Flying Horses

Flying Horses

2#

(If you haven't read Showjumping horses, please scroll down then see the title, Showjumping Horses!)

By Christine Kat Wang

You could never know when a horse is having a foal, right? Friends with Endora and Sandy, Clair is having a barn sleepover with her finally friends one night, when Polly, a sick and abandoned mare who got adopted by the stables, Clair thinks that Polly is due to a foal! Her stomach is humongous! Brook and other people think Clair is fibbing but the truth is, she isn't! If Polly isn't being treated well in a vet, she'll be in hard pain or possibly, lose her life and her foal.

Meanwhile, the whole Polly and the Foal situation has got the three girls spilt up. Will they find a way to be best friends again?

Chapter 1

"This is crazy, where is she?" Endora Smith whined, hitching her sleeping bag higher on her shoulder. Clair winced and did the same. Clair and her friends were going to have a sleepover at their local stables/pony club tonight. Clair had broken up with her long-time friend, Jade but made some great new friends at pony club last year, Endora and Sandy. "There!" cried Clair, pointing Sandy, who was concentrating down the road on her bike. It was easy to spot Sandy with her red curly hair and deep freckles and pale skin. "Sorry I'm late! I had to pump up my bike! Dad had to do it and it took aa-aa-ge—ees," Sandy admitted. "I've sneaked some carrots from the fridge this morning. I knew the horses would love it!" Endora whispered, patting her right pocket. Endora may look cute and innocent, with her cute, blonde curls, and bobby fringe and adorable blue eyes, she's naughty in the inside. "Better not let Fifi or Brook see that," Clair warned, looking over at Brook, who was telling an old lady something and was five meters away from them! "Hey! Hey! Fifi said it'll be lights out at eight because the junior pony club members are doing this big competition," Clair hissed as they set out for the getting-to-know-you trail ride. It was 10.20am, and Brook wanted the junior pony clubbers and senior pony clubbers to get together on the getting-to-know-you trail rides. Sandy and Endora, when Clair met them, they had loved the getting-to-know-you trail rides. It goes for two hours, a break in the middle of each hour, so you could 'stop, dismount, chat to others and stretch your legs,' as Brook said. Clair didn't seem to think so. Before she usually hated the getting-to-know-you trail rides. But now, with Sandy and Endora it seemed more fun. Brook called onto them, "Saddle up, girls! We'll be with the junior members, in a minute!"

Clair got used to the junior pony clubbers. Most of them were 'good' but one girl in particular was getting on Clair's nerves. "OK, I'm going back to the kiosk to tell Fifi something and to get a drink. I'm going to have Clair, Sandy and Endora to look after the little kids. Remember, girls, you're going to lead them up that hill and go around, OK?" Brook said, giving her horse, Thunder a slappy pat. Clair groaned but Endora seemed happy to take care of them. She gave a cheerful wave to Brook as she rode off. "Can't believe it," Clair muttered to herself. The girl that was getting on Clair's nerves was a girl called, 'Jessica'. She had this dynamic, punchy attitude. "There always had to be a Lara Moribeeto in every group has there?" Murmured Sandy, who was not enjoying horseback baby sitting at all. Endora ignored them and pulled her lovely Arabian Saddle-bred, Sunshine into a halt. Clair thought Sunshine's coat and mane, matched with Endora's white blonde hair-Sunshine's mane was Palomino blonde white, just like Endora's! Her coat, too, could at least stay improvement, as Clair thought, looking in disgust how the fleabag caught many flies buzzing around. Jessica grumbled all the way through the walks. "I hate walking!" she complained bitterly. Clair egged her most lovely grey Thoroughbred horse, Everest (Who was named that because he was very tall.) to be standing side-by-side with Jessica's dapple chestnut pony. Clair looked closely at Jessica. She was the spitting-image of Lara. Then, she remembered that Lara had a sister. Well, maybe it's Jessica, thought Clair. Both were, nasty, snotty and mean. They had to be sisters. "Jessica, are you Laranna's sister?" asked Clair, trying not to sound hoarse. Jessica frowned at Clair, her big brown eyes accusing. "Yes. Not that it's any of your business," she said rudely, kicking her horse angrily. "Don't do that," warned Clair. "You could hurt him," she added. Jessica's dapple chestnut pony was called Dandy. Not a nice name, as Clair thought. She stayed out of Jessica's way, soon found herself in the middle of her two best friends. "Jessica's a nightmare! When is Brook going to come back?" asked Clair, annoyed. Endora smiled and gave Sunshine a pat. "Look, Clair, um, Brook said she couldn't come back to take care of the kids. We have to do our job," Endora mocked, but she was serious. Clair grumbled. Sandy sighed dramatically. "Alright, kids! Halt now! We're going to canter up the hill safety, one by one!" Sandy called from the back. Clair rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me? They hardly no how to canter-or gallop, as a matter of fact! And tell me about one-by-one!" Clair pointed out to Sandy. But Sandy ignored her and watched the kids canter up the hill one-by-one. "Jessica, you're taking Dandy to fast! That's a gallop! We need canter!" Endora assured as Jessica had her turn. Jessica seemed to be kicking and kicking Dandy angrily and rushly. When Jessica finally reached the hill, Sandy and Endora cantered up the hill together, leaving Clair to go to a trot or walk with the beginner riders. This is soooo boring! She thought. "OK, break!" Clair called as she finally reached the hill with the beginners. Everyone either dismounted, or chatted to eachother on horseback. Clair, Sandy and Endora all dismounted and gave their ponies to graze at the yummy grass while they chatted. "Jessica is a pain!" groaned Clair. "She's exactly like Lara! No wonder why they're siblings." She picked some grass. "Lucky Lara's not here today. She's got the flu," objected Sandy helpfully. "More like the 'mean' flu," joked Endora. "Nah. You'll be lucky if it's the 'growing to be a giant' flu that no expert doctor could fix!" Clair joined in.

