Home Sweet Drama

by Jessica Burkhart

  When we reached level ground, Mr. Conner slowed Lexington a fraction to line up with Heather and me. “Let them into a slow gallop,” he said. “We’ll gallop until a few yards before the woods, then pull them up to a canter. From there, we’ll take the obstacles that cross our path. I’ve already ridden this way a few times to test it, so it’s safe.”

  Wind whooshed in my ears and when Mr. Conner nodded, we all let our horses out a notch. Charm raced forward, wanting to be in front of Aristocrat. But the darker chestnut wasn’t about to let Charm get away with it—he tugged on the reins and quickened his pace. Heather and I were ahead of Mr. Conner and Lexington in seconds and we glanced at each other. If we let the horses go faster, he’d make us go back to the arena.

  I sat deeper in the saddle and pulled lightly on the reins, asking Charm to slow. Charm’s muzzle dropped back by Aristocrat’s shoulder and he shook his head. I thought Heather wasn’t going to slow Aristocrat, but she pulled him to a hand gallop and our horses drew even.

  Their hooves thundered over the grass. There wasn’t anything I’d rather be doing. Charm, happy now that he was even with Aristocrat, settled into a smooth gallop. Mr. Conner galloped Lexington between Charm and Aristocrat, preventing Charm from having such direct eye contact with his nemesis.

  We galloped for several yards and Charm’s breathing seemed to match my own. Everything—Homecoming, Jacob, Callie, Eric, Paige—seemed to fall away and all I felt was a sense of security and comfort. It felt good to let Charm go and to be away from campus. The three horses’ hooves pounded over the ground and all too soon, the woods loomed in front of us.

  “Pull them to a canter,” Mr. Conner called. “And follow me single file, please.”

  Heather and I slowed the horses and she let me move Charm behind Lexington. It was a nice gesture—Charm wouldn’t be fighting to keep up with Aristocrat, but it also meant Heather was watching me ride. I fought back my nerves. So what if she was? Cross-country was my forte and Heather saw me ride every day in lessons. I wasn’t going to mess up.

  The horses cantered slowly into the woods and reached a dirt path. Sunlight filtered through the trees and cast shadows on the trail. The path was straight for yards and we started up another hill. We swept past trees that lined the path and Mr. Conner eased Lexington into a trot as we reached a gentle curve. I followed him and when the path straightened, we were trotting next to the creek. Sunlight caught on the multicolored pebbles and I made myself look away, but it was too late. I remembered how just before YENT testing, Charm had developed a fear of going through the creek. Callie had helped me get him over his fear. I blinked furiously, trying to erase the memory from my brain.

  Ahead of me, Mr. Conner gathered Lexington and they jumped a fallen tree no more than a foot and a half high. A few strides later, Charm and I reached the tree. I eased my hands up along his neck and he jumped the tree without pause. A few seconds later, I heard Aristocrat land behind us and we kept trotting down the path as it twisted through the woods.

  Mr. Conner turned toward the creek and I leaned back as Charm started down the creek bank. Lexington reached the creek bed and splashed through the knee high water. Water darkened his coat and he looked like steel as he trotted up the bank.

  Charm didn’t even blink at the creek—he went right in. The coolish water probably felt refreshing to him after cantering and galloping. His shoes clinked against the pebbles and he charged up the bank after Lexington.

  When we reached level ground, I pulled Charm to a halt and waited for Heather and Aristocrat to clear the creek bed.

  “Go ahead,” I said, waving my hand in front of her.

  She nodded and let Aristocrat trot by Charm and me. We followed her; Charm’s earlier need to overtake Aristocrat had been calmed by this point in the workout.

  Mr. Conner let Lexington into a canter and Heather and I followed him. The path straightened and one by one we jumped a stack of hay bales that had been placed across the path. A few strides later, we cleared a log and then I saw the next jump: I almost bounced up and down in the saddle. It was a zigzag—a jump I’d only done a couple of times. The wooden jump had logs that formed a zigzag pattern and the odd shape could cause a refusal if the horse didn’t trust the rider. The logs were surrounded by a wooden box and the box was filled with wood chips. The jump wasn’t high—it didn’t have to be, because the pattern was what often threw off the horses.

