Taking Chances Read Online Free PDF

performing them? I bet they’re pretty good,” he said.
    I sighed and looked down at my feet. “Um…no. I mean…my songs usually turn into poems. I sing other stuff though. Like Celine Dion,” I babbled.
    “Celine Dion?” he wondered.
    “Yeah. She’s my favorite singer. Her songs relate to me a lot,” I explained.
    “Yeah, I know who she is. She has a really great voice. I bet you’re just as good singing her songs as she is.” He smiled.
    “Um…thanks.” I said.
    “You know, we have a talent show at the end of the year. You should sing one of her songs.”
    “Uh…I don’t know. I mean…”
    “The first place winner goes to a regional competition.” Spencer really must have wanted me to be part of that talent show.
    “I guess I could.” I said shyly as I finally looked up at him.
    “Cool. I’m going to be in it too. I usually sing music by Michael Buble.”
    “Seriously? He has the best voice.” I said with a smile. I used to listen to Michael Buble a lot because they played his CDs at the diner.
    “Yeah. You said that Celine Dion is your favorite singer, Michael is mine.”
    “Cool. He’s probably my second favorite,” I said. Spencer smiled at my comment, and then noticed the time.
    “Hey, I’m going to head to class, but I’ll talk to you later,” he said as he walked away to his first class. Before I headed to Biology, I went into the bathroom and tried to see if makeup could cover up a little bit of the bruise so it would be less noticeable. I always kept some cover-up in my bag for times like this. It didn’t cover much, but if anyone asked, I’d use my dirt bike excuse.
     
    * * *
     
    “So, are you bored of Shabbona yet?” Spencer’s friend Jacqueline asked me during third hour P.E. I realized that she was in my class along with Spencer.
    “No. This is actually my favorite place in the world. In Chicago, it…wasn’t a very good life for me up there.”
    “Oh. I’ve always wanted to live in a big city, but my parents are holding me back. I really want to go to school at New York University to be a choreographer for Broadway musicals and movies and stuff, but they want me to stay here in Illinois. Maybe go to Illinois State University to major in Ag Communications. They want me to continue the family business. My dad is a corn farmer, and my mom works for the Farm Bureau in Chicago. She travels to different schools in Illinois to tell them about how fun agriculture can be.”
    “Oh. That stinks. My parents don’t really care about me. They…they don’t really care what I do, I mean.” I sighed.
    “Lucky. I wish my parents would just let me follow my dreams. If agriculture isn’t what I want to do, I shouldn’t have to be a part of it.” As we entered the gym and took our seats on the bleachers, she asked me, “What do you want to do?”
    “I want to help people,” I said. “Ever since middle school, I’ve wanted to be a counselor for a school or for a place that helps kids and families.”
    “That’s really nice. I like helping people, too, but I don’t think I could take all of the pain those kids go through. I mean, there was one girl when my mom went to school that was sexually abused by her uncle. Like, he raped her all the time. It was terrible. I don’t think I’d be able to handle things like that, abused kids, and people who are so poor they are on welfare. I just feel so bad for them.”
    “Yeah…” I muttered quietly. I tried to change the subject as I felt tears coming to my eyes at my memories. “Well, I mean, I bet you will be able to do what you want, Jacqueline. Maybe your parents just need time to realize that they need to let you do your own thing,”
    “Maybe. Oh, and I want to apologize for lunch the other day. I know Jeremy sort of embarrassed you and Spence with the whole girlfriend thing. He just likes to joke around. You and Spence seem pretty close, though. I saw you guys holding hands today.”
    “He was just showing me the