seats. With no Kelly to get in the way, Noah appeared much more relaxed than he had been when he competed against her. During the awards, they announced each place winner never calling Noah, not until first. I clapped and cheered for him.
“He did it!” Cessie ran to the fence. I slowly followed her and was so excited for him I felt like crying. What a dork. Noah looked right at me with a giant smile on his face and nodded. He waved to his parents as he headed out of the arena. I hugged the fence rail and laughed quietly when his mom and dad attacked him with hugs. Josh hugged him too. I couldn’t help it, I did let a couple of tears fall.
I looked over my shoulder, making sure no one was watching or trying to sneak up on me. Bree sat on the bleachers all alone and slumped over, hugging her legs. I remembered all too well the look on her face when she had to leave the arena without winning anything.
“Are you okay?” I stood next to Bree, mustering up a huge amount of courage as I waited for her answer. I hoped Bree wouldn’t have the face of a horse when she looked up.
She rubbed her eyes. “Not really. This hasn’t been the best week.” She looked as if she was about to say something else and hesitated as she scooted away. “Pay attention to the audience at your show. I won’t be there but someone else might be.” Bree jumped off the bleachers and walked away.
Great, I already had the carnie tailing me. My phone vibrated in my shirt.
“Crap! We’re late
again
.” I grabbed Cessie and ran for the Caravan.
I kept scanning the audience and there wasn’t anyone there I needed to worry about. Even though Mom was mad we were late, Cessie’s excitement over Noah winning allowed us to try to track him down after the show. Besides, I needed to see if we could all go to the concert together that night.
We couldn’t find him. I texted him and he didn’t answer. I texted Josh. He wanted to meet us by the barn. I scowled at my phone. Horses were everywhere because the competitions were still going on.
“What did he say?” Cessie asked.
“He will meet us at the barn.” I rolled my eyes.
“What are we waiting for?” Cessie grabbed my hand.
“For the horses to fly away.” I didn’t move until Cessie nearly yanked my arm off. “Okay.”
I let Cessie drag me all the way there. I controlled my panic until we got to the barn. I leaned against the wall where there was a rail between me and the horses.
“Go find Josh.” I pushed her to the doorway.
Cessie went willingly with an enormous smile from ear to ear as she disappeared into the flock of horses. I closed my eyes and could see them all flying in unison. Why was I comparing them to birds so much? Maybe the whole fight or flight thing was running rampant in my subconscious. I gripped my skirt and closed my eyes as I struggled to convince myself I’d be fine.
“Hi, Sera,” Rachel said.
I was afraid to open my eyes. There had to be a horse head in front of my face. I peeked, opening one eye slowly.
Rachel laughed. “There’s no horses.”
I sighed with relief. “Thank goodness.” I was still suspicious as I opened my eyes the rest of the way. It was just Rachel.
“Congratulations on your ribbon today.” I really didn’t want to be enemies with her.
“Thank you. Bree isn’t doing so well, though.”
“I saw that. What happened?”
“Her horse wouldn’t cooperate. He seemed to shy away from the people every time he went by the stands.”
“Maybe my fear was repelling him.” I hugged my chest.
“Her horse is like that. Bree was afraid to show him because he’s so flighty. I convinced her to try anyway. I kinda feel bad.” Rachel looked at the barn door and behind her. “I feel bad about something else. I haven’t been that nice to you. I’m sorry.” Rachel took a few steps away when something caught her attention. She waved and was gone.
Cessie had Josh by the hand and pulled him until he was in front of me. “I
“He did it!” Cessie ran to the fence. I slowly followed her and was so excited for him I felt like crying. What a dork. Noah looked right at me with a giant smile on his face and nodded. He waved to his parents as he headed out of the arena. I hugged the fence rail and laughed quietly when his mom and dad attacked him with hugs. Josh hugged him too. I couldn’t help it, I did let a couple of tears fall.
I looked over my shoulder, making sure no one was watching or trying to sneak up on me. Bree sat on the bleachers all alone and slumped over, hugging her legs. I remembered all too well the look on her face when she had to leave the arena without winning anything.
“Are you okay?” I stood next to Bree, mustering up a huge amount of courage as I waited for her answer. I hoped Bree wouldn’t have the face of a horse when she looked up.
She rubbed her eyes. “Not really. This hasn’t been the best week.” She looked as if she was about to say something else and hesitated as she scooted away. “Pay attention to the audience at your show. I won’t be there but someone else might be.” Bree jumped off the bleachers and walked away.
Great, I already had the carnie tailing me. My phone vibrated in my shirt.
“Crap! We’re late
again
.” I grabbed Cessie and ran for the Caravan.
I kept scanning the audience and there wasn’t anyone there I needed to worry about. Even though Mom was mad we were late, Cessie’s excitement over Noah winning allowed us to try to track him down after the show. Besides, I needed to see if we could all go to the concert together that night.
We couldn’t find him. I texted him and he didn’t answer. I texted Josh. He wanted to meet us by the barn. I scowled at my phone. Horses were everywhere because the competitions were still going on.
“What did he say?” Cessie asked.
“He will meet us at the barn.” I rolled my eyes.
“What are we waiting for?” Cessie grabbed my hand.
“For the horses to fly away.” I didn’t move until Cessie nearly yanked my arm off. “Okay.”
I let Cessie drag me all the way there. I controlled my panic until we got to the barn. I leaned against the wall where there was a rail between me and the horses.
“Go find Josh.” I pushed her to the doorway.
Cessie went willingly with an enormous smile from ear to ear as she disappeared into the flock of horses. I closed my eyes and could see them all flying in unison. Why was I comparing them to birds so much? Maybe the whole fight or flight thing was running rampant in my subconscious. I gripped my skirt and closed my eyes as I struggled to convince myself I’d be fine.
“Hi, Sera,” Rachel said.
I was afraid to open my eyes. There had to be a horse head in front of my face. I peeked, opening one eye slowly.
Rachel laughed. “There’s no horses.”
I sighed with relief. “Thank goodness.” I was still suspicious as I opened my eyes the rest of the way. It was just Rachel.
“Congratulations on your ribbon today.” I really didn’t want to be enemies with her.
“Thank you. Bree isn’t doing so well, though.”
“I saw that. What happened?”
“Her horse wouldn’t cooperate. He seemed to shy away from the people every time he went by the stands.”
“Maybe my fear was repelling him.” I hugged my chest.
“Her horse is like that. Bree was afraid to show him because he’s so flighty. I convinced her to try anyway. I kinda feel bad.” Rachel looked at the barn door and behind her. “I feel bad about something else. I haven’t been that nice to you. I’m sorry.” Rachel took a few steps away when something caught her attention. She waved and was gone.
Cessie had Josh by the hand and pulled him until he was in front of me. “I
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