Rival Revenge (5 page)

Charm nodded and rubbed his cheek against my upper arm.

“We're going to get it
back, Charm. We'll be awesome—like we were before I got all mixed up with Jacob. And Eric. And then Jacob
and
Eric.” I sighed, pausing to think for a second. “I don't think I ever completely lost focus on riding. I just … got so caught up in drama. I'm sick of it—seriously. Done. Over it.”

And I was. I'd panicked for what felt like
years
to try and keep Callie and Jacob together after his confession that he still liked me. But it hadn't mattered. Everything had shattered around me. I couldn't take another week of crazy-intense drama.

I finished grooming Charm and tacked him up. He lowered his head, making it easy for me to bridle him, and I slid the reins over his neck. I put on my helmet and walked him to the indoor arena. Heather and Jasmine were inside, both girls just mounting their horses and starting their warm-ups.

I stopped for a second—saddened by the first thought that popped into my brain: Callie wasn't in my class—
and I was glad.

When I'd first started YENT lessons without her, I'd been devastated. She was on the advanced team and I was
on the YENT and I'd felt alone without one friend in the arena. We both hated not being able to ride together every day. But now, I was glad. If Callie and I had to practice together every day it would be beyond uncomfortable. Practices weren't going to be about boys or best friends—they were going to be about riding. And I was going to make up for my ridiculous last couple of lessons by wowing Mr. Conner from now on.

I mounted Charm and guided him to the wall. He settled behind Phoenix, Jasmine's gray gelding. Ahead of us, Heather and her darker chestnut, Aristocrat, trotted forward at an even pace. Aristocrat was a top-notch horse, but Heather also knew how to bring out the best in him. Heather's black boots gleamed, her fawn-colored breeches were spotless and, like always, her white polo shirt was horse hair free. It was still a mystery to me how she managed that.

I let Charm walk for a couple of strides before easing him into a trot. His movements were smooth and he followed behind Phoenix, but didn't tailgate. We made several laps around the arena, every one of us focused on her horse. Jasmine's gaze, intense as always, was narrowed between Phoenix's ears. She kept a tight grip on the reins and didn't give him any room to move freely.

Mr. Conner walked inside and stopped in the arena's
center. He had a thick notebook in one hand and a Canterwood Crest travel mug in the other. Steam rose from the top and he took a sip.

“Hi, girls,” Mr. Conner said. “Before we get started, I want to let you know that next week I will be taping a lesson to share with Mr. Nicholson.”

Mr. Nicholson was the YENT's head scout—he'd chosen all of us for the team.

“It will be a regular class and there's no reason to think you need to schedule extra practice sessions or to worry,” Mr. Conner continued. “You're all doing fantastic and I'm sure Mr. Nicholson will agree.”

But my brain was barely able to process the last sentence. Jasmine and Heather were doing fantastic—Charm and I weren't! We needed to work harder before Mr. Conner filmed the lesson. Otherwise I'd look ridiculous next to my teammates. I'd have to make room in my schedule to ride more. I started making a mental list of things I could cut out of my schedule.

“I don't want the camera to throw off anyone during the taping, so I'm going to start bringing it to classes,” Mr. Conner said. “I'll set it up but leave it off so that you and your horses get used to seeing it.”

We all nodded.

“Let's get started, then,” Mr. Conner said. “I want to work on flying lead changes today. You were all asked to perform them during your test for the advanced team, but we haven't practiced them for quite a while.”

My stomach dropped. Charm and I could do flying lead changes—most of the time. But it had been
forever
since we'd done them.

“Flying lead changes are a natural movement for horses,” Mr. Conner said. “But sometimes, a horse gets lazy and forgets how to pay attention to signals for a flying lead change.”

Jasmine covered a yawn as if this conversation bored her.

“We're going to work the horses at a canter for a couple of minutes to be sure they're fully warmed-up and then you'll each take turns doing the exercise,” Mr. Conner said. “Go ahead to the wall and start cantering.”

We each moved our horses to the wall and Charm went quickly from a trot into an even canter. I moved with him and didn't bounce in the saddle—Charm's canter was too smooth for that. As we finished the warm-up, I contemplated how many more hours of riding I could squeeze into this week. I'd keep adding things to the list of activities that I could cut out. I'd see less of Paige, but she'd
understand that I'd want to practice harder for the tape.

“Okay, slow to a walk, then line up your horses over there,” Mr. Conner said, pointing to the far side of the arena. Jas, Heather, and I moved the horses to the arena's side and waited for Mr. Conner's instructions.

“Jasmine, you're going to go first,” Mr. Conner said, uncapping his pen and holding it over his paper, ready to take notes on her performance. “Do you need a reminder about how to ask for a flying lead change? Or are you comfortable without instructions?”

I looked over at Jas—she held back a smirk. “I've got it, Mr. Conner,” she said.

No surprises there.

He waved his hand at her. “Whenever you're ready.”

Jas leaned down to adjust her left stirrup, then righted herself in the saddle. She sat straight, without being rigid, and her hands were soft on the reins. She asked Phoenix for a canter and the gray gelding responded immediately. They swept past Heather and me for two laps before Jas turned Phoenix toward the center of the arena. When she and Phoenix reached the center of the arena, I didn't even see Jasmine ask for the flying lead change—it just happened. Phoenix swished his tail and struck out with his opposite foreleg, then leading with that leg. Jas cantered
him back to us, grinning. There was nothing Mr. Conner could say about that. It was perfect.

“Beautiful, Jasmine,” Mr. Conner said. “Your cues were subtle. Phoenix knew exactly what you wanted.”

Beside me, Heather groaned under her breath. “What. Ever,” she whispered. “We can do better.”