Chapter 2

"Hey, isn't that the new horse, Polly?" Sandy whispered to her friends as they curled their sleeping bags in the hay loft. Clair glanced up and walked to the kiosk to get her boots and helmet off. "Yeah, I suppose so. She's a mare, you know. Saddle-bred bloodlines. Pretty cool, huh?" Clair said without much excitement at all. She just wanted to watch Brook unsaddling Everest, Sunshine and Broochy. Brook told the three girls that she would 'owe it to them' just by unsaddling their horses. Polly was a new mare the stables have brought just last week. She was 15 hands tall, brown and black bay with coal dark eyes. "That horse is beautiful!" Endora breathed, forgetting to take of her boots. "Yeah, it is," said Clair, not looking up. "C'mon! It's almost six thirty! Let's tell ghost stories in the loft!" the three girls climbed up to the loft and started telling ghost stories. "I think it's dark enough, so I'll start!" said Sandy bossily. Clair rolled her green eyes. "Now, this one is a funny scary story. Once there was a girl named Lara Moribeetle her last name followed by tradition-Moribeetle. She had black beetles coming out from her mouth…"started Sandy. Endora giggled and twirled one of her white blonde curls. Clair picked at some hay broadly, but she was interested. This isn't a ghost story at all! She thought but she kept listening. "Christmas beetles coming out of her brain and scurries in her hair…and red ladybeetles coming out of each ear and yellow ladybeetles legs dangling from her eyelashes…" Sandy paused and lit up torchlight and shined it beneath her face. Clair had a weird visual image of it and started to laugh. Sandy gave her a grave dangerous stare so Clair covered her mouth wildly. "Then, one day she went to a riding school much like this one. Everyone thought she was snobby so she never came back again but that's on the only reason. When she was riding her horse, all the beetles ate her up!" Sandy finished proudly. Clair gave a low whistle then giggled. So did Endora. "Wow! I'm so scared!" joked Endora. "Girls, it's lights out!" Fifi's head suddenly popped up from the hayloft. "Sorry, Fifi!" giggled Sandy. Soon, they all curled up in their sleeping bags and the lights went out but Clair had a master plan. She bought a torch with her and she lit it up. "I'm not tired. It has quite been a day," Sandy did a pretend yawn. Clair sighed. "Yeah, it's only Saturday. Mum says I could stay here tomorrow for my lesson. That's what I'm here for," she explained. "Cool," commented Endora quietly. They all turned off their torches and went back to sleep.

