Unfriendly Competition (17 page)

“Beautiful, Sasha,” Mike said, coming up to us. He helped me loosen Charm's girth and patted his shoulder. “That was one of your best, if not the best, ride you've ever given.”

“Thank you,” I said.

I decided not to watch the other riders, it would only make me more nervous.

“I'm going to take Charm for a walk,” I told Mike. “But we'll be back before the results.”

“Enjoy,” he said. “You both deserve it.”

I led Charm out of the arena and back to a quiet
pasture. The rest of the riders were in class or warming up. It felt good to have time to ourselves. We stayed outside for what felt like half an hour before I decided it was time to go back so we didn't chance missing the ribbon ceremony.

I led Charm back inside and spotted Mike in the same spot by the rail. Almost afraid to look, I glanced up at the scoreboard.

“
What?
” I asked Mike.

“You have the best time and
every
rider has made a mistake,” Mike said. “The last rider is in the arena now. Sasha, you'll either be first or second.”

I watched a guy take his gray mare over the final jumps and, almost as if he was showing off, he forced her into a near gallop for the last jump. The mare was too rushed and her knees knocked the rail.

Oh.

My.

God.

“Congratulations!” Mike said, patting my shoulder. “You and Charm won.”

“No. Way,” I said. “No way!”

I scanned the stands, looking for my parents. I finally spotted them, a pair of green and gold human pom-poms.
They were standing and screaming for me. I waved at them and grabbed Charm in a hug.

After a few minutes, one of the judges called the top riders into the ring. I couldn't stop smiling when the judge reached Charm and me.

“Congratulations, Miss Silver,” he said. He pinned a blue ribbon Charm's bridle and reached up to shake my hand.

“Thank you, sir,” I said.

In that moment, my anxiety about my other classes disappeared. I would do my best in dressage, and Charm and I would attack cross-country. The pressure of I-have-to-win-because-I'm-on-the-YENT disappeared.

I'd finally learned what it meant to be a complete horse lover, not just a rider. I beamed from Charm's back, soaking in the moment not only of victory, but of being with my horse and friends, doing what I loved.

19

PASSING THE GLOSS

THE SUN STARTED TO SINK BEHIND THE
rolling hills of the campus as I led Charm up a grassy lane. Before I went home for Thanksgiving break, I wanted to spend time with him. It was chilly in the November air, and I'd bundled him in a quilted green blanket. He walked in step with me, not bounding ahead as he usually did.

“You're still a little tired from the show yesterday, huh?” I asked him.

Our win in show jumping had been the most amazing feeling. We'd placed fourth in our dressage class, and instead of being disappointed, I'd been proud because I knew we'd tried our hardest.

The most exciting round for us had been cross-country. The course, simple compared to what Mr.
Conner put us through, had barely made Charm work up a sweat. We'd come in well under time and without a mistake. We'd even been faster than Heather and Aristocrat, who had been in our class. We'd secured first and second for Canterwood. Heather had won her show-jumping round, and Brit, as if it was ever a doubt, had stolen the blue ribbon for her dressage class.

At the end of the show day, all of our individual points had been tallied. We'd been three points behind Pershing Preparatory, and they'd taken the win. By one point, we'd secured second place. Heather, Callie, Brit, and I had waited until we'd gotten to the truck cab to scream and hug each other.

Competition would never get any easier. Soon, we'd be up against Wellington and Jasmine. Pershing Prep was a tough school to beat, and we knew where we needed to get better. But we had
all
season to work together as a team. Knowing that Callie and I were riding together and speaking again, that Heather and I could ride in the arena without killing each other, and that I had Brit there meant the most. I was
beyond
thrilled about this season.

Maybe even more exciting? I was meeting Paige at The Sweet Shoppe for dessert after my walk with Charm. I couldn't wait for our usual brownies and hot chocolate.

Charm and I walked up the path that led up a gentle hill. It felt like we were the only horse and rider on campus—a feeling that didn't happen too often since the school was always nonstop busy.

As we walked, I reveled in the cool air and being with Charm. I couldn't help but think back to when I'd first come to Canterwood. It made me smile. Then, my main goals had been to survive the Trio, make the advanced team, and not flunk out of any of my supertough classes. Things had changed a lot since I'd come here.

“I almost can't even believe where we are now, boy,” I said to Charm. “We're on the YENT, I'm with Jacob, and maybe everything's going to start to calm down.” I paused, laughing to myself. There was no way
that
part was true. Classes were always going to be grueling, Heather was still going to be my friend slash sometimes-frenemy, and Charm and I were going to have to work harder than ever to keep our place on the YENT. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I wouldn't have it any other way. The craziness of Canterwood kept things interesting.

