Something New (Book 1 of the Reaching New Heights Series)

Chapter 11

"Hey Lucy! How was it?" Mom asks when I walk into the waiting room with my bag.
"Fine." I reply.
"Where's Chloe?" Mom and Aunt Carol ask. I'm wondering the same thing. She still hasn't come back from her talk with Razz.
"I don't know. Razz wanted to talk to her after class." Just then, Chloe comes out with her bag over her shoulder. She doesn't look like anything's wrong, but she's good at hiding her emotions sometimes.
"Hey Chlo, what did Razz want to talk to you about?" Aunt Carol asks.
"She says that she thinks I'm naturally talented, and that I should move up to Advanced Beginner and maybe start feises in the next month or so." Chloe says. What? Chloe's just gonna ditch me to go make new friends who are a level above me, and she's gonna get to compete?! This is not fair.
"Wow! That's amazing!" Mom says.
"Oh and mom, Razz wants to talk to you in a minute or two about the whole plan or whatever." Chloe says to her mom.
"Chloe, that's amazing! I wish we could stay and talk some more, but I gotta get Lucy home and feed her so she can do her homework and everything!" Mom says, and I'm glad we're leaving. I'm silent almost the whole car ride home until we pull into the neighborhood.
"I'm so happy for Chloe! Isn't that exciting? She gets to start competing and move up a level!" Mom exclaims.
"Sure." I say but I don't sound excited because I don't feel it.
"Aren't you happy for her, Luce?"
"Sure." I say in the same tone.
"Maybe Razz is going to talk to you tomorrow. You never know." I know though. Razz definitely will not tell me the same thing that she told Chloe. No way, no how. I climb out of the car when my mom pulls into the garage and I head inside. When I open the door I see my dad and brother eating dinner.
"Hey Lucy! You hungry? I left some extra pasta and chicken on the counter for you! If you eat now it'll still be warm." Dad says. So of course, I have no other choice but to sit and eat, plus I'm hungry so I guess it's good.
"How was dance class?" Dad asks. By now my mom is sitting down and starting to eat, and I'm eating as well.
"Fine." I say. My mom and dad exchange looks. They probably have some secret code or language and they're probably talking about me, saying mean things about me.
"Chloe is going to move up a level to Advanced Beginner and she's also going to be starting competitions soon." Mom says trying to fill the silence.
"Wow! That's fantastic! She must be pretty good then!" Dad says and mom nods.
"She's only good because she practices all the time at home. She's no where near as good as Margaret, though." I say, rather angrily. Oh gosh, now I'm gonna get lectured for being rude.
"Well maybe if you want to start competing you should practice here at home more. I mean, your next class is next Monday. That's about 5 days away, so you could definitely practice. It wouldn't hurt. And if you want to advance and compete like Chloe, you should practice like Chloe." Mom says. I scowl. I still don't like irish dance, I hate it.

However, deep down inside of me, I like it. I try to shake the feeling, but it won't leave. It keeps telling me that I love it, that I wanna keep doing it, but the other voices keep telling it so be quiet because I don't like dance. I don't know which voice I should give into!