“Good. Give us a couple minutes to reset.”
“We did it, Able,” Juniper told him. “We were good. I hope you feel as amazing as I do.”
Once everything was ready, they did the stunt again, then a third time because one of the other actors tripped. Each time, Able and Juniper did their part with no problems, and they didn’t mess up the schedule.
Marcus, Pablo, and Leigh surrounded Juniper and Able when they were done, cheering and throwing “Congratulations” and “You did it” into the air. Juniper’s dad joined the celebration. He had tears in his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. It didn’t bother Juniper, though. Right then, nothing could.
Chapter 5
Being the Best
Once Sadie said they were done, Juniper took Able for a well-earned rest and some water.
“That was amazing,” Juniper told Able as she took off his costume. She brushed him down, then gave him a big hug. “I feel like I could fly, I’m so excited. You were incredible.”
Able nodded, making Juniper laugh.
“Places! Silence, please!” Juniper heard over the loudspeakers.
“They’re doing the next scene. I’m going to watch Leigh. I’ll be right back.” Juniper gave Able a kiss on his nose, then ran back to the courtyard and stood next to Ben and her dad to watch.
Leigh was dressed in Sir Gregor’s clothes and had a wig to match Caleb’s hair. She stood on a ledge hanging over the courtyard.
“You ready, Leigh?” Sadie called up.
“Ready!” Leigh shouted cheerfully.
“All right. Action!”
There was a pause, then a huge shout went up from behind the courtyard walls. Then more shouts and the stamping of feet. Suddenly, a horde of actors burst through the back entrance, running through the courtyard. In the middle of them was Zombie. Juniper could see Marcus crouched, running along with Zombie and guiding her, although he looked like one of the crowd.
One of the actors shouted, “Up there!” and pointed to Leigh. She backed up, hit the castle wall, then glanced around. She had nowhere to go. She was trapped.
The rest of the crowd below began shouting at her. They pointed and snarled and moved in her direction. They wanted to get her down, get Sir Gregor down. They wanted to hurt him.
When Zombie was in position, Leigh jumped off the ledge—over the heads of the actors—and landed gently on Zombie’s bare back. But she didn’t let her legs dangle on either side, where the mob could grab them. Instead, she stayed crouched on Zombie, grabbing her mane. As Zombie ran around the courtyard, Leigh stood, balancing and staying away from the hands trying to grab her. Then, when Zombie and Leigh had a small lead, she sank onto Zombie’s back and sped through the exit, waving her arm in the air.
“Cut!” Sadie shouted. “That was fantastic, Leigh, as always. Let me have a quick look, but I think we’ve got it.”
Juniper let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She was about to say “wow,” but her father beat her to it.
“Wow. She’s a pro, Ben.”
Ben nodded. “Yeah, Leigh’s the best. She’s got a gymnastics background.”
“Her balance and agility . . .” Juniper’s father whistled. “She’s a great find.”
Juniper looked from her father to Ben, who were both still watching Leigh as she climbed down from Zombie’s back. Juniper smiled, but the smile didn’t stay long. She was happy her new friend had done her stunt so well, but Juniper couldn’t help wonder: Had her father and Ben said that about her?
She wanted them to.
She’d have to make sure they did.
But how?
When Juniper, Able, and her dad arrived back at their ranch that evening, they saw balloons spelling the word CONGRATULATIONS in big, bright, shimmering colors tied to the gate.
“That’s for you guys,” her father said, beaming over at her. “We’re very proud of you.”
Happiness blossomed within Juniper, and she smiled back, pushing down the pinch of fear and uncertainty she’d been feeling ever since she’d watched Leigh’s amazing stunt.
“Do you see the balloons, Able?” Juniper asked when they walked out of the trailer. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
Able neighed. He liked them, too.
Rose and their mom rushed out of the house and over to the stable, enveloping Juniper in a huge hug.
