Showjumping Horses

Showjumping Horses

 

Showing and jumping put together can't be that hard, right? See how Clair and her wonderful horse, Everest train hard for the annual Summa Showjumping Festival. But Clair catches a surprise: she's not jumping Everest. She's jumping Dizzy, a horse that hasn't even seen a jump before! Learn how Clair shares bonds with Dizzy, as well train him! But soon, the Summa Showjumping Festival cancelled.

Meanwhile, Stuck-up, nasty, rich Laranna (Whom everyone calls Lara) is behind all the 'snake madness'. Will Clair save the horses during the night from unleashed, vicious, big snakes?

A Summer-time Read

Chapter 1

Clair stomped her riding boots and whipped her hand. "Mum! I'm going to be late for the lesson!" Clair called rushly. It was almost ten and her mum was still getting things ready. "Wait, Clair! Have you seen my car keys?" Mum's voice thundered down the stairs as she trampled down. Clair groaned. "I don't know, where did you put them?" commanded Clair, a bit annoyed. "Mu-um! Where's my ballet shoes?!" Clair's sister, Angie yelled from the stairs. "It's at the bottom of your wardrobe, Angie!" mum yelled back. Clair toppled the toy box open and found the keys. "I found the keys, mum! It was in the toy box!"

"Oh, thanks Clair! Do you have your riding crop with you? And are your cream jodhpurs dirty? Don't let it be!" her mum complained. Clair twirled a strand of strawberry blonde hair in plaits impatiently. Angie twirled down the stairs, in her leotard, hair in a bun and pointe ballet shoes. "I'm ready, mum! And I can't wait! Today Miss. Elena is going to teach us the leg-lift. I can imagine handsome Ethan Smith, leg-lifting me up stage, creating art and magic on stage…." Angie said dreamily. Clair rolled her eyes and pointed to her family's indoor notice board. "Look, I have to practice for the Summa Showjumping Festival so I don't want to be late!" Clair interrupted hotly. Finally, they were in mum's car, driving away and Clair was desperate to see her brilliant grey Arabian horse, Everest.

Chapter 2

Everest was probably named after a famous tall mountain is because that the Arabian was just so tall! But either way, the grey had also been Clair's. And Clair will never sell, auction or give away Everest. Clair went to the kiosk to see the stable's manager, Fifi. "Hello, Clair. Mm, your lesson started twenty minutes ago. Are you ready for the Summa Showjumping Festival?" Fifi asked, taking Clair's money. Clair nodded, feeling excited. "I'm going to tack Everest up quickly!" assured Clair, snatching a white hard hat from the racks. Fifi stopped her short. "Clair. You'll not be riding Everest today, or for the rest of this term." Fifi butted. Clair froze in tracks. "Who will I be riding? I haven't ridden on another horse in ages. Will that be fair?" Clair shot back, halfway through the door. Fifi shook her head. "You'll be riding Dizzy. Today and for the Summa Showjumping Festival," Fifi explained. Clair gulped and looked down at her riding boots. Dizzy? Dizzy?! Dizzy hadn't even seen a jump before! Not to mention training Dizzy for a festival! "I-I…uh…but…who's riding Everest?" asked Clair. "No one is. Everest has a sore leg. It got a fetlock overnight," Fifi exclaimed. Clair sighed and went to tack up Dizzy. Clair couldn't believe it. Dizzy couldn't jump, and hadn't seen one!

