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This is really for back up. sweatdrop
Chapter 1: The Stables
2 brown-haired teenagers walked, almost skipped from the sidewalk, across the street. One had curly hair that bounced as she walked and the other's hair was done up in a pony tail. They were dressed in almost identical outfits: a navy blazer with a white shirt underneath, khaki leggings and black knee-high boots. They both continued past the sidewalk and the street to a fence. You could hear the horses hooves against the ground as it ran over to greet them.
"Skylar!" They said in unison, delighting to see the horse. His fur was black and shone in the midafternoon spring sun. He ran to greet them and they outstreched their arms to pet him.(yeah the outfit is tradittional english style riding attire.)
"Just wait a second Sky! We aren't even in the stables yet!" The one with the ponytail laughed.
"We'll be back out to get you in a second!" the girl with curly brown hair said as she followed the girl with the ponytail around the pasture to the stable. "Yeah, they must have just been keeping Allegro in her stall till we got here."
"Yeah, why do it if we're going to be here anyway?" The girl with the ponytail mused. They rounded a corner and headed into the barn, where a dappled grey horse stuck its head out of its stall as they went by.
"Hey Ally!" the girl with the curly hair said in a high-pitched baby voice. The horse nuzzled her hand as she pet her.
"Come on and help me get sky out of the pasture," the girl with the ponytail said.
"Alright. See ya Ally!" she waved good bye to her horse as they walked out of the barn into the pasture.Kara hooked the lead rope on the halter anyway and walked along side her as the large barn doors opened. They walked along the concrete path, Skylar's hooves clacking loudly as Kara tied her down. Her and Alexis walked again back to the tack room. Alexis casually took down Sky's bridle and Kara grunted as she grabbed Sky's heavy leather saddle.
"Sometimes I wish Sky wasn't 16 hands." She huffed under the weight of the saddle. Alexis scoffed.
"And you're telling me! Allegro is just about 17 now!" She casually swung the bridle and held the door open for Kara as they exited the tack room to an anxious Sky. Kara slid the bridle over Sky's back, grunting with exertion.
"You know, I never thought I'd ever be able to own a horse." Kara said as she buckled the straps of the saddle.
"Me neither. I never ever, not in a million years. But ever since the Hunt Club changed, so has everything."Alexis replied as she slid the bridle over Sky's head and the bit into her mouth. "But for the better."
"Of course!" Kara exclaimed, but not so loudly. She didn't want Sky to spook. She buckled the last buckle and looked up just as Alexis just as she finished the last buckle on Sky's head. They kept Sky tied down as they went down the stable to Allegro's stall. Allegro whinnied with joy at the sight of them.
"Hey Ally." Alexis and Kara said in a high-pitched baby voice in unison.
"Gee, you two are enough to deafen any horse. Or human for that matter." They whirled around to see their riding instructor Jo, smiling at them. Her kinky curly blonde hair was back in a ponytail and she wore a short sleeved dressage shirt with some beige breeches and black knee high riding boots.
"Hey Jo!" Alexis said in delight. Jo's smile grew wider.
"Are you guys getting your horses tacked up for your lesson?" She asked.
"Yep." replied Kara. "We still have to get Allegro tacked up."
"Ahh, so how is my Tempo Allegro?" Jo asked, calling Allegro by her show name.
"Good, but she says you can just call her Allegro." Alexis replied. Jo laughed.
"Alrighty then," She said, "I'll be waiting for you guys in the ring. Just come out when you're ready."
"Alright." Kara said. Jo turned on her heel and walked outside into the outdoor riding ring. Alexis opened the stall door to Allegro's stall and stepped back as the peppy mare stepped out of her stall. Alexis grabbed her by the halter and tied her down behind Skylar, Kara following behind. They both walked down the hall to the tack room repeating their routine, except this time Alexis grunted under the weight of the saddle and Kara snatched up the bridle. Kara held the door open for Alexis as she again walked down the hall and slid the dark leather saddle over Allegro's back. She began to do the buckles on the bottom of the saddles and Kara slid the bridle over her head.
"Wow, your right, Ally is almost 17 hands now." Kara said in astonishment.
"Shes getting to be a big girl." Alexis said as she had did the last buckle and patted Ally's shoulder."Hand me my helmet, would ya?" Alexis asked Kara, gesturing to a black dressage helmet on a hook by Allegro's stall. Kara nodded, grabbing the helmet and handing it to Alexis. Alexis took the reins in one hand and put the helmet on with the other, buckling it with both. Kara took down her own helmet from a hook near Skylars stall which was right next to Allegro's. She slipped it on and buckled it with both her hands before taking the tie downs off Sky and grabbing the light brown leather reins in her hands.
"Ready to go?" Alexis asked. Kara nodded.
"Yep." She led Skylar out of the barn, opening the large barn doors and walking just enough outside the barn so Allegro and Alexis could fit through. Alexis handed Allegro's reigns to Kara and walked back to shut the doors. Kara handed the reins back to Alexis and they started the walk out to the outside ring.
"What a perfect day for a ride." Alexis sighed, "Not too hot and not too sunny, but beautiful none the less."
"You said it." Kara replied, smiling.
"Gosh, I can't wait to get out of school." Alexis exclaimed, "You'd never be able to get me out of this place. I'd get a sleeping bag and sleep up in the banquet room."
"And I'd be right there with you!" Kara said, "Horses, friends and food. What more could ask for?" They laughed as they entered the ring.
Jo tapped her foot impatiently as the girls entered the ring.
"Gosh did you leave Allegro's saddle in Mexico or something? Took you long enough."She said in an annoyed voice.
