Give Me a Break (From the Files of Madison Finn, 18) (13 page)

Madison gazed up into the sky and watched the other skiers making their way back up the mountain on the lift. The view must have been great, just as Carlos had said.

Of course, the view here, next to Hugh, wasn’t so bad, either.

M
ADISON AND AIMEE SAT
around the living-room fireplace. Phin was there, too, chewing on a rawhide toy, looking up occasionally to check out the fire and sigh one of his little doggy sighs.

They were alone, just the three of them. Dad and Stephanie had gone to a complimentary cocktail party in the Treetops restaurant—for adults only. Although they weren’t sure about going out, Dad and Stephanie decided at the last minute to go. It wasn’t as if the restaurant were very far. It was just a five-minute walk from the room.

Since their return that afternoon from skiing, Madison and Aimee had watched an extreme sports special on the skiing channel, hosted by none other than their favorite superstar, Foster Lane. They’d eaten thin mints and half a bag of corn chips,
and
they’d drunk root beer (Madison was glad her favorite soda was stocked in the kitchenette fridge).

The chalet was quieter than quiet, except for the occasional sound of the wind coming in at the many windows and skylights and the crackling fire, of course. A few times Madison jumped, convinced that she heard voices or footsteps or loud thunks that she was sure had to be Mr. White, the ghost the waiter had told them about on their first night in the resort.

Madison taught Aimee how to play crazy eights just the way Gramma Helen played it. They fed Phinnie his kibble. Eventually, the laptop came out and they started surfing around. Their first stop was the TweenBlurt.com website. Madison and Aimee headed for the fortune-telling area called Ask the Blowfish.

“Will Ben Buckley become Aimee’s one true love?” Madison asked the blowfish.

“What kind of a question is
that
?” Aimee said, whacking Madison’s shoulder with her one good arm. “I don’t like Ben
that
much. And I don’t believe that a computer can tell me who my one true love is.”

Madison rolled her eyes. “Okay. I change my question to: ‘Will Carlos the ski instructor become Aimee’s one true love?’”

“Maddie!”
Aimee shrieked, pretending to be shocked by the new question. “Cut it out!”

The blowfish’s answer to Madison’s question came up in an underwater bubble: “Outlook not clear. Ask again.”

Aimee hit the
ESCAPE
key on the laptop. “I’m bored. Let’s play something else,” she suggested. But before they could decide what else to do, a small box popped up in the corner of the screen. They had a message!

: R U there????


In unison, Aimee and Madison let out a shrill cry that caused Phin to drop his chew toy and dash into the next room.

“I’m not bored anymore!” Aimee said, diving for the keyboard.

Madison typed the first response.

: HELLOOOOOOOOOOOO! ((Fiona)):**


: I took a chance that u guys would be home @ nite maybe watching TV or going online I am soooo lucky to find u guys OMG how is UR wrist aim??? I got Maddie’s email and I was SOOOO worried


: it’s ok Aimee can’t ski but we stayed n e way at the resort


: Phew (that ur ok) chet is ok 2 I think I told u he busted up his ankle it was actually just a sprain too but he can’t do ANYTHING


: bummer


: I can do stuff though & I went to my 1st surfing lesson


: KOOL


: I didn’t exactly go in the water yet


: I didn’t exactly ski down a mountain yet


: so what’s the status on the crush? Spill it


Aimee pushed Madison away from the keyboard. “Maddie, you won’t tell her the truth. Let me type.” Madison watched Aimee respond.

: ok it’s me Aim--Maddie is IN LOVE with this guy Hugh and he actually lives close to home


: wow T^


: He is cuter than Hart even


: wow sounds serious


: did Maddie tell u that we saw Foster Lane?


: R U KIDDING ME?


: He asked us to be in one of his movies J/J


: LOL look we’re not going back to Far Hills until Sunday so I won’t see you until school


: :>(


: BTW did u get an e-mail from Lindsay?


: no Y?


: I think our chain letter worked!


: huh?