Clair trotted Dizzy to the end of the line. "Late, aren't you?" Clair's best friend, Jade. Clair winced. At least jade, was riding a much better showjumping horse, Teddy, short for Teddy, and a Palomino. "Alright, as you all know, our Summa Showjumping Festival is coming up tomorrow, during school holidays so we'll all try hard at the one meter jumps, especially!" Brook, Clair's riding teacher called out. Clair gripped into Dizzy's reins and saw Brook tightening her blonde hair in a ponytail. "So, may Lara, please start the fences," Brook objected. Lara, a snobby, mean and rich girl was on the perfect mount, Withers, was a perfect chestnut horse. Lara cantered around the arena, jumping every little fence perfectly. Until, that is, she reaches everyone's bogey fence-the 1m solid wall. Clair, Jade, Sammy, Meagan and Tina, all the riders, including Brook, watched in amaze that one minute, Wither's was doing everything perfectly. The next minute, Wither's was rearing and bucking and Lara was in the air. Another minute, she was laying on the ground. Brook told no one to dismount and she raced to Lara, checking if she was OK. "Are you alright, Laranna? Are you OK? Lara, can you hear me?" Brook was flattering on anxiously as she shook Lara. Lara eventually got up and shook herself out of Brook and Wither's reach. "Get away from me! I hate you! I hate you!" Lara screamed, edging further and further away. The other young riders, watched in surprise. Clair and Jade were amazed how Lara could do this. It was dangerously awesome, in Clair's feelings. The rest of the lesson was different-Laranna wasn't there to brag or showoff or anything. She was at the offices. "Now, I want everyone to understand that you have to arrive at ten thirty sharp. No excuses. To pass the time, we'll tack up your horses and they'll be ready for you!" Brook announced as everyone dismounted to take their horses to their stalls. "I bet Lara would love that-never tacking up a horse of her own," Jade muttered to Clair. Clair took her riding hat off. "Yeah? Well, I feel sorry for me! I'm riding the worst horse in the barn! Dizzy hasn't even seen a jump! Seriously! How am I going to attend in the Summa Showjumping Festival with a pony like that?!" complained Clair. "Oh, are you coming to my birthday party on Saturday?" Jade asked quietly, taking her hard had off, too. Brook, who was like, five meters away, had heard all that Clair had said. Though, she didn't give anything away. "Clair-could I have a little pep talk, maybe with you?" Brook assured. Clair shrugged and led Dizzy to her place and took the saddle off. "Yeah?" asked Clair, curious, leaving Jade gobsmacked. Did Clair just ditch her question?

Chapter 3

"Clair, I know that Dizzy is a difficult horse to handle especially for the Summa Showjumping Festival," Brook started while they were in the office, alone. "Yeah, you could say that again!" snorted Clair, flicking her blonde hair back. "But-I want to trust you-you are a good rider, Clair and I want you to keep that riding spirit in you. So, I want you to try Dizzy out, at least, Clair," Brook finished. Clair tried hard not to pout. Handle Dizzy? It was insane but Clair just nodded.

Clair walked into the lounge, hoping to see Jade. She wasn't their-all Clair could see and hear was Lara complaining to her best friend, Natalie, who was snobby and mean as well. But as bad luck, Natalie was two years older than Lara and contained different classes. "It's all the stupid horse's fault! Wither didn't know what he was doing! And he threw me off! I'm going to tell my parents to get a new horse. Isn't that going to be right, Nat?" complained Lara. Clair spun her heel of her boot around. Riders lounge wasn't a good choice at the moment. She set to the paddock, to look for Jade. Clair could see nothing except for two horses grazing grass. Clair sighed. Tom, a cool dude who was in charge, called out to her, "Hey! Not allowed out here!" he called out to her. Clair rolled her eyes and strolled inside to the kiosk. There, was Jade, sitting on the seat, changing her boot. "Hi, Jade!" Clair greeted, trying to sound cheerful. But deep in thought, she was still thinking about training Dizzy to jump. It sounded impossible but Brook did say Clair was a good rider… "Hello? Jade?" Clair said, trying to get her friend's attention. Once Jade placed her helmet back on the rack, she still hadn't replied so that made Clair generally confused. Jade pushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear, still looking down. Clair sighed. "What's wrong? I'm your best mate. What is wrong?" asked Clair, trying to sound soft. Jade looked up, her green eyes filling with tears. Clair felt a pang of sadness. Why was Jade—was Jade about to cry?

