sound brave. She headed to the cafeteria, got her lunch, and sat down by herself, praying that nobody would join her. She couldn’t bear the thought of having to make conversation with anyone. It was strange to think that in a couple of weeks, she would be eating in the Wentworth cafeteria. Who would she talk to then? Would any of the girls become her friends? Maybe there were other scholarship students and they would all eat lunch together. Then again, maybe she was the only one. Her mother had told her about all the social opportunities at Wentworth. But what kind of opportunities would there be if Lisa never made friends?
For the tenth time that day, Lisa felt like crying. She felt a tear well up in her eye and start to trickle down her cheek. But as soon as she began to cry, she stopped herself. She had to quit feeling sorry for herself, just to get through the day. Moping about Wentworth wasn’tgoing to do her any good. Maybe she could try looking on the bright side. Maybe Carole and her mother were right. It
was
a big honor to go to such a prestigious school on a full scholarship. She should be grateful for all her mother had done to get her in.
It was no surprise that Stevie couldn’t understand. It was easy for her to put Wentworth down. Her parents had plenty of money. But Lisa’s mother wanted her daughter to have more than she’d had. She thought Wentworth would set Lisa on the road to success.
The more Lisa thought about what Stevie had said, the angrier she got. Maybe Stevie was just jealous. Everybody knew that Wentworth had one of the nicest riding facilities in Virginia. Maybe it would be fun to go there. Maybe Stevie had wanted to go there and her parents had said no. A little voice inside Lisa told her she wasn’t being honest with herself, but she ignored it. She hadn’t let herself get angry at anyone for a long time. And in a way, getting mad felt better than letting herself be miserable.
T UESDAY AFTERNOONS The Saddle Club and a few other students, including Veronica, had a riding lesson with Max. Stevie, Lisa, and Carole liked to get their horses ready a little early so that they could talk while they warmed up together. Once the lesson started, Max was astickler for no talking. But this Tuesday, the three of them found themselves lingering instead of hurrying while they groomed Belle, Prancer, and Starlight. The truth was, none of them wanted to talk because none of them knew what to say. There was still tension between Lisa and Stevie from the night before. And Carole wasn’t sure if she should mention it or pretend it didn’t exist. When it came to people, Carole could never figure them out. Horses were so much easier to understand.
When the three of them went to the tack room to get their saddles and bridles, the silence was awkward.
“Hey, did you hear that Veronica volunteered to clean my tack yesterday?” Stevie asked, trying to make conversation.
Carole chuckled, relieved at the safe topic. “You’ve got to put a stop to it, Stevie, unless you’re really considering her for the job.”
“Oh, I will—just as soon as she finishes the tack. She still has to do the bridle,” Stevie said with a laugh. She stole a glance at Lisa to see if she would smile, but Lisa’s face was grim. Stevie and Carole exchanged worried glances. They knew Lisa was upset. What they didn’t know was how to get her to talk to them.
Stevie decided to try the direct route. “Lisa?” she said. “I’m sorry for what I said about Wentworth. I thought you thought the same thing, or else I wouldn’t have—”
“Well, for a change, maybe you should think about what you say
before
you say it,” Lisa snapped, her face turning red.
“But you said you didn’t like it, either,” Stevie said in a small voice that didn’t sound anything like her own.
“Maybe you should have realized that my feelings have changed now that I’m going to go to school there,” Lisa retorted.
“But—but—do you
For the tenth time that day, Lisa felt like crying. She felt a tear well up in her eye and start to trickle down her cheek. But as soon as she began to cry, she stopped herself. She had to quit feeling sorry for herself, just to get through the day. Moping about Wentworth wasn’tgoing to do her any good. Maybe she could try looking on the bright side. Maybe Carole and her mother were right. It
was
a big honor to go to such a prestigious school on a full scholarship. She should be grateful for all her mother had done to get her in.
It was no surprise that Stevie couldn’t understand. It was easy for her to put Wentworth down. Her parents had plenty of money. But Lisa’s mother wanted her daughter to have more than she’d had. She thought Wentworth would set Lisa on the road to success.
The more Lisa thought about what Stevie had said, the angrier she got. Maybe Stevie was just jealous. Everybody knew that Wentworth had one of the nicest riding facilities in Virginia. Maybe it would be fun to go there. Maybe Stevie had wanted to go there and her parents had said no. A little voice inside Lisa told her she wasn’t being honest with herself, but she ignored it. She hadn’t let herself get angry at anyone for a long time. And in a way, getting mad felt better than letting herself be miserable.
T UESDAY AFTERNOONS The Saddle Club and a few other students, including Veronica, had a riding lesson with Max. Stevie, Lisa, and Carole liked to get their horses ready a little early so that they could talk while they warmed up together. Once the lesson started, Max was astickler for no talking. But this Tuesday, the three of them found themselves lingering instead of hurrying while they groomed Belle, Prancer, and Starlight. The truth was, none of them wanted to talk because none of them knew what to say. There was still tension between Lisa and Stevie from the night before. And Carole wasn’t sure if she should mention it or pretend it didn’t exist. When it came to people, Carole could never figure them out. Horses were so much easier to understand.
When the three of them went to the tack room to get their saddles and bridles, the silence was awkward.
“Hey, did you hear that Veronica volunteered to clean my tack yesterday?” Stevie asked, trying to make conversation.
Carole chuckled, relieved at the safe topic. “You’ve got to put a stop to it, Stevie, unless you’re really considering her for the job.”
“Oh, I will—just as soon as she finishes the tack. She still has to do the bridle,” Stevie said with a laugh. She stole a glance at Lisa to see if she would smile, but Lisa’s face was grim. Stevie and Carole exchanged worried glances. They knew Lisa was upset. What they didn’t know was how to get her to talk to them.
Stevie decided to try the direct route. “Lisa?” she said. “I’m sorry for what I said about Wentworth. I thought you thought the same thing, or else I wouldn’t have—”
“Well, for a change, maybe you should think about what you say
before
you say it,” Lisa snapped, her face turning red.
“But you said you didn’t like it, either,” Stevie said in a small voice that didn’t sound anything like her own.
“Maybe you should have realized that my feelings have changed now that I’m going to go to school there,” Lisa retorted.
“But—but—do you
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