False Gods: The Show Jumper's Challenge

Cory could hear them from her room, through the open door. She missed some of the conversation, as they must have moved toward the kitchen. Then she heard her mother’s voice, probably standing near the bottom of the stairs.

“She didn’t even go? What’s that girl’s problem anyway?”

Cory heard what sounded like Roni rummaging in her purse and strained to catch her words.

“Why am I paying for lessons, so she can do nothing with them? Why can’t she follow through with anything?”

She couldn’t hear Jess’s reply. Just an empty silence until her mother continued.

“That’s no excuse. That’s the end of it. I’m not throwing hard-earned money down the drain for lessons she doesn’t even appreciate.” A small thump sounded like her mother had thrown something.

Cory jumped up and stood next to the open door, listening. She wanted to run to the top of the stairs and yell down at them: Shut up, just shut up. You don’t even know what you’re talking about! Instead, she slammed the bedroom door. She didn’t go downstairs for dinner, and no one came up looking for her.