Chapter 3

"You forgot my birthday," Jade said quietly after the awkward silence. Clair gaped at her. "What? I could never forget your birthday! It was last Saturday, wasn't it? And-Oh no! I did forget it! I'm so sorry, Jade!" Clair gawped out. A big, fat tear rolled down Jade's cheek. Jade reached out to her riding bag and got out a paper and pen. This made Clair feel guilty. Jade was too upset to even speak! That made Clair extra guilty. Jade slipped the piece of paper over to Clair. Clair read it out loud. After all, no one was actually in the kiosk. Not even Fifi.
No one turned up to my birthday. No one I invited turned up. Not even Sammy, Meagan and Tina, turned up and I was hoping you would but you didn't. Clair sighed quietly. It was true. Before she could say anything, Fifi interrupted them two. "Jade, Clair, I need a few extra hands. The junior kids are going on a trail ride. I want both of you to tack up their horses…come and follow me," Fifi instructed. The two girl's only option was to do as Fifi asks. "Now, give Autumn to this little boy here, Ginger to this man…and Butterfly to Sandra…and…" Fifi instructed. Without saying a word, Jade and Clair tacked up the horses in silence. Great. Now Jade's not my friend, I got something to make her up for. And I still have Dizzy to train. And the Summa Showjumping Festival. What next? Thought Clair grimly.

"Oh, and it was great mother! Please let me in it! Miss. Elena explained today that there will be lights, a stage, we'll put on make-up, and concert costumes…oh mum!" Angie was begging her mum to sign up for the ballet's concerts at dinner. They had spaghetti and bolognaise sauce for dinner and Clair was just sitting there, playing with her spaghetti. It was still school holidays, long ones and Clair was glad. She gets to spend more time at Willow Hall Stables than often then she remembered. She had to train Dizzy tomorrow for the jumps. Lucky Jade won't be there-I hope. Cos' if she gets there, I'll have no idea what to say to her. "How was your day at the barn?" asked Angie sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Clair flushed with anger. How dare Angie say that to her? "NO! It WASN'T FINE! It was HORRID! Thank you very much for asking Angie-all you care about is your stoo-pid dancing concerts and blah, blah, blah! I hate you!" screamed Clair. Mum and dad looked shocked. Mum, was more of ashamed. Angie, who was flushing red, too was blabbering. "Stop! Clair, how dare you speak to your older sister like that! Go to your room and does either our homework or nothing!" her mum told her off. Clair stomped to her room and flanged herself on her bed, bursting into tears. Even though she's old enough to get over soft toys, she hugged Teddy, her soft toy bear she had when she was little. "Oh, Teddy! Everything's gone wrong! And it's my entire fault!" she cried. She didn't know what to do. She felt scared and angry and sad and guilty and miserable at the same time.

Chapter 4

Clair woke up in the morning at six with a guilty feeling in her stomach. Worse than that-sadness, angriness and scariness. For one thing, she felt guilty about not attending her best friend's birthday party and worse-no one else attended either! So she was scared to go to the stables to train Dizzy and she was angry because of her family-especially Angie. Clair got changed and brushed her teeth. Her mum had told her yesterday that it was OK to fight with sisters so Clair got her mum in a good mood that her mum was taking only her, with no Angie to see a really good kid's movie tonight! Clair had been thrilled until she found out it was after training Dizzy to jump. Clair's mum drove her to the stables. "Bye Clair, and try to enjoy today!" her mum called out to her and Clair went to the pony club gates. Clair waved at her mum and nodded. She will try and enjoy the day. She reached the kiosk and she just realized that she had forgotten her riding boots. She took a helmet and a pair of boots from the rack. She felt dizzy and sad at the same time. "Hello Clair, how are you feeling?" Fifi came from the kiosk. "Good," said Clair in a croaked voice. "Ready for training?" Fifi asked. Clair nodded. Soon, Brook came in. "Jade's here! She's going to watch you train, Clair," Brook admits. Clair pushes her blonde hair back again and a lump began to form in her throat. Was her best friend or 'former' best friend going to make fun of her while she trained a dumbfounded horse? Clair hoped not.