"Sorry Jo." Alexis and Kara said in unison. Kara turned to Alexis.
"Geez, what's with Jo? She usually isn't THAT grumpy."She whispered.
"I don't know." Alexis replied, "She isn't usually this grumpy unless we have a show coming up. And there isn't one for a while I don't think."
"Come on, stop your dillydallying." Jo yelled to them.
"Sorry Jo!" They again yelled in unison. They finally reached Jo, where they mounted and waited for further instruction from her.
"Alright, we'll start with the usual warm-up. Start your horse at a walk around the ring." They dug their heels into the horses haunches in a signal for a walk. They soon transitioned from a walk to a posting trot to a full blown canter. Jo had them jump over the jumps a couple times and before they knew it, the lesson had come to a close.
"That was great guys." Jo said as they started the cool-down, "And do I have some good news for you."
"What is it?" Kara asked as Skylar and Allegro slowed to a walk.
"Next week, they'll be a show which you BOTH are in."
"A show!!!!!!!!!" Alexis exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"Just let me finish!" Jo replied, "At the show, they'll be some spectators."
"Well duh, Jo! There are spectators at every show!" Kara replied.
"Not just any spectators. Spectators from Equinna Academy!"
"Omigawsh no way!" Alexis exclaimed. Equinna Academy was only the most revered Equestrian Boarding School located in Pennsylvania. That being said, it was probably the most expensive too.
"You girls can dismount now and bring the horses back to the stables." Jo said, changing the subject for a moment,"They'll see if any of you qualify for a full ride scholarship there."
"FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP?!" Kara and Alexis exclaimed as they had dismounted from their horses.
"How the heck did you get them to come out here?" Kara asked, grabbing Sky by the reigns as they walked back into the stables, Jo following behind.
"Wasn't me." Jo said, "It was Carol. She knows a guy who knows a guy who is on the School Board at Equinna. Horsey people." Carol was the manager of the stables.
"You know, I think she had them come out here specifically to see you guys." Jo said, her hands in her pockets.
"What?!" Alexis exclaimed, Allegro's reigns in her hands, "Us?!"
"You guys have made tremendous and outstanding progress since you first started riding here. Its like you've been riding here 5 years instead of one." Jo admitted.
"You really think that?" Kara asked. Jo nodded.
"But don't tell anyone that I think they're here for you. It'll get me in trouble." She said as they stood infront of the stables. She smiled and opened the barn door. "I have to go, but I'll be seeing you here at 12:00 sharp for tack-ups for the show on Saturday. Be prepared for Equinna."
"WE WILL BE." Kara and Alexis said in unison.
Jo walked back out to the ring to prepare for her next lesson.
"Crap." Alexis said as she put the tie downs on Allegro.
"What?" Asked Kara, looking to see what was wrong.
"What if we screw up?" Alexis said, looking at Kara.
"Don't even say it." Kara said, "You'll curse us."
"But ever since I've heard about Equinna, I've wanted to go. If I screw up at this show, I'll be flushing a whole dream down the toilet. My parents would never be able to afford to send me there of their own accord." Alexis admitted, undoing Allegro's saddle.
"And you think my parents would?" Kara asked, taking Skylars saddle off her back.
"We'll just have to do exceptionally, like we always do. I mean come on, what are the odds we'll do horribly? We've mastered every show and every technique they've thrown at us. How can we screw up?"
"Kara, everytime we get cocky we get shown up." Alexis said taking off Allegro's bridle and placing it atop the saddle, trudging back to the tack room, as Kara hurried trying to catch up.
"Hey guys!" called out a familiar voice. Alexis and Kara looked up from their tack. There was Katie, another one of their friends who rode at the hunt club.
"Hey Kates!" Alexis yelled. Katie had wavy brown hair, but it was held back in a pony tail. She was also shorter than Alexis and Kara. Alexis was taller than Kara was, but only by a little. Alexis also had more meat on her bones than Kara did proportionally. Kara was tanner than Alexis, who was almost always pale, no matter what the weather.
"Have fun at the lesson?" Katie asked.
"Yes." Kara said, her voice strained under the weight of Sky's saddle.
"You need help with that?" Katie asked. Kara nodded. Katie took the bridle in one of her hands and grabbed one side of the saddle with the other.
"Thanks." Kara said.
"So," Katie asked,"Whats new?"
"Well, we have a show to prepare for in less than a week." Alexis huffed as she flung the saddle back to its place in the tack room.
"What?!"Katie said in disbelief, "You're kidding me!"
"Not at all." Kara replied, "Jo just told us today."
"My gosh." Katie said, "I can't believe it."
"Yeah I know. Its crazy. They usually tell us months ahead." Kara said.
"Maybe they want to see what we can do on short notice." Alexis reasoned.
"Short notice?! I understand that, but compared to what we've done before, this is crazy." Kara exclaimed.
"I'm so not going to be ready." Katie said under her breath.
"Yes you will," Alexis replied, "We're just going to have to kick it into high gear."
"And by that you mean...?" Kara asked apprehensively. Katie looked interested to see her answer.
"Everyday after school, we are coming here to ride until we get EVERY thing right." Kara and Katie looked at each other then back at Alexis in disbelief. "I know it sounds crazy, but if we want to impress the spectators from Equinna, then we'll have to do it."
"Spectators from Equinna?!" Katie exclaimed, "You never said anything about that before!" Alexis sighed.
"Alright, there are going to be spectators from Equinna there to see if any of us at the show qualify to recieve a Full-Ride scholarship for a year at Equinna." Alexis admitted. Katie looked like she was going to have a heart-attack.