  I wondered if this was how the rest of the course was designed. Maybe Mr. Conner had set us up with a completely new course that we’d get to use more.

  Charm’s ears flicked back for a second as we reached the zigzag. Yards in front of us, Mr. Conner moved Lexington, who started to sidestep, back in front of the jump. The gelding shuddered for a second, but took the obstacle. Charm, who’d been watching Lexington, tensed beneath me and I pushed him forward with my hands and legs. I wasn’t going to let him stop.

  “You got it,” I whispered. “C’mon.”

  Charm’s back relaxed and his stride became confident. In front of us, Aristocrat leaped the jump easily and that seemed to give Charm incentive. He approached the zigzag and I kept both legs steady against his sides so he knew running out wasn’t an option. He lifted into the air and tucked his forelegs under his body as we cleared the low jump.

  We cantered for several minutes down the trail, weaving around trees until we reached an open clearing. Mr. Conner let Lexington into a faster canter and Heather and I copied him. The field of green looked as if it stretched on forever.

  Charm showed no signs of slowing down as we moved over the ground. He hadn’t started to sweat yet, but my T-shirt was sticking to my back. We’d lost the shade of the woods when we’d hit the clearing.

  We cantered up another hill and the ground leveled. Lexington and then Aristocrat took a brush fence. Charm hopped it easily. A few strides later, we approached an old wooden park bench. All three horses jumped it without pause and we cantered toward the next jump.

  I loved this! Not only did Heather and I get to observe Mr. Conner ride, but we also got to jump a new course. I loved arena lessons, but sometimes things got stale. And coming out here to a new place where Charm wasn’t familiar with his surroundings was good for him.

  Mr. Conner started to turn in a half-circle and we were facing the campus, even if we couldn’t see it. He eased Lexington to a trot and we went down a sharper hill. At the bottom of the hill we trotted for two strides before leaping two tiny brush jumps in a row. I watched Heather and Aristocrat for a few seconds, marveling at Heather’s form over each jump. She never wavered, and her confidence transmitted to Aristocrat.

  “Last jump,” Mr. Conner called back to us.

  I was sorry the course was over so soon. I knew Charm would take it again if I let him.

  Mr. Conner let Lexington canter a bit faster to gain enough momentum to make it over a wooden gate with a small shrub on each side. Lexington, still greener than Charm or Aristocrat, started to rush the fence. Even though Heather was well behind Mr. Conner and Lexington, she slowed Aristocrat a notch in case the gray refused the fence. But Mr. Conner knew how to handle Lexington. He did a half halt and Lexington kept going at the same pace for a few seconds before listening to Mr. Conner. He slowed, collected himself, and lifted into the air. He cleared the gate without even coming close to touching it.

  Aristocrat and Heather went next and, as expected, had no problem. I gave Charm rein to let him canter fast. He hadn’t lost a bit of energy since we’d started the course. I counted down the strides in my head and at the right second, Charm leaped into the air. He hit the grass softly on the other side and we joined Heather and Mr. Conner at a trot.

  “That was excellent, girls,” Mr. Conner said. “Both of you are strong in cross-country and you didn’t let any of the new obstacles or the new path become an excuse for allowing your horse to refuse a fence or get nervous.”

  “Thanks,” Heather and I said.

  “Let’s keep them at a t
rot to cool down on our way back to the stable,” Mr. Conner said. “And be sure to check their legs for heat or any sign of stress after that ride.”

  We trotted the horses side by side back to the stable. I was pumped after that round. But with every step closer to the stable, I wanted more and more to go back to the woods until Homecoming was over.