I gulped.
She
probably could. But I wasn't so sure if
I
could. Sometimes, Charm ignored my cues.
Stop it,
I told myself. I was freaking myself out before I even started. And I didn't want Charm to feel any tension from me.

“Go ahead, Heather,” Mr. Conner said. Jas angled Phoenix next to me and we watched Aristocrat and Heather mimic what Jas and Phoenix had just completed. Like Jas, Heather's signals were invisible. Aristocrat's flying lead change made him look as if he belonged at a junior class in the Hampton Classic. His movements were gorgeous.

Heather circled him for another half lap before slowing him and riding back over to Jas and me.

“Wonderful, Heather,” Mr. Conner said. “Your hands were perfect. That was exactly the way to ask for a flying change.”

There was no way Charm and I could do as well as Jas and Heather—it was a fact—but we could try.

Mr. Conner marked something on his paper, then turned to me. “Ready, Sasha?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

Charm seemed to know I needed encouragement—he walked forward before I could think about what we were about to do. I let him trot and posted as he moved away from Phoenix and Aristocrat. I squeezed my legs against his sides and urged him into a canter. We circled the arena twice and then I pointed him to the center.

Relax,
I told myself. In four strides, I'd ask Charm for the change. I only had seconds before it was time. I switched my leg positions, moving my opposite leg behind the girth, and kept my hands light. Charm stretched through his back and for a second, I wasn't sure he was going to do it. But I felt him shift and he switched lead legs.

Score! We'd done it! I hid my smile and patted his neck when we reached the other side of the arena. “Nice job, boy,” I said.

“Sasha, good work,” Mr. Conner said, smiling at me. “Charm hesitated for a second as if he wasn't going to follow through, but he listened to your cues.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“Let's keep up the flatwork practice,” Mr. Conner said.
“Reverse directions and start trotting, please.”

Charm and I were focused and sharp. I kept all of my attention on him, making sure he listened every second. I kept pressure on him with my hands and legs.

“Sasha, ease up a little,” Mr. Conner called. “You can give Charm space—he's been attentive the entire class.”

I nodded and relaxed my grip on the reins, letting Charm lower his head a fraction. He snorted and dipped his head down.

“Let's work on flexibility,” Mr. Conner said. “I'm going to set up a few poles at the end of the arena and you'll canter through those. While I set them up, please trot your horses and keep them warmed-up.”

Mr. Conner set up four white poles with weighted bases. He nodded to Jasmine. “You may go first. When you reach the last pole, turn Phoenix around and do the exercise in reverse.”

Jasmine pushed down her heels. “Okay.”

She cantered Phoenix to the end of the aisle, bypassing the poles and then slowing him to a trot before halting him in front of the first one.

She waited for a second before heeling him forward. He accelerated into a smooth canter and his gray mane whipped from side to side as he moved through the poles.
Jas bent with him, moving easily from side to side in the saddle. She turned him sharply at the final pole and his hooves kicked up arena dirt as they curved around the pole and started the exercise again. Jasmine weaved him through the final pole, then let him into a wide half circle to start back to us.

“That was great, Jasmine,” Mr. Conner said. “Phoenix is an agile horse and I think he'd benefit even more from exercises such as these.”

And so would Charm and I
.

“Sasha, you may go ahead,” Mr. Conner said.

I trotted Charm to the first pole and turned him to face it. I sat deep in the saddle, gripping with my knees and preparing for the weaving movement through the poles. I tapped my heels against Charm's sides and urged him into a trot for a few strides before giving him rein to canter.

We cantered straight for the first pole as if we'd ram into it, then at the last second I pulled him to the side. Charm shifted from side to side and weaved through the poles as if we did it every day. I shifted to the side each time he moved and I didn't lose my balance for a second. Before the last pole, I sat deep in the saddle, slowing Charm a fraction to round the last pole in the first
run-through. He leaned so far sideways, I thought we'd tip over, but I'd seen enough pole bending to know how far horses could lean over without tipping. And Charm and I weren't even close to that.

We went through the rest of the poles and I trotted Charm back to join Heather and Jasmine. I patted his neck and he arched it under my touch. He knew we'd killed it.

Mr. Conner's smile said it all. “Beautiful, Sasha. I can tell that you've been working on flexibility exercises for yourself and they show. Nice work.”

Heather rode next and her ride was flawless. Aristocrat tossed his head as he joined us. He and Charm eyed each other—both horses raising their heads. White showed in the corner of Aristocrat's eyes and he tugged the reins through Heather's fingers. He and Charm hadn't gotten along since the first day Charm and I had arrived on campus.

“Nice work, everyone,” Mr. Conner said. He closed his notebook and smiled at us. “You all continue to impress me with your work ethics. Again, please remember to take extra time cooling your horses even though we were indoors because of the heat. See you tomorrow.”

Jas, Heather, and I dismounted. I eased the reins over Charm's head, then loosened his girth. His chest was
warm and there was sweat around his saddle pad, but he wasn't too hot. I started walking him in circles around the arena. All I could think about was what time I was going to get to the stable tomorrow morning to practice.

AT AN IMPASSE

I DRAGGED MYSELF THROUGH MY DOOR
almost an hour and a half later, exhausted. Paige looked up at me from her spot in front of her closet. She was adjusting her blue wrap dress and there was a pair of silver kitten-heels by her purse.

“Where're you going?” I asked. I plopped onto the floor and pulled off my riding boots, setting them on our shoe carpet.

Paige smiled. “Ryan texted me while you were out and asked if I wanted to grab a slice of pizza.”

“That's
great
!” I said. “I know you'll have so much fun. If not, SOS text me and I'll call you with some emergency. Like I ran out of lip gloss and we have to go get some ASAP.”