“Your father said you were brilliant.” Her mother’s smile took over her whole face. Juniper felt like the sun was beaming back at her.
“You’re going to be on TV for real now,” Rose said. “All our friends will see you on Castle McAvoy.”
Juniper laughed. “Yes. I’ll be disguised, but—”
“We’ll tell everyone which one is you.” Rose hugged Juniper again. “Besides, they’ll see Able.” She rubbed along his neck.
“It seems like some people know already,” Juniper whispered to her sister as she started to brush Able. “Cali texted me.”
Rose gulped. “Oh, that was probably my fault. I was excited and told Kim, and she probably told Cali’s sister.”
“But the jinx,” Juniper said.
Rose shrugged. “Obviously there is none, because you did great.” She beamed at her sister.
“Give Able some extra apples before you say goodnight,” Juniper’s father said as he headed out of the stable. “He earned them. And hurry, your mom’s got dinner ready.”
When he was gone, Rose slipped her phone out of her pocket. “Come on, let me take a picture of my favorite TV stars. Kim wanted to see you two together.”
Juniper was still worried about the jinx, but she loved spending all this time with her sister. She couldn’t give that up. She posed next to Able, nuzzling his head with hers, as Rose snapped a bunch of pictures.
“Perfect!” Rose said. “Look.”
She swiped through all the photos of Able and Juniper, and Juniper had to admit they were great. Maybe there really wasn’t a jinx. How could there be, when this meant she had got her sister back?
Over dinner, Rose asked a million questions about the shoot. Juniper answered them all cheerfully, but her heart wasn’t completely in it. The conversation her dad and Ben had had about Leigh played over and over in her head.
“She’s a pro,” her dad had said.
“Leigh’s the best,” Ben had said.
Deep down, Juniper knew it wasn’t a competition. She and Leigh were part of a team, all of them making the show great with their stunts. And everyone had praised her stunt, too.
So why couldn’t she shake the feeling that she had to do better?
As soon as dinner was over, Juniper said she was tired, then went to her bedroom. It had been a long day, and she felt drained, but more than that, she felt uneasy. What if she wasn’t as good as Leigh at the stunts? Would they stop putting her on the show? She couldn’t risk that. Not only was it her dream come true, it seemed to be her sister’s as well. She didn’t want to disappoint Rose.
Juniper logged on to the Hoofprints Horse Riding Forum and found Claudia Rains’s thread, hoping it would make her feel better. That day, Claudia had posted a video of herself and her horse, Sahara, doing a new trick. While Sahara was galloping around a ring, Claudia climbed beneath Sahara’s belly. Then, with one leg hooked under the saddle straps, Claudia leaned out from the side, spreading her arms out wide. She was wearing a shirt with broad sleeves that made it look like she had wings.
It was perfect.
In her caption for the video, Claudia had typed: “Always be your best.”
Juniper shut off her computer and tucked herself into bed. She didn’t know if she could be as good as Leigh or Claudia Rains.
What if her best wasn’t good enough?
In all her rehearsals the following week, Juniper tried her best, but something was off. She missed a cue for
her and Able to walk into a scene. She dropped a prop while they trotted across the courtyard. And she even slipped while doing a stunt that should’ve been easy. Afterward, when she saw Ben and Sadie talking in hushed tones, Juniper worried that they were talking about her, saying she wasn’t good enough to be on the show anymore.
Marcus walked up to her while Juniper was freshening Able’s water. “Hey, I just wanted to check on you. You didn’t hurt yourself when you slipped, did you?”
“No,” Juniper said quickly, even though she had banged her knee on a wall. “I’m fine.”
Marcus smiled. “Good. We wouldn’t want one of our star stunt kids getting injured.”
“Star?” Juniper didn’t feel much like a star.
“Of course you are. We have only the best on this show.”
Juniper smiled, but the herd in her stomach started to stamp their hooves.
“I’ve got to go to my next rehearsal, but I’ll see you at class later, right?” Marcus asked.
