Fabulous Five 030 - Sibling Rivalry Read Free Page B

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