Clair woke up at midnight and tossed and turned in her sleeping bags. Her friends were wide asleep. She found her torch under her sleeping pillow and lit it on, hoping Endora or Sandy would wake up. They didn't. Slowly, she crept out of her sleeping bag and found her way with a torch. Most of the horses have been brought in because a late shower was said to come. Clair trotted over to Everest's stall and gave him a pat on his forehead. The grey wasn't asleep, either, just prancing around. "Hey, boy," she whispered gently. "Did you miss me?" Everest swayed his head to a right Dutch stall. Clair looked over. The stall next to Everest's was Polly's. Neither, Clair didn't know what was wrong. Polly was prancing around tensely and nervously. The bay's stomach was huge, and to Clair's eyes, they were more than huge. "Are you OK?" she whispered, opening the Dutch door. She stepped in, securing her ponytail tightly, hoping she hadn't got any bed-heads lately. She tried to get close to Polly but the bay mare seemed to get angry and step back. Annoyed is more the word. "It's OK. Ur, what's wrong, Polly? Shall I go wake up Brook or Fifi to see you," asked Clair cautiously. Polly flicked her head so her flashy mane swished. Clair looked at the bay's belly. It was going all wobbly and huge! She must be pregnant! Clair thought horridly. I HAVE to wake up Endora and Sandy! She woke up Endora and Sandy just in time. "Well? Polly looks like she's due to a foal!" Clair exclaimed as the three girls walk quietly in their pajamas to Polly's stall. "Poor thing," yawned Endora. Her blonde curls were all messy from bedheads. "Poor thing? We have to warn Brook, especially," Sandy hissed urgently but Endora yawned and did some more fake yawns. "May we go back to bed-if Fifi-or Brook finds us wandering around the stables we're going to be in big_" but Endora was interrupted by a call. "Hey! You three! What are you doing here in the middle of the night?!" the girls saw a shadow of brook and a lamp light in her hand. "We were just…" started Endora, looking loads more awake. "We were…looking at Polly coses her stomach looks huge and her temperature is high and we suspect she's having a foal…" Clair stammered. Brook looked surprised. "You guys shouldn't be here now and Polly's not having a foal, Clair. That's nonsense! Go back to your sleeping bags before Fifi or Ringadale finds you!" Brook hissed. The three girls cheekily ran back to the hay loft, trying not to giggle. "Doesn't she believe us?" asked Clair in the dark, as they got into their sleeping bags. "You mean, doesn't she believe you that Polly's going to have a baby," Sandy said tiredly. Clair had her eyes wide open in the pitch dark. She thumped back on her sleeping bag, annoyed. She was so sure that Polly was going to have a foal. Why didn't anyone believe her?

Chapter 3

"Good work, Lara. Just lean forward a little, straight, crouched back, please!" Brook called onto Lara as Lara cantered through the arena. Clair winced. Lara moved like a ballet dancer on a horse. Laranna Moribeeto, as everyone called Lara, was always her usual snobby, rich, mean and snotty princess self. She always thought of herself the best. Lara had long dark hair and big, big, big brown eyes and huge lips. As Clair thought, at least, could stay improvement. They worked on the cantering, trotting, walking and galloping tests this morning. "She moves like an elephant," murmured Endora, who was on Sunshine. "Endora Lanchester! Since you find my classes fairly boring, would you like to go next in tests or would you like to share the conversation?" Brook told her off. Endora urged Sunshine on, ready for the trot tests. "Sit-and rising trot!" Brook instructed. It was no use-Endora somehow couldn't control Sunshine in the rising trot. "C'mon, Sunshine!" squeaked Endora, lifting her whip up, like she was about to whip him. "Stop, Endora! Don't use a whip! Just kicked Sunshine and he'll be OK," Brook told her. At the corner of Clair's eye, she could see Lara smirking. Lara's horse was the nicest horse in the barn-Perfection. Perfection was dapple Palomino and rushly cool trots. Finally, it was Clair's turn so she rounded up Everest, getting him into position. "Now-us, rising trot, then you can go for a canter." Hesitated Brook. Endora, on the other hand, thought this was unfair. "That's not fair! How come she gets to canter and I don't? All I have to do is a walk and a boring rising trot!" complained Endora, trying to pull Sunshine back, ignoring Clair moving the canter neatly on Everest. "Endora," Brook warned. "You need to work on your rising trot and your position in the saddle-I don't want you to work on extremes until you've learnt the basics,"

