Best Enemies

by Jessica Burkhart

  “I love surprises.”

  Eric squeezed my hand and released it. “Be right back.”

  He hurried into the Sweet Shoppe and I watched through the window, staring into the cozy shop. At a table near the back Julia and Alison sat together. They had a notebook in front of them and were scribbling things onto the paper, then whispering. When a sixth grader walked by, Julia moved her arm over the paper. I looked away from Julia and Alison when Eric exited the Sweet Shoppe carrying two big bags.

  “Can I carry one?” I offered.

  “I’ve got it,” he said. “Interested in knowing where we’re going?”

  “Um, let me think.” I paused, pretending to consider it. “Yes! Tell me!”

  Eric laughed. I followed him down the sidewalk and away from the Sweet Shoppe.

  “I thought we could have a picnic where we met.”

  “The stable,” I said. “Eric. That’s a great idea.”

  He smiled. “I had a feeling you’d like it.”

  We walked in comfortable silence to the stable. The lights had been dimmed and no one else was here.

  “Are we allowed to be here?” I asked.

  “I asked Mr. Conner yesterday,” Eric said. “He’s around here somewhere. He’ll probably jump out from behind a hay bale if I try to kiss you.” Eric whispered the last sentence.

  I laughed. “He totally would.”

  “Let’s go up to the hayloft,” Eric said.

  I followed him down the aisle. I went up the wooden ladder and reached the platform and… gasped at what I saw.

  A tiny round table had been set up in the loft. The floor had been swept clean of hay. A battery-powered lantern added light to the space and a giant purple orchid blossomed in a vase on the table.

  “How did you… ?” I couldn’t finish my sentence.

  “Mike and Doug,” Eric said. “I told them I wanted to bring you here and they offered to bring the table and chairs up.”

  “Wow,” I whispered. “That was so nice.”

  Eric put the Sweet Shoppe bags on the table and took my hand, leading me to the table. He pulled out my chair for me and I took my seat. The table was so tiny that our knees touched underneath.

  Eric opened one white bag and took out two milkshakes— one chocolate and one chocolate-vanilla swirl. “I don’t have to ask what one you want,” he said, sliding the chocolate shake toward me.

  “You know me too well.” I accepted the chocolate shake and took a sip. Mmmm.

  Eric opened the second bag and took out a wrapped foam plate. “New brownie recipe,” he said. “I saw them put up the sign yesterday and knew you’d want to try it.”

  I stared hungrily at the brownies. “It’s sad. I’ve eaten my weight in candy, but I’m dying for that brownie!”

  Eric gave me a plate, fork, and napkin. “Here’s the ‘new’ part,” he said, reaching into the bag. He pulled out a little plastic container and opened it.

  “Oh. My. God. Hot fudge,” I said.

  “Yep. To pour on the brownies.”

  I put a brownie on my plate and Eric did the same with his. “Go ahead,” I said, motioning to him to use the fudge first. He drizzled it on his brownie and passed it to me. I poured way more onto mine, causing Eric to laugh.

  We started eating and I closed my eyes. “Yum,” I said. “This is the best. I love it.”

  I looked across the table at Eric—he was gazing at me.

  “What?” I asked.

  He scooted his chair around so he was beside me. We locked eyes—his face inches from mine. “You have a little chocolate on your face,” he said.

  I put a hand on my face. “Where?”

  Eric reached up and touched the corner of my mouth with his thumb. “Here.”

  I think I stopped breathing. Eric put his hand on my cheek and my face warmed under his touch. My eyes fluttered shut and Eric’s lips met mine. It was longer than we’d ever kissed and all I could taste was chocolate.

  9

  SHE’S LATE, SHE’S LATE! FOR A VIP DATE!

  WHEN I SLID INTO MY SEAT AT BIO CLASS ON a sunny Monday morning, Julia and Alison didn’t waste a second before they turned around to talk to me.

  “Don’t get used to us not being on the team,” Julia snapped, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “This is just temporary.”

  “Julia, you cheated,” I said. “And you got caught. Don’t take it out on me.” I was starting to feel a little annoyed by the whole thing.