  When we got back to the stable, I dismounted and loosened Charm’s girth. He was going to need extra walking and I wanted to give him a bath. It had been a while since the last time when—no. Did not want to think about that. But I couldn’t stop the memory. The last time I’d bathed Charm, Eric had helped me because Jasmine had turned out Charm in the back pasture after it had rained. It had been minutes before my lesson and I’d found Charm coated from ears to tail in mud. Eric had helped me wash him in the outdoor wash stall and we’d ended up turning the hose on each other.

  I couldn’t help but smile when I remembered the look on Eric’s face when I’d swiped mud across his cheek. He’d retaliated and by the end, Charm was the cleanest of all of us. I sighed. Did not want to think about Eric. It didn’t do any good. There was no chance of getting him back and I had to let him move on. I’d done enough damage.

  I removed Charm’s tack and he waited for me just outside the door while I hung up his bridle and put away his saddle. I grabbed a bucket, container of horse shampoo, coat conditioner and a sponge. I untied Charm’s cotton lead line from the tie ring and we started walking outside. We passed Black Jack’s stall and I slowed. The stall door was opening and Callie led him out into the aisle. I looked at her face and knew immediately that something was up. I was her former BFF—I could tell when there was something going on. Her lips were pressed together and she stared at the ground. I couldn’t walk away without saying something.

  “Callie?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Everything okay?”

  Callie’s expression changed from worry to anger. She shook her head. “Are you kidding me? You’re the last person I want to talk to. Don’t say a word to me again. Ever.”

  My throat tightened and I led Charm down the aisle and outside. I hated this. Every second of it. But I’d done what I’d had to do to protect Callie. And I couldn’t go back on that now.

  11

  PAIGE = HOMECOMING OBSESSED

  ON MY WAY BACK TO MY ROOM, I STOPPED by the girl’s bathroom to shower and change. Paige was out, so I decided to text her to see if she wanted to meet up and study in the common room together.

  When u get back wanna study in com room? I sent the text and started gathering my books. I had enough to do that I could go and get a head start.

  My phone beeped a couple of minutes later.

  Just finished w HC committee—b there in 5

  I deleted the message. At least if we had to work, Paige wouldn’t have any time to talk about Homecoming.

  In the common room I spread my stuff on the round table. If I sat on the couch I’d get too comfy and would probably fall asleep. I took the egg that Jacob and I shared for health class and set it on the table, then snapped a picture of it. I was definitely going to get an A in this class—no doubt. I’d wanted to give the egg to Jacob yesterday when I’d seen him in the hallway, but things had been too weird with Callie.

  I pulled out my history book and started reading the assigned chapter. Mr. Spellman’s class wasn’t too hard, but he always assigned a lot of required reading. I’d read a few pages when I heard flip-flops approach the common room.

  Paige walked inside, her arms full of green folders.

  “What are those?” I asked.

  She grinned at me. “Details for the dance!”

  Did every sentence about Homecoming have to end in an exclamation point?

  “Oh, cool,” I said. “I’m sure it’ll be great.”

  Paige put the folders on the table and flipped open one. “It’s going to be amazing. Seriously. I’d tell you every detail, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise for you.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “You definitely don’t want to do that. I love surprises.”

  And if I hear one more thing about it, I’ll go insane, I thought, but smiled at Paige.

  “Are you the first person in Canterwood history who doesn’t have homework?” I asked, nodding at the folders. “Because then I’d be so jealous.”

  Paige sighed. “I have homework, but I really want to go over all of this first.”

  I nodded, not saying anything, and went back to my textbook. I wanted to talk to Paige about so many things, like my party and what we were going to do over fall break, but all she wanted to talk about was Homecoming.

  “So, has anyone heard from Jasmine?” Paige asked.

  I looked up slowly. “That’s kind of random. Why would any of us hear from her?”

  Paige shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t expect her to contact any of you, but I kind of wonder where she is and stuff.”

  “I don’t care as long as it’s not here.” I uncapped my pen pointedly, trying to signal to Paige that I was done talking about Jasmine.

  “How are Julia and Alison doing?” Paige asked. “They have to be feeling awesome now that the truth about what really happened is finally out.”

