and miss the school bus, she was going to meet her locker partner!

“Any luck?” Suzy asked, gathering her books after school.

Livvy shrugged. “Beats me who she is.” She surveyed the interior of her locker for the tenth time.

“Hey, wait a minute,” Suzy said. “Maybe the pink carpet was glued in from last year.”

Livvy didn’t think so. “Except what about this snazzy mirror?” She traced the pink frame with her pointer finger. “Nobody would leave
this
behind.”