Disguised In Lavender

Part 2

The morning bell echoed through the isolated barn halls as Lauren heaved a heavy sigh, sliding the saddle off her arm. It didn't faze her, ruffling her shoulder length hair with chipped fingernails. Being late to class was a penalty for every student besides the riders, which the school didn't see everyone taking advantage of. "I'm so sorry." A shorter girl stumbled backwards as Lauren bumped into her when she turned out of the tack room. "No worries, just watch where you're going next time." She sighed, hardly sparing the girl a glance as she sidestepped her back to the mare in the crossties.

"Oh, Um, quick question actually." The girl lifted her hand to catch Lauren's attention again, gingerly laying it over her high ponytail. "Can you point me to the Information desk? Im supposed to meet a Charles Terence." A sharp whiny cut the nervous tension and the girl's face lit up, her eyes dashing to find the mare. Though she was shorter than Lauren, her hands clasped together in a way Lauren would never, she was well built, slim and muscular in tight fit shirt and jeans. "Just down the corridor, red door on the right. First period starts in ten, Ah and it you can get a clock installed that'd be sweet." She waved farewell and pointed down the hall before spinning on her heels towards her mare

Empty halls greeted Lauren as she dashed for her locker, spinning the lock as if her fingers were on fire. She could say she wasn't nervous to be on time but classical schooling was just as important as riding. The night's activities drove through her mind as she pulled her civics book causing an avalanche of texts to topple over. She'd deal with it later, slamming the door her breath caught as the girl from the stables nearly slammed into her again.

Lauren's hand unconsciously swept around her waist, spinning the both of them in the center of the hall. Silence, a breath where even the birds seemed to oder through the skylight over the green lockers. "Sorry again." The girl stammered, stepping back and glancing over her shoulder, creeping closer to the door at the edge of the hall. "Don't be clumsy or you'll never catch Mr. Terence's attention." Lauren rolled her eyes playfully, amused that she'd now almost collided with this girl twice. Shaking the thought that maybe this girl was beginning to despise her, Lauren jogged to her next class.

The ring smelt of sawdust and sweat when Lauren entered, the reins to a young gelding clenched between white knuckles. He was more unruly than the mare she'd taken out the night before and it crossed her mind that it might be punishment. Mr. Terence sat cross legged in the center of the ring, a book in his lap as he rocked back on a plastic lawn chair. "How were your classes?" He asked when he heard her cough to introduce herself, folding the page of his book and slipping it into a pouch on the chair. "Wonderful."

The gelding shook his dark mane eagerly, his hooves making a hardened dent in the sawdust as he dug into it. Mr Terence tilted his head, carrying his chair to the side as Lauren measured down her stirrups. "What? You can't expect me to tell you that Ms Quinn passed my essay and I'm so excited I could fly, do you really?" Lauren huffed, lifting her boot to be lifted into the saddle, swinging her weight side to side as she gathered her reins. "No, but Jd like to at least feel like to know what your grades are before I'm told you flunked. This isn't just a riding school, it's a school school too." He reprimanded, she'd heard it so many times her mouth moved soundlessly with his, rolling her eyes.

Discreet footsteps were muffled by the sawdust as Lauren began around the arena, glancing over and I scantly trifling the horse. The girl from the barn earlier ducked away from her gaze and clasped her hands in front of her. She pulled her plaid jacket down around curry colored jodhoppers. Mr Terence looked up to Lauren then stride over to the girl, patting her shoulder and turning between her and his rider. The gelding bounced his head impatiently and snorted as Lauren heeled him still, pushing herself up to see.

The girl's blonde hair was wrapped in a braided bun on top of her diamond shaped face with two curls weaving down her chin. A black mask covered her features, forcing Lauren to rack her brain if what she looked like. "Keep going around, he'll bust a nerve standing there like that." The platinum pulled her attention away from the stranger and loosened the reins slightly, gently giving the gelding his head. "This is Ann Dellingway, she'll be your personal trainer for this month's final show circuit." Mr Trrence crammed as he watched Lauren go around and around the ring, picking up a shirt trot to extended center.