CHAPTER 6
Grace spent the next few days moping. She hid the duffel bag that held her skates in her closet so she wouldn’t have to think about skating. In school, she couldn’t focus and avoided Lauren.
After school one afternoon, Grace looked over at the closet door her duffel bag was hidden behind. She thought about the skating gear stored inside. She did barefoot crossovers on her carpet and missed the feel of her skates.
Grace tried pushing away thoughts of skating, but it was no use. Skating was what she loved to do. It made her happy. She didn’t want to give it up.
At dinner that night, she explained the situation to her parents. “What should I do?” she asked.
“Grace, this isn’t our decision to make,” her dad said. “What do you think you should do?”
Grace pushed the food around on her plate. “I miss it,” she said.
“Well, then, that’s your answer,” said Grace’s mom.
“But what about Lauren?” Grace asked.
“What about her?” her dad replied. “I thought you said she offered to help.”
“That’s what she said,” Grace said slowly. But she wondered if Lauren could have really meant it.
Why would she want to help me? Grace wondered. I’m her competition.
“Besides,” said her mom, “you need to think about what you want. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing.”
Grace nodded. She knew her parents were right. It sounded just like what Coach Roberts had told her. “Then I know what I want,” she said. “It’s what I have always wanted. To skate.”