"Sunshine's been acting weird ever since," Endora said to her friends. "I don't know what's up. Should we report it to Fifi?" she added cautiously when Clair, Endora and Sandy walked to the rider's lounge. Sandy nodded, but Clair butted in. "Yeah, I need to tell Fifi about Polly's foal. She needs a vet and we don't know how long she's been pregnant so it could be fatal if we don't get her to see a vet," she said rushly as if it was the most important thing in the world. Sandy gave Clair and Endora some chewing gum and ignored Clair's speech about Polly being 'pregnant'. "You know what, Clair? You never know-maybe she's sick or something," offered Sandy helpfully. Clair shook her head and stamped her foot. "Then that's one reason why we should get her a vet! That's it-I'm talking to Fifi!" she complained, then when she was halfway out the door, Lara and her best, snobby, rich and mean friend, Natalie both giggled at this. "Ohhh! Clair thinks one of the school horses is pregnant. Wow! I'm so scared that it might be fatal! We need to tell Fifi!" mocked Lara in a fake voice. Endora chased after Clair. "Ignored her and her little friends. C'mon, I'm not saying that Polly is pregnant, but I'm coming with you to report about Sunshine. OK?" said Endora. Clair nodded, fighting back tears from Lara's stupid comment. When Clair turned around for a second she saw Zachary. Zach, to be exact. Clair never had fancied him but she had had this feeling that he fancies her. Zach chased after the two girls which stopped them in tracks. "What are you doing here?" asked Clair rudely. Zach looked taken aback. "Well, ur, I just wanted to say that Polly isn't pregnant and my family boarded Polly to this stable and she's not pregnant," Zach objected. Sandy sighed but Clair just rolled her eyes. "Yeah, what do you know?" she said. She hated the way she was acting toward him right now. But she had bigger things to take care off. She pulled Sandy to the kiosk, who was snapping a gum and who knew it landed on Zach's face?

Chapter 4

Clair unfolded the whole thing about Polly pregnant. "She has to be-look at her tummy, if you see! Remember, one of the junior riders ridden her and remember how she got so uncomfy on the trots? She has to be pregnant. We need to get her a vet!" Clair explained. Fifi looked at her blankly. "No, that mare's fine, thank you very much. I think she's OK to…" Fifi started but Clair interrupted her. "No! We need to let her see a vet! That's what we're here for!" Clair said. Fifi shook her head and Clair knew it was over. She sighed and sat on a bench near the racks of riding helmets. Endora was now telling Fifi about Sunshine. "He's so not him. He's so strange and I'm wondering if I could book a vet," exclaimed Endora excitedly. Fifi nodded this time. "Yeah, Brook told me in the lessons and getting-to-know-you trail rides, Sunshine is acting up. Well, I'll go get the vet booking books and we'll fill you in!" Fifi told her. Clair folded her arms across her chest. It wasn't fair. As Clair watched Endora fill the vet bookings in, she thought about Polly. During now, they didn't let people go beyond the metal fence. They either stayed in the kiosk or café. "How about this?" whispered Endora to Clair, showing her the booking form.

Horse name: Sunshine

Horse age: 16

Owner: Endora Chester

What's wrong with your horse?

Acting strangely, refusing rising trots but accepts canters.

Stall number: 7 Sunshine

"Mm. Is the last bit good? Should I put down that he doesn't eat enough carrots and apples, or is that good?" fumed Endora. Clair shrugged, looking over at Polly, the bay's tummy was huge and she was prancing around nervously. She has to be due to a foal, thought Clair. Clair and Endora went back to the rider's lounge to chill out before their jump lesson which will start in half an hour. "Ohhh. Here comes Clair! I look your jodhpurs!" said Natalie sarkily. Clair groaned. All she needed was sarky comments from Natalie and Lara. But Endora took no notice. All that Endora was glad about was that she had booked a vet for her horse. If only Clair did, too.

After Sunday, it was Monday-a school day. Clair hated school days, mostly. Especially now it was term 2, it got all messy. "Clair! Are you ready for school?!" her mum called out to her. Clair sighed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked normal-except a bit of mud on her uniform dress from the jodhpurs. I wish I was still at pony club, thought Clair. I would've convinced everyone that Polly is having a foal. Luckily, Clair's friends, Sandy and Endora go to the same school: Willow Hall High, which is near pony club. Lara and Natalie, on the other hand, went to a private school uptown, High Society High School for proper Young Ladies and Gentlemen. It was an expensive charm school, which Lara and Natalie aren't improving very much to be 'polite'. Despite in the whole Polly situation, Clair smiled. She was hoping to see her two best friends.

