Initiation (3 page)

“I heard that both classes
and
riding are tough here,” I said. “My riding team placement test is on Monday. What level are you?”

Khloe paused for half a second. “Advanced. I was intermediate my first year, though. Mr. Conner is really, really strict, but he's the
best
instructor. He teaches most of the intermediate and advanced classes.”

Khloe pulled a pair of paddock boots from another
suitcase and rummaged through a giant hot-pink bag until she found a pair of jeans.

I thought about what she said—
advanced.
That used to be me. The girl on the fast circuit who competed at every possible show and never took a day off. Would Khloe ever know that girl?

“Oh! I'm going to the stable,” Khloe said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “If you want to come, I'd love to give you a tour.”

“You don't mind showing the newbie around?” I smiled. “Really?”

“It'll be fun. Plus, I want you to meet my horse and some people at the stable. Did you bring your own horse?”

An insta-smile took over my face. It always came whenever I thought about Whisper. “I did. My mare, Whisper. I just got her this summer, so we're still in that getting-to-know-each-other stage.”

“That's an exciting place to be,” Khloe cooed. “I've had my mare, Ever, for almost three years.”

“I can't wait to meet her.”

I got up, went straight to the plastic container labeled
shoes
and slid my pink-socked feet into my black Ariat zip-up paddock boots. I'd gotten the new boots for Canterwood and I loved how shiny and scuff-free they were.

Khloe finished lacing up her paddock boots, shaking her head at me. “Okay,
maybe
I should have labeled a few boxes.”

She shot a look of helplessness at her stack of luggage.

“We can help each other unpack,” I said. “It'll be my thank-you for showing me around.”

“Deal.” Khloe smiled and I did, too. Just minutes ago, I thought I'd been assigned a nightmare roommate. Now, it felt as though Khloe and I could be friends. She wasn't like any of my old friends—she was outgoing and theatrical. Her personality would take some getting used to, but I looked forward to getting to know her better.

KHLOE OPENED OUR DOOR AND WE STEPPED
into the hallway of our dorm, Hawthorne Hall. I
loved
Hawthorne—it was even more beautiful than the online pictures. I'd only stared at them every five seconds all summer long.

The building's three stories hosted only seventh-grade girls. Hawthorne was adjacent to Orchard Hall. The dorm where
Sasha Silver
lived. Sasha—the superstar rider who happened to have also trained at Briar Creek before I got there.

The eighth grader was a Briar Creek legend. Photos of her and her horse, Charm, practically wallpapered my old instructor's office. I wanted to ask Khloe if she knew about Sasha, but I wasn't ready to bring up anyone connected to
my past. Not yet. Not until I was completely sure I could trust Khloe with . . . anything. Everything. Maybe even my secret.

Hawthorne's walls were soft yellow, making the place feel welcoming. Gleaming wooden floors had forest green carpet runners. A giant vase of vibrant orange dahlias decorated a long mahogany table near the office of Christina, the dorm monitor. The table had a stack of Canterwood handbooks, brochures on different electives, and course schedules. Green and gold pens (school colors) were in a
GO CANTERWOOD!
jar for students to take.

Lots of dorm room doors were open and girls were hugging each other. Almost every one said something like, “Omigod! I missed you this summer!” or “You got
so
tan over break!”

A few girls eyed me—a look I knew well. They were scoping out the new girl. I'd learned, as much as anyone could, not to be intimidated by that look. Instead, I smiled at them without batting an eye. Some even did the same back.

“Hey, Khlo!” a smiling girl called, as she rolled two suitcases down the hallway, expertly steering them around another girl's luggage.

“Lex, hey! Catch up after we get moved in and I'll introduce you to my new roomie?”

The girl—Lex—nodded, smiling at both of us. She had dulce de leche-colored skin and beautiful, curly black hair with reddish highlights that skimmed her shoulders. “Def.”

Khloe and I walked the rest of the way down the hall. “I'll introduce you to everyone when we get back from the stable,” Khloe promised. “Hawthorne looks big, but there aren't a ton of girls who live here—hopefully you won't feel too overwhelmed.”

We opened the glass doors with
HAWTHORNE HALL
etched into them and walked down the pretty brick stairs, which were lined with iron railings.

Khloe looked at me for a second. “You know, you look pretty together for being the ‘new girl,'” she said.

“I moved a lot,” I explained. “Canterwood's my fourth school, so I'm kind of used to the whole ‘new girl' thing.”

“Ah,” Khloe said as we walked along the winding sidewalk, past park benches and old-fashioned streetlamps. The black lanterns had glass lamps and gas-lit flames. I couldn't wait to see them at night.

“This place is the most beautiful school I've ever been to, though,” I said.

“So, why'd you move so much?” Khloe asked. “I've only been to two schools—my local public school and then I enrolled in Canterwood last year.”

“You're from Boston, right?” I avoided her question. I was so annoyed at myself. How had I already brought up something connected to my secret? Especially a secret that could ruin my future at Canterwood if it came out before I was ready.