“Oh!” I halted Charm, startled by the girl in front of me.

Lauren Towers.

Her light brown hair was loose and wavy around her
shoulders, and she looked classic-chic in white breeches, a brown jacket, and a hunter green shirt. I loved the pale pink rose with gold edges that hung around her neck.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hi,” Lauren said, halting her horse. The gray mare stretched her muzzle toward Charm. The two of them seemed to sense a connection—maybe they knew that Lauren and I were both from Union and that Lauren had trained at Briar Creek, too.

“What's her name?” I asked, nodding at Lauren's horse.

“This is Whisper,” she said. “And I already know the famous Mr. Charm.” She reached out a hand to stroke his shoulder. He leaned into her touch—something he rarely did with strangers. He liked her.

“How's everything going so far?” I asked.

Lauren touched her necklace. “Really well, actually. I'm still getting used to classes, obviously, and Whisper's adjusting to being here.”

“It seems like you're fitting right in. I'm glad you're here.”

That made Lauren smile.

“That means a lot coming from you,” she said.

I cocked my head, looking at her. “What are you talking about?”

Lauren looked at me as if I should have known.
“You're a celebrity in Union. Like an actress who left home and made it big in LA or something. Everyone at Briar Creek knows that you started there and ended up at Canterwood. You're kind of my—”

She blushed.

I waited, not pressing her.

“You're kind of my idol,” Lauren said. “And I don't mean that in a fan-girly oh-my-God-it's-Sasha-Silver way. I just mean that I think it's pretty cool that you got from Briar Creek to here.”

I shook my head. “No way am I anyone's idol. I've messed up
so
many times since I've been here. I should win some kind of award for that.”

We both laughed.

“Want to walk the horses up to the top of the hill?” I asked Lauren.

She nodded. “If you don't mind.”

She adjusted the strap on Whisper's pink blanket and we walked the short distance up the hill. The horses' breaths became visible in the ever cooling air.

Lauren, Whisper, Charm, and I reached the top of the hill and we stopped. I stared across the campus—taking in the gentle glow of the streetlamps that had flickered on and the lights that shone from windows of the dorm buildings.

In the big outdoor arena, Heather was taking Aristocrat over a round of jumps while Alison and Brit, also on horseback, looked as if they were coaching Heather.

Callie, at the opposite end, moved Black Jack through gorgeous serpentines. Relationships among all of us may have changed, but we were still teammates and that was
my
team practicing.

I looked at Orchard, my new home with Brit, and then stared at Winchester on the other side of campus. Both places felt like home and
that
was the biggest relief—to have my relationship back with Paige even if we weren't living together. But who knew about the future. Maybe we'd share a triple with Brit next semester.

The possibilities were endless.

I turned to Lauren. “So, you're the new girl from Union now. Not me.”

Lauren's eyes flickered—she looked nervous. “I didn't come here to take anything away from you—I swear. I—”

I touched her shoulder. “I'm not talking about that at all. I'm trying to say that I'm glad to have someone else from my hometown here. We Union girls have to stick together.”

I could see Lauren's smile even in the fading sunlight.

“I like that,” she said. “Team Union all the way.”

I reached into my pocket, pulling out something I'd been carrying for days.

“Here.” I handed Lauren a brand new Watermelon Lip Smackers. “It's my fave flavor.”

“Sasha!” Lauren took the gloss, grinning. “Thank you. I know how much you love your gloss.”

“So my obsession has gotten around, huh?” I laughed. “It's kind of a welcome-to-Canterwood present, but more of a passing-the-torch sort of thing, I guess. You're the new girl now. I'll be in high school next year, and it'll be up to you to represent. I know you can do it.”

Lauren locked eyes with me—hers wide. “Thank you.” Her voice was quiet. “I'll do the best I can—I promise. Union girls
do
have to stick together.”

We didn't say another word—nothing else needed to be said. Together, we watched the orange-red sun set over Canterwood Crest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Twenty-three-year-old Jessica Burkhart is a writer from New York City. Like Sasha, she's crazy about horses, lip gloss, and all things pink and sparkly. Jess was an equestrian and had a horse like Charm before she started writing. To watch Jess's vlogs and read her blog, visit
www.jessicaburkhart.com
.

Other books in the

CANTERWOOD CREST SERIES:

TAKE THE REINS

CHASING BLUE

BEHIND THE BIT

TRIPLE FAULT

BEST ENEMIES

LITTLE WHITE LIES

RIVAL REVENGE

HOME SWEET DRAMA

C
ITY
S
ECRETS

E
LITE
A
MBITION

S
CANDALS
, R
UMORS
, L
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