Best Enemies Page 5

  I laughed when I saw the gleam in his eye. “You love playing Mr. Conner, don’t you?” I asked.

  After our ride I led a cooled Charm down the aisle and passed Julia and Alison, who were grooming Trix and Sunstruck. They both saw me and glared before looking away. It had to be insanely difficult to be around horses but not be able to ride. I couldn’t even think about the possibility of not riding Charm till next January.

  “Is Mr. Conner softening at all about letting you ride?” I asked, turning back to them.

  “Yeah, right,” Julia huffed. “Alison and I are in his office, like, every other day telling him we’re innocent. But he doesn’t believe us.”

  “At least you get to see your horses. Imagine if you’d been banned from the stable.”

  Julia raised her eyebrows. “That makes me feel so much better. Thanks a ton.”

  Alison put down Sunstruck’s currycomb and folded her arms. “Maybe it would have been easier. Then we wouldn’t have to watch everyone else ride.”

  “Sorry,” I said, walking Charm forward. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel worse.”

  I released Charm into his stall and he went straight to his hay net. “Bye, boy.”

  I walked toward the Sweet Shoppe for my midweek cookie break and texted Paige.

  Almost @ SS. Want anything?

  She texted back. No thanx. Just made brownies.

  Hmmm… Paige’s brownies were better than the Sweet Shoppe’s. But I felt like iced coffee after that ride. I walked toward the shop, deleting old texts as I walked. I looked up and stopped midstep.

  Jasmine and Heather stood in front of the shop, facing one another. Both girls had their arms crossed and eyes locked on each other. Jasmine was dressed for riding in white breeches, black boots and a flyaway sweater coat. Heather looked ready for a date in a double-breasted green pea coat, black skirt, and peep toe shoes.

  I decided just to keep walking.

  “Sasha,” Jasmine called. “Don’t run away so fast.”

  I turned to look at her. “I’m not running anywhere. I’m going inside.”

  Jasmine shook her head. “But you should hear this. Your teammate Heather is trying to convince me of something superfunny.”

  My eyes flickered from Heather to Jasmine. “What?” I asked.

  “I’m not convincing her of anything,” Heather said, her face a deep shade of pink. “I’m assuring her that we—the real Canterwood riders—will make the YENT. Jasmine won’t. Right?”

  I just stood there, annoyed to be in the middle of their fight. “We don’t know who’s going to make it,” I said. “But I guess the scouts will pick the best riders for the team. We all have a shot.”

  Jasmine, tilting her head to look at me sideways, laughed.

  “You’re delusional,” she said. “Perfect example— just look at us. Who’s in riding clothes?”

  I just stared at her, not answering.

  “I am,” Jasmine continued. “Because I’m actually on my way back to practice more. Heather’s not. Obvi. And, if I had to guess, I’d say you’re here to stuff your face with cookies.”

  “I just finished practicing,” I said. “Not that I have to explain myself to you.”

  Jasmine started toward the stable. “Oh, you don’t have to,” she said. “I’m just fine with you not making the YENT.”

  Heather took a deep breath and shook her head once Jasmine was gone. “I’m going to totally—”

  “Don’t,” I said. “She’s not even worth it. We’re doing everything we can for the YENT. You know it. She’s just trying to throw us off our game.”

  Heather threw up a hand. “She doesn’t even need to try. Our team is a disaster as it is.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Really? Let’s see… ,” Heather put a finger to her chin. “Callie was late and she got kicked out for looking like a slob, Julia and Alison are so furious, they can barely function… and aren’t allowed to ride anyway. And now I’m getting distracted because of her. I’m done. I’m going to change and go ride.”

  Heather stomped away from me before I could say anything else. I stood there, staring longingly at the Sweet Shoppe. But I turned away and walked toward Winchester. Paige’s brownies were better anyway and I needed to do my homework.

  Suddenly, Heather had me feeling insecure about everything I’d been doing—or not doing.

  11

  PRESSURE COOKER

  MR. CONNER CAME INTO THE OUTDOOR ARENA for our afternoon lesson and nodded when he saw we were all there on time. Ever since she’d been late, Callie had been sure to be the first one in the arena.

