Best Enemies Page 7

  Rachel and her friends clapped silently with their fingertips.

  Mr. Conner wrote something on his clipboard. “Please dismount,” he told Eric. Eric did and took off his helmet.

  Mike came into the arena and took Luna from Eric. Mr. Conner motioned to Jasmine, who had appeared in the entrance. She walked over to stand beside Eric.

  “Thank you for those excellent rides,” Mr. Conner said. “You both impressed me with how much you’ve practiced since I scheduled your testing. I have no doubt that you’re dedicated riders and I’m lucky to have you both in my stable.”

  I was so proud of Eric. He deserved to hear that— he’d been working nonstop since the testing had been scheduled.

  “I don’t need time to think about my decision,” Mr. Conner continued. “You both have great potential and would make excellent additions to the advanced team. I’d like to welcome you with my congratulations.”

  I clapped my hand over my mouth to stop from shouting. Mr. Conner turned, looking up at the skybox. “You can cheer now,” he said, shaking his head.

  Eric laughed and smiled up at us.

  Ben, Nicole, and I started clapping and cheering.

  “Congratulations,” Eric said, turning to Jasmine.

  She stared at him, then seemed to remember that Mr. Conner was standing feet away. “You too,” she said sweetly.

  “Jasmine,” Mr. Conner said. “I’m pleased that I was able to advance you this time. Keep up the work you’re doing on becoming a softer rider.”

  Jasmine nodded and tucked a lock of wavy hair behind her ear. “I will, Mr. Conner.”

  “Good,” Mr. Conner said. “I’ll see both of you at seven tomorrow morning for practice. If you’re interested in celebrating, there will be a cake at the Sweet Shoppe at two.” He turned to the skybox and tilted his head toward us. “The cheering section is also invited.”

  We started laughing. “As if we’d miss cake,” Ben called down to Mr. Conner.

  Mr. Conner laughed and shook Eric’s hand, then Jasmine’s. “Congratulations.”

  Mr. Conner started toward the exit. He wasn’t even three steps away from Eric and Jasmine when I was out of my seat and hurrying toward the arena. I ran across the dirt floor and grabbed Eric in a hug.

  “Omigod!” I said. “Who was right?”

  Eric stepped back, putting his hands on my waist. His warm brown eyes had their special Eric sparkle. “Hmm. I don’t know… you, maybe?”

  “Um, yeah,” I teased. “I was totally right. I knew you’d make it!”

  “Ewww,” Jasmine said, shaking her head. I’d been so excited that I’d forgotten she was still there.

  I pointed to the exit. “The door’s that way,” I said.

  Jasmine crossed her arms. “Please. You are the ones who can take your disgusting ‘Omigod!-You’re-so-amazing,-Sasha!-No,-Eric,-you-are!’ display elsewhere.”

  “Fine,” I said lightly. I slipped my fingers through Eric’s. “We will.”

  And without another word to Jasmine, my advanced team boyfriend and I left the arena hand in hand.

  15

  HOPE WE’RE NOT TEAMMATES FOR LONG

  FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE AFTERNOON, Paige and I studied in the Winchester common room. I’d claimed the recliner and a pillow for my lap. Paige sat cross-legged in the window seat. She was writing an essay for English, I was doing math homework, and we’d already quizzed each other for our science classes.

  “I’ve got to leave in a few minutes,” I said to Paige. “Cake at two.”

  Paige closed her history textbook. “I’m so happy that Eric made it. He deserved it.”

  “I know. And he’s so excited. You sure you can’t come and celebrate with us?”

  “I would,” Paige said. “But I already told Geena that I’d test recipes with her for cooking class.”

  “Okay.” I gathered my books, highlighters, and pens to take back to my room. “See you later.”

  At the Sweet Shoppe, I spotted Andy, Troy, Ben, and Nicole at a table near the back. We chatted for a few minutes before Eric arrived.

  “Ohhh, I see how it is,” Nicole teased Eric. “You’re a superstar rider now, so you can keep the rest of us waiting.”

  We all laughed.

  “You got me,” Eric said. “I knew you wouldn’t eat the cake without me.”

  I dropped my jaw in mock-shock. “Puh-lease. I was about to go get it five seconds ago, but Troy stopped me.”

