You, Me: Us

10. Nationals

Today was the day. Each of the Holloway riders woke up and got dressed in their uniforms and made their way to the horse stables to get them all ready.

Lainey smoothed out her black blazer as she took Priscilla out of her stable. She was petting her when Callum walked over and looked at Pin, "ever heard of an iron?"

He looked down at his clothes and then back up to their captain, "they looked okay this morning."

Callum walked up to him, "you about to ride for the winning side, Hawthorne," he fixed his tie for him, "gotta look the part."

Lainey rolled her eyes, "take off the jacket," she told him and he looked at her confused. "You take Priscilla, I'll steam your jacket."

"You brought a steamer?" He questioned and she chuckled at his astonishment as he took off the jacket and took over petting her horse.

"Of course I did, going to so many competitions with Mia made me prepare for anything. Stain remover, steamer, extra snacks, water for horses and riders, blankets, hand fans depending on the season," she named, plugging the steamer into an extension cord and letting it heat up.

"Pst! Pin!" Someone called and Pin looked to the side and saw his dad in a blue truck. He looked to Lainey and she nodded, taking Priscilla back. She neighed and started trying to shake her off.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Priscilla kept fighting her off until she pulled the reins out of Lainey's hand and went running to Pin, but stopping at the gate. "Priscilla!"

"Woah, girl," Pin said, petting her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, she just took off," Lainey said, worried.

Ted chuckled, "That might've been my fault. We really wanted to cheer you on." Pin nodded, but then did a double take.

"'We'?"

Just then, Lainey's Uncle Elliot came around the corner with Elvis who was fighting out of his hold. Pin's eyes lit up and took him from Elliot. "Elvis!" He brought him closer to Priscilla who happily nudged him.

"Your dad insisted on bringing him," Elliot said, hugging his niece from around the fence.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, petting the pretty brown horse.

"He wanted to see your big moment as much as the rest of us," Ted told him. "Good luck." He then turned to his daughter-in-law. "Both of you will do great!"

Pin walked him over to the end fence post and tied Elvis's lead rope to it as Callum watched the two, "Uniform check in five! Say goodbye to your hobby horse."

Lainey glared at him then turned to her boyfriend, "I think that... Elvis deserves this moment too." Pin looked at her and she smirked before grabbing his hand. "Come on."

~

It was about half an hour later when their call came over the announcements. "Could Holloway and Bright Fields make their way to the courses."

Lainey smiled excitedly and grabbed her boyfriend to start walking over, but stopped when he did. "What am I doing here, Lainey? This isn't me."

She shook her head, "This is you if you want it to be you. You are still the same boy you've always been. The one who saved all those horses, the one who saved me from the storm, Pin, you are incredible all on your own. You are an amazing rider. Get Callum out of your head and let in the people who have been telling you the truth since the beginning." She looked over at his horse who was tied to the fence post and then back to him. "Go out there and be who you've always been."