Famous (19 page)

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I WALKED
to the indoor arena without Whisper. Mr. Conner had sent my class an e-mail, instructing us to come without our horses. I stood next to Carina and Cole. Soon the rest of our class trickled in. At the exact
second
class began, Mr. Conner entered the room. He moved quickly on his crutches and stood before us.

“Good afternoon,” he said.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Conner,” we said back.

“As I'm sure you're well aware,” Mr. Conner started, “tomorrow is a big day. You'll be closing out the show year and ending on what I hope will be a positive note. Visiting schools will be here as both guests and competition. As the host of the final show of the season, I want each of
you to be well rested, have both yourself and your horse prepared, and be ready to welcome our guests.”

I couldn't believe it was the last show of the year. It felt as though Whisper and I had just gotten started. That was true in a way, since we were a fairly new pair. I wanted to do well in my classes and end the year on a high note. Both for myself and for Whisper.

“We won't be riding this afternoon,” Mr. Conner said. “Instead I'm giving you this session off. Please use your time
wisely
.” The instructor eyed each of us. “Tomorrow, I want tack spotless, horses that are well groomed, manes and tails that are braided, and for you to look your very best.”

I started making a mental list of all the things I had to do.
Braids, tack, pick out show clothes . . .

“Please use this time to prepare for tomorrow,” Mr. Conner said. “I do not want to see anyone not ready tomorrow. If your turnout is not spotless, you will not be participating. With this free period, I'm giving you adequate time to prepare for tomorrow. Nothing less than perfect will be accepted, and excuses will not be tolerated.”

I shrank back on my heels a little at his words. I'd stay all night if I had to—anything to avoid Mr. Conner's wrath
and
missing the show.

Mr. Conner smiled. “With that said, I want tomorrow to be fun as well as a learning experience. I'm proud to have each of you representing Canterwood Crest Academy and me. I have no doubt that you'll each do a fine job.”

I shifted my eyes to Carina, and we traded little smiles.

“Now, I won't take up any more of your time. You're free to go, and I will see you bright and early. Come and find me or Mike or Doug if you have any questions in the meantime.”

Mr. Conner dipped his head to us and exited the arena. Once he stepped out of the riding space, chatter erupted as we clustered together.

“I've got
so
much to do,” Brielle said. “You guys?”

“My tack's a teensy bit dirty,” Khloe said, holding up her hand and using her thumb and index finger to illustrate her point.

“Mine too,” Cole said. “I haven't even started braiding Valentino yet.”

“I've got braids to do. My tack isn't bad, but I've got to wipe it down,” I said.

Lexa, Carina, and Drew chimed in with their to-do items.

“I don't know about you guys,” Drew said. “But I'm going to make sure Polo is perfectly clean and so is his
tack. I definitely don't want to be barred from competing tomorrow.”

“Me either!” I said.

The rest of my teammates shook their heads in agreement. With that, we semi-dashed for the arena exit, and show preparation began.

In the tack room, I sorted through the box of braiding supplies. The door opened and Drew stepped inside.

“Hey,” he said. “What are you working on?”

“Braids, then tack,” I said. “You?”

“Same. Want to find a quiet spot somewhere and do our braids together?”

He took a step closer to me. Close enough so I could smell his cinnamon-scented breath.

I clutched the plastic bin. “Yes,” I said, almost unable to breathe.

“I can't wait to spend Christmas with you,” Drew said.

I glanced from his lips to his eyes. Drew's eyes said everything about him. I could tell his mood based on the color of his eyes. Right now, they were a stunning ocean blue.

“Me either,” I said.

Drew took another step, and the bin was pressed between our chests.

“Just in case,” Drew said, “I'm bringing a suitcase full of mistletoe.”

I couldn't find words to show him how happy that made me. Instead I leaned forward and touched my lips to his. It felt like it did the first time we had kissed—electricity jolted through my body, and now I
truly
felt breathless. We parted, opening our eyes and staring at each other for seconds—no one speaking. No words needed to be said.

TRADING SECRET SMILES, DREW AND
I led Polo and Whisper down the aisle as we looked for a quiet spot.

“Ooh, how about here?” I suggested.

Two tie rings near the empty hot walker were free.

“Let's snag those rings,” Drew said.

We tied Polo and Whisper to the tie rings. I tied Whisper's head close to the ring. I couldn't give her much lead line, because I needed her extra still for braiding.

I put my caddy of supplies I'd brought for Drew and me on a low shelf in between us. I rummaged through the left side of the caddy, where I'd put my supplies. Drew's were on the right. I picked out a comb and handful of clothespins.

Taking my time, I combed Whisper's long mane. I'd pulled her mane a few days ago, so it was even in length and thickness.

Using the comb, I sectioned off Whisper's mane into fifteen pieces. I clipped each piece with a wooden clothespin to keep my sections separated.

“Okay, girl,” I said. “Time for a little water. Just a tiny bit.”

Whisper eyed the purple spray bottle that I took from the caddy. I kept the nozzle pointed away from her face as I spritzed her mane until each section was damp.