  Eric pretend-narrowed his eyes at me, but he couldn’t stop his smile.

  Andy checked the screen on his phone. “It’s two ten,” he said. “Jasmine still isn’t here, so should we wait?”

  “Yeah,” Nicole said. “Like, ten more minutes. Then we eat.”

  “Let’s get drinks,” I said. Everyone agreed and soon, we were sipping our beverages of choice. I’d picked toasted almond–flavored iced coffee.

  The guys had been talking about their last lesson.

  “Did you have trouble with transitions?” Eric asked Troy and Ben.

  Ben nodded and the guys kept talking.

  Nicole scooted her chair closer to me. “I’m so happy that you and Eric are together,” she said quietly. “You’re great for each other.”

  “Thanks. I really, really like him.”

  “He’s so into you,” Nicole said. “It’s obvious.”

  I played with my bracelet, touching the charm from Eric. “It’ll be great to have him on my team too.”

  Nicole nodded, brushing back her curls. “For a while, anyway. You know you’ll make the YENT, Sash.”

  “Ugh. Don’t remind me about that. I can’t even think about it now without hyperventilating.”

  “Don’t.” Nicole shook her head. “Or I’ll send Rachel and her friends over to cheer for you when you ride.”

  That made me grin. “Exactly what I wanted.”

  We chatted for a few more minutes before Troy stood. “I’m going for the cake,” he said. “We’ll save Jas a couple of pieces.”

  Troy returned with a giant chocolate cake covered in whipped vanilla frosting. Congratulations, Eric and Jasmine! had been written across the center in hunter green icing—a Canterwood school color. Troy put the cake in the center of the table and Ben picked up a knife.

  “Wait!” Nicole said. “We have to toast first.”

  “But… ,” Ben said, staring longingly at the cake.

  Nicole shot him a look and he put down the knife. Everyone picked up their drinks. “I think that since Sasha is already a member of the advanced team,” Nicole said, winking at me, “she should toast Eric.”

  I shifted my coffee to the other hand. I was so proud of Eric that I could probably go on forever. “I never doubted that Eric would make the advanced team,” I said. “I knew he would because he’d been working hard long before Mr. Conner invited him to try out.”

  Eric’s smile encouraged me to keep going. “It’s going to be amazing to have him as a teammate.”

  “But I hope we’re not teammates for long,” Eric interrupted.

  I stared at him. “What?”

  Eric reached over to touch my arm, smiling. “Because you’re sure to ditch me for the YENT.”

  I laughed. “Ohhh. Well, yeah, then. I hope we’re not teammates for long.” I raised my cup. “To Eric and the advanced team.”

  “To Eric!” everyone else echoed. We touched our glasses together and I took a sip of my iced coffee.

  Ben cut the cake and gave the first piece to Eric. Eric handed his plate to me.

  “Enjoy, coach,” he said. “I wouldn’t have made it without you.”

  We all dug into the cake. Ben was practically licking crumbs off his plate when Jasmine stomped up to our table. She glared at us and shook her head.

  “You guys are so rude,” she snapped. “It’s barely three.”

  “So… ?” I asked.

  “Mr. Conner said to meet at three,” Jasmine said. She folded her arms. “Nice of you to get here early to celebr
ate without me.”

  “We didn’t,” Andy said. “Mr. Conner said to get here at two.”

  Ben and Eric nodded.

  “But don’t worry,” Nicole said. “We saved you some.”

  A look flashed over Jasmine’s face. For a second, I thought it was sadness, but I wasn’t sure. “Whatever. If you’re done, just go already,” Jas said. “I’d rather celebrate by myself anyway.”

  We stood and picked up our plates, leaving the cake for Jasmine. Outside the Sweet Shoppe, I turned to look back in the window. Jas sat by herself at the table, picking at a piece of cake with her fork. Her hair fell in front of her face and she made a halfhearted attempt to push it back.

  When she thought no one was watching, I could tell she was lonely. I laced my fingers through Eric’s, grateful all over again to have him and my friends.

  16

  FUN IN THE SUN

  ON MONDAY, SPRING FEVER HIT CAMPUS. The temperature climbed into the low seventies and with a taste of summer in the air, no one could concentrate.

