Shae and I cooled Slugger and Kedo down until the sun started to set. We walked back to the barn, enjoying the warm, calm evening as we continued in comfortable silence. Once we reached the barn we unbridled our horses and put their halters on. I wiped Kedo's Happy Mouth bit with a baby wipe and hung his bridle up in Shae and I's shared locker.
"Have you received any acceptance letters from the academies yet?" Shae casually asked me as we took our saddles off of our horses. I nodded as I removed my Amerigo saddle from Kedo's sweaty back.
"Yeah, I have got every one but the International Riding Academy," I explained to Shae. To be honest, I was a little worried. The IRA was my top choice and I had received every other letter by now. I would be devastated if I didn't get in. Shae nodded as we walked to out locker.
"Well that's weird...I mean even if you didn't get in they would have sent a letter by now." Shae commented as we went back to our horses. What if they thought I was so bad they didn't even consider me? Was I really that bad? Maybe they had just received a large amount of applications and hadn't got to mine yet. But still I thought. The show season is starting right away and academies need placings for their Young Rider awards at the end of each year.
"What if i'm not as good as I think? What if it's just a thing that we have in our minds that i'm something special and i'm really not? What if I fail?" I blurted out to Shae. Almost unknowingly, tears started to fall from my eyes. Shae pulled me into a hug as I cried harder. What was wrong with me? I was going to an academy whether the IRA accepted me or not because all of the other ones had accepted me.
"Alana, you're good. In fact, your more than good. You're amazing! The IRA will accept you, i'm sure of it." Shae comforted me as I backed away and started to walk back to Kedo. Shae didn't often lie to me, so I trusted her. I just didn't know about this one. Shae grabbed my arm and lead me to her vehichle that was parked by her trailer.
"I have something to show you," Shae said as she rummaged through her belongings in the car. She was standing in front of the bag so it was mostly hidden from my view. I walked a couple feet and sat down on her trailer hitch, fatigued from the day. Eventually Shae stood up and walked towards me with her hands hidden behind her back. She removed her hand from behind her and handed me a white letter with The International Riding Academy scrolled on the front of the letter. Eagerly, I tore the strip off the top of the envelope and ripped out the letter. I looked up at Shae who kept a straight face before I read the letter:
Dear Miss Alana A. Olson and Kedo,
Through thorough selection and after a large amount of decisions, we have sent out the IRA letters of 2015. Encased in these letters lies whether or not you and your equine partner will be attending the prestigious programs of the IRA in the fall.
The 2015 class was packed with the most dense group of talent that we have seen in the history of our program. All equestrians were at the top of the junior circuit and with averages in distinction at the least.
We have sent this letter to inform you that we have scanned your portfolio and are pleased to say that you will be attending our program in the fall. We look forward to see you and Kedo in our academy.
Sincerely, Mistress Adam
International Riding Academy
I almost dropped the letter as I read the last paragraph. I had just been accepted to the most prestigious equestrian academy in the world!
"Oh my gosh! Shae! I'm going to the International Riding Academy! The IRA! Kedo and I are going to the IRA!" I screamed as I hugged Shae and tears fell down my cheeks, this time from happiness. I twirled around and ran to hug Kedo who was slightly worried about all of the commotion.
"I told you! Congratulations! I can't believe that by little cousin from a no-name riding town is attending the IRA!" Shae smiled. I couldn't believe that this was all happening. This was real.
"God Shae. You helped me get through all of this. How can I thank you enough?" I asked Shae as she lead me back to her car. Shae revealed another letter which was opened from it's envelope and handed it to me.
I snatched the letter from her and read it immediatley.
We look forward to see you and Slugger in our academy was all I had to read before I dropped the letter and looked up at Shae who was grinning from ear to ear. I was speechless.
"I guess we're even now," Shae cried.
YOU ARE READING
High Hopes
Teen Fiction"I wasn't over and above at anything. Until I started riding." Watch Alana's story unfold through her own words as a no-name rider ripples into becoming one of the biggest splashes in equestrian history. ***No, this is not my personal biography.*...