  A flush crept over Alison’s face. “We didn’t cheat,” she whispered. “I swear.”

  “Stop trying to explain, Alison,” Julia said, glaring at me. “Sasha loves this. It’s less competition for the YENT.”

  I started to protest, but Jasmine walked into the room and took her seat next to me. She looked at me and simply rolled her eyes. I ignored her and stared ahead at the whiteboard. Finally, Ms. Peterson, our teacher, came into the room and stood in front of the class.

  “Good morning, everyone,” she said. “It’s time for a Monday morning pop quiz.”

  We all groaned. I scribbled my name on my paper, thinking back to everything I’d read about the solar system over the weekend.

  “Number one: name the lunar phases,” Ms. Peterson said.

  Got it . I wrote them down and looked up at Ms. Peterson when I finished.

  “Number two: which planet is the smallest?” Ms. Peterson asked. She wrote tonight’s homework on the whiteboard while she waited for us to answer.

  I wrote down Mercury.

  She asked a few more questions before telling us to put down our pens. “Please trade papers with the person sitting next to you,” she said. “And you’ll grade that person’s quiz.”

  With a tiny sigh, I passed my paper to Jasmine. Ms. Peterson went through the correct answers and I handed Jas back her paper with a minus one at the top. She gave me mine—also with one wrong. Last fall I’d probably have only gotten one right. I was glad I’d upped my studying more than usual—I refused to miss the YENT because of bad grades.

  When I got to the stable for my afternoon lesson, I grabbed Charm’s tack and grooming box before heading to his stall.

  “Hi, gorgeous,” I said to him, leading him into the wide aisle. Charm rubbed his forehead against my shoulder. “You’re doing that because you’re itchy, not because you love me, huh?” I teased.

  I started grooming him and kept an eye on Jack’s stall. Callie was usually here by now. We always groomed the horses together. I took out my phone.

  Where r u? I texted her.

  I’d finished grooming and tacking up Charm before my phone buzzed back.

  Late! B there soon.

  I wanted to wait for Callie, but Mr. Conner hated it when we weren’t in class on time.

  “We’d better go, boy,” I told Charm.

  We walked down the aisle and I mounted when I got into the arena. Inside, Heather was circling Aristocrat at a trot. I moved Charm to the opposite end of the arena and walked him along the wall. It was weird to be in here with just Heather. I watched the door, hoping that Callie would manage to slip in before Mr. Conner got here. But when Mr. Conner strode through the doorway, Callie was still missing.

  Mr. Conner didn’t even pause. “Heather and Sasha, please do a sitting trot,” he said. Heather and I urged our horses forward. I tried to keep my mind on the lesson, but I couldn’t stop thinking about why Callie wasn’t here. It had to be something major to keep her from practice.

  “Sasha, lower your hands,” Mr. Conner called. “And pay attention—you’re pulling on Charm’s mouth.”

  “Sorry,” I whispered to Charm. I lowered my hands and held them still above the saddle.

  “Shoulders back, Heather,” Mr. Conner said.

  He put his hands on his hips as he watched us circle around him. I looked up from between Charm’s ears when I saw Callie trot Jack into the arena.

  “I’m so sorry I’m late,” she said to Mr. Conner, stopping Jack in front of him.
<
br />   Callie was a mess. Half of her hair had escaped her ponytail and she had dry mud caked on her boots. I peered at Jack. She hadn’t groomed him. Or, if she had, she’d missed the tangle in his mane and the bits of hay stuck in his tail.

  “Callie, please leave,” Mr. Conner said. “You know that I do not tolerate lateness and it appears that you didn’t groom Jack prior to the lesson.”

  Callie lowered her head. “Sorry,” she whispered.

  “Please be on time for your next lesson and have Jack groomed properly.”

  Callie nodded. She dismounted and turned Jack away from us. She led him out of the arena. I wanted to go after Callie—I knew she must have felt awful. But I couldn’t look for her until after the lesson.

  Charm, confused by my lack of signals, weaved toward the wall—almost bumping Aristocrat.

  “Pay attention, hello!” Heather hissed. Her blue eyes narrowed at me.