  Mr. Conner put us through a long dressage lesson and my arms ached after repeat attempts to collect Charm’s trot and canter.

  “Great job, everyone,” Mr. Conner said. “Please dismount and cool your horses. See you next class.”

  I dismounted and walked Charm over to Jack. “Good ride,” I said to Callie. “Ready to go again?” I made a pretend-serious face.

  “Totally.” She mock-rolled her eyes. “You first.”

  We walked side by side as we cooled the horses. “Paige is spending the night at Geena’s,” I said.

  “Her friend from cooking class?”

  I nodded. “They’re watching Teen Cuisine together. Do you want to sleep over?”

  Callie smiled. “Only if TV, movies, and tons of junk food are involved.”

  “Of course,” I said, feeling Charm’s neck to see if he was cool. “Those are, like, essentials.”

  “Cool. I’ll come over after your film class.”

  We started the last turn around the arena to cool out the horses. As we walked I couldn’t help thinking how weeks ago, a sleepover with Callie had seemed as if it would never happen again. But our friendship kept getting better and I knew we’d get back to being super BFFs before we left for summer vacay.

  On my way out of the stable I passed the indoor arena and stopped when I saw a horse and rider flash by the window. Heather moved Aristocrat along the wall, sitting quietly to his canter. She was still practicing?

  I walked into the arena and when Heather turned Aristocrat back, she saw me. She focused her gaze forward again, ignoring me and slowing Aristocrat to a trot. She trotted him past me and through the arena’s center. She sat for a beat as Aristocrat crossed through the diagonal and she got back on the right lead. She worked for ten minutes before she asked him for a walk. Aristocrat took sharp breaths and sweat had darkened his chest.

  “He looks happy to quit,” I called out.

  Heather stopped him in front of me and pushed her helmet back. “We’re not done.”

  “We just had a lesson and you’ve been in here for at least an hour by yourself,” I said. “Aristocrat’s tired.”

  Heather rubbed his neck. “I’m giving him a break, Silver. Chill.”

  I looked closer at Heather. She had a smudge on her chin and faint circles under her eyes. Her cheeks looked a little hollowed.

  “Plus, you probably have something else you want to do tonight,” I said. “It’s Friday, right?”

  Heather glared at me. “Go bother someone else, okay? I need to finish up here.”

  I walked out of the arena, shaking my head. When I turned the corner, I almost ran right into Alison. She looked out of place in the stable with her skinny jeans, paddock boots, and sparkly purple T-shirt.

  “Have you seen Heather?” she asked.

  “Indoor arena,” I said. “Still practicing.”

  “Oh.” Alison frowned. “Okay.”

  She started to walk away, but I called after her. “Is something wrong with Heather?”

  Alison turned back to me. She stuck her hands in her pockets. “Like what?”

  “She just seems superstressed. And she has to be tired, but she’s still riding.” I shrugged. “Just asking.”

  Alison looked as if she was going to blow me off. But then she stepped closer to me. “She’s just stressed, like you said. There’s a
lot of pressure.”

  “Her dad?” I guessed.

  Alison’s eyes widened slightly. “Yeah. It’s always her dad. But whatever, I don’t know why I’m telling you this. Not like you care.”

  “Heather’s my teammate,” I said, brushing a Charm hair off my jacket sleeve. “Believe it or not, I want her to do well. And I’m not going to tell anyone that we talked— I swear.”

  Alison looked at her boots, then back at me. “I can’t believe I’m about to continue this conversation, but I do feel bad for Heather. Her dad told her if she didn’t make the YENT, he was going to sell Aristocrat and make her transfer to another boarding school.”

  “He’s threatening her with that again?” Mr. Fox had made the same threats last fall if Heather didn’t make the advanced team.

  “Yeah. And she’s worried. I mean, last time she knew she’d likely make the advanced team. But making the YENT is so much harder.”

  I leaned against the wall, trying to think of a way to help. “Anything we can do?”

  Alison gave me a half smile. “I haven’t thought of anything yet. Maybe I’ll go offer to coach her tomorrow if she agrees to stop for today.”