Juniper nodded. When Marcus was out of earshot, she turned back to Able, leaning against his side.
“I’m scared, Able,” she said. “Marcus said they have only the best on this show. I’ve done only one on-camera stunt so far. If I can’t be the best, will they make me leave Castle McAvoy?”
Able shook his head and sidestepped closer to Juniper, nudging her as if to say no. But Juniper didn’t feel so sure.
Tears pricked her eyes, and she brushed them away quickly.
“If they want the best,” she said, “that’s just what I’ll have to be.”
She hugged her horse. “Thanks for listening, Able. You’re the best friend a girl could want.”
After her tutoring class later that day, Juniper cut through the studio building to meet her dad. She smiled as she walked past the set of Lady Penelope and Sir Gregor’s war room, then the set of the kitchen where they seemed to make the tastiest food. The sets were empty now, and seeing the lights hanging above them took away some of the magic Juniper felt when she saw the show on TV, but it was still special.
Suddenly, she heard talking. She hurried on, then saw Ben and Sadie in the production office. They were staring at storyboards pinned to the wall, and the door was open wide.
“I’d love to have something bigger,” Sadie said, her back to the door from where Juniper peered inside.
“Like what?” Ben crossed his arms over his chest.
“I don’t know, but it’s going to the big final scene of this whole storyline, when Lady Penelope rescues Sir Gregor. The stunt has to be more spectacular than anything viewers have seen this season. Or in any other season.”
Ben nodded. “I can look through the old footage and see if I get some ideas.”
He turned toward the door, and Juniper dashed away.
Sadie and Ben were going to do a big stunt for the final scene. Something spectacular. If she could do that stunt well, she’d show them she was the best.
She just had to figure out how.
Chapter 6
A Plan
At dinner that night, Juniper was quiet, but there was plenty of talk from her parents, so no one noticed her silence.
“Paramount wants to use Lucky in a movie they’re shooting,” her dad announced as her mother piled macaroni and cheese on Rose’s plate.
“That’s wonderful,” her mom said. “How long’s the shoot?”
For the rest of the meal, her parents and Rose talked about the movie and what their horse Lucky would be doing. While they were busy celebrating, Juniper ate her mac and cheese, deep in thought.
She knew Lucky would be just fine in the movie. The horse had starred in lots of productions, and she was already the best.
Juniper was worried about herself. She needed to think up a way to get herself assigned to the big stunt Sadie and Ben were planning. Then Juniper would show everyone she was the best.
“I’ve got some homework to do,” Juniper said, getting up from the table.
“Okay, honey.” Her mom glanced at her, then quickly back at Juniper’s dad. “Do they need a lot of horses? Maybe Hercules will be good for the movie.”
Juniper hurried into the kitchen, deposited her bowl into the dishwasher, then peered into the dining room. Rose was no longer sitting at the table, but their parents were still sharing ideas about the new movie deal.
Instead of heading upstairs to her room, Juniper grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and turned toward the back door. She had someone else she wanted to see. She pressed on the doorknob as she turned it so it wouldn’t squeak, then she crept outside. After the lock clicked quietly back into place, Juniper ran across the grass to the stables.
Able was munching on some hay and looked up when Juniper burst in. He nickered, nodding his head as though he was letting her know he was glad to see her.
“I missed you, Able,” Juniper said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I love my family, but sometimes I wish I could sleep out here with you. When I’m here, it feels like I don’t have any more worries because you’ll take them all away.”
Able rubbed his head on Juniper’s shoulder as if he were telling her he’s got her back. “Thanks, Able. I’m so happy we’re on Castle McAvoy together. It wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without you.” She sighed. “But, I wouldn’t even be on the show if it wasn’t for you. You’re doing so great. You look beautiful on the set.”
Juniper pulled the apple from her pocket and held it out. Able snorted, making Juniper smile. He always snorted when he was happy, and she knew apples made him happy. “You deserve it,” she said, as Able bit into the bright green fruit.
