Best Enemies (Canterwood Crest) (8 page)

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.