  I squirmed though classes, eager to get outside. We only had a half day of classes because of some “staff development” workshop the teachers had to go to.

  Morning lessons had been cancelled because the horses were getting vet checks, so my first advanced team lesson with Eric and Jasmine was this afternoon. I’d been thinking about it all morning.

  “Sasha,” Callie hissed, poking me in the ribs with a pen.

  “What?” I looked up. Mr. Davidson was staring at me.

  “C’mon, guys,” Mr. Davidson said. “I know it’s gorgeous outside, but we’ve got to focus.

  Let’s get back to the homework.”

  I forced myself to pay attention for the rest of class. Mr. Davidson dismissed us twenty minutes later and Callie and I gathered our papers and hurried down the hallway.

  “Made it!” I cheered when we got outside. “Let’s do something outside,” Callie said. “Our lesson isn’t for a few hours. Want to take our books and go find a spot to hang out?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “I’ll run back to Winchester and ask Paige if she wants to come and grab some towels. We could sit by the pasture and watch the horses while we work.”

  Callie nodded. “Love it.”

  Minutes later Paige, Callie and I met up at the knoll that overlooked the big pasture. Charm, Jack, Sunstruck, and Trix grazed together. The sunlight made Charm’s coat gleam. Callie, Paige, and I put on our sunglasses and spread out the towels. We passed around my new coconut-flavored lip balm with sunscreen.

  “This is the only way to study,” Paige said as we sat down. We took our books out of our backpacks and I dug around until I found my favorite purple pen.

  I looked back at the horses. “Aristocrat and Phoenix are missing.”

  Callie nodded, pulling a bag of cheddar Chex Mix out of her bag. “Heather and Jasmine are already riding.” She opened the bag, poured some into her hand, and passed it to me. I grabbed a handful and gave the bag to Paige.

  I felt a twinge of guilt that I wasn’t working with Charm right now.

  “Don’t,” Paige said, sliding her oval-shaped glasses down her nose to look at me. “You have to study too. Heather and Jasmine will be the ones crying when finals come around. We’ll be ready.”

  “Right,” I said. “I forgot how you have that thing where you read people’s minds.” I opened my bio book and turned to the chapter that Ms. Peterson had assigned.

  I concentrated for a few minutes before my attention wandered and I ended up watching Charm graze. He looked gorgeous in the field.

  “Today will be interesting, huh?” Callie asked. She capped her blue highlighter.

  “Yeah, first lesson with Eric and Jas.”

  “At least you get to ride with your boyfriend,” Callie said, laughing. “I’m still trying to get Jacob to pet Jack.”

  Paige stuck out her bottom lip. “Awww. I think it’s kind of cute that he’s scared of horses.”

  “It is cute,” Callie said, twirling her pen in her fingers. “I like seeing that side of him.”

  “My boyfriend,” Paige said. “can be scared of any animal he wants—I won’t care. I just want one!”

  We giggled.

  “Oh, this is just great,” someone said.

  I turned and looked up at Heather, Julia, and Alison. Julia and Alison were in jeans and ballet flats, while Heather was in boots and breeches. Heather glared at me.

  “What?” Callie asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Heather said, her blue eyes landing on Callie. “Maybe I’m just concerned that I’m the only one on our team who actually cares about the YENT.”

  “Why would you say that?” I asked.

  Heather crossed her arms. “Silver, you’re out here getting a tan. I’m actually practicing in the stable. And so is Jasmine.”

  “We’re not ‘tanning,’” Callie said. “We’re studying. Grades count too, remember?”

  “Oh, please,” Julia snapped. “It’s so not fair. You could be riding right now. Alison and I would be practicing every second if we could.”

  Alison just stood there, a half step behind Heather, looking out at the pasture and watching Sunstruck graze. The palomino gelding lifted his head and looked in our direction. He must have seen Alison, because he walked up to the fence and stuck his head over, reaching out his neck to her. Alison walked over and hugged his neck.

  “Stop messing around,” Heather said, her voice low. “This is our shot at the YENT, not Jasmine’s. You’ll both be sorry if you make this easy for her.”

  Julia and Heather stepped around our blankets and went over to Alison. The girls petted Sunstruck before walking away.

