Jumping Lives

Chapter 5: A Day in the Life of Cassie

School was a bore. I found myself constantly staring out the window at the parking lot. Watching the people outside as they talked and sauntered into the building, either unaware that the bell had rung over ten minutes ago, or maybe they just didn't care.

My math teacher was off on a tangent about some algebraic sequences. I had been taking notes at the beginning but I'd stopped about five minutes in. I really didn't care. The numbers were mixing with the letters and creating more numbers and then a to the nth power, and I just don't understand.

Why don't they ever teach us anything useful in school? When am I going to go out into the real world and find a to the nth power? Waste of time. I could be doing something much more interesting at the moment.

By the time lunch had come I was practically in a school induced coma, walking the halls like some sort of zombie, and robotically buying lunch before sitting at my usual table.

Tasha, one of my best friends since I was five, plopped down next to me, her bright red curls bouncing around her head, her eyes wild and excited, and her mouth moving a mile a minute about some party.

"-And then I said, of course we will go," She continued and I looked up.

"Wait, what?" I asked. "I just heard, we and go. I'm not going anywhere." I said frowning at her. She knew how precious my horse back riding time was, and I definitely wasn't going to give it up to go to some lame high school party where people were either completely intoxicated and puking on the ground or pretending to be drunk to fit it. Lovely experiences each time.

"But, Casssiiieee," Tasha whined letting out a huff as she played with her fork, waving the lettuce around as she talked with her hands.

"No way." I stated simply. Tasha knew I wasn't going to go. I hadn't gone to a party since the one over summer at John Richard's house. I'd been grounded for a month, which meant all my riding was me sneaking out. I was lucky I wasn't caught.

"This time it's going to be different," Tasha exclaimed.

"That's what you say every time," I replied finishing the rest of my sandwich before crumpling my trash.

"I mean it, though," Tasha said following me towards the trash can and back into the hallway. We had science next, and somehow Tasha had convinced our teacher we should be lab partners. I'm not sure how, but normally it was fun to have your best friend as your lab partner.

Today, however, I could tell the experience was going to be a lot less fun. Tasha would probably talk my ear off about going to the party, until I agreed, only to regret it the next morning.

"I'll think about it, but only if you stop talking about it," I said as we sat down, Tasha paused, her eyebrows crinkled as she weighed her options.

"Okay, but you do know Luke will be there right..." Tasha said waggling her eyebrows. I laughed at her expression.

"We'll see," I replied before turning back to the teacher and faking interest in the lesson, Tasha smirking next to me like she somehow got her way. She didn't.

After school I climbed into my beat up volvo and drove home. Grandma wasn't home, I could tell from the minute I walked in, the note on the fridge only confirming it.

Cass- Going to Bingo and then a dinner party for Margaret's 60th birthday. Be back later, do your homework.

I smiled gleefully as I took off into my room, dumping my backpack on the bed and rushing back to my car. When I got to the barn I hopped out, walking into the tack room and opening the lock on my trunk before pulling out jodhpurs and my boots to change into.

Once I was changed I moved down the aisle toward Calleo's stall. His head popping over the stall door to greet me with a nicker as I cooed at him.

"How's my pretty boy?" I asked rubbing his head as I moved to slid the halter onto his head. Calleo was a 16.2hh black Dutch Warmblood gelding with a white blaze and two white socks. He used to belong to Mom, she had bred him out of her show horse, Dancer, when she retired her. When Mom died, Thomas "bought" Mom's horses since Grandma wanted nothing to do with them. In reality, most of them still belonged to me under written contracts. Thomas had promised Calleo and Dancer would never be sold. The other horses Thomas and I shared 50/50 so we both decided when to keep or sell them. It worked out well because Mom had trusted Thomas and so did I.

"Cassie," a voice called as I turned around.

"Thomas," I said with a smile as I lead Calleo out of his stall, tying him up and grabbing the grooming box from the side shelf.

"I was thinking after your lesson on Calleo, you could take Monty for a ride? Daniella is possibly interested in buying him," Thomas explained leaning against one of the stall doors.

"Sure, Grandma's out till 8 or 9 tonight I think," I replied nodding at him. Monty was a seven year old chestnut Thoroughbred Thomas had purchased about a year ago. He had been one of the few investment horses he still owned. I'd shown him a few times over the summer for experience. He was a sweet horse, and from what I'd seen of Daniella's riding, I think they'd be a good match.

"Great, see you in 10 then. I'm thinking we'll work on spreads in the outside arena," Thomas said before moving off down the hallway to talk to Mateo, one of the other riders.

I brushed Calleo off before tacking him up enjoying the sweet smell of hay, and the relaxed feeling of being surrounded by horses in the barn. As I led Calleo down the aisle I glanced over at the pictures on the wall near the exit, most of them were of my mom and Thomas showing in different places. I smiled as I looked at them before mounting Calleo. One day, I was going to make her proud even if she wasn't here to see it.