"YOU'RE KIDDING!" She exlaimed.
"If I was kidding, why would I tell you?" Alexis replied.
"She's not kidding." Kara said.
"My god." Katie said and was silent for a moment, "After school on Monday, wait up for me. We'll all do this together." She said. Kara and Alexis nodded.
"Will do." Kara said, "We're all in this together." Alexis nodded.
"I'll be seeing you on Monday." Katie said as she grabbed her own saddle and bridle and walked out of the tackroom.
Alexis and Kara walked out of the tackroom down the hall to undo the tie-downs on their horses.
"I still can't believe it." Kara said," Equinna, coming here. Its like a dream come true."
"Think of what would happen if we actually got the scholarship."Alexis sighed, "That would be so awesome..."
"We could finally get out of this town filled with rich snobs who only care about how much money you have and the car that you drive." Kara replied. Alexis nodded.
"What I wouldn't give to do well on Saturday." She said.
Alexis took off the tie downs on Allegro, walking to the back to wash her down and groom her as Kara followed, taking the bathing stall next to Alexis.
"Jesus, the dirt gets everywhere." Alexis remarked as she began to wash off Allegro.
"YEah. Kinda crazy." Kara said, petting Sky's head as she washed her down.
"Are you going to take Sky to Equinna?" Alexis asked.
"Of course!" Kara exclaimed as she scrubbed Sky,"We'll have to ask Jo if we can borrow her trailer." Jo had 2 horses who's name's were Lucky and Hurricane Jane who she tooks to shows. She had a 2 horse trailer because she used Lucky if she was doing dressage and Hurricane Jane if she was jumping, both she was very good at. The girls considered themselves honored to be able to be taught by her.
"She'd probably let us. We're her favorite you know."Alexis said.
"True," Kara smiled.
Alexis laughed and started lathering up Allegros dapple gray coat and mane.
"Its a nice trailer too." Alexis nodded, "It has a dressing room in it."
"Really?" Kara asked.
"Well where else would riders get dressed? Outside?" Alexis replied.
"Good point" she said as she hosed the shampoo off Sky. Alexis started to rinse Allegro off also.
"We should braid Sky and Allegro's mane's to make a good impression." Alexis suggested.
"How about we just give them an afro?" Kara suggested. They both laughed.
"I'm not sure the judges would like that. Unless its a 70's theme." Alexis snickers.
"They might as well just put a disco ball in the ring and be done with it." Kara said, chuckling. Allegro seemed to be getting the joke too and gave them a little "horsie smile". Alexis giggled and ran a comb through Allegros mane and began to towel Allegro's coat off a bit. Kara ran her fingers through Sky's mane.
"Are you ever going to buy a horse comb?"Alexis asked.
"Maybe. When I find one that isn't pink."She said, cracking a joke at Alexis' pink comb.
"It was the only one left! Besides, pink isn't that bad."Alexis grumbled. "Anyway, we should let them out to the pasture. I'm not sure Allegro has been let out all week."
"Good idea. It'll help them dry the rest of the way off anyway." Kara nodded, grabbing Skylar by her halter and walking her out of the bathing area. Alexis grabbed Allegros purple halter and walked out after her, catching up and eventually walking side by side.
"You know, I never noticed it, but Allegro has a longer stride than Skylar."Alexis remarked.
"Well Allegro is almost a hand taller."Kara replied.
"True." Alexis and Kara walked out into the pasture, closing the gate behind them and releasing the horses halters. Kara and Alexis walked over and sat on the fence, admiring all the beautiful horses that most of the rich riders owned. But almost as soon as they sat down, Allegro and Sky galloped over to them. Kara and Alexis smiled.
"Don't you have your own horsey friend to play with?" Alexis asked jokingly.
"Or do you have to hang out with humans all the time?" Kara asked, playing along. Allegro nuzzled Alexis' arm and she pat her head.
Kara grabbed Skylars blue bridle and scratched her nose. Alexis grimaced, looking over by the stables.
"Oh god. Look who it is." She said to Kara, she looked over to where Alexis was looking and a look of disgust planted its self on her face.
"Holly Orwallis." They said in a unison disgusted tone. Walking out of the stables was a girl with bleached platinum blonde hair and tanned skin. She wore expensive italian leather custom made boots and breeches with a soft lambskin layer sewn into the inside of the leg. Her blazer was made of imported Norwegian wool and her dressage undershirt was made of silk. She had a pin affixed to her blazer's breast in the shape of a horse's head made of pure gold.
"She's coming this way." Kara said in a cautious whisper.
"She thinks she's SO good. She can't even get into a 2 point position on a 3 feet jump." Alexis remarked. Her and Kara laughed. Holly had a Friesian that she boarded at the club that made her the jealousy of everyone, ESPECIALLY Alexis and Kara. To make matters even worse, it was the nicest sweetest horse you could ask for, yet Holly only came in once a week to ride for a half an hour. To add even to that, Holly was a horrible rider.
"A horse that good should have a better rider." Kara remarked, "like us."
"Yeah." Alexis agreed.
Allegro looked at Alexis with innocent eyes, as if to say, "what about me?"
"I'd never trade you for that stupid horse." Alexis said to Allegro, "Holly probably made it snobby anywho." She felt like it was her obligation to say that to her horse, even if it wasn't true. The gate creeked open, causing the 4 of them to turn their heads to the gate. Holly was walking across the field with a lead rope dangling limply from her hands, grimacing at the muddy pasture and watching her feet to make sure she didn't step in horse poop.
"Just don't say anything Kara," Alexis said, knowin how badly Kara was itching to say a witty and mean comment to Holly.