"I seriously can't believe it! Polly is going to have a foal! I mean, her tummy-it's big and huge! She might be having twins and Fifi and Brook don't even let me book her a vet!" Clair complained to her two best friends at the morning of school. Sandy shrugged and hitched her bag higher. "Well, Endora has some good news-tell her Dora!" grinned Sandy. Endora grinned cheerfully, looking cute, since her curly blond hair was cut short and with a cute curly fringe and her blue eyes dashing. "Dr. Holly checked on Sunshine and she was fine! She says that one of the stable hands got her off her feed, and that's probably why she's always lying all the time-it was colic," explained Endora. Clair tried to look relived but she felt a bit annoyed. What about Polly? "Yeah, well, Polly is acting strange too, you know. Prancing around everywhere, stomach bulging, what you think that might be?" said Clair sarcastically. Before anyone could answer, the bell for homeroom rang. The three girls scattered to homeroom. "OK, class, get out your textbooks and write down what's on the board," Mrs. Loup, Clair's teacher called. Clair rolled her eyes. She was focused on Polly, not some stupid text type. If only I could go to the stables after school…I'll ask Sandy to come cos' I think I remember Endora has some kind of stoo-pid dancing exam thingy this afternoon so maybe if I could get Sandy's attention… At first, when Mrs. Loup stopped yakking about the work, Clair waved her hands to get Sandy's attention. Random, a boy who sits next to Clair gave her a weird look. "Are you sick or something; waving your hands like an utter lunatic?" Random whispered. Clair gave him a dangerous stare and waved her hands again. Sandy took notice. "Clair Houston, have you finished writing this down?" growled Mrs. Loup. Clair gulped and picked up her pencil and began copying the words on the board down. Once she placed the pencil down, she continued waving at Sandy, but again, Mrs. Loup caught her out again. Finally, the bell rang and Clair raced toward Sandy and Endora, who were talking about something near the door. "Hey, Endora! You said that you have your dancing thingy migigy this afternoon, right?" Clair started. Endora nodded and blushed shamefully. Endora really hated dancing lessons so far but her mother forced her to keep doing it or Endora will grow 'fat'. "Ur, then, Sandy. Can you come to the stables this afternoon to check on Polly?" she finished. Sandy stumbled and her face crumpled. "Sorry. I'm going to the movies with Random," she muttered. For a moment, Clair thought the word had turned upside-down and inside-out. "What?! Why didn't you tell me?!" screamed Clair, pulling her two friends by the sleeves outside. "That's exactly what we were talking about! We were going to tell you before you butted in," joked Endora. Clair thought that this was half sad and half happy news. But the question, she thought gleeily. Is Random the freaky, creepy and jerky guy who Sandy thinks is TOTALLY handsome, her boyfriend? "Is he going out with you?" she asked. Sandy blushed some more but nodded and looked over at the guys' playing soccer near the fields. Random looked up and gave a wave at Sandy. Sandy waved back and smiled. In cute boy terms, Random was cute. Though Clair wasn't interested in boys; but as she recalled. He was hot. Random had auburn hair, a fringe that nearly covered his dark green eyes. Typical, thought Clair. I have better colored eyes than him. Mine are light greenish color-his are like seaweed! I don't really understand Sandy could fall for him, she thought grimly.

Chapter 5

Sandy's date with Random and Endora's ballet and tap exams made it difficult to go to pony club and to stand up to Fifi to say that Polly is having a foal. But it made everything more difficult at home. "Mum, please! I want to go to the stables right now cos' I have something to do…" Clair trailed off. Her mum frowned. "I have to send Angie to her ballet practice. And today you don't have any lessons, so I don't understand why you want to go," her mum pointed out. Clair stayed silent. Angie, her older sister got everything she wanted. Ballet was her dream. Though not Clair's. Her mother wasn't a horsey one. "But mum…" wailed Clair. Her mother sighed while chopping the carrots. "Look Clair, why not finish off some homework?" he mother answered. Clair groaned and threw her head against the table. That was the last thing she needed. "Mum, I got extensions because of the Pony Clue gymkhana on Sunday, remember, mum? We only had two days to our whole homework then on Saturday there wasn't time cos' you had your birthday party and on Sunday was the gymkhana," explained Clair. Her mum nodded then pointed to the kitchen door. "Out," was the last word she said.

After doing the extensions for homework, Clair flopped back on the bed, thinking about Polly. The poor mare must be devoted but now. Polly must be in a lot of pain. And to Clair, it was serious, without Polly going to a vet; she could die and lose her foal. It was worse than Clair could imagine. Then, she thought about Sandy and Random at the movies. I wonder if they are kissing by now…thought Clair. But she had a vivid visual in her mind and giggled. With Sandy's curly dark red hair and beakish mouth and with Random's cool hair, they had to be kidding around. She sighed and thought of a dangerous thought about Polly. She needed a vet. Totally needed one. This is it, thought Clair bravely. I'm going to get mum to ring up Fifi and to book Polly a vet! She went back to the kitchen to tell her mum everything. "Well, I don't think that it's serious. I'm sure Brook could check it out." Her mum said to her. Clair groaned. Her mum knew nothing about horses. "It is serious, mum! If Polly doesn't get checked up soon and if her water breaks without a vet, she could lose her foal and her life!" cried Clair. Her mother sighed in frustration and gave up, eventually. She picked up the phone and dialed the stables number. Clair gave a sigh of relief. She heard her mother talking to Fifi on the phone. "Yeah, Clair says that this horse, Polly is probably having a baby and we wanna book a vet…" her mother was saying. Fifi on the other line said something else then they both hung up. "Well?" Clair said. Her mum shook her head. "Fifi said that there is nothing wrong with that horse. She's just nervous, that's all," her mother objected. Clair shook her head furiously. "Nervous of what?!" she shot back to her mother. "Well, Fifi said that we could stop worrying about this 'Polly' horse because she isn't ours, you know, Clair." Her mother pointed out. Clair thwacked her forehead and stormed back in her room. It was time for Plan B.