  I nodded, letting Charm drop behind Aristocrat. Heather was right. I had to focus. Every practice between now and the YENT was crucial. I had to make each one count.

  Mr. Conner worked with Heather and me for another forty minutes before dismissing us. I dismounted and hurried to get out of the arena.

  Heather trotted Aristocrat in front of Charm and blocked the exit. “I’m not letting you mess this up,” she snapped. “Callie was late and you’re distracted. We all have to be focused and on our game or Jasmine King is going to think she has a chance at becoming the best Canterwood rider.”

  “Sorry,” I said. “You’re right.”

  With one last glare, Heather moved Aristocrat out of the way. The dark chestnut swished his tail in Charm’s face as he walked forward. Heather guided him back to the wall and started doing a working trot.

  “Aren’t you leaving?” I asked.

  Heather shook her head. “I’m practicing, Silver. Leave already.”

  She had to be as tired as I was after that grueling lesson. But she wasn’t going to stop.

  I unsnapped my helmet and led Charm out of the arena. Callie had Jack crosstied by the hot walker—his coat gleaming. She had also taken time to redo her ponytail.

  “What happened?” I asked. “You’re never late.”

  Callie put Jack’s body brush into his red tack box. “I went to Jacob’s track practice after class. I just totally forgot what time it was.”

  “Just don’t do it again or Mr. Conner will be making you run laps around the arena,” I said, only half joking.

  Callie unclipped Jack’s crossties. “No kidding.”

  I loosened Charm’s girth, preparing to cool him down. “If you see Heather, watch out. She gave me the ‘if you lose focus and Jas makes the team and we don’t, I’ll kill you’ speech.”

  “Not happening,” Callie said. “We’re totally focused.”

  10

  WHO’S THE REAL RIDER?

  “WHY ISN’T TODAY FRIDAY?” I ASKED.

  “Seriously,” Callie said, linking her arm through mine. “How can it only be Wednesday?”

  We walked down the hallway of the English building on our way to class. Sunlight streamed through the arched windows, catching the stained glass panes at the top. Spots of blue, red, and yellow hit the eggshell-white walls and swirled marble floor.

  Laughter rang through the hallway and Callie stopped, yanking on my arm.

  “Ow! What’s—” I closed my mouth when I saw why she’d stopped.

  Violet, Brianna, Georgia, and Jasmine stood in the middle of the hallway, huddled together and laughing.

  “They’re everywhere,” Callie whispered. “I’m sick of running into them every five minutes.”

  “At least Jasmine doesn’t live in your dorm,” I said.

  Callie looked behind us. “Let’s go that way and circle back. They’ll probably be gone by then.”

  We turned and walked away from them. “Everything okay?” I asked. “You’re kind of jumpy today.”

  We peered down the hallway, checking to make sure the Belles and Jasmine had disappeared. The hallway was empty, so we stopped in front of our English classroom.

  “Things with Jacob are a little… weird,” Callie said. “He’s been kind of distant. I know he’s probably just stressed about school, but…”

  “Probably,” I said. “I mean, finals are coming up and I saw the track schedule in the gym. I bet he’s going to be really busy.”

  Callie nodded. “Exactly. But Sash, I hope it’s okay to say this… Jacob is so amazing. I had no idea I could fall for a guy like this.”

  “Of course you can say it. I feel the same way about Eric,” I said. “And I was such a dork. I missed how great Eric was for so long.” I loved that Callie and I could have a conversation about Eric and Jacob minus any old weirdness.

  Callie giggled. “At least we finally figured it out.”

  I shifted my messenger bag strap. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

  “I am. I just want to make sure—”

  Our classroom door opened. Mr. Davidson popped his head into the hallway and saw us standing together. “C’mon, girls,” he said, waving us into the classroom. “Class is about to start.”

  He held open the door for us and Callie and I went into the classroom. I’d try to assure Callie after class that things were fine with Jacob. He was probably stressed— like we all were.

  “Ouch,” I grumbled to Eric. He rode Luna over to me, frowning. I’d just finished a supergrueling lesson, but had agreed to practice more with Eric. I’d been waiting for him in the stable yard.