"You know me too well." Kara squinted her eyes at Alexis.Holly eyed her friesian horse in the corner of the pasture, grimacing at the pasture ground.
"Come here Queeny!" She said, not moving as if she expected the horse to come to her. Queeny, which was the moniker for this oh-so wrongly named horse stayed in the corner. Like most well-trained horses she had a sensitive mouth, while Holly had the heaviest and roughest hands in the stable. This made Queeny grow to fear and dislike Holly. Alexis and Kara had noticed it after gaining the sweet horses trust and friendship to the point where they could ride "Queeny" bareback with no hassle. They had even given her a special name that she would respond to, "Babe".
"Does she seriously think that she can get Queeny to come to her?" Alexis said in disbelief.
"PLEASE CAN I ATLEAST SAY SOMETHING?" Kara begged in a whisper.
"No, because she'll stop. This is amusing." Alexis replied.
"You have a good point there." Kara said back to Alexis.
"Come now you stupid horse!" Holly said and suddenly realized that Alexis and Kara were sitting on the fence.
"You, Alexa, go get Queeny for me!" She commanded, pointing a finger at Alexis.
"Its your own horse! You should get it yourself! Besides its Alexis." Alexis retorted.
"But I JUST got these boots imported from Italy!" She said, looking down at her shining leather boots. Alexis went to reproach, but Kara nudged her, winking. Alexis suddenly seemed to understand what Kara meant.
"Alright Holly. I'll get your horse for you." She said, smiling.
"Baby!" She said in a high-pitched voice reserved for only the horses.Queeny's ears perked up and she cantered her beautiful fresian canter over to Alexis, placing her head in her lap. Alexis and Kara smiled at the shock on Holly's face. Alexis hopped off the fence, grabbing "Queeny's" pink halter and walking over to Holly, Babe obediantly followed behind her. Holly was shocked speechless. Babe tried to shy away as Alexis handed her to Holly. Alexis smiled. Holly looked at Alexis in disbelief, her mouth agape. She scoffed and jerked Queeny's halter as she dragged her away. Queeny looked back sadly at Kara and Alexis and she dug her heels in the ground as Holly dragged her away.
"Poor Baby." Kara said, frowning.
"One of these days that horse is going to have it and just bolt or rear on her." Alexis said, "Or she'll turn snobby just like Holly and we won't have our Baby anymore."
"Don't even say that Alexis," Kara said, "I love Baby too much."
"And you think I don't?" Alexis said, sighing.Alexis walked back to the fence, sitting back down. Allegro put her head back down on her lap and Alexis absentmindedly scratched her nose.
"I swear you're right, that girl is going to drive our Baby crazy." Kara sighed. She put her head in her hand and Skylar nuzzled her arm.
"I really don't want to see anything happen to her." Alexis replied, "Baby I mean. Who cares what happens to that stupid Holly?" Kara nodded. They sat in silence for a moment.
"Do you have any homework?" Kara asked.
"Nope," Alexis replied.
"Lucky. My mom made me do mine before I came here." Kara reproached.
"Haha." Alexis said sarcastically. Kara playfully punched Alexis' shoulder.Alexis laughed, but stopped after she heard Jo yelling.
"Holly you need to lighten up on Queeny's reigns this instant! She has a sensitive mouth!" Jo yelled.
"I can't!" Holly whined, "Otherwise this stupid horse won't go anywhere!" She was digging her heels deep into Queenys haunches while pulling tightly on the reins.
"What the heck is Holly doing?!" Kara yelled to Alexis as they both jumped off the fences almost instinctivly. Baby's eye had a while look in them and her ears were pinned against her head. She flipped her neck and opened her mouth, whinnying.
"If she doesn't stop right now, Baby's going to rear!" Kara whispered.
" LET GO OF THE REINS HOLLY!!!!!!!!!" Alexis yelled.
"Don't try to tell me what to do! Its just that this stupid horse won't-"
"LET GO OF THE REINS HOLLY! I refuse to teach you any longer until you stop that!" Jo yelled."Alright, god, I'll stop!" She scoffed, still tugging on the reins.
"Holly stop! Get off the horse! This lesson is over!" Jo yelled.
"Alright, jesus!" Holly screamed. Baby whinnied again, throwing her head up.
"OFF! NOW!" Jo yelled. Holly threw herself off Baby and Baby dashed away from her, slowing down as she got near the outside of the ring. By this time, Kara and Alexis were already running to the ring. Holly, who had dramatically jumped off Baby when she could have just dismounted, grimaced.
"That stupid horse!" She yelled.
"Shh!" Jo said. Kara and Alexis hopped over the ring's fence and ran towards Baby, who was still unsettled.
"Shh Baby." Kara said as they approached her, gently petting her and whispering soothing words to calm her. Alexis scratched her behind her ears, which was her favorite.
"Alexis, Kara, go untack Queeny." Jo said as she helped Holly to her feet. She dusted herself off.
"Stupid horse," She muttered again.
"Alright Jo." Alexis yelled back.
"We'll let her out to pasture too." Kara said. Jo nodded."Yes!" Alexis said in a celebration whisper, "We can probably ride her bareback again!"
"We should check and see if she's ok first," Kara replied, "I don't want my poor baby to be hurt." she rubbed Baby's nuzzle.
"Poor Baby." Alexis said, rubbing her spot behind her ears. Baby gave a quiet whinny of happiness. They opened the stables doors and walked in. Katie shut her horse's stall door, looking at Alexis and Kara in shock.
"What are you guys doing with Queeny?!" She asked in a panicked tone, "Holly's going to kill you guys!"