Chapter 6

"Did he kiss you? Did he kiss you?" the girls were back in pony club the next day, which was Tuesday after school for their lessons. Endora and Clair were all over Sandy from last night's date. The three girls were sitting on an outside café table, sipping juice smoothies. Sandy flushed deep red. For once, the quiet redheaded was quieter. "Well, Ur, he tried I guess," Sandy said quietly, almost a whisper. Lara and Natalie were four tables away from them. "Who kissed who?" Lara teased rudely. "Ohhhh… I heard that Ransom and Sandy sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a carriage!" mocked Lara and Natalie, with stupid grins on their faces. Clair rolled her eyes. "Ignore her," Endora said. But Lara and Natalie said it way too loudly. Zach and his gang, overheard it and joined in too. "Oh, not him! Zach is the last thing I need!" Clair murmured to her friends and winced. "Hi, Clair," Zach greeted. Clair tried hard not to look annoyed. "Hi," was all she said. "So…are you guys in today's jump and dressage, right?" Zach asked the three girls. Endora nodded and Sandy shrugged and Clair didn't say anything. "Hey, Zach!'' Laranna Moribeeto was flirting with Zach. Again. "Come and sit with us," Natalie said, twirling her dark blond hair with a sweet smile. Lara did the same and fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Oh, gross," muttered Endora. "Could you just see what she's trying to do to you, Zach?" Zach shrugged and smiled at Lara and Natalie and walked to their table. "See? He doesn't smell a rat when there is one," Clair said quietly. "Yeah, you mean two rats," corrected Sandy. "Totally," agreed Endora.

"OK, class, today we'll be jumping one meter and sixteen fences. Then, we'll move on to solid walls," Brook assured her class. "So everyone, check your stirrup lengths," orders Brook. Clair squirmed in her saddle. She was confident in jumping fences but she wasn't sure about a solid wall. "Ok, who'll wanna go first?" Brook asked the class. Lara smartly puts her hand up. The rest of the class groans while Lara beams. "Don't think she'll make it without a fall," muttered Clair to Sandy. Sandy nodded, but watched Lara carefully. Lara cantered like a tap dancer around the arena. As she approached to the 1m 16cm fences, she did it with knocking down all of them, but as she approached to the wall… Perfection reared and reared and reared. "Stupid pony, stupid pony!" that was Lara's favorite saying as a pony doesn't obey her. "Stop, Lara!" Brook cried, running to rescue. Lara dismounted and grumbled. "No surprise," said Sandy. "Who'll like to go next?" called Brook. Clair did. She concentrated on the canter and as she went closer to the fence, she shortened her reins and jumped neatly over. The solid wall was coming but she had no choice. She couldn't hesitate. And she did it. "Well done, Everest!" she was proud of the grey horse. "That's obvious she could take over a stupid solid wall jump!" Lara complained to Brook. "Everest is built to jump!" Lara was obviously jealous.

On Saturday and after the tack lessons, Clair thought about Plan B. She knew her friends weren't interested about Polly having a foal so she rather does it herself. She went back to the kiosk to take off her boots and helmet hat and tossed them back on the shelves. Fifi left the kiosk into the sunshine. OK, OK, thought Clair. All I have to do is get that vet bookings book and book Polly's name on it…simple…I think, she looked around and grabbed the vet bookings book and signed it quickly. "OK, I gotta go back to work," she heard Fifi coming toward the kiosk. Clair quickly closed the bookings and pretended to be interested in looking at the boots and riding hard hats. "Hello, Clair, what are you doing?" asked Fifi coolly. "Um…just checking out which helmet to wear for my next lesson…" answered Clair sheepishly. She went to the café stands where Sandy and Endora were. "Hey, guys. Anyone up for a drink?" offered Clair tiredly. "Yeah. Mango milkshake with extra ice," ordered Sandy with a grin. "And can I have a lime soda and tell them to put it in a glass with 6 ice cubes in and a packet of chicken crisps and carrot cake with a bit of latte," ordered Endora cheekily. Clair groaned. "I'm not going to remember all of that. Including my iced raspberry slushee. Who's coming in with me?" Clair said. "I'll," offered Sandy. And the two girls strolled in the café.