Chapter 5

Training Dizzy wasn't hard at all. Clair could get him through fences less than a meter. "I can speak to Daniel, so that you don't have to jump a meter fences with Dizzy," Brook assured her as they went for the hour trail ride. Clair gulped and kicked her heels against Dizzy to make Dizzy stay away from Brook. It was safer. She hoped Brook didn't know about Jade and her's fight. "Alright, uh, Daniel…we're gonna canter up that hill, straight. And Dan, will you like to start?" Brook called from the back. Daniel nodded and he and his western horse, Rodeo cantered up the smooth hill. Jade was next, but she refused and Clair wondered why. She could steer Dizzy but she had to be firm. This is my chance, she thought sternly to herself as they trotted. I have to talk to Jade. The Summa Showjumping Festival is tomorrow! She squeezed Dizzy in the saddle to make him move and he obeyed. Once she was quite firmly next to Jade while their horses walked, she cleared her throat. "Uh, Jade? Jade?" getting her friend's attention while group trail riding was hard. Jade took no notice. She just rode on, not caring. Clair sighed. "Never mind." and she turned to go to the back with Brook. "She's not talking to me," she whispered to Brook. Brook turned to her. "What?" Brook asked gently. "Never mind," snapped Clair as they got to a walk. Dizzy rode on the edge so Clair had to brush the leaves of his mane. "I'm practically saying that to everyone I know! They don't listen to me! They ignore me! And today's the getting-to-know people trail ride and no one's bother to talk to me!" snapped Clair as she finished. Brook was quiet. She shrugged. "Well, maybe that's just life. And life isn't always good with people talking and listening to you, really. People just go ignoring and not answering if you please. or maybe whoever this 'she' is, didn't hear you," explained Brook. Then, she craned her neck to the right to see what was going on. Lara was using a whip (!) to hit Withers. "Stupid pony, stupid pony!" Lara yelped as she hit Withers twice. Withers snorted and reared. He was annoyed. But Clair wasn't shocked. That was Lara. It sounds like Lara. "Laranna Moribeeto, stop that! Why do you have a whip with you and oh my goodness-is that a cross-country crop?! Laranna Moribeeto, stop!" Brook was yelling over and over. Everyone pulled their horses and ponies back to see what was going on. Lara was still using her cross-country crop. How did she get a crop from? Thought Clair. Sammy, who was slightly next to Lara, was trying to calm her down. "Whoa, Lara. You should stop using that," Sammy assures. Lara glares back at him and continues uses the crop at hitting Withers. "That's it; I'm coming up there-come on, people! Move it up!" Brook called as she and her horse, Thunder, together made their way to Lara, who Withers, was bucking and soon, Brook had come to late-Wither's had thrown Lara of the saddle. Brook dismounted and checked Lara's heartbeat and frowned. The other young riders, watched in dismay.

Chapter 6

Back in the stables, the ambulance arrived and took Lara away to hospital. Most people weren't shocked, or surprised. But Natalie had red bunny eyes and her nose was stuffy. "An Attention rider, the Summa Showjumping Festival has been officially cancelled. Thank you," an announcement thundered through the speakers. Clair was walking with her blonde hair over her eyes like a curtain while she walked around the lounge. She bumped into someone. She quickly removed the curtain of hair to see who it was. It was a boy she had never seen before in pony club. Never. He had cute brown hair, teeny, tiny freckles along his nose, blue eyes and dashing white teeth that made his grin fab. Clair jumped. "Er, you scared me!" she said nervously. The boy gave her a tiny smile. "I'm Zach. Zachary Miller to be exact. And you are…" he said pointy. Clair tried hard not to fluff her hair. Cos' isn't that like flirting? She thought, her head throbbing. "Oh, I'm-I'm Clair-short for Clairaria Jones," she stammered. Zach grinned which made him look extra cute. "I'm twelve, just turned this year," he said. Clair answered back, "Oh, twelve too," she said. "Cool. D'you wants go to on a trail ride together?" he asked Clair. Clair's heart almost skipped a beat. Ok, she had to admit he looked nice but she wasn't going to do what Jade was going to do: flirt. Suddenly, thinking of Jade made her all blank again. "Ur, yeah. Trail C?" she optioned. Zach nodded and the two went separate ways to tack up their horses. Everest's leg still hadn't healed so Clair tacked up Dizzy.

