Soaring Higher

Chapter 1

'Laurie! I finally can go to Rising Up!' I squeal on the phone with my friend.
'I don't see why you like horses so much, Maggie.' She says skeptically, like always.
'Erin Darcy is the counselor!' I try convincing her.
'Who's that?'
'I give up on you, Laurie!' I roll my eyes.
'I did same to you a while back.' She teases.
'Shut up.' I giggle. My mom gestures to me to wrap it up. 'Okay, I'll see you, Laurie. It's time to go!'
I hang up. I can barely contain my excitement, so I do so by clasping my hands tightly, until my knuckle turn white.
'Let's go!' I groan with anticipation.
'Grab your bags,' Mom orders.
From the floor, I sling a beach bag over my shoulder, and roll a suitcase behind me.
I was going to Rising Up Riding Camp, a camp run by my idol. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to wait.

I uncover a crinkled paper from my pocket.
-Clothing
-Bathing suit
-Towel
-Riding Boots
-Helmet
-Bedsheets
-Pillows/blankets
-Shampoo/conditioner/etc.
-Water bottle
I skim my eyes over the list, mentally checking off each one.
'All ready!' I chirp.
'Alright, hop in the car then.'
I jog to my dad's car, dumping my bags in the trunk, then pulling myself the passenger seat. I take my phone out of my pocket and scroll through my notifications. Of course, my friends are chatting like crazy on the group chat about the most random topics, but a notification from my best friend catches my eye. My best friend; Emery moved to Ontario two years ago. She moved because her mom got a job as a nurse there, so they all moved with her. We always try to keep in touch, but it gets lonely, being distant and all. But almost every month or so, our families meet up and we're the girls again.

I open her text notification.
Her: Ready for camp? I can't wait!!!
Emery would be at the camp too, which would make it even better.
Me: I know!! I can't believe we're going!
Emery was someone I could count on to understand, probably because she's a horse lover like me. She is also going to the camp, to make it even more amazing. We'd be together for three whole weeks. We were going to meet her at a gas station halfway there, to take drive her so her mom could go back to work.
I start readying myself for the drive, and some out daydreaming about the camp..
———————-————————————————
I jolt up, feeling my dad's hand on my shoulder.
'Wake up, Maggie.' He says. 'We're here,'
'At the camp!?' Surely it would've taken longer to get there, we couldn't be.
'No, at the gas station. Emery is here already.'
And sure enough, I see a lean, slender figure fling herself out of her car.

I unbuckle my seatbelt and, do the same as her, finding myself in a tight embrace. After letting go, a tall, ginger haired girl with beaming blue eyes, stands before me.
'I missed you!' I cry out.
'Me too!' She swoops in for another embrace.
'Let's go!' We take a seat in the back this time, while my dad throws her bags in the trunk.

For the rest of the journey, we chitchat, or play games or just rest, but it's all better with her, since now all the loneliness of her gone has vanished.

Soon, dad says we're close to the camp, and m and Emery pop back into consciousness, full of feelings of nervous, excited, happy.. it's safe to say we literally couldn't wait.