Chapter 7

"You did what?!"

"Why did you do it?"

"Are you insane?"

"Did Brook or Fifi catch you out?"

When it was ten past 2, the girls got their treats and Clair told them about sneaking a booking in. "But, you know, Clair. Polly may not be pregnant. Maybe she's eating way too much. You never know," objected Endora stiffly. Clair shook her head and slurped her frozen raspberry and shrugged again. It was naughty, but it was for Polly's sake. "You know, you shouldn't really have done that." Said Endora, munching on chicken crisps. "Yeah, but you couldn't change the past, could you?" pointed out Clair. "That wasn't even the past! It was fifteen minutes ago!" cried Sandy. This was getting frustrating. Her friends knew what she did and now it felt like the whole world is turning up on her. Clair rolled her eyes. "OK, OK, I know what I did and it was wrong, but Polly needs it-she has no vices-remember? If she doesn't get checking…" Clair started. "She'll start having vices," Sandy finished off for her. "Exactly," said Clair with a nod. "We get your trying to say Clair, but this is crazy-you have to say it to Fifi before making a booking," explained Endora impatiently, eyes on her carrot cake with extra latte sauce. "Oh, c'mon Endora! You both adored Polly when she got here, didn't yous? And I wasn't interested and now, I'm trying to help Polly!" cried Clair angrily. Endora rolled her baby blue eyes and her curly white blond hair bounced on her shoulders. "Yeah, but I don't go doing all that stupid stuff, like doing a booking without permission!" Endora snapped. Clair fluffed her blond hair furiously and tied it in a ponytail. Sandy joined in as she thought her two best friends were getting eachother into a fight. "Look, I agree with Endora. We should tell Brook that that booking was without permission," Sandy explained. Clair huffed. "Oh yeah? Sandy, maybe that's just you! And Endora: I think you should stay out of this! Both of yous! Dr Smith is coming next Tuesday, so I think that's fair enough to keep you guys away. Cos' I'm the one helping a mare! You guys could just go on and do bogey boarding!" fumed Clair loudly. Sandy gasped but Endora was surprised, mouth hanging open and eyes widened. "Bogey boarding?!" whispered Sandy, her cooper eyes looking like she was about to cry. Clair didn't understand. One part of her was angry at her friends, and another part was that she just wanted to be friends again. Instead, she acted coolly and said, "Yeah, bogey boarding." As calmly as she could. Endora's eyes flashed angrily, but her mouth is still hanging open. For a while, it was like awkward silence. It still was, even when Clair left the table.

Chapter 8

Clair had tears in her eyes that night. She had wrote in her diary about what happened to her friendship with Sandy and Endora. Calling them bogey boarders was definitely rude. Especially since they didn't much like to do anything on the beach. In one part, Clair wrote: Yeah, so it was rude to call Sandy and Endora 'Bogey Boarders'. I feel mad and sad at the same time. Is that normal? Though then, Clair scribbled the 'is that normal' part. Of course it wasn't normal! Soon, big, fat, unexplainable tears rolled down Clair's cheeks. She wiped them away and sat at her desk to get her homework out. She did the first sum, while tears were streaming down. 21039887 plus by 83210984 divided by 1697312 then times by 8907. "This is stupid!" hollered Clair, wanting to rip her math homework up. She wanted to burst into tears again. Everything had gone wrong. Really wrong. She hated it when her friends fought with eachother. All she wanted to do was save Polly. And now, it went to something worse.

On Tuesday, Clair's mother drove her to pony club to enter a fee in. while her mother was chatting non-stop to Fifi at the kiosk, Clair was in the lounge, sobbing. Her eyes were red bunny eyes. She couldn't stop. At five, Clair's mother had arranged Clair to help out as a stable hand. If Sandy and Endora were still friends with Clair, she would've been thrilled but she was just…not really sure. At four, Dr. Smith will come and check on Polly, which Clair had noted. She wished she could disappear. While crying, she didn't know who stepped in. "Well, well," a male's voice said behind her. Clair sniffed and turned around. She groaned. Not stupid Zach! And not now! She thought, rolling her eyes. "Hey, you look like you've been crying!" he said, surprised. Clair grumbled at him. "Duh-I am! I mean, I was!" she snapped at him, hoping her eyes won't be so red and weepy. "Whoa-the lion, the witch and the wardrobe," he winked. Clair rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, by you saying that it looks like you've won the lottery," grumbled Clair. Once Zach found out what he had said, he blushed. "I didn't mean it in that way…I was just saying…" he trailed off but Clair cut him off short. "I don't care which way you meant it! Don't explain. Just don't," she said and strolled out of the lounge.