Clair and Zach met up at the entrance of Trail C right away. "So, this is my horse, Bramby. She's a chestnut Thoroughbred," Zach said about his horse. Clair smiled as she mounted. "He' beautiful," she had to say then she introduced him to Dizzy. "Dunno why they called him Dizzy. Probably cos' he gets Dizzy a lot when he does dressage and collapses to the ground!" joked Clair. Zach laughed. "You're funny," he commented. Clair blushed and placed her hard hat on her head. When Zach realized what he had said, he blushed too and quickly added, "I mean, Brook names all the horses. She comes up with cool ones, yeah?" Clair nods.

Chapter 7

After the trail ride, Clair decides to call her mum to bring her home. She had her day at the stables and she wanted to hang out at the park tomorrow. She dialed her mum's phone number. "Hello?" her mum said. "Oh, hi, mum, can you pick me up now?" answered Clair her mum answers ace so Clair hanged up and saw Zach walking up to her with a couple of his friends. Omigod, thought Clair nervously. "Hey, who's that?" asked a girl with auburn hair. A guy with blonde spiky hair said something in a low voice while looking over at Clair that she didn't hear. Clair was blushing, growing redder and redder by minute. Blonde spiky hair guy threw his head up and laughed. Zach and his friends were all in jodhpurs, cream ones and riding shoes already off. Clair turned around so she doesn't face them. It was humiliating. After all she has been through. She remembered how she was going to the park. Could see bring Zach, too? Is it possible? Could I really ask him infront of his friends? She thought, blushing with hotness. The sun was shining furiously that made Clair's face hotter and blusher than usual. She took a deep breath. Zach and his friends were walking down the road; coming for her right way…she had to do it. I can do it, I can do it, she thought. But it was no use; she kept looking over at the horses in the paddock, munching on grass. She saw Zach giving her a little wave, though. She took a big gulp of air and strolled casually toward them. Zach and his friends saw her and stopped walking to stare at her. Clair was glad that her mother wasn't here yet. Her green eyes were burning from the sun. Her hair was all ick. How could she do this? Too late. She was already a meter away from them. She turned on her heels and walked another meter away. "Never mind," she muttered. The auburn-haired girl laughed like a witch would and the spiky hair dude snickered and another guy with this reddish curly hair whooped. Clair was blushing and blushing and blushing. I am an idiot…c'mon mum! Please come! She thought. "What was it that you'll like to say to my friend?" Spiky-Haired dude guy asked. Auburn-haired girl snickered. Clair turned around to face them, praying that her mum will just come. Zach's face looked like he wanted Clair to ask. "I-I- uh, um, well…" she started, feeling like a geek. "Zach, uh-uh, um…would you like to…um…" she couldn't say it. "Forget it!" she finally snapped, angry at herself. Why couldn't see just say it to him? She turned on her heels, head held high and strolled back to the car park. She'd rather wait for her mother there.

Chapter 7

Clair kept thinking about Jade. Her best friend ever at the riding school. After Lara and Natalie ditched Clair. Why did Jade have to leave? Clair just got a phone call from Brook, saying that Jade had left the town and moved to Maryland. "Yeah, she left here and travelled to Maryland. She didn't really say goodbye to anyone. How weird, right?" Brook was saying. Clair flinched, tears streaming down her face as she heard it. She couldn't speak. She couldn't move. "Clair? Are you still on?" Brook asked over the phone. Clair cleared her throat, hoping it sounded convincing as she faked a cough. "I'm sick and I have to go to bed and get a tissue," she fibbed. Brook hung up. Clair was very upset. Jade left without saying goodbye? Is this because she wanted to have a party? Clair was confused. But most of all, she was sad. Jade, her best friend ever in pony club, left, out of the blue, left. Jade, Jade, Jade, Jade, she reversed over and over again in her head. Left, left, left, left, she added when she was doing her homework. She sipped a cup of hot chocolate before finishing the next sum. And I will never see her again. She's in Mary Lands, Clair thought and dividing 6 with 489.