: Lindsay saw Ivy Daly in downtown yesterday and she was wearing a hat pulled down around her head


: SW? It’s cold out everyone wears hats


: NONONONONONONO something was up with her hair Lindsay said she heard a rumor that Ivy’s hair got gum in it or something and she had to cut it short.


: maybe she has lice!!


: ewwwwwww


: It def. had 2 be the chain letter. I told u and Aimee those things really work.


: BTW thanks for the pic maddie I loved it


: I loved it 2--Aim posing on the slopes!


: in a pile of snow LOL


: we both miss u so much


: next time we have a school break--let’s NOT break us up, ok?


: :>)


: GG--send me another e-mail tomorrow if u can and more pictures PLEEZ


Madison logged off. Aimee lounged on the sofa, her feet up.

“Maddie?” Aimee said softly, scratching Phin’s ears. The pug had padded back into the room and was now stretched out on top of Aimee’s stomach. “Maybe you’re right.”

Madison flopped onto another chair. “Right about what?” she asked Aimee.

“I don’t know,” Aimee said. “Right about all this good-luck stuff. I mean, it makes sense. We left the chain letter in Ivy’s locker, and see what happened?”

“Right,” Madison said, nodding. “And you didn’t wear your bunny charm, and see what happened to you?”

Aimee glanced down at her wrist. “I was just showing off, you know.”

“What do you mean?” Madison said.

“I was showing off,” Aimee admitted again. “And then when it happened, I was way too embarrassed to even talk about it. I felt like the biggest moron on the planet. Usually when I have a tough variation or a hard step in ballet, I stick it on the first try. But skiing was harder for me.”

“It’s okay,” Madison said.

“No, it’s not,” Aimee said, “I almost messed up our entire vacation—including for your dad and Stephanie, too, because I was being dumb.”

“I was being dumb, too,” Madison said. She paused. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too!” Aimee declared.

Madison and Aimee both reached out for a hug at the same time.

“I have something to show you,” Madison said once they’d already embraced. Madison clicked around on her laptop until the photo Mom had sent filled the screen.

“That’s
us
!” Aimee said when she saw the picture.

“We’ll be friends forever,” Madison said.

“Friends forever,” Aimee agreed.

The Big Ski area of the ski slopes seemed unusually crowded that morning. Of course, numerous families were hanging out today for the special demonstrations. Not only were different groups showing off whatever they’d learned at ski lessons, but staff members were doing snowboard and snow-tubing tricks for the gallery. Ski patrollers were also sponsoring safety talks. Dad and Stephanie walked around, talking with another couple they’d met at the party the night before.

Aimee helped Carlos prepare for the presentation by keeping everyone in a good mood. Several of the parents were buzzing about Aimee’s recent accident. Apparently anyone who fell on Big Mountain turned into a momentary mountain celebrity.

Carlos asked partners to pair up and practice. The technique demonstration would begin after a few run-throughs.

Madison spotted Hugh hanging around at the side of the slope with his crew of spectators: Philip, Wick, and Roger. He waved Madison over.

“Hi,” Madison said. Hugh introduced her to everyone.

“I was looking for you,” Hugh said.

“You were?” Madison said, with a lilt in her voice.

“Yeah, I have a slight problem,” Hugh said.

“Oh, really?” Madison asked. She reached into her jacket and felt around for the end of her ski-bunny necklace and nervously played with the rabbit charm. “Um… what’s the problem?”

“I can’t ski with you today,” Hugh said.

It was as if the entire mountaintop had gone silent. Madison’s head whirred. She wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.

“What did you say?” Madison asked.

“I can’t ski with you. Sorry. I have to go be with my friends and my parents,” he said. “Well, I don’t really see the point in this demo anyway, do you? I mean, we practiced, but it all seems kind of stupid now…”

“But the ski presentation only takes half an hour,” Madison said. “You can’t do it at all?”

Hugh shook his head. “I’m really sorry. It was fun hanging out, though.”

Madison felt herself swoon a little—but not in a good way. She took a deep breath so she wouldn’t tumble into the snow on her skis. She looked right at Hugh and then over at his friends. The other boys were whispering and smiling.

