Hope & Skydancer (Book 1)

Chapter 11

"So Hope, what did you do today?" We were all sitting at the kitchen table. My mom and the girls came back as promises before dinnertime.

I put down my fork, preparing to answer my mom's question.

"Well, I rode Skydancer." I say flattly. My sisters practically drop their forks. The. Their jaws.

"I went out this morning and lunged Sky, but eventually Hazel lunged her a I rode." I left out the part about Ceci.
I decided to brush it off. I mean, it's like her to push people to the bottom of her pyramid, while she stood on top of us. I've always been at the bottom, slaving for her holding up the rest of her pyramid. I was used to it.
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I sat in bed reading a book. It was a good book. I really was that kind of person who avoided reading, but something about this book made it impossible to put it down.

I looked at the time on my alarm clock. I was supposed to be in bed half and hour ago, but I the book had brought me into my own little world. Faith obviously realized that I wasn't going to put the book down, so she jumped up onto my bed, knocking the book out of my hand. Satisfied with her action, she jumped back onto the ground and hit the light switch. She jumped back up and lay down next to me. I stroked her white fur. Her eyes stared back at me. Faith truly was amazing.
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I woke up. It was 3 am. There was no way I was going back to sleep. I sat up, jolting the bed enough to wake Faith, and looked out my bedroom window.

It was still dark out. I swung my body off the bed and grabbed my crutches, placing my arms in the cuff. I grabbed a clean staff shirt and pants. I took a shower and put my hair in a loose fishtail braid.

I slipped Faith's harness on. We went out into the kitchen to eat. Faith patiently sat as I put meat into her bowl. I placed it in front of her and gave her then went off to get a bowl of cereal.

We both finished our food and went outside into the cool, crisp spring morning.

The barn was quiet. Heavy breathing and an occasional hoof clacking the floor was all that we heard. Faith quickly ran up to Sky's stall and whined.

To Faith, it was her job to open doors, but she hasn't quite figured out how to open the latch. It was funny to watch her stress over such a little thing. I laughed as Sky snorted in agreement, bobbing her head up and down.

I unlatched Sky's stall and went in, sitting against the wall. Sky put her nose in my lap. I stroked her face gently.

" Well good morning Skydancer." I whisper into her fur.

I grabbed her halter and lead, and begin to take her out. We walked up to the top of a hill, overlooking the ranch and the nearby creek.

I sit myself against a large oak tree, with Faith in my lap. Sky lays herself down right next to me. We stay like that, all together and watch the Sunday morning sun rise over the horizon.
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Hazel held the lunge line in her hand, carefully leading Sky in counter-clockwise circles.

"I can't. My body isn't strong enough" I whine, sitting atop my mare. Riding a sitting trot was one thing, but a rising trot was a whole other thing.

"Come on, what did I tell you yesterday" She kept encouraging me. Finally, I gave in, groaning. Slowly I allowed myself to rise up and down in the saddle, following my graceful horse's diagonals as we trotted. I was able to do it, but I became tired ver quickly.

"Can I stop now?" I was irritated with my best friend's faith in me. I know she was trying, but I felt like I was being rushed.

"Fine" she said, a little dissapointed.

I slowed Sky to a halt and swung my body of of the horse, keeping my balance as Faith dragged my crutches to me.

"Your form was awful. You obviously weren't watching your diagonals and you were slouching." A familiar, bratty voice came from behind me. Here we go again.

"Well I'm sorry Miss Perfect, but I'm trying my hardest!" I hiss back. She was the last thing I needed right now.

"Whatever you say, Cripple." Her emphasis on the last word sent a trickle down my spine. My face felt hot and my eyes watered. Feeling satisfied with the response, she turned on her heels, whipping her perfect blonde hair along with her. And with that, she walked away.

"Come on Hope, you know Ceci, she's just trying to get to you." Hazel attempted to calm me down

"Well it's working." And with that, I stormed off.
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