�You okay?� Alyson asked. Tara nodded, as they spotted Siobhan and Madison near the bench where they�d put their stuff. Their friends waved, and the two waved back and hurried over.
�Yummy, food. I�m starved!� Tara exclaimed as she grabbed her lunch. Her friends followed suit and they sat down.
�How were the slopes, Syvanni?� Alyson asked her friend.
Siobhan smiled, �Good! I only fell once and we went at least a dozen times.� she grinned, very pleased with her accomplishments.
�Yay, you!� Alyson cheered.
Tara coughed before she bit into her sandwich, �Hey, Tare, you okay?� Madison asked, concerned.
�I�m fine! It�s just a little cough!� Tara said, adamantly.
�That�s what they said on Charmed and look what happened.� Alyson pointed out.
�It�s the dead of winter. There are no insects around to bite me and give me Oroya Fever, so stop worrying, okay?� Tara pleaded, and then sneezed.
Alyson, Madison, and Siobhan exchanged worried looks, but before anyone could say anything else, they heard an all-too-familiar voice at the table next to them.
�Ooh, look who�s a crybaby? Cry, baby, cry!� a voice taunted.
�Which poor soul is Oliver picking on now?� Madison asked, craning her neck to see. Oliver Platt was the 10th-grade bully, and picked on everyone he could find that looked like an easy target. He�d already targeted the four girls, but when Madison and Alyson had showed him what they were made of, he�d never bugged them again.
Alyson groaned and looked around for teachers, but there seemed to be none. She stood up and stalked over to Oliver and his two cronies.
�Platt, what are you doing?� she asked, drawing herself up to her full height of 5 feet, 4 and a quarter inches.
�Not that it�s any of your business, Almond, but I�m just having a little fun with this snot-nosed little girl here.� Oliver grinned crazily, and drew himself up to his height of just an inch taller than Alyson. Alyson glanced over at the African-American girl with tear-streaked cheeks.
�Uh-huh. Well, stop it right now or you�ll have to mess with Madison and I...bet you�d like to do that again after the fun we had last fall? Remember that, huh?� Alyson taunted.
Oliver puffed up his cheeks and thought for a moment. Madison got up and went to stand next to Alyson, too. Oliver backed down immediately, and growled before he and his 2 friends walked away.
Madison sat next to the girl, �Hey, you okay?� she asked.
Alyson sat on the other side, �Did Oliver say something to hurt your feelings?� she asked. The girl sniffled and shook her head, �No, I was already crying, he just cornered me.� she sniffled again and wiped her eyes.
Siobhan and Tara had come over by then, �Hey, what�s your name?� Siobhan asked.
�Kennedi Limon. My family just moved here from California.� Kennedi introduced herself.
�Nice to meet you, Kennedi. I�m Alyson and that�s Madison, Siobhan, and Tara. Do you want to tell us what the matter is, sweetie?� Alyson asked.
�My parents...they just separated and my mom moved me and my little sister, Kendra, here from San Francisco. My dad and big brother are still there, and I miss them, and I don�t want them to get a divorce...and now I feel silly talking to people I just met about my problems.� Kennedi sniffled, looking embarrassed.
�Hey, don�t worry. Siobhan did the same thing when we first met.� Madison smiled, glancing at Siobhan, who smiled back.
�My parents are divorced.� Alyson put in, �When I was eight. It really stinks for awhile, but in my case, my parents had been fighting for so long it was almost a relief to have no more fighting. How long has it been, honey?� Alyson asked.
�About a month. We moved here about two weeks ago, and when Mom heard about this ski trip thingy, she thought it was a good idea.� Kennedi explained.
�Well, it is if you love to ski like Ally and Tara!� Siobhan exclaimed, �Me not so much. This is only my second time.� she explained.
�It�s my first. I haven�t even been out on the slopes yet. Mom wanted me to socialize, but I haven�t been able to find anyone to ski with.� Kennedi sighed.
�You can come with us! Maddi can give you and I a lesson, she�s been trying to teach me all morning.� Siobhan suggested.
Kennedi smiled, �Sure!�
�Maybe Tari should go with you guys, too.� Alyson suggested, looking over at Tara, who hadn�t said a thing during the whole discussion. Tara just shrugged, and concentrated on finishing her meal.
�Did you get some skis, Kennedi?� Madison asked the girl.
Kennedi shook her head, �Not yet. I wasn�t even sure I wanted to go.� she admitted.
�Come on and we�ll get you some.� Madison said.
�I have to go to the restroom first, be right back.� Kennedi said shyly.
�Okay, see ya in a bit.� Madison agreed, �Okay, Siobhan and Tari do you guys want to go for a run while Kennedi and I get some skis for her?� she asked.
�Okay.� Siobhan agreed.
�No.� Tara said, quietly.
�What, honey?� Alyson asked.
�I said no! I want to ski on the more advanced hills, but obviously you don�t care what I want!� Tara cried.
�Honey, of course we do...� Madison began.
�No, you don�t. You�re sitting here just deciding what Tara is going to do next and you called Kennedi sweetie! You never call anyone you�ve just met sweetie before!� Tara�s eyes filled with tears, �I want to ski on the intermediate slopes without Ally badgering me every two seconds because I�ve got this stupid cold! It�s not my fault I have this stupid cold and I feel fine enough to be skiing, so can you guys just stop?� she cried.
�Tare...� Siobhan said.
�Just leave me alone!� Tara shouted, and ran off.
�Tara!� Siobhan called and raced after her.
Tara turned around, red-faced, �Leave me alone, I said! Just go away!� she cried. Siobhan stopped, an incredibly hurt look on her face as Tara stormed off.
�Did...did we just fight?� Madison asked incredulously, and looked at both her friends, who were looking at her with tear-filled eyes.