“I just wish I looked as good as you on set,” Juniper said. “I’m so worried about letting everyone down. Especially Rose. Have you seen how happy she is that I’m on Castle McAvoy? She’s always happy for me, but now . . . I don’t know, it’s like it’s the best thing that has happened to her in a long time, too. I don’t want to mess that up.”
Suddenly Juniper heard the scrape of the door on the ground and jumped. Her parents would tell her to go back in and she wasn’t ready yet. But when she turned around, it wasn’t her parents. “Rose?”
Her sister grinned. “I figured this was where you’d escaped to.”
Juniper clamped her mouth shut. Rose hadn’t sneaked out to the stables for a long time. She usually left dinner to figure out what to wear to school the next day. Juniper hadn’t expected her sister to come here. Had she heard what Juniper just said?
Rose ran up to Juniper and Able and gave her sister a hug. “I’m so proud of you.”
“You are?”
“Of course! And you, too, Able.” Rose rubbed the horse’s nose.
A blossom grew inside Juniper’s heart. If her sister had heard her talking to Able, she must not have minded. “Able’s so great on the show, Rose. I can’t wait for you to see him.”
Rose stroked Able’s mane. “I always knew he was going to be special. Just like I always knew you were going to be a great rider. I’m so excited you’re on the show. We should have a premiere party. I want all my friends to see you.”
“You won’t even be able to know it’s me. I’ll look like the characters.”
“I’ll know.” Rose smiled big, but Juniper sighed.
“I’m afraid they’re going to tell me they don’t need me anymore. Ever since I did that one stunt on camera, I’ve been messing up.” Juniper cast her eyes downward. “They haven’t given me any more stunts. They’ve just got me rehearsing basic tricks and keeping Able and the other horses fresh.”
She glanced up at her sister, hoping for reassurance, but Rose looked worried, too. “No, they have to keep you on the show. Kim said I—”
“What?”
Rose shook her head. “Nothing. You’ve worked so hard. They can’t take it away from you now.”
“I had o
ne idea,” Juniper said, “but I don’t know how to do it.”
“What is it?” Rose asked. “Maybe I can help.”
Juniper worried her lip. “Well, they want to do a really big, really spectacular stunt for when Lady Penelope rescues Sir Gregor.”
“She’s going to rescue him?” Rose’s eyes grew wide. “I knew that was going to happen.”
“That’s not the point.” Juniper huffed. “And don’t tell anyone. It’ll ruin the show.”
Rose drew an X over her chest. “So, what about the stunt? Will you be doing it?”
“That’s the thing. Leigh does all the big stunts and the Lady Penelope scenes. But if I could show them that I could do it as well as Leigh, they wouldn’t be able to get rid of me. Right? I just don’t know how.”
Rose narrowed her eyes the same way she always did when she was thinking, then said, “How about you suggest a stunt? The most amazing stunt they could possibly have on the show. And it’ll be something only you can do. If you suggest it and they love it, which I know they will, they have to let you do it.”
“You think so?”
“Of course!”
Able shifted in his stall, then rubbed his head on Juniper’s shoulder like he was trying to get her attention.
“Not now, Able. This is important,” Juniper said, pushing his nose away. She turned back to her sister. “But what can I suggest?”
“I don’t know yet, but we’ll figure it out. I know—let’s look at movie stunt clips and trick videos for ideas. It’ll be just like we used to do before—”
Rose didn’t finish her sentence, but Juniper thought she knew what her sister meant to say: before Rose turned fourteen and went to high school. Before Rose started caring more about her friends and what she wore. Before Rose stopped hanging out with her sister. But Juniper left it all unsaid. At that moment, she was just happy to have her sister back.
Juniper hugged Rose and whispered, “I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you, too, Junie,” Rose replied. “Let’s go find you a stunt. Night, Able.”
Hollywood: Juniper and Able Page 4