Isabel's Texas Two-Step Read Online Free Page A

“Excuse us. Isabel, take my seat. We have another one a few rows back—I will take that one.”
    I gave her a grateful smile. Aunt Lourdes to the rescue! But I wanted Aunt Lourdes to sit with Mom and me too. The three of us could play cards together and make our own little group, away from Elena Maria and her quince -obsessed posse.
    I don’t know where I got the nerve, but I stared up at the big man and asked, “Can we exchange seats so I can sit with my mother and my aunt?”
    Aunt Lourdes, I could see, was shocked at my boldness, but her eyes were hopeful.
    â€œI need the bulkhead row. I must have the extra room for my legs,” he answered in a gruff bear voice. “I’m very tall.”
    Couldn’t he see we needed to sit together? Aunt Lourdes spoke up. “I’ll go, Isabel. I’ll come back to say hello when we are in the air.”
    When I saw my mom’s disappointed look, I made my decision. “No, that’s okay. You sit with Mom. I want to draw in my sketchpad for a while, anyway.”
    With that I pulled my jacket tight around me and got up. For some reason I wanted my mother and my aunt to see how grown up I was. Plus, I knew the two sisters would enjoy hanging out and talking about the party, and I could totally sit by myself on the plane. I mean, for a twelve-year-old it should be no problem, right?
    The man very quickly moved in, whipping a suitcase into the overhead compartment, removing his jacket, and buckling in. I gave my aunt a wave and headed back to my seat alone. I actually felt pretty cool. Maybe everyonewill think I’m a seasoned traveler, like Charlotte. I smiled at the passengers as I walked down the aisle.
    I was eight rows behind my mother and Aunt Lourdes. A college-aged girl was already asleep, and I had to crawl over her. But she was pretty chill about being awakened by my clumsy stumbling. We started chatting. I wanted to yell to Elena Maria, See, this girl wants to talk to me!
    As we waited for the plane to take off, I could hear my sister and her friends cracking up at the back of the plane and being shushed by someone nearby. I smiled and settled in to do some sketching. Maybe being on my own wasn’t so bad after all.
    CHAPTER 3
The Stars Shine Bright
    T he sun had set by the time we landed in San Antonio. People were laughing and joking as they left the plane. Even Aunt Lourdes looked more relaxed. Must be the Texas air, I thought. I smiled as I checked that I had put everything back in my bag. I hoped Elena Maria was in a better mood too, and would let me use her cell phone now.
    But Elena and her friends were still totally wrapped up in their own world at baggage claim. Jill complained about how hot the airport was. Lauren was disappointed that she didn’t see any cowboys around. Scott and Andrew put on their sunglasses and acted like they were a pair of cool dudes from the big city. I noticed that a lot of people—regular people—were walking around in cowboy boots. I really wanted a pair…ones with bluebirds on them.
    â€œWhat’s that music piped in overhead?” Scott asked. “It sounds like we should all be holding hands and skipping in a circle or something.”
    â€œIt’s not that at all,” Elena Maria answered sharply. “It’s Mexican ranch-style music.”
    â€œThat’s a polka! My Polish cousins dance to it all the time,” Jill said, laughing.
    â€œNo way that’s Polish,” Scott said. “They’re singing in Spanish.”
    â€œWell, whatever it is, I like it,” Andrew said. He grabbed Jill by the hands and twirled her. “Get used to it, Jill. I hear there’s a lot of dancing at kinzy kinzy whatevers.”
    â€œKeen-seh-ah-niera!” I piped up.
    â€œAnd I’m having a band,” Elena Maria explained in a haughty voice. “At least there better be one, that plays a lot of hip-hop and soul and funk.”
    Ugh. One