  “Tough lesson?” Eric asked.

  “My legs are going to fall off.” I took my feet out of the stirrups and dangled them against Charm’s sides.

  Eric edged Luna closer. The flea-bitten gray mare had a definite crush on Charm. She touched her muzzle to his and I smiled at them.

  “We can skip our practice if you want,” Eric said. “No big deal if you’re too tired.”

  “I am tired, but I need the practice. And so does Charm. The YENT keeps getting closer and I’ll have less time once finals start.”

  We let the horses walk. “And my test for the advanced team is four days away,” Eric said.

  “Don’t even worry about that.” I turned to face him. “You’re going to make it. C’mon. Let’s take turns playing Mr. Conner. I’ll coach you first.”

  Eric grinned. “Cool.”

  “Let’s go to the practice cross-country course.”

  We rode the horses across the grassy yard and I unbuttoned my jacket. It was warmer than usual today and Charm was loving it. He almost pranced through the grass, eager to start jumping.

  I eyed the short course Mr. Conner had designed for us so we could practice without being too far away from the stable.

  “I think you should take the gate, the two brush jumps, the coffin and the stone wall. Then trot down the hill and circle back to me.”

  Eric nodded. “Works for me.” He settled into Luna’s saddle before letting her into a trot. They started up the gentle hill and I watched them, shading my eyes with my hand. Eric bounced a little as Luna bounded up the last few strides of the hill. She reached level ground and her canter quickened. Eric urged her toward the gate and she soared over it. He slowed her a notch and she swished her tail, annoyed, but listened to him. He got her over the first brush jump and then pointed her at the second.

  I half stood in the saddle, keeping my eyes on his hands, legs, and seat. His legs slid back and his knees weren’t tight enough against the saddle.

  Eric cantered Luna to the second line of brush, but Luna lost focus and started to weave. She slowed and Eric didn’t react in time to get her momentum up. Luna jumped, but her back hooves dragged over the top of the brush.

  “Tighten your knees!” I called.

  Eric must have heard me because his legs went back into the correct position and he urged Luna into a faster canter. She didn’t even blink at the coffin and it gave her confidence to leap the stone wall.

  “Great
finish!” I cheered as Eric rode over to me.

  “She almost refused the brush jump,” Eric said, shaking his head. “Advice?”

  “Not enough pressure,” I said. “Your signals were lax, too, and you wobbled in the saddle. Luna used that as an excuse and she looked like she thought about ducking out.”

  “I lost focus for a second,” Eric admitted. “That’s dangerous on a cross-country course.”

  I circled Charm, readying him to go. “It is, but at least you’re aware of it. You’ll stay more focused next time.”

  Eric nodded, taking a breath. “Okay, cross-country superstar, it’s your turn.”

  I sank my weight into the saddle and trotted Charm forward. I was glad there wasn’t a creek around this part of campus. I didn’t want to mess up in front of Eric. But I still had to fix Charm’s water phobia.

  “I’ll take you out to the water with Callie and Jack,” I said to Charm as we reached the top of the hill. “We’ll fix it.”

  Charm didn’t need any urging to canter. He leaped forward, his strides eating the grass. He powered over the old gate. That felt so good! I guided him over both brush jumps and Charm wasn’t a bit winded as he cantered around a long turn and approached the coffin. The coffin—a ditch with rails on both sides—required a slower canter. Sometimes, Mr. Conner filled the ditch with water, but it was empty today. I collected Charm, preparing him for the wide spread.

  He slowed and I squeezed my knees against the saddle. Charm surged forward and stretched as he cleared the rails and ditch. He landed with his hooves inches from the jump.

  “Nice,” I whispered to him. “One more!”

  We reached the stone wall in seconds and wind whooshed in my ears as Charm lifted into the air. He’d taken off a half second too late and had to tuck his forelegs tighter under his body to avoid touching the wall with his hooves.

  “Not bad, boy,” I said, patting his neck and slowing him to a trot.

  “You guys make it look easy,” Eric said.

  I shook my head. “We took off too late before the wall.”

  “Forget about it,” Eric said. “It’s show jumping time.”