"Holly just got kicked out of her lesson by Jo." Kara said, smiling.
"Oh my god! What happened?" Katie asked in delight, as she hated Holly just as much as both of them.
"She was tugging at Queeny's mouth while digging her heels in her-"Kara started.
"Basically doing everything you're not supposed to do ever in riding." Alexis interjected.
"That bad?" Katie said. They nodded in unison.
"Poor Queeny. She deserves better than that stupid Holly Orwallis." Katie gently petted her head.
"Good lesson?" Alexis asked. Katie nodded.
"I have to get going though. I have an ortho appointment." She frowned.
"Poor Katie." Kara said and petted her head. They all laughed.
"Great, well I have to go, I see my mom's car out there." She scurried out of the barn. Kara and Alexis put the tiedowns on Queeny and quickly removed all her tack, taking it back to the tack room.
"Come on Alexis," Kara urged, "Hurry up so we can ride her!"
"I'm already done, now stop your whining!" Alexis said as she undid the tie-downs and grabbed Queeny's halter, leading her out of the barn.Queeny's heels clacked against the pavement as the two, "innocently" set Queeny out to pasture. The sky glowed with a orangeness that meant that dusk was soon to come. No one would notice 2 innocent looking girls leading a fresian out to pasture and casually mount it.
"We really should check her out first." Alexis said running her hand over Baby's face. Kara carefully inspected the creases of Baby's mouth.
"I don't see any damage." She said drawing back from Baby's mouth. Alexis inspected her haunches.
"Nothing here.""I get to ride her first!" Kara exclaimed.
"Well we atleast need to make sure Holly isn't out here." Alexis said, scouring the area. She saw Holly's father drive away in their porsche and smiled.
"The coast is clear." Alexis said. Kara patted Baby's head and flung herself on, grabbing on her mane and digging her heels into her haunches. Baby started into her beautiful gaited friesian gallop around the pasture as Kara guided her by her mane.
"This is so awesome!" Kara exclaimed.
"Duh." Alexis said, watching as they rode through the pasture. Allegro walked over to Alexis, who scratched her head and ran her fingers through her mane.
"I get to ride her first!" Kara exclaimed.
"Well we atleast need to make sure Holly isn't out here." Alexis said, scouring the area. She saw Holly's father drive away in their porsche and smiled.
"The coast is clear." Alexis said. Kara patted Baby's head and flung herself on, grabbing on her mane and digging her heels into her haunches. Baby started into her beautiful gaited friesian gallop around the pasture as Kara guided her by her mane.
"This is so awesome!" Kara exclaimed.
"Duh." Alexis said, watching as they rode through the pasture. Allegro walked over to Alexis, who scratched her head and ran her fingers through her mane.
"I am so totally going on the equinna website to look up couse selections!" Kara exclaimed.
"Don't get too excited." Alexis warned, "What if we don't get the scholarship?"
"Alexis, you're always such a pessimist." Kara said, skipping up the walkway to her house. Alexis sighed.
"Well I'll see you tomorrow." She said, waving as she started heading towards her house.
"See you tomorrow!" Kara called out to her, waving back and going inside her house.
"I know I'm sounding pessimistic, but we shouldn't get worked up. If we do and then we don't make it, we'll be even more let down." Alexis mused to herself as she walked in the front door of her house and closed it behind her. She sat down as she tugged on her boots, trying to get them off her feet. She finally did and walked into the kitchen where her mother was cooking dinner.
"How was your ride today?" She asked.
"Great," Alexis replied, "We have a show next saturday."
"Thats great." Her mom replied. After dinner, Alexis finished her homework, then climbing into bed, almost too excited to sleep.Kara eagerly grabbed her laptop and without so much as a hi to her parents, ran into her room, signing on to the Equinna website. The homepage showed the Equinna campus, a castle-like building with lush lawns and a topiary shaped like a running horse.
"WELCOME TO EQUINNA!" the heading read. Kara scrolled around, looking at the courses and other things. She felt a great excited feeling grow inside her. Alexis voice rang through her head.
"Don't get too excited-We might not make it."
"Alexis is just a pessimist." Kara sighed, turning off the laptop and going to sleep.
Alexis woke up in her room a little dazed and confused. Was yesterday just a dream, or was it all real? She looked over at her dirt-coated shoes.
"It's not a dream. Just a wonder ful reality." She said to herself as she walked over to the closet, grabbing out a black band tee-shirt and jeans and changing into them.
Kara slowly lifted her eyelids open to see the shining Dell logo on the computer screen before her eyes. She rubbed her face and wiped the drool from her mouth.
"Ugh..."she said in disgust. She put the laptop in its charger and grabbed a some jeans and a black and pink striped polo, going to take a shower.
Alexis shoved her books in her andy warhol messanger bag, wolfing down a bowl of cereal. Kara waved in the window and walked in Alexis' front door.
"Ready?" She asked. Alexis stood up.
"Yeah. Mom can you give us a ride?" She called out to her mom.
"Sure," Alexis' mom said as she walked up the stairs, "Meet me in the car." The two scampered outside and ran in the car.On the way to school, all they could talk about was the show.
"You do know that we're going to have to practice our butts off in between homework and school and other stuff, right? And I also have to work this in between school band and pep band practice and private lessons and pit orch. practice and full orch. practice and band practices. AND my room is a complete pit" Kara said. She was involved in regular school band (oboe), pit and full orchestra (english horn), and pep band (flute). And she had private lessons for all of her many insturments, which were scattered around during the week. She was also helping out her friends from school by agreeing to play in their rock band (Anxiety Attack), until they could find someone to fill in for the oboe parts. It didn't help that her room was also messy, and her parents made her clean it.