Madison knew exactly what was going on. His friends had put him up to this.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked Hugh.

“What do you mean?” Hugh said. “I just told you. And I said I was sorry. I don’t know what the big deal is…”

Hugh’s friend Wick spoke up.

“Look, Hughie can’t do it. Why don’t you just find another partner?” Wick said.

Madison froze.

Was this what it felt like to be buried by a sudden avalanche on a mountaintop in the middle of nowhere? Madison felt
that
alone. Plus, she was outnumbered four to one.

“I’m really, really sorry,” Hugh said again.

“You’re sorry?” Madison repeated.

“Maybe we can ski some other time?” Hugh asked.

It sounded as though Hugh were trying to be nice. But Madison knew better. Trying wasn’t good enough.
He
wasn’t good enough. Slowly, Madison got into the wedge ski position and carefully turned herself around.

“Wait. Madison?” Hugh called out after her.

Madison didn’t turn around. It was taking all her concentration not to cross her skis and crash down into the snow in a hysterical, sobbing mess.

Carlos was busy making sure everyone was practicing and getting their equipment together. He had set out stereo speakers for musical accompaniment to the demonstration. Aimee helped him get those set up.

Madison made a beeline for her BFF.

Her face must have been saying,
Help me now,
because as soon as Aimee saw her, she came crunching toward her in her clunky ski boots.

“Maddie, what’s wrong? Where’s Hugh going?” Aimee asked.

Madison turned around and saw that Hugh had skied away with his three friends. Just like that.

“He’s gone,” Madison said.

“Wait, I’m confused,” Aimee said. “He’s
gone
? But the demo is starting soon. He’s your partner.”

Madison glared at Aimee. “No kidding.”

“Seriously, he’s coming back, isn’t he?” Aimee asked. But then she understood. “Oh, my God, he’s really gone? Maddie!”

Madison felt like she’d been slammed on the side of the head with a snowboard. Was it possible to get a concussion from something someone
said
?

“What am I going to do? I’m… all… alone,” Madison stammered. She could feel the rush of tears coming, but she fought the urge to cry.

“You are
so
not alone,” Aimee reassured her.

Madison sniffled.

“I’m here,” Aimee said, putting her good arm around Madison’s shoulder.

Madison unzipped the top of her parka and reached under her fleece. She fumbled for a bit and then produced the bunny-charm necklace.

“What good is this thing?” Madison cried as she yanked it off and hurled it to the ground.

Instantly, Aimee dropped to her knees and fished in the snow for the necklace. She handed it back to Madison.

“What are you doing?” Aimee asked. “You can’t get rid of this. It’s your lucky charm.”

“There’s no such thing as lucky charms or superstitions or any of it. You were right, Aimee.”

Aimee pulled Madison into another hug, which was a little awkward because they were both dressed in snow gear. Madison was starting to cry, and Aimee had one wrist in a cast.

Madison stared off in the direction where Hugh had been standing. It was just hitting her. She would never, ever, ever see him again.

“Maddie,” Aimee whispered. “Let me show you something.”

“What?” Madison asked. What could Aimee possibly have to show Madison?

Aimee unzipped her own parka and opened the top of her sweater. There, on Aimee’s neck, was
her
ski-bunny charm necklace.

“You wore it?” Madison asked. “But I thought—”

“I think this week you made me believe in all that good-luck stuff,” Aimee said. “Besides, my ballet teacher would really be unhappy if I sprained my other wrist, so, just in case…”

Madison looked down at the necklace that she held clenched in her hand. Then, smiling, she looped it around her neck once again.

“Aimee, I’m so glad you’re here on this trip. You’re such a good friend,” Madison said. “I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t my friend—”

“Oh, give me a break,” Aimee said. “You’re the one who’s great. I know sometimes I can be a pain. At least, that’s what my brothers always tell me.”

“I’m glad you’re wearing your bunny necklace, Aimee. You know, it really looks good on you.”

“Yeah, I think it matches my outfit today,” Aimee said with a grin. “And I think we both need a bit of good luck.”