Unfriendly Competition (16 page)

Jacob Schwartz:

People just snap sometimes. They lose perspective and do things you'd never think they're capable of. I think she needs some srs counseling, but I'm also not sorry she got expelled after what she did.

Sasha Silver:

U know what's sad? I'm not sorry abt that either—just that ppl got hurt.

Jacob Schwartz:

I know ur at the stable, but call me or BBM if u need 2 talk. I'm here.

Sasha Silver:

I know u r. Thank u.

I put away my phone and let Charm loose in his stall.

“Get some sleep, boy,” I said. “I'll be here early tomorrow to get you ready to leave for Huntington.”

I took my time walking back, almost unable to believe that the show was tomorrow. So many things had happened between when I'd started prepping for the show and now. Paige and I were on our way to being friends again, Callie and I were talking, Julia was gone, and Lauren was a new student.

Taking the long route, I passed through the courtyard and saw a girl with her back to me, sitting on a stone bench. It only took another step for me to realize who she was and what I had to do.

My boot heels clicked on the cobblestones, and I walked up to Lauren, careful not to startle her.

I stopped in front of the bench, staring down and then looking at her.

“Hi,” I said.

Lauren looked back at me with big blue eyes. She'd pulled her long hair into a side ponytail, and she was dressed in a pea coat, lilac sweater, and boots with jeans tucked into them.

“I'm Sasha Silver,” I continued.

“I know,” Lauren's voice was soft. “You're
the
Sasha Silver from Union. From Briar Creek. It's so nice to meet you.”

Lauren stood, stretching out her hand.

Formal, but with a smile.

I shook her hand and sat at the end of the bench. “And I know you too. I came to visit Briar Creek a long time ago, and I saw you jumping in a field. Kim told me about you and how great you were.”

Lauren's fair skin blushed. “Not even close to you. Kim never stops talking about you. She uses your story as a way to encourage all of the riders at Briar Creek to look ahead and go for what we want.”

“And you wanted to come to Canterwood?”

Lauren nodded, playing with her phone. “More than anything.” She gave me a shy smile. “It's terrifying, but I have to try.”

As she spoke, all of the jealousy of feeling as if she'd replaced me at Briar Creek and the anger I'd felt that she was here melted. Canterwood wasn't my territory. If I bullied Lauren or ignored her, I'd be no better than the Heather who'd tortured me for a long time when
I
first got here. I wouldn't trade even one experience away for another, and everything I'd gone through at Canterwood had made me the person I was today. A person I was proud to be. But that didn't mean that Lauren deserved to be threatened the way I'd been when I first got to Canterwood. And I wasn't going to be that person.

“Here,” I said. “Put your number in my phone. Text me if you need anything, get lost, overwhelmed—whatever. You can talk to me anytime.”

Lauren's entire face broke into a smile. “Really? That's so nice of you. You have no idea how much less nervous that makes me feel.”

I got up. “Good. And seriously. Anytime.”

I smiled at her and walked back to Orchard, ready to get a good night's sleep and prepare for tomorrow—Huntington.

18

IT'S SHOWTIME!

NO MATTER HOW MANY SHOWS I'D ATTENDED,
they were all the same level of panicked frenzy. Brit and I had woken at four, dressed in sweats and made our way to the stable to groom our horses and prep them for the two-hour trailer ride.

At the stable, I followed my usual strategy of keeping Charm away from the craziness and in his stall until it was time to load.

I checked his leg wraps a final time, then let Mike lead him into the trailer next to Apollo.

“Everyone ready?” Mr. Conner asked. He was getting around faster every day on crutches, and I almost didn't even notice them anymore.

Callie, Brit, Heather, and I stood in front of him,
nodding. We'd already stored our show clothes in the truck's cab, and all of our tack was cleaned and loaded.

“Then let's go!” Mr. Conner smiled, and we followed him into the truck. He sat up front with Mike, who was driving. I sat next to Brit in the back row, and Heather and Callie sat together in the row in front of us.

We weren't even down the driveway before my head was resting on Brit's shoulder. In what felt like seconds later, Mr. Conner was calling back to us.

“Girls, we're here,” he said.

Blinking, I lifted my head and looked out the window. The grounds were huge. We drove under a large sign above the driveway that said
HUNTINGTON CLASSIC
.

Dozens of horse and riders roamed the campus and there were giant horse trailers parked everywhere. For a second, I wondered if we'd even find a spot. But Mike, calm as ever, drove down until he found a wide spot for us unload our horses, tack them up, and not be sandwiched between trailers.

My phone buzzed, and I opened a text from Mom.

Hey hon!