"I saw this really cool shirt at Jay-Jays' and it was 50% off and so, I decided to book it. Isn't it weird?" Stuck-up Lara Moribeeto and Natalie Poshca, was busily chatting in the rider's lounge on the sofas. It was almost time for Clair's dressage lessons but Clair could hope. She just sat on a broken rocking chair beside the picture drawers. Alongside, she saw Zach, the boy that she had gave up on. Clair thought she hated him. Zach was with the three friends from yesterday. Clair wished the floor boards would open up and swallow her in, especially when she caught Zach looking in her direction. She wasn't like the other riders. "Dressage people, please come to the arena now. Thank you!" an announcement rang over the speakers and Clair gave a sigh of relief. "Clair," Clair trampled into the kiosk and found Fifi there. "Clair. Everest's leg is healing finally. I'll give you a full forty-five bucks refund today because your lesson had to be cancelled for dressage. Unfortunately, Everest needs lots and lots of rest and a little child is riding Dizzy for the trail rides." Fifi explained and Clair's jaw dropped. I feel like I'm spinning on a rollercostar. This is good news but also bad news to me! Clair thought, thumping her boots and helmet back on the racks.

On the getting-to-know-you trail ride on Monday was different. After thirty minutes, (this seemed like ten, to Clair.) Brook allowed people to have a break in the Misty Forest. Everyone seemed to be talking, laughing and having a good time with eachother while Clair was stuck on Everest's saddle, looking bored. She steered Everest to a quiet corner and dismounted. "Did you miss me, boy?" she giggled quietly. "How's your leg?" Everest nickered her gently. A girl called Sophie, the girl with auburn hair that hung out with Zach yesterday with Tom, the guy with the spiky hair and Wilshire, a dude with blonde, curly hair. Sophie was really close to Zach while they had the trail ride, and the trail-ride break. Clair watched enviously around the lonely corner of the valley. Lara and Natalie were mysteriously whispering to eachother, making sure no one was listening. Clair mounted back on Everest and made him walk to them. At first, they didn't see her, she listened all she can. "I can ask my mother if we can arrive at the stables at five, perfect, since the stables close down at five thirty and I could bring some snakes," Lara was saying, adjusting her white hard hat. Natalie smiled. At first, Clair thought at the mention of the word, 'snakes', which probably meant the lollies but when Natalie said part of something that made Clair mad. "Cool. It is perfect! Brook will know one thing or two then making you ride stupid Withers. So, here's the plan, Fifi will still be in the kiosk, but we have to make sure Brook isn't guarding the horse area," Natalie was saying. Clair steered Everest behind a tree and dismounted. This conversation was getting on her nerves. "My mother can take care of that," whispered Lara quietly. But Clair could hear every word clearly. "Yeah, so no one will be guarding the horse shed thingy area, so then, since Brook and Fifi are interrupted, you and I could get the snakes to the horse area as quickly as we can and it would bound to hurt Withers," Natalie finished in a low voice. Clair gasped quietly. Were Lara and Natalie trying to hurt Withers? The bell Brook was holding rang loudly. "Time to saddle up, people! We still have forty five more minutes!"

Chapter 8

Clair couldn't believe what Lara and Natalie had said. It was impossible. Real snakes? They had to be joking, as Clair thought but soon, she caught out Lara reading a snake fact book in the riders' kitchen. Clair got tired and went home.

Back at home, she felt calmer. Her mum was out at work and her sister went to dance practice and her dad was at his friend's house. She was alone with only Wind Company.

The next day, Clair went back to pony club. No lesson, no trail ride. She went there to see if Laranna or Natalie were there. They weren't. "Hi, Fifi. Have you seen Lara or Natalie?" Clair asked sweetly. "No dear. Though Zachary and Sophiana are here. And Brook is in the café if you need her." Fifi answered, lowering her glasses. Clair sighed and looked at the clock. Then the trail ride forms. Then the clock again. Then the trail riding forms. She did this several times until she got dizzy. "Are you alright, dear?" Fifi asked, curious. "Your head seems to get crazy, sometimes," it was only three o' clock and she remembered Lara and Natalie were going to do their dangerous hunting trip at five. Clair had to do something at the stables for two hours! "I'm going on trot with Everest," Clair muttered and took the pen and forum and began to fill out her name. She went to tack up Everest but first, she patted Withers. "Hey, Withers. Tonight, Lara and Natalia won't get to hurt you. Don't worry," she assured him, before saddling Everest up.