"You and your oversceduling again. How in the world do you manage to get to our lessons every day?" Alexis asked. After a slight pause, she smacked her forehead, "THAT'S why your room is a pit," she said, having seen the condition of Kara's room the day before: you could barely walk in it, "you've stopped cleaning your room to get to the stables every day!"
"You're not the only one with a FULL schdule though. I have the art honors society meetings, choir and play practices after school, guitar lessons and if I don't up with guitar, Anxiety Attack will stink." Alexis pointed out. Because she had been skipped past the art concepts and matierials class in high school by her eighth-grade teacher, she had signed up in the art club to make her more equal in her peers eyes. The play practices at school for The Sound of Music had just started and because Alexis had been constantly practicing the musical numbers, she got the part of Mother Abyss, a huge part in the play, complete with her own musical numbers and loads of lines. She had been playing guitar for years and loved it. Her and Kara regularly played in a band with their friends called Anxiety Attack.
"True." Kara said.
"I bet when we open an urban dictionary and flip over to over-achievers, there's a huge picture of us." Alexis said. They still both managed to be on the honor roll with all their activities. But it didn't come without a price. Neither had ever gone to a school dance or had a boyfriend. They had many friends, but almost no social life. All their life was extra curriculars, sports, studying, the arts and the occasional get together with friends.
"That would be funny. But I don't think that any of the dictionarys are that recent..." Kara pointed out, "Lines are a cinch. Try learning how to play 15 different pieces of music perfectly in a few weeks. Mr. Cinicnati just gave us the music yesterday for pit, and we've got to play that perfectly in time for the play. And I have 3 big solos. That have the worst possible note combinations on english horn..." Kara droned on, "I lied. 18 pieces of music. 3 for Solo&Ensamble. And one is a quintet. With another solo-ish part."
"I'd like to see you on stage singing a love song to stephen morrison." Alexis grunted. "Acting isn't always, ahem, peaches and cream. Choir is no piece of cake either. You try singing a solo in front of a whole packed audience. I think that'd be more nerve-wracking than anything with an oboe." She countered.
"Will you two give it a rest?" Alexis' mom said, "You're both equally talented, just different areas! Seeing you two fighting over who has the most talent is making me feel paled in comparison to both of you. Its like argueing over whether perrier or evian is better. Both are the same!" Alexis and Kara looked over at each other. Kara sighed.
"You're right Mrs. Cobau. We'll stop." She said.
When they got to school, they got out of the car, closed the doors, and walked inside. Upon reaching the end of the main hall, they turned in opposite directions to go to their lockers. Kara was in the process of entering her com when her band teacher walked up to her.
"Kara, could I talk to you for a minute?" Mr. Cincinati asked
"Sure," she said, and followed him into the band room. I hope that I'm not getting kicked out of pit... she thought, closing the door behind her. "What's up?" she asked,
"Don't sound so nervous. It's not like I'm kicking you out of pit or something," he said.
He continued, "every year I'm offered the chance to give out one full ride scholarship to one of my students. To spend a year at Pine Music Academy."
"No...way. You're offering me a scholarship to Pine?! But that's like, college! And it's about $50,000 a year, isn't it?" Kara asked, her face turning white.
"Erm...it's actually a little less. But yeah, it's a college for talented young musicians. I've normally sent only seniors, who have had years of musical talent. But you...you're more of a child music protegy. You've accomplished more than any of them. And you're the only freshman to ever get into pit and full orch. So yes, I'm offering you the chance to go to Pine, Kara," Kara was thinking over what she was doing next year and making sure that she wasn't. Then Equinna popped into her mind. She was about to turn down the offer so that she could go to Equinna, but he continued, "Of course, you don't have to go this year. You can wait until Senior year if you want to...I just wanted to offer you the chance now."
"Oh wow. I was going to try out for a scholarship to a horse academy for next year. Now I'm not so sure what I want to do..." she said.
"I'll give you some time to think. Let me know by next monday if you're willing to accept." he compromised. Kara rushed off to find Lexie and tell her.
Alexis took one last look at the painting she was working on. She smiled. It was coming along very nicely. Better than she anticipated, perhaps. It was a semi-political picture, a baby awating to be beheaded by a guillotine as a cow watches nearby. Alexis had been a vegetarian since she was 13 and basically, her painting embodied how she felt about humans eating meat. Not many people agreed with her, but thats what she liked, stirring up a bit of controversy. She closed her lid on her pallete and went to wash off her brushes.
"MY GOD!" She heard Mrs. Demeter exclaim.
"What'd Kelsey do this time?" Alexis mumbled to herself. Kelsey was Mrs. Demeter's FAVORITE artist in the class, although she had a bit of a problme showing 3 values and blending. She submerged the brushes in the coffee jar full of water. She looked over to see what painting Mrs. Demeter was marveling at this time.
A small crowd of her art class had gathered around a 18 by 24 inch canvas that Mrs. Demeter held in her hands. But wait, 18 by 24 inch...THAT WAS HER PAINTING! She dropped the brushes in the water and walked over.
"This, this is truly a work of art!" She exclaimed, "Kelsey, is this yours?" She looked hopefully over at Kelsey, who was cleaning her brushes.
"Uh, no Mrs. D. I think that's Alexis' painting." She replied. Mrs. Demeter looked up at Alexis.
"This is beautiful!" She exclaimed, "Why I-" She was cut off by the ring of the bell.
"Alexis, come in after school, I need to talk to you." She said. Alexis nodded, grabbing her books and running out the door, almost directly into Kara.