  “You guys can go, if you want,” Paige said. “We can study later.”

  I looked at Callie, then shook my head. “Nope,” I said. “I’m staying. We have a lesson later and that’s enough. I don’t want to overpractice and burn Charm out.”

  “Agreed,” Callie said. “We have homework to do.”

  17

  STOP RADIATING HEARTS ALREADY

  THAT AFTERNOON AT THE STABLE, I RACED through tacking up Charm to get to the outdoor arena. I couldn’t wait to have my first lesson with Eric. I’d worn my good breeches and had taken extra care to put on a shirt Charm hadn’t stained. Luna’s stall was empty, so Eric was probably warming up.

  “You get to work out with Luna, boy,” I said to Charm. “And I know you like her.”

  Charm bobbed his head and I laughed.

  I hugged Charm before leading him down the aisle. Callie had Jack in crossties and was saddling him.

  “Want me to wait for you?” I asked.

  “No, go ahead,” Callie said. “I’ll be out in five.”

  I led Charm outside, mounted, and let him trot toward the arena. Charm, loving the sun and warmer air, swished his tail. He had an extra bounce in his stride today.

  As we entered the arena I saw that Eric and Heather were already inside. Heather circled Aristocrat at the far end and Eric trotted Luna along the fence. I urged Charm toward Luna and Eric stopped her when he saw me. Heather glanced at me, but kept riding.

  “Hi,” I said, pulling Charm up beside Luna.

  “Hey, teammate,” he said.

  “Isn’t it awesome?”

  Eric nodded. “It’s going to be great.”

  “This is not happening!” Heather said, huffing. She rode Aristocrat over to us and stopped him in front of Charm and Luna.

  “What?” I asked.

  Heather rolled her eyes. “You are so not doing boyfriend/girlfriend stuff during lessons. We’re here to ride—not to make googly eyes at each other.”

  “We’re not,” I said, laughing. “You seriously need to be less crazy.”

  Eric just looked at Heather, an amused expression on his face.

  Heather stared me down. “Save it, Silver. You’re practically radiating hearts. Just keep it out of the arena.”

  She spun Aristocrat around and cante
red him away from us.

  “Guess I better stay away from you,” I said, looking at Eric.

  He nodded with pretend seriousness. “You better. Stop radiating hearts already.”

  I was going to kill Heather later for saying that. I urged Charm in front of Luna. Jasmine came in a few minutes later and we all warmed up until Mr. Conner arrived.

  “Good afternoon,” Mr. Conner said, stopping in the center of the arena. Heather, Callie, Jasmine, Eric, and I halted our horses in front of him. “Since we have two new riders, ensuring a sense of teamwork is important. That’s why, for today, we’ll be doing drill team exercises.”

  Drill team? That meant—

  “This means you’ll all have to work together in unison,” Mr. Conner said.

  Jasmine looked over at me and shook her head.

  “Don’t drills usually need an even number of riders?” Callie asked.

  “Yes,” Mr. Conner said. “But there are a few drills that work with an uneven number. Let’s try one. Line up your horses at the end of the arena.”

  I was on the outside with Callie next to me, then Jasmine, Heather, and Eric. Mr. Conner stepped off to the side. “Walk your horses forward in a straight line and keep them even.”

  I asked Charm for a walk and he started forward, in step with Jack. Jasmine urged Phoenix at a faster walk and he jumped ahead of the other horses.

  “Slower, Jasmine,” Mr. Conner said.

  Jasmine, frowning, pulled Phoenix back and got him in line. We managed to keep our horses together until we reached the end of the arena.

  “Start back across at a trot,” Mr. Conner instructed.

  “Should we count?” Callie asked.

  Jasmine rolled her eyes. “Do you need to count, Callie?”

  “On three,” Heather said, interrupting before Callie could respond. “One. Two. Three.”

  On three, the horses trotted. I eased Charm back when he started to nose in front of Jack. Charm’s Thoroughbred blood was kicking in—he wanted to race! We trotted the horses down the arena and Eric and Luna fell back half a stride.

  “Eric,” Mr. Conner called. “Keep Luna moving.”

  Eric got Luna back in line with the rest of us.