Clair and Everest galloped off to Trail C, her blonde hair flowing swiftly by the wind and Everest's bay mane floating. Once she reached the middle, she heard two voices. A male and female. Oh no! NOT again! Zach and Sophie! She thought, hesitating. The two voices remained talking. Clair squeezed Everest in the saddle to make him edge closer to the duet. Then, she dismounted like she always did when she listened to Lara and Natalie before. "And, yeah, I think she has this, I don't know, telepathicness? That's why I didn't invite her to your party, I mean, Brook is always lagging on and on that Clair is such a great rider when Laranna and Nat hated her," Sophie was saying. The two genders were on two beautiful matching horses: both jet black with a tiny dot on both foreheads. What party? Thought Clair nervously. Was Zach having a party and Sophie did the invites and Zach wanted to invite her? "Yeah, but she was supposed to be on the invites list, Soph! I told you that I wanted you to give an invitation to everyone I wrote down in pony club!" Zach was wailing. Clair froze. "Yeah, but you know that girl, Clair Jones? She's a geek! You know, she's weird and all! And you said you didn't want geeks in your party. So, I blocked her for the invites so she didn't get a card or whatever." Sophie was saying. Clair froze some more. Is that true? Am I a weird geek? She thought. "And besides, I heard that she gave Laranna Moribeeto the cross-country crop that day we went on the trail rides," Sophie continued, pulling her horse back slightly. "That's a lie!" Clair wanted to shout but she pressed her lips together. "That sounds like Clair, alright," Zach said sarcastically. Sophie snickered but Clair couldn't hear anymore. She rounded her horse up, and went back to the stables.

Chapter 9

Clair felt mad. It was four thirty so Lara and Natalie would have come in half an hour. But Clair had confused feelings. For one thing, Jade left during a fight. Between longtime friends. Another thing, the fibs Sophie had said. I heard that she gave Laranna Moribeeto the cross-country crop that we went on the trail rides. The words kept rewinding in her mind. A fib. Sophie the fibber. And Zach believes her. So far, Clair had no friends and no good times right know. And she had two nasty girls who want to hurt a horse that badly at five. She went to the rider's lounge: which was empty and she helped herself with a soda in the fridge and dunk it down.

Clair heard footsteps by five. Lara and Natalie, she thought hastily. She hid behind some hay and watched carefully. Two figures of girls walked forward. One of them with dark hair and side-way long ponytail was carrying a container of baby snakes. It was Lara. Natalie, on the other hand, was walking infront of her friend. Natalie tugged at her honey dark blonde hair carefully. Clair froze in the spot. The two girls turned to the kiosk. They're gonna interrupt Fifi and Brook, Clair told herself. I have to let them, she heard Lara's mother talking to Fifi and Natalie's dad talking to Brook. The horse area was clear, under no guard. It was getting dark and Clair thought it she should just go home but she couldn't leave the horses in danger. Not Withers. No way. Clair didn't do anything. I was part of her plan. Withers were a lovely horse. And he was a perfect dressage horse. Lara and Natalie stepped infront of Withers, Natalie stepping infront of Lara, to hide her from the people in the kiosk. Natalie whispered something to Lara and slowly…Lara opened the red container of snakes…