"There you are!" Kara exclaimed.
Seeing the look on her friends face, Kara asked, "What happened? Did Kelsey manage to get a 200% A+ or something?"
"No, thank god." Alexis said, looking around, "Mrs. Demeter saw my painting, you know, the one with the cow and the baby?"
"Yeah. I thought that was an awesome idea. Creepy, but awesome." Kara said, nodding.
"Well, Mrs. D saw it and freaked out. In a good way, though. Like how she would for one of Kelsey's paintings. And she was going to say something, but was cut off by the bell. She wants to see me after school, but I'm not sure what for." Alexis went on.
"Hmmmm, odd." Kara said.
"So what did you want to tell me?" Alexis asked Kara with a sly smile.
"Mr. Cincinati is offering me a full-ride scholarship to the best young musician college in the world. I don't have to accept it for next year, though. I could wait and go in senior year. But the problem is that I have to choose between music and horses..."
"Oh dear." Alexis said, "Well you know, Equinna also has one of the best fine arts programs in the world. Thats why they're so revered. You think JUST a school that was good for horses would be as revered as Equinna? Plus, Equinna has such a beautiful campus. Have you seen pictures of the dorm rooms? Total baroque period mahogany and cherrywood walls, fire places in every room. Its like living in a castle!" She sighed.
"AND BESIDES! You do want to go to boarding school with your best friend, don't you" Alexis smiled.
"Yes, I suppose I do. But, and this could still happen, there's still the chance that we might not make Equinna. What I'll probably end up doing is flipping a coin," she shrugged, "I'll end up choosing the opposite of what wins..."
"But what if we do both make Equinna? Then I'll make you come with me. I'm serious, I'll pack your bags and put Sky in a trailer with Allegro and drive you to Pennsylvania with me, even though I only have my learners permit."She said, a determined look in her eyes.
"I guess I'm stuck then," Kara said regretfully, "Unless I still somehow don't manage to pass the test or show or whatever the heck it is."
"Don't worry Kara, you will." Alexis reassured. They started walking over to their lockers.
"What do you have for lunch?" Alexis asked Kara as she stood by her locker.
Kara took out her lunchbox. Ahem. Brown Paper bag. She couldn't find her lunchbox today
"Hmm...let me see," she looked inside and pulled out her sandwich, "Oh no. She forgot the peanut butter!" They laughed.
"What else?" Alexis asked through her laughs
"Umm...the usual rabbit food, and a...OH MY GOSH SHE GAVE ME FRUIT SNACKS!!!" She exclaimed. Her mom hated gummy snacks like fruit snacks and fruit roll ups.
"MY GOD! I can't believe your mom did that. Has she been feeling okay lately?" Alexis asked, smiling. She undid the com on her locker and shoved her books in a neat pile on the bottom of her locker, grabbing her lunch from the top shelf.
"Yeah. Now what do YOU have?"
"Peanut Butter sandwich, pretzels and OMIGOD!" Alexis exclaimed in disgust as she pulled a small container out of the bag.
"APPLE SAUCE?! You have GOT to be kidding me! I HATE apple sauce and my DAD knows that!" She ranted.
"I'll swap my rabbit food for the applesauce. I need it for foods class and I totally forgot to ask to go buy some," Kara offered.
"Well how coincidental is that?" Alexis quickly put the apple sauce in Kara's hand and grabbed the rabbit food away from her hands.
"I HATE apple sauce." Alexis said, grimacing again.
"Me too. I just need it for foods. We're making...erm i forgot what it's called. But it needs applesauce and the teacher is out of it. So I volunteered to bring some for out kitchen. And I'm not eating whatever it is..." Kara complained, walking towards the cafiteria.
"Gosh. What could Mrs. D possibly want to talk to me about after school now? How much I should try to be more like kelsey? Or how I should paint as impressinistically as Kelsey or how I should stop refering to "violet" as purple..." Kara giggled. Alexis sighed.
"But she's seriously on me for that all the time. GRAH!" She exclaimed in frustration.
"It'd be pretty funny if she was offering you a scholarship to some art school," Kara said, "A little ironic, actually. Kelsey would be the one to get one. Since you're droning on about how much Mrs. D likes her."
"It'd be pretty funny if she was offering you a scholarship to some art school," Kara said, "A little ironic, actually. Kelsey would be the one to get one. Since you're droning on about how much Mrs. D likes her."
Kara went crazy, "OHMYGODLEXIE!!!" she screamed, "FORGETEQUINNAYOU'VEGOTTAGOTOARTSCHOOL!!!" by now she was jumping up and down and everyone in the hallway was staring at her.
"But how the heck did this happen?! How the heck could they even get a story on this?! I didn't even know they were making it!" Alexis exclaimed. Bridget looked at her with one eyebrow cocked.
"Well, since you obviously haven't read the story, here, keep it." She said, placing the magazine in Alexis' hands, her mouth still agape.
"See ya guys, I gotta go buy lunch." She waved and walked away to the lunch line.
"Wait, maybe this is what Mrs. D was going to tell me about." She said after about 5 minutes of standing there in shock, grasping the magazine close to her chance.
"GOD THIS FREAKING SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME!" Kara exclaimed, "OPEN THE FREAKING MAGAZINE!"
"As soon as we sit down." Alexis replied, they walked over to the table they usually sat at. Lorraine and Katie were already sitting down there, eating their lunch. Alexis placed the magazine on the table, cover up. Lorraine started choking on her sandwich.
"HOW THE HECK DID YOU MANAGE TO GET ON THE COVER OF THE FOURTH ESTATE?!" She coughed between chokes.