“Yep,” Khloe said, answering my question and forgetting her earlier one. “I rode for a pretty good stable in Boston, but my parents and I thought a boarding school with an equestrian program would be better for me. And,
bonus
, Canterwood has riding
and
a fab theater program.”

“Equestrian and actress—double threat,” I said.

“Equestrian and glee club—also double threat,” Khloe said, grinning.

We walked through an idyllic cobblestone courtyard. Benches circled a fountain and water streamed down a granite stone. I paused to read the quote on the stone.

Education is the best provision
for the journey to old age—Aristotle.

“See how academic crazy they are?” Khloe asked, waving an arm at the fountain. “Even
that's
serious about school.”

I laughed. “If I start to see quotes in the sidewalk then I'm bailing.”

“You didn't answer my question before,” Khloe said. “Do you have a parent in the military or something? Is that why you move so much?”

Just answer her,
I told myself. I couldn't avoid her question.

“We moved if I found a stable that was better for my training and one where I could travel less. Family is big in my house.”

Khloe nodded and I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe acting was in my future, after all.

“That's really great experience—being at all of those stables. I've lived in Boston my whole life. But every year for my birthday, I beg my parents for one thing.”

“What?”

Khloe flashed her had-to-be-Zoom!-whitened smile. “To move to Los Angeles so I could act.”

“That would be quite the present,” I said. “I'm guessing they always say no?”

“Yep! Totally ruined my life!” Khloe put a hand over her forehead, sighing. “How's my
dramatic
look?”

“Your sigh could have been longer,” I teased.

Khloe nodded as if she was taking my advice seriously.

“Well,
maybe
they didn't ruin my life,” Khloe said. “I love Boston and I'm not ready for L.A. Not
yet.
But after enough classes at Canterwood, I know I'll make it. I've been in every school play. I'm
so
excited because auditions for
Beauty and the Beast
are on Friday. I ran lines with my friends all summer for the part of Belle. It's
the
role of the play. I spent all of my allowance on voice lessons so I could sing.”

“Auditions in the first week of school is intense,” I said. “Can anyone watch?”

Khloe shook her head. “Anyone can try out, but auditions are closed. Why?”

“I hoped I could come and cheer you on.”

“That's so sweet!” Khloe said, smiling. “Well . . . I bet I could sneak you into the back.”

“I'm so there.”

“Awesome! They're at seven,” Khloe said. “We can go over together.”

The smile stayed on her face. I was glad she wanted me there. Supporting her would be a good way to start off our friendship.

“And totally count me in to be there for your glee club audition,” Khloe said. “I'll be waiting for you.”

We passed the guidance building—I recognized it
from the student handbook. If I remembered the campus map right, the brick building meant we were close to the stable.

I couldn't stop questioning Khloe. Maybe because, to me, acting felt like an extension of glee.

“So, what do you want to do?” I asked. “Stage? Big screen? TV?”

“Soap operas. I've watched
Pretty in Port Royal
with my mom since I was in, like, second grade. All summer, I taped it and practiced my favorite character's lines— Skylar Storm.”

Before I could reply, Khloe made a swooping motion with her arm. “And I give you the best stable in Connecticut.”

WE STOPPED. UNLIKE THE FIRST TIME I'D
been here today, I took it all in. The black stable with white trim was pristine. Numerous paddocks with dark brown fences surrounded the stable. Dirt and grass arenas fit like puzzle pieces near the stable.

Dressage markers were set up in one of the smaller arenas and another had a jump course. Behind the stable, a couple of guys took their horses through figure eights.

“There's another big arena off to the right side,” Khloe said, her eyes following my gaze. “Mr. Conner and his two main stable hands, Mike and Doug, built a permanent cross-country course on the other side of that hill.”

There was so much more riding space here than at Briar Creek. I didn't even know where I wanted to ride
first. I'd visited a lot of stables, but none of them even came close to this.

Khloe walked onto the gravel toward the entrance. The open giant double doors allowed a slight breeze to go through the stable.

When we stepped inside our boots tapped against the concrete. Horses stuck their heads out over their stall doors on both sides of us. Wooden tack trunks lined the aisle and gold name plates shone from every stall door. The stable buzzed with people—there was activity everywhere.

Horses were being led in and out of stalls, clipped to crossties, and put on a large hot walker in the stable's center.

This place was
très
amazing. I couldn't wait to tell Brielle and Ana all about it.

“Let me give you a quick tour,” Khloe said. “If you've already explored and know where everything is, just say the word.”

“I put my stuff in the tack room earlier,” I said. “But I was kind of in a haze.”

“Ah, yes—the first-day-of-Canterwood haze. Follow me.”

Khloe took me to the stable's tack room, filled with rows of gleaming saddles and bridles. She pointed out
Mr. Conner's office and pushed open the door to a spacious bathroom so I could see inside. Khloe showed me the entrance to the hayloft that was forbidden to students but where “everyone went anyway to gossip,” and the feed room.

“Want to meet Ever?” Khloe asked.

“Of course!”

Khloe led me toward the end of the aisle.

“Whisper's down here, too,” I said. “I like this part of the stable—it's so quiet. I'm glad she's here since she's new.”