"Dr Smith, is she alright?!" breathed Clair. Dr Smith had just came out of the horses area to the kiosk where Clair was waiting. "Well, she's due to twin foals after a couple of months," he smiled at Clair. "Looks like you were right, Clair. Polly is due to two foals!" Fifi and Brook chimed up. Clair beamed. "I knew it!" she said. She knew that Polly was having a foal. Two foals! It was great news! I'm going to tell Sandy and Endora… Clair stopped that thought short. She remembered-her former friends weren't her friend anymore. Clair and her mum went to a table to sign a form for the getting-to-know-you trail ride. "Mum, I told you, I don't think I wanna go on this trail ride!" complained Clair. But as usual, her mother took no arguments and swiftly gave Fifi the form. Clair's mouth curved down as she took a pair of riding boots and helmet from the shelf. Going on a getting-to-know-you trail ride meant Clair seeing Endora and Sandy, as well. The girls made some sort of vow to meet on every second Tuesday to ride on a getting-to-know-you trail ride. As she mounted on Everest, she felt a shiver. What will Endora say on the trail ride? Clair had imagined it. Hey, Clair Houston, how are you? Good I hope! Sandy and I have been bogey boarding everyday of our lives, you know-it's totally fun! You should do it too-cos', after all, you're the one who called Sandy and I bogey boarders. You're telepathic! How did you know? Sandy will probably say, Oh! Yes, of course, bogey boarding is our totally FAVE sport! Maybe we should include that it's much more fun than horse-riding? You bet! Oh, how did you know we are bogey boarders? This was our secret or ours for like ever!! Endora and I knew you weren't our friend-we're all telepathic, aren't we all? Clair watched Brook tack up the Swedish Warmblood. Everest. Everest was a Swedish Warmblood. Swedish Warmblood. It didn't make any sense. She thought Everest was an Arabian. But all that time of owning Everest, he was a Swedish Warmblood.

Chapter 9

"OK, we'll get into a trot up that hill, who'll like to go first?" the getting-to-know you trail ride was getting awkward. Everyone, especially the senior rider, which includes Clair, Sandy and Endora, weren't talking to eachother. Though, Sandy and Endora remained close to eachother, they hadn't pepped a word out of eachother. Brook and Ringadale were leading the trail ride. "Right, ur, junior riders, go with Ringadale and seniors, come with me!" instructed Brook. "Great-that's all I need: too be with Sandy and Endora!" murmured Clair to herself. The two groups separated and Clair was getting annoyed. If Endora and Sandy didn't want to be her friend, they could forget about it, too. Because, she thought sternly. I'm going to quit riding!

At first, Clair never thought that quitting riding was a big issue. She thought it was an issue. But now, since her mother had just enrolled her in two things: art lessons and swimming, she could just forget about riding.

On Wednesday at school, though, it was different. At homeroom, Clair had the guts to walk up to Sandy and Endora and break the bombshell. Well, maybe it's not their bombshell, but it was really to Clair's. "Oh, it's you Clair. Woh…what happened to bogey boarding? We are such great bogey boarders, definitely," Endora was stiffened. Sandy clutched her books tighter and looked upset. "Wait guys! I have something to say-and I think you'll be pleased," started Clair nervously. "I'm going to-ur…I'm gonna…quit riding," finished Clair quietly. The two girls face was normal at first, but it was quiet, quiet Sandy who burst it out. "No! Of course we aren't pleased! You know, after that fight, we really wanted to be friends with you, but we thought you'd never want to talk to us ever again, so we thought, like, oh well, if she wants to not be friends, she has it." Explained Sandy. Endora nodded. "You can't quit riding! You can't!" cried Endora tearfully. Clair sighed. But then, she nodded. "OK, I won't quit only if we are friends again?" said Clair with a grin. Endora and Sandy looked please. Then, they all pulled in for a hug. "Yes, friends forever!" they cheered.

Coming soon…

Green Horses ~ ~ ~ Christmas Special