"The fourth estate?!" Katie exclaimed, running over to look at the magazine, as she was on the other side of the table.
Kara made a parting motion with her hands, "As Lexie's official spokesperson, I can confidantly say," she paused for a moment, "that we have absolutely no clue."
"Well We don't have all day!" Katie exclaimed, "Turn to the freaking page!" Alexis and Kara sat down at the table, Alexis flipping open to the page of the article. Alexis read aloud:
"As you walk the halls of North High School, just like any other high school, you'll see the walls adorned with sketches and artwork done by the students. Some of these paintings seem to stick out in your mind like a sore thumb, making you think and question the meaning of our society all together, giving a new name to the "art of politics". Besides the underlying political message, the paint swirls on the canvas, giving it a life that was not thought to be possible on inanimate objects. The red is more than a red. It is a red not belonging to real life. It is a red you have only seen in your dreams, highlighted and shaded around the perfectly made-out form, a style thought only to belong to great artists long thought dead. These are the paintings of student Alexis Cobau."
"Pfft. Now you'll have college artist boys swooning all over the country. YOu'll have to introduce me to some."
Alexis laughed and turned the page.
"Wait, there's more." She turned the page again. "Alot more!"
She read aloud again:
" '...Alot of my beliefs tend to be reflected in my paintings.' Alexis says of her paintings. 'My 7th grade art teacher was the one that really got me into painting. She was such a great teacher... I looked foward to art everyday... Painting was the thing I always did best in art...'. This year however, one of her best paintings called 'Infidelity' was sent to the Howard J. Fisher Art competition, one of the most prestigious national art competition. Alexis nabbed the 1st place, a full-ride scholarship to The Howard J. Fisher School Of The Arts and a total of 5,000 dollars..." Alexis broke off.
"I WON THE HOWARD J. FISHER ART COMPETITON?! THIS IS THE BEST FREAKING DAY OF MY LIFE!" She exclaimed.
"You mean, you didn't know that?" Kara asked. Alexis rapidly shook her head.
"I didn't even know I was entered in the competition!" She replied.
"Wait, something fishy is going on around here." Lorraine say.
"Yeah!" Katie interjected, "How did you not know you were entered in the contest and win it?"
"Yeah, and if you never gave an interview to The Fourth Estate, then how could they use your quotes?" Kara asked.
"Some thing fishy is going on here..." Lorraine repeated.
"Dang right," Kara said. "And I want to get to the bottom of it!"
"Can't we just finish reading the article first?" Alexis asked.
"Wait a second. I've got some suspicions..." she said, rubbing her chin.
"Well, let's hear it..." Lorraine said. Kara's theories usually had some truth in them, though not all of it.
"Ok. Maybe...maybe this is some sort of scheme by people so that we won't go to Equinna. Maybe someone wants us to get all of these school offerings so that we won't want to go there anymore. It's just too suspicious, especially with me being offered the scholarship to Pine..."
"WHAT?!" Lorraine injected, "since when do freshmen get scholarships to Pine?"
Kara rolled her eyes, "apparently I'm the first one. Mr. Cincinati offered me the scholarship this morning. A full ride scholarship. But as I said, this is all too fishy..."
"Well my theory was that Mrs. Demeter had just set this up, by herself. You know how much of an attention whore she is." Alexis said, "But your theory works too."
"But I don't get it." Katie said, "How could all these people we know and trust lie to us?"
"And THERE'S where my theory fails. Teachers don't exactly lie," Kara said, "But still...I intend to get to the bottom of this. And that means that we'll have to borrow some of Alix's time." she said this with a frown.
"Why in the world do we need Alix?" Lorraine asked. Alix was the reporter for the school paper. And her mom was the principal. And she knew almost everything about almost every teacher.
"Because there's a huge chance that she'll know SOMETHING. She could tell us what the teachers eat for lunch if we asked her," Kara reasoned, "We'll have to ask her. We have no choice if we want to get to the bottom of this."
"But how exactly are we going to say this with out soundign absolutly ridiculous?" Alexis asked, "Oh yeah Alix, we think our teachers are trying to prevent us from going to a first rate academy by giving us scholar ships to even more first-rate academys. Do you think you could help us?" She said sarcastically, shaking her head. "And The Fourth Estate is one of the most reliable and renound periodicals in the US. Do you really think they'd risk their reputation by printing a story thats false?"
"Well..." Katie mused, "Maybe its not false."
"And why would we want to know what Mrs. Keifer eats for lunch." Lorraine grimaced. Kara sighed.
"Lexie, DID you ever give an interview to The Fourth Estate?" Kara questioned.
"No...but...I DID say all those things..."Alexis said uneasily, " It was actually kinda weird. A couple weeks ago, she just started asking me these questions out of the blue. I really didn't know what they were for." SHe sighed, "You know, I thought she was just qenuinly interested. Its possible she just sent them to The Fourth Estate as an interview."
"Alexis..."Lorraine said in a high-singsong voice, glancing out of the corner of her eyes. Alexis and the rest of the gang turned their heads. Alexis' jaw dropped. Walking towards them was Chris, an artsy boy whom Alexis had a huge crush on. He smiled and walked right up to Alexis.
"Hey," He said casually, "Congradualtions on winning the Howard J. contest. Your piece was just amazing." Alexis blushed a deep crimson.
"Thanks." SHe managed to reply.
"Anyway, I just came from Mrs. Demeters room and she wanted to see you. Something about the contest." He said.
"Oh." She replied, "I'll go see her." She nodded and smiled, "Thanks."
 Lexiegirl · Thu Nov 30, 2006 @ 10:22pm · 0 Comments |
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