Read Online Best Enemies (Canterwood Crest) by Jessica Burkhart - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jessica Burkhart
Ads: Link
I’d either go home for a couple of weeks before going to YENT camp, or I’d be home
all
summer. And what about Eric? I watched him, his face serious as he bridled Luna. What about
us
?
“Here,” I said, taking Luna’s reins. “I’ll hold Luna while you get her saddled.”
My worries about my own riding future disappeared as I held Luna. All of my concentration went to Eric.
He finished tightening the girth and ran down the stirrups. Holding his black helmet under one arm, he turned to me. “Any tips?”
I took his hand. “Just pretend it’s any other lesson. You’ve worked
so
hard for this, Eric. You’ll kill it!”
Eric stepped closer to me, squeezing my hand.
“Eric?” Mike said, walking down the aisle toward us. “You’re up.” He offered a fist to Eric for a nudge. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
Mike walked away and I led Luna toward the indoor arena while Eric put on his helmet. He got in the saddle and looked down at me.
“I’ll be cheering you on from the skybox,” I said.
“You better.”
He rode into the arena as Jasmine exited. I started walking toward the skybox, hoping to get away before she could comment about something.
“Your boyfriend is gonna need lots of luck to make the team,” she called after me.
I ignored her and walked up the stairs. When I opened the door, I found Andy, Ben, Troy, and Nicole waiting. They were all friends of mine and Eric’s, and riders on the intermediate team.
Nicole patted the seat next to her, brushing blond hair off her heart-shaped face. “Sit,” she said.
I sat beside her and we waved at Eric when he looked up at us. I knew he had to feel good about having friends cheering for him. The skybox had been empty for Jasmine. The Belles, her so-called “friends,” hadn’t even bothered to show up.
“He’s definitely going to make it,” Ben said. “I rode with him yesterday and he was great.”
Eric warmed up Luna along the wall, taking her from a trot to a canter. He’d dressed up for the test in a black jacket, new breeches, and his show boots.
My phone buzzed.
Txt me aftr E’s test. I knw he’ll mke it!
Callie. I texted back.
Will do!!
The skybox door opened and I expected to see Jasmine.But Rachel and her friends walked inside. Nicole shot me a what-are-
they
-doing-here glance. I shrugged. Then glossed.
“Hey, Sasha,” Rachel said sweetly.
“Hey,” I said, my voice faltering slightly. Rachel was really pretty—and were those highlights in her hair?
The girls grabbed the last few seats and peered down at Eric. They started whispering and giggling.
Whatever,
I said to myself.
Don’t get jealous. Eric’s with
you
.
Mr. Conner walked into the arena and glanced up at the skybox, seeming surprised when he saw all of us. “Not a word from any of you,” he said to us. “Understand?”
We nodded. Mr. Conner walked into the center of the arena and Eric slowed Luna to a walk.
“Let’s get started, if you’re ready,” Mr. Conner said. “Follow my directions and you’ll do fine. Good luck.”
Eric nodded and urged Luna toward the wall. I scooted to the edge of my seat and crossed my fingers. Nicole, glancing at my hands, did the same.
“Sitting trot,” Mr. Conner called. Eric sat to Luna’s trot, not bouncing at all. His hands stayed low over Luna’s neck, his heels were down and he was balanced over the saddle.
Perfect
.
“Posting trot,” Mr. Conner said. He jotted something on his clipboard. Eric posted for two laps around the arena.Luna, quiet under Eric, listened to every command.
I glanced over at Rachel and her friends. They were perched at the edges of their seats with their eyes stuck on Eric.
“Cross over the center and reverse direction,” Mr. Conner called. Eric turned Luna toward the arena’s center and sat for a beat when he crossed the halfway point of the arena and started to turn in the opposite direction. He made another lap going counterclockwise.
“Halt,” Mr. Conner
all
summer. And what about Eric? I watched him, his face serious as he bridled Luna. What about
us
?
“Here,” I said, taking Luna’s reins. “I’ll hold Luna while you get her saddled.”
My worries about my own riding future disappeared as I held Luna. All of my concentration went to Eric.
He finished tightening the girth and ran down the stirrups. Holding his black helmet under one arm, he turned to me. “Any tips?”
I took his hand. “Just pretend it’s any other lesson. You’ve worked
so
hard for this, Eric. You’ll kill it!”
Eric stepped closer to me, squeezing my hand.
“Eric?” Mike said, walking down the aisle toward us. “You’re up.” He offered a fist to Eric for a nudge. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
Mike walked away and I led Luna toward the indoor arena while Eric put on his helmet. He got in the saddle and looked down at me.
“I’ll be cheering you on from the skybox,” I said.
“You better.”
He rode into the arena as Jasmine exited. I started walking toward the skybox, hoping to get away before she could comment about something.
“Your boyfriend is gonna need lots of luck to make the team,” she called after me.
I ignored her and walked up the stairs. When I opened the door, I found Andy, Ben, Troy, and Nicole waiting. They were all friends of mine and Eric’s, and riders on the intermediate team.
Nicole patted the seat next to her, brushing blond hair off her heart-shaped face. “Sit,” she said.
I sat beside her and we waved at Eric when he looked up at us. I knew he had to feel good about having friends cheering for him. The skybox had been empty for Jasmine. The Belles, her so-called “friends,” hadn’t even bothered to show up.
“He’s definitely going to make it,” Ben said. “I rode with him yesterday and he was great.”
Eric warmed up Luna along the wall, taking her from a trot to a canter. He’d dressed up for the test in a black jacket, new breeches, and his show boots.
My phone buzzed.
Txt me aftr E’s test. I knw he’ll mke it!
Callie. I texted back.
Will do!!
The skybox door opened and I expected to see Jasmine.But Rachel and her friends walked inside. Nicole shot me a what-are-
they
-doing-here glance. I shrugged. Then glossed.
“Hey, Sasha,” Rachel said sweetly.
“Hey,” I said, my voice faltering slightly. Rachel was really pretty—and were those highlights in her hair?
The girls grabbed the last few seats and peered down at Eric. They started whispering and giggling.
Whatever,
I said to myself.
Don’t get jealous. Eric’s with
you
.
Mr. Conner walked into the arena and glanced up at the skybox, seeming surprised when he saw all of us. “Not a word from any of you,” he said to us. “Understand?”
We nodded. Mr. Conner walked into the center of the arena and Eric slowed Luna to a walk.
“Let’s get started, if you’re ready,” Mr. Conner said. “Follow my directions and you’ll do fine. Good luck.”
Eric nodded and urged Luna toward the wall. I scooted to the edge of my seat and crossed my fingers. Nicole, glancing at my hands, did the same.
“Sitting trot,” Mr. Conner called. Eric sat to Luna’s trot, not bouncing at all. His hands stayed low over Luna’s neck, his heels were down and he was balanced over the saddle.
Perfect
.
“Posting trot,” Mr. Conner said. He jotted something on his clipboard. Eric posted for two laps around the arena.Luna, quiet under Eric, listened to every command.
I glanced over at Rachel and her friends. They were perched at the edges of their seats with their eyes stuck on Eric.
“Cross over the center and reverse direction,” Mr. Conner called. Eric turned Luna toward the arena’s center and sat for a beat when he crossed the halfway point of the arena and started to turn in the opposite direction. He made another lap going counterclockwise.
“Halt,” Mr. Conner
Similar Books
