flying change, and she hadn’t managed it. That was another area in which she was failing, just like in history.
Carole wasn’t done. She had one more thing to say to her friend. “There’s something else I’m sure of,” she said. “I do understand how much success in school means to you, but it’s not really the way I feel about horses. No matter how much I love horses—working with them, riding, taking care of them—I’m never going to let them make me sick.”
Lisa opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, the bell rang. Lunch was over. It was time to get back to class.
“I’m going to the library after school,” Lisa said, standing up, “so I’ll see you at home. And, uh, thanks.”
Carole watched Lisa head for her math class and knew that Lisa’s “Thanks” was sincere. Her message had been received, though not welcomed. It was okay. Sometimes being a friend meant hurting someone’s feelings. Carole knew that being honest and being right weren’t always fun.
She picked her books up from the table and then gave it a final glance. Lisa’s lunch was almost completely uneaten. She’d just tasted the yogurt and left the apple untouched. Carole was going to Pine Hollow afterschool. She could put the apple to good use. She stuck it in her book bag, knowing instinctively that, unlike either Stevie or Lisa, she wouldn’t forget she’d brought the apple for the horses at Pine Hollow. Lisa was right about one thing. When it came to horses, Carole always did her very best.
C AROLE DROPPED HER book bag in her cubby at Pine Hollow, but not before she had fished Lisa’s apple out of it. She found a knife by the refrigerator and cut the apple into quarters.
It hadn’t been a very good afternoon for Carole. She’d spent most of it wondering where her father was and what he was doing. She’d spent the rest of it worrying that Lisa would be angry with her for speaking her mind. She’d spent almost none of it paying attention to anything any of her teachers had said. Nobody, but nobody, was saying, “Very good, Carole,” that afternoon.
Finally, after her last class had ended, she’d grabbed her things and run for the door. Going to Pine Hollow was always “very good, Carole,” as far as she was concerned. And then, on her way out, she’d seen Lisa, who was heading for the library. Lisa had waved cheerfully and told her she’d see her later. Carole hoped that meant that she had taken in Carole’s message and wasn’t angry. It could also mean that Carole’s message hadn’t begun to sink in, and therefore Lisa wasn’t holding a grudge because she didn’t know she had anything tohold a grudge against. Life could be so complicated sometimes!
Carole put the apple pieces in a plastic bag and headed straight for the feed shed. Delilah seemed to be waiting patiently for her. She looked up solemnly when Carole walked in. Carole checked her over. The mare looked okay. Nothing was obviously wrong, though she was a little more restrained than usual. But then, usually, she was surrounded by a lot of activity, and that could stimulate any horse to be livelier.
“How you doing, girl?” Carole asked. Delilah nudged her gently, then nuzzled her neck. Carole loved that feeling. She took one of the apple pieces from the plastic bag and held it out to Delilah.
“It’s a present from Lisa,” Carole explained to the mare. Delilah sniffed at it curiously and then picked it up with her teeth, brushing the palm of Carole’s hands with her soft warm lips. She muched methodically, dripping some saliva and apple bits, swallowed, and then waited expectantly for a follow-up to the snack.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Carole told her. “You’re not the only horse I care about in this place. You have to share this apple with Starlight, Belle, and, um, well, I guess Nero, to celebrate his getting well. I just wanted to be sure you were okay. I’ll come back again tomorrow to see you.
Carole wasn’t done. She had one more thing to say to her friend. “There’s something else I’m sure of,” she said. “I do understand how much success in school means to you, but it’s not really the way I feel about horses. No matter how much I love horses—working with them, riding, taking care of them—I’m never going to let them make me sick.”
Lisa opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, the bell rang. Lunch was over. It was time to get back to class.
“I’m going to the library after school,” Lisa said, standing up, “so I’ll see you at home. And, uh, thanks.”
Carole watched Lisa head for her math class and knew that Lisa’s “Thanks” was sincere. Her message had been received, though not welcomed. It was okay. Sometimes being a friend meant hurting someone’s feelings. Carole knew that being honest and being right weren’t always fun.
She picked her books up from the table and then gave it a final glance. Lisa’s lunch was almost completely uneaten. She’d just tasted the yogurt and left the apple untouched. Carole was going to Pine Hollow afterschool. She could put the apple to good use. She stuck it in her book bag, knowing instinctively that, unlike either Stevie or Lisa, she wouldn’t forget she’d brought the apple for the horses at Pine Hollow. Lisa was right about one thing. When it came to horses, Carole always did her very best.
C AROLE DROPPED HER book bag in her cubby at Pine Hollow, but not before she had fished Lisa’s apple out of it. She found a knife by the refrigerator and cut the apple into quarters.
It hadn’t been a very good afternoon for Carole. She’d spent most of it wondering where her father was and what he was doing. She’d spent the rest of it worrying that Lisa would be angry with her for speaking her mind. She’d spent almost none of it paying attention to anything any of her teachers had said. Nobody, but nobody, was saying, “Very good, Carole,” that afternoon.
Finally, after her last class had ended, she’d grabbed her things and run for the door. Going to Pine Hollow was always “very good, Carole,” as far as she was concerned. And then, on her way out, she’d seen Lisa, who was heading for the library. Lisa had waved cheerfully and told her she’d see her later. Carole hoped that meant that she had taken in Carole’s message and wasn’t angry. It could also mean that Carole’s message hadn’t begun to sink in, and therefore Lisa wasn’t holding a grudge because she didn’t know she had anything tohold a grudge against. Life could be so complicated sometimes!
Carole put the apple pieces in a plastic bag and headed straight for the feed shed. Delilah seemed to be waiting patiently for her. She looked up solemnly when Carole walked in. Carole checked her over. The mare looked okay. Nothing was obviously wrong, though she was a little more restrained than usual. But then, usually, she was surrounded by a lot of activity, and that could stimulate any horse to be livelier.
“How you doing, girl?” Carole asked. Delilah nudged her gently, then nuzzled her neck. Carole loved that feeling. She took one of the apple pieces from the plastic bag and held it out to Delilah.
“It’s a present from Lisa,” Carole explained to the mare. Delilah sniffed at it curiously and then picked it up with her teeth, brushing the palm of Carole’s hands with her soft warm lips. She muched methodically, dripping some saliva and apple bits, swallowed, and then waited expectantly for a follow-up to the snack.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Carole told her. “You’re not the only horse I care about in this place. You have to share this apple with Starlight, Belle, and, um, well, I guess Nero, to celebrate his getting well. I just wanted to be sure you were okay. I’ll come back again tomorrow to see you.
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