  I nodded. “Good idea.”

  As I walked to Winchester, I tried to imagine my parents taking Charm away from me. I couldn’t even go there. Heather and I had our problems, but I didn’t want to see her lose Aristocrat.

  12

  THAT RINGTONE

  FILM CLASS WAS STARTING IN TWO MINUTES and Jacob still hadn’t shown. I shifted in my cushy red seat and tapped my fingers on the armrest.

  Mr. Ramirez stood in front of the class and smiled at us. He always started film class with a quote and it was like a class competition to see who could get it right first. “‘I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea!’”

  I knew it! “The Parent Trap!” I called out.

  Mr. Ramirez nodded. “Nice, Sasha.”

  Where was Jacob? He never skipped class. And Callie hadn’t said a word about him being sick or anything.

  “Today, we’ll be talking about original films versus remakes,” Mr. Ramirez said. “We’ll watch the 1961 version of The Parent Trap and then you’ll watch the remake on your own over the weekend. I’ll assign homework for the films and you’ll complete it after you’ve watched both movies.”

  While he started to set up the movie, I texted Jacob. I couldn’t help it—I was worried.

  U ok? I sent the text and applied a layer of maple syrup– flavored gloss.

  But fifteen minutes later, he still hadn’t texted back. I thought about texting Callie, but didn’t want her to think it was weird that I was checking up on her boyfriend. I sat through the rest of the movie, barely able to concentrate. When Mr. Ramirez finally dismissed the class, I hurried back to Winchester.

  You’d know if something was going on, I told myself. Callie would have told you. I was still thinking about it when Callie arrived at my room.

  “Hey!” she said. “I brought an insane amount of candy. We’ll totally crash after we eat all of it.”

  “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” I said. I took the bag she handed me and peered inside as she opened her backpack. “Niiice.” I looked at the bags of M&M’s (peanut and plain), candy bars, and a giant bag of jelly beans.

  “There was more, but I gave Jacob a giant Hershey’s bar before I came over.”

  I unwrapped a Twix. “I was wondering why he wasn’t in film class. So he was skipping to hang out with you?” I shook my head in pretend disapproval.

  Callie reached into the bag, pulling out an Almond Joy.

  “He wasn’t skipping—he had an excuse,” she said. “He hurt his knee in gym and was supposed to ice it for the rest of the night.”

  “Ouch.” I put down my candy bar. “Sorry.”

  Callie stuck out her bottom lip. “I feel so bad for him. But he’ll be okay.”

  I flicked on the TV. “He totally will be. But be careful— he might start getting ‘injured’ more often just so you bring him candy.”

  Callie laughed. She flopped onto her stomach on Paige’s bed and faced the TV. “What’s on the schedule for tonight?”

  I tossed her the list of possibilities I’d made during math class. “Pick something.”

  Callie scanned the list, nodding at some of the choices. I fluffed my pillows and eased back onto them, stretching out on my bed. I’d just gotten comfortable when my phone rang. I almost fell off my bed when I heard the ringtone.

  I sat up, glancing at the phone and then at Callie.

  “You can get it,” she said. “It’s gonna take me another minute to pick something.”

  I snatched up my phone. “Hello?” I asked, pretending as if my caller ID was broken.

  “Uh, hey. It’s Jacob.”

  “Hi,” I said. Callie looked over at me, then back at the list.

  “Sorry to call if you’re busy or something, but I really need to talk to you.”

  “Why?” For a second, I forgot Callie was even here. Jacob sounded superstrange.

  “Look, I’m sorry about how weird things have been. There’s just… something I need to tell you. I—”

  Whoa! This was not going to be a good conversation to have right in front of Callie.

  “Callie’s here!” I half shouted. “Callie’s here and we have to watch our movie.”

  Callie glanced up from the list, looking at me with a why-are-you-yelling face. I turned away from her, letting my hair fall into my face.

  “Oh.” Jacob paused and took a breath. “Never mind. It was nothing. Can you e-mail me the homework from film?”

  “Yep,” I squeaked. “I’ll e-mail it to you.”