I put the spray bottle back and took out a gray ball of yarn and a pair of scissors. For each section, I cut two pieces of yarn that were identical in length. Mr. Conner had every color of yarn imaginable in the tack room, and I'd found the ideal match for Whisper—the yarn was going to blend seamlessly into her mane and tail.

I laid my pairs of yarn across my side of the caddy. Once I had enough, I picked up two pieces and started the first braid closest to Whisper's poll. I took my time, doing a tight braid and working in both pieces of yarn. At the end of the braid, I tied a slip knot. I moved down Whisper's mane, doing the same to each section.

Drew worked in comfortable silence next to us. Polo
was the perfect companion for Whisper. The quarter horse gelding was calm and relaxed, already starting to doze off.

Finally I'd finished all the braids, and they hung down in a neat row. I plucked the pull-through from the caddy. It was mine that I'd had
forever
. I'd made it with a piece of wire from one of Kim's hay bales. I'd twisted the wire, leaving a circle about the size of a dime at the end, and a handle that I'd covered in black tape. I looked at it, smiling. Ana and Brielle had bought their pull-throughs at a Union craft store. Once Brielle had seen mine, she'd retired hers and begged me to show her how to make one like mine.

Ready to turn the braid into a rosette, I tied the first braid into a tight knot with the yarn and then used the pull-through to bring the yarn through to the top of the braid. I secured the button-shaped braid by running the yarn under the rosette and back to the top, tying it tight with two knots. Now I had to repeat the process fourteen times.

After all of the braids were turned into button braids, I used scissors to trim the extra yarn.

Footsteps shuffled in my direction, and Drew peeked around Whisper's neck. She snuggled her muzzle into Drew's shoulder. I smiled—my horse had
excellent
taste.

“I just wanted to see how pathetic my braids look compared to yours,” Drew said. He was doing button braids too, even though he wasn't taking a dressage class.

“Oh, stop,” I said. I shook my head. “I'm sure yours are great.”

Drew walked around Whisper, patting her chest, and looked at my handiwork.

“Wow.” He nodded. “Yep, I was right.”

“Drew!”

I patted Whisper's rump as I walked behind her and over to Polo's left side. Drew hadn't finished yet, but his braids were round and tied tight. Some were a little bigger than others, but you had to be looking for flaws to notice.

“You're nuts,” I declared. “They look great.”

Drew and I swapped sides, going back to our horses. “I'm glad I didn't cut my yarn,” he said. “I never tie a second knot. Now I am.”

“I didn't tie two knots for a long time,” I said. “I started to after I worked for hours on braiding this horse's mane for a really big show. Overnight, he rubbed them up against the stall wall and when I walked in, ready to take him to the trailer, I found
all
but two of my button braids undone.”

“Ouch,” Drew said.

“I cried,” I admitted. “My instructor told me I was lucky and there was time to fix them at the show grounds, but he chastised me for not double knotting.”

“Aw, I don't like to think about you crying,” Drew said.

“I don't like to think about braids coming undone overnight.”

Smiling into Whisper's coat, I leaned my head against her shoulder. Working beside Drew had a calming effect on me. Usually I prepped for a show by myself. It was nice to have company for a change. Polo seemed to have the same effect on Whisper. She'd never been so still during a braiding session before. Maybe prepping with Drew was a new,
mandatory
part of my show prep.

FRIDAY NIGHT I'D SWAPPED MY
usual tea for Diet Coke as Khloe and I packed for Thanksgiving break
and
chose our clothes for tomorrow's show at the same time. I was exhausted from the week, and even though I'd had two cups of green tea, it wasn't enough caffeine to keep me going.

“I can't believe tomorrow's our last competition of the year,” I said. “Can you?”

Khloe, arms full of clothes of every color, shook her head. “Feels like we just got started.”

“I'm excited about Thanksgiving, but I'm
really
pumped about Christmas. I can't believe you, Lex, Clare, and the rest of our friends are all spending the holiday in Union!”

Khloe dropped her clothes on her bed, clasping her
hands. “Omigod! I know! I seriously owe my parents for saying yes. I was sure they'd be all, ‘No way are you missing a family holiday.' But they knew how important the charity is to me.”

“Mine too,” I said. “The
biggest
shocker of all is Taylor. He's not even on the riding team and his dad agreed to let Drew, Cole, Zack, and Garret stay at their house. Taylor's psyched. He never gets to have friends over. Like, ever. Bri, Ana, and I dubbed his parents ‘the Frosty Freezes' for a reason.”

Khloe walked around her bed to her nightstand. “I think,” she said, “this calls for a little music to put us in the mood.”

Soon “Jingle Bells” burst through her iPod speakers.

“Brill!” I said. “Exactly what we needed.”

I folded another sweater, a pink Ralph Lauren cable knit with a green pony stitched on, and put it in my duffel bag. I wasn't taking much home for Thanksgiving. The break wasn't going to be long.

A knock at the door came while “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” played. Khloe, closest, walked over and opened it. Brielle, twirling a lock of blond hair around her finger, smiled at Khloe and peeked over KK's shoulder to smile at me.

“Hey, guys,” Bri said. “Mind if I come in for a sec?”

“C'mon in,” I said.

Khloe held open the door for Bri and my friend stepped inside, shutting the door behind her.