Trustfall || Sanders Sides Equestrian AU

Chapter 26 - Louder Beats

At first, Everest felt so much taller than the usual when Virgil mounted. He fought back the urge to dismount again. But as soon as the four riders and four horses entered the arena, Virgil felt the smallest he'd ever felt. Next to all these champions, his mare looked like just a really athletic grade horse. Somehow, despite Puzzle actually being a standard grade pony, he looked so much more in his element than Everest did; as if he'd been competing his whole life.

"Alright, team, listen up." Roman steered Trigger to face them. "This is it. We technically don't need to place first in order to qualify for the annual show, but we do need to place first in order to look badass, so don't let that give you the idea that we can slack off."

Laura sighed and leaned against the fence. "Sure, Roman, go ahead. Steal my coach talk. No big deal."

"We're up against the real deal. Like- whole teams composed of nothing but Logans and Nexuses. They've been bred and raised to win, and they're pretty full of themselves because of it. Puzzle, you are cuter than them, and we love you very much."

"That's true," Patton chirped.

"The rest of you, you are not as cute as Puzzle, but I suppose you're well-bred, so that will have to do."

"Okay, away you go, I'm taking over." Laura clutched the fence with her hands and somehow managed to stare them all in the eye at the same time. "Look, team, I don't want you to let Daybreak's problems get into your head and ruin this special day for you. You're here to have fun doing what you love. Take your time with the jumps – you may be judged for time, too, but going too fast will cost you more than your round. Cheer for each other. Take care of your horses. Cheer for other teams, too. That's all I can say. I'm really proud of how far each one of you has come."

"We love you, La-"

"Now what are you doing slacking around here?" she barked. "Get warming up!"

Virgil and Everest followed as their team turned the other way at once and set off into the mess of riders and horses warming up.

"And I love you guys, too."

-

Everest had a talent for showing Virgil his feelings before he noticed them himself. He hadn't noticed how badly he wanted to escape that warm-up arena until the mare started to paw at the ground and clench her muscles.

"I'm sorry for making you nervous," he whispered at her, eyes kept up as if to watch out for any rider who may hear him talking to the horse. "We still have a long time before we need to warm-up for our actual round, so I think we should just get out of here for now. Maybe it'll ease your nerves to watch the other horses compete while we wait."

He didn't trust his voice not to tremble when talking to his teammates, so Virgil didn't announce their departure. Roman was too busy trying to look cool in front of the rest of the riders in the arena either way, and Patton and Puzzle trotted happily along the fence. Nexus and Logan were clearing jumps left and right, so much that Laura had to call out to Logan that they should pace themselves or the mare is going to start sweating before the actual round.

Virgil's knees bent painfully when he dismounted. He balanced himself and passed the reins over Everest's head. Despite knowing no one even noticed him, he couldn't help but feel as though every rider he passed by was staring at him as he led his horse through the temporary stable.

He'd told her they would go watch the riders already competing, but now that he was on the ground, all Virgil felt like was throwing up. His ears burned as if he'd dipped them in boiling water, and his heart thumped so fast that he couldn't tell one beat from the next.