  “Thanks. Bye.” Jacob hung up and I shut off my phone before putting it beside my bed.

  “That was Jacob,” I said. I wasn’t going to lie to Callie about who was on the phone. “He wanted the homework for film.”

  Callie nodded, her eyes lingering on my phone for a second before she pulled her hair into a high ponytail. “Okay.”

  I waited for her to be upset that Jacob had called me, but she seemed cool. “So, what did you pick?”

  “The new Bryce Oliver movie. For sure.”

  “Let’s get into PJs, grab sodas and popcorn, and start the movie.”

  We got into our pajamas and fuzzy socks. For the first time in months, it felt like Callie and I were BFFs pre– The Jacob-and-Eric Mess.

  You totally overreacted about Jacob’s phone call, I told myself. Whatever he’d wanted to tell me—it didn’t matter. There was nothing he had to say that was important right now. Callie and I were having fun together and it was about time.

  A couple of hours later the movie was over and my eyes kept fluttering shut.

  “Ugh, I feel like such a grandma,” I said. “It’s not even midnight and I’m exhausted.”

  “Me too.” Callie yawned. “I’m ready to crash.”

  I turned off the TV and we got settled into our beds. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  “I’m not hanging out with Jacob till the afternoon,” Callie said. “So I’m on my own. You?”

  “Eric’s got a bio lab session with his partner in the morning, then he’ll be practicing for the advanced team.”

  “Want to do something together?” Callie asked.

  We looked at each other and I knew we were thinking the same thing.

  “Trail ride!” we said at the same time.

  “No practicing,” I said.

  “And no worrying about the YENT,” Callie finished.

  I turned off the light and fell against my pillow with a happy sigh. In seconds, my eyes closed and I drifted off to sleep, glad to have Callie as my friend again. One hundred percent.

  13

  SHOWDOWN

  BY EIGHT THE NEXT MORNING, CALLIE AND I were at the stable. We hurried through tacking up the horses, chatting and laughing the whole time. We led them outside and I squinted from the bright sunshine.

  “I’m sti
ll disgustingly full of junk food,” Callie said, as we walked beside Charm and Jack. We stopped the horses and mounted.

  “Me too. I think we should stick to a walk for a while.”

  We let the horses amble toward the woods. I gave Charm a loose rein and relaxed in the saddle.

  “Trail riding was only the best idea ever,” Callie said. “I was getting bored with practicing.”

  I nodded. “Imagine how Charm and Jack feel. They…” I let my sentence trail off when the small outdoor arena came into view. Heather and Jasmine were at opposite ends of the arena, cantering Aristocrat and Phoenix.

  Callie and I halted the horses, stopping before Jas or Heather noticed us. Heather, sneaking a glance at Jasmine, turned Aristocrat sharply toward the arena’s center. Jasmine guided Phoenix in the same direction. Both girls cantered the horses down the center of the arena, only feet apart from being on the same track. They swept past each other and turned when they reached the ends of the arena. Phoenix kicked up a clump of dirt as Jasmine pulled him to a halt.

  The girls stared at each other before Jasmine urged Phoenix into a trot. She sat to his smooth gait and moved him around the outer edge of the arena, heading for Heather. Heather let Aristocrat trot and sat, too, mirroring Jasmine’s actions. Jasmine eyed Heather and collected Phoenix’s trot. Heather did the same. It was turning into an all-out arena battle.

  “I know we should go before they catch us,” Callie whispered. “But I can’t stop watching.”

  “Me either.”

  Heather halted Aristocrat and backed him in a perfect straight line. Jasmine stopped Phoenix, asking him to back up, and took him three steps farther back than Heather had done with Aristocrat.

  Heather trotted Aristocrat up to Phoenix and halted him when she was side-by-side with Jasmine.

  “Uh-oh,” I said. Charm pointed his ears toward the arena and raised his head. He didn’t want to miss a word, either.

  “Not good,” Callie said.

  “Let’s go!” I said. “Just trot them past the arena and talk and pretend we didn’t see a thing.”

  Callie started to nod, then stopped. “Forget that.”

  I glanced back at the arena. Heather’s eyes were on us.