Hope you all had a safe drive. Dad and I will be there soon. We don't want to distract you before your first class, but we'll be in the stands cheering you on. Love you! Mom & Dad

I was glad they were coming. Mr. and Mrs. Fox weren't, and Brit had said her parents were upset that they were both out of town on business trips that they couldn't cancel. But Callie's parents would both be here.

We unloaded the horses, who'd all been perfect passengers, and I tied Charm to the trailer.

Mr. Conner gathered us together once we'd secured our horses.

“Today, you're not getting the normal pep talk that you've heard a zillion times and probably makes you zone out the second I started talking,” Mr. Conner said. “I want this to be brief so you can get in the warm-up ring and do what you do best—ride. I do want to remind you of one thing: you got to Huntington because of the quality of your riding, your dedication to the sport, and the level of commitment you've each displayed. You're all on the YENT because Mr. Nicholson and the other scouts saw potential in you just as I do. Think of today as a warm-up—a way to kick off the show season. Ride here the way you would at your home arena.” Mr. Conner smiled at us. “And remember, that I'm here for you and am proud to have you representing Canterwood.”

We smiled back, and I blinked, screaming to myself not to cry.

“Now, go get tacked up and warm up,” Mr. Conner said. “Pick up your schedules from Mike and count on me to be there when your class begins. Good luck.”

Mr. Conner walked away toward the sign-up tent, and Callie, Heather, Brit, and I stayed in line. Without a word or hesitation from anyone, we took the hand of the person next to us. We were a team.

Simultaneously, all of our phones buzzed, and we let go of each other and pulled them out of our pockets.

I opened a text.

So, I lied. Did you really think I was coming to some laaame schooling show? Puh-lease. You'll see enough of me @ shows that actually count. Be ready.
xoxo ~Jas

“We all got the same message, right?” Heather asked.

Everyone nodded. We deleted the message, then started laughing. Even if Jasmine had showed, she couldn't have touched us. We'd become more than a team and
that
was something she didn't have.

*   *   *

An hour later, it was time for my first class—show jumping. I had an intermediate jumping class, basic dressage, lunch break, and finally, intermediate cross-country. We were all taking three classes, racking up points as individuals and for our school, but Mr. Conner had made us
stick to beginner or intermediate level. He didn't want any of us to be overwhelmed at our first show of the season. Heather had a dressage class at the same time as me, and Mr. Conner was with her. I had no doubt that she would do well. Mike would be watching me, then Brit's show jumping round was next, while Mr. Conner stayed with me for dressage. But one thing at a time—I had to focus on my first class.

I'd taken Charm over several practice rails in the warm-up ring and he was
on
. He hadn't missed a step. We waited for the starting bell, and I kept my gaze in front of me and not on the people in the stands. I knew Mom and Dad were up there—I could feel them.

I settled myself into the saddle, ready to go the second the bell rang.
Diiing!
The bell chimed and I let Charm into the arena at a trot, then a steady canter. I'd been memorizing the jumping order since I'd gotten it, and I knew every jump we had to cover.

Charm's ears flicked back and forth as we approached the first of three verticals of increasing height. I wanted a clean ride, but I also wanted to watch our time. If we rode clean, I wanted to prevent a jump off.

Charm soared over the first red and white vertical.

And the second.

And the third.

We approached a faux stone wall, and I let him speed up to get enough momentum to clear it. He didn't hesitate for a second. He snapped his legs under him, clearing the stone with ease. Every bit of practice, the hours we'd spent in the arena, was paying off. We made a long curve around the arena, leaped a tall double oxer that Charm came
thisclose
to nicking. But he made it over. I let him speed up a hair more, and I stayed as still as possible in the saddle, letting him do his job.

Once afraid of creeks, Charm didn't slow over the liverpool. We made it over another vertical with vibrant tulips on both sides. I didn't let myself think about the fact that we were almost done. I had to stay focused.

We made another turn, and I checked the clock. Charm wasn't rushing, so I felt safe letting him speed up a tiny bit more. He didn't get greedy with the extra rein and kept his canter at a steady pace.

He wasn't sweating at all as we moved toward the final jumps. I rose out of the saddle before a blue-railed vertical, and Charm landed easily on the other side.

Two jumps left.

Charm was ready. I could feel it in his body. He jumped an oxer, meant to look like aged wood, without
pause. We approached the final and tallest jump, a triple combination.

Charm cleared the first jump, took two strides, launched over the second, and I held my breath as we soared into the air over the third. It all happened so fast.

Cheers erupted from the crowd, and I patted his neck so hard, my hand stung.

“You were
amazing
!” I said. “I love you so much, boy.”

Charm knew he'd done well. His trot had spring to it, and he moved toward the exit with his tail swishing with pride. There were fourteen riders after us, but I didn't care. Charm and I couldn't have done a better job.

We headed for the sidelines to wait for results.