"NO!" It was Clair who jumped out from the hay loft. She ran and grabbed the almost-opened snake container. Natalie and Lara gawped at her and Natalie lost her balance. She fell on top of Lara in pain. But, the container took over and all the little snakes were slithering out. "Yah!" Clair was scared. She wasn't that scared of snakes, especially baby pythons. Soon, Brook and Fifi caught the attention. Brook screamed but Fifi ran over to the horses to calm them down. Everest was watching the snakes calmly but Withers were frightened and spooked. He reared and neighed. He wasn't calm at all! Lara and Natalie scrambled from the ground, watching horridly at the baby snakes slithering toward the kiosk! Some were even slithering toward the horses! Fifi and Brook were trying to lead the horses away. Lara and Natalie ran to the paddock, where it was safe. Typical, thought Clair as she helped Brook and Fifi. They made this mess and except innocence to fix this! Clair had no choice. The snakes were chasing the horses everywhere! "Everest!" Brook yelled over the neighs. Clair gasped. A snake was chasing her horse, Everest down the road. "No, Everest!" yelled Clair. She couldn't think. "No, Clair!" Fifi screamed as she saw Clair mounting on a saddled horse, Harry. "Giddy up!" Clair urged. "Stop, Clair! You could hurt yourself! You don't have a riding helmet!" yelled Brook, while chasing a pony from a vicious snake. Clair still had no choice. Zach and Sophie and Tom, came out of the kiosk to see what the fuss was all about. Sophie screamed. Tom whooped in a silly way and ran to the carpark to get away from the snakes but Zach was surprised-shocked. Once he saw Clair going down a dangerous road, chasing a horse and a snake-with no riding helmet (!), he panicked too, as well as Brook and Fifi. "Clair, come back!" Fifi screamed loudly. Suddenly, rain started to patter down and made the snakes more vicious to bite a horse. Neigh! A grey Arabian got sharply bitten by one of the adult snakes. "No! Honey! Grandmother, get the vets!" Brook cried, grabbing a pony by the led reins. "Clair! Brook, what is she doing there? The road's slippery!" Zach shrieked. Fifi came back from the kiosk, getting five umbrellas. "Let's hope this is enough! There are too many snakes! Who could've done this?!" Fifi wailed. All of the horses were placed in the indoor stall barns. And the snakes were clearing away. Brook was close to Honey, an Arabian who got a fatal bite by a snake. The rain was still drowning down. And Clair was chasing after Everest, furiously. "EVEREST!" She yelled over the loud rain. The snake had gone but Everest was going wild. Luckily, she grabbed him and pulled him back to the stables. She was soaked, and so were Harry and Everest. Brook and Fifi were really worried. "You shouldn't have gone to the roads," Brook assured her. Fifi shrugged. Finally, at six, the rain cleared a bit. "I think I know who's to blame," Brook said. Fifi, Brook, Clair and Zach all looked pointley at Natalie and Laranna, who were really soaked, sharing a towel together, chattering their teeth. "It was you, Clair," Zach suddenly popped up when they entered the rider's lounge while Fifi made Zach, Clair, Natalie, Lara and Brook hot cocoa. Clair gave him a furious, confused, wet look. She was still wet and her blonde hair was wet and horrid and her green eyes were red. "What?!" she asked angrily. Zach blushed slightly, his brown hair all wet, as well. "I mean, if it wasn't for you, Everest would've been in grave danger," Zach said hurriedly. Clair grumbled and took and sips of her cocoa and banged it back on the table madly. "You don't care!" she yelled at Zach. "All you think is how I am a weird geek and you think that it's like me that I gave Laranna the crop, and I didn't!" she screamed. Fifi, Brook, even Lara and Natalie, stared at Zach and Clair in silence. Fifi stopped making the cocoa. Zach looked shocked. "Sophie…told me," he trembled. Clair rolled her eyes. She couldn't take him. She stomped out of the riders lounge, calling her mum to pick her up.

School holidays were over and Clair was glad. Less time to spend in pony club. She got tired and flustered. Why on earth did she say the things she had said to Zach? Clair should've known he was being sarcastic. She apologized to Zach but he still seemed lumpy. And right now, the only friend she could count on was Everest. And right now, that made the fat, unhappy tears turn to happy ones, over again. But the issue with Jade, she thought, hugging Everest's neck, letting fat tears roll. She's still not my friend. And right now, that just made her sad.

Coming soon!

Flying Horses