  I stiffened in my seat. I knew Paige well enough to know where she was going with this. If I let her, she’d make the conversation about my party. She was using Julia and Alison’s situation as a way to ease into talking about my party. I wanted to talk to her about it, but not like this. Not when she’d spent so much time talking about poor Jasmine and Homecoming.

  “Julia and Alison are happy. Glad to be back on the team.” I pointed to my book. “I’ve really got to get this done, okay?”

  Paige shrank back a little. “Yeah. Sorry. I’ll go get my homework.”

  She gathered her folders and left the common room. I folded my arms on the table and laid my head on the desk. This was ridiculous. I couldn’t even have a normal conversation with my roommate anymore! She was obsessed with Homecoming and with trying to find a way to prove that I’d lied about what had happened with Jacob at my party. And I was getting tired of it—I wanted to tell her the truth on my own terms.

  Paige entered the common room without a word moments later and we both got to work. Neither of us talked as we did our homework and the tension in the room was crazy. I was considering saying I was done with my homework, even though I wasn’t, and telling Paige I had to run to the stable to pick up something I’d forgotten. Just as I started to close my book, my phone buzzed.

  4got 2 get egg from u yest. Wanna trade now?

  It took me two point five seconds to type a response. Sure. Meet me outside Winchester.

  I picked up the egg, its padded box that Jacob had made, and our notebook, leaving my books spread open on the table.

  “Back in a sec,” I said. “I’ve got pass my egg to Jacob.”

  “’Kay,” was all Paige said.

  I left the room and felt immediate relief the second I got out. I hurried down the hallway and when I pushed open the door, Jacob was leaning casually against the railing. I tried not to smile when I saw him, but I couldn’t stop myself.

  “Hi,” I said. My voice sounded shy and it felt like it was the first time we’d met.

  “Hey,” Jacob said, his voice soft. Our eyes met and, for a second, all I could think about was how much I’d missed the tingly feeling I’d had whenever I’d looked into his eyes.

  Stop it, I said to myself. He’s with Callie. Just like you wanted. You had your chance to be with him.

  I thrust the egg and notebook in his direction, then took a step back toward the door.

  “I logged everything in the notebook,” I said. “If you just write that you took it tonight, we’ll be ready when we turn it in tomorrow.”

  “Great.” Jacob looked at the egg, then back up at me. “I know we’ll get a good grade. There’s no way we won’t.”

  “Yeah, we really did carry that thing everywhere,” I said.


  As I spoke, I tried to think of something—anything—to talk about to keep him here. But I knew better. I didn’t need to be talking to Jacob. I should have been inside, doing homework and not chatting with my ex—best friend’s boyfriend. I didn’t need anyone to see us together and think there was something going on.

  He had a look on his face as if he wanted to tell me something. I could feel it. But if this had anything to do with Callie, I definitely didn’t want to know. But maybe it has nothing to do with her, I thought. It could be about a zillion things—school, parents, whatever.

  Paige was waiting for me in the common room, probably counting the minutes of how long I’d been out here with Jacob.

  “I’ve got to get back inside,” I said, tipping my head back in the direction of the door.

  “Oh.” Jacob put his free hand in his pocket. “Okay.”

  “Bye.” I turned, pulled open the door and left him standing on the steps before he could say another word.

  12

  EGG FREE AT LAST

  I WALKED INTO MR. SPELLMAN’S HISTORY class on Wednesday afternoon dreading the period. It was my least favorite class because I shared it with Eric and Jacob. They hadn’t interacted during class since my party, but they were about to be forced to. Soon.

  “Class,” Mr. Spellman said. “I wanted to remind you all that after fall break, your group projects will begin.”

  I looked at Jacob, then at Eric. They were both in the same group. Luckily, I wasn’t with them. If Mr. Spellman had assigned me to their project, I would have asked for a transfer. At least they wouldn’t have to start working together until after fall break. Maybe a week away would do everyone some good. We all needed some space from each other.