Electrically Charged

Chapter 9: Pink and Silver

There was something about her he just couldn't put a finger on. There wasn't words to describe it. She just existed in such a way that he was inexplicably drawn to her over and over and over again. The way her hair trailed behind her as if playing with the wind. The way her smile effortlessly spread across her face. The way her eyes sparked with determination. The way she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. The way she simply just was. He had never met someone like her before. And he wanted more. 

He was awake long before the sun fully rose above the horizon. He watched the clouds turn pink and the silver stars disappear. He wondered if she was watching the same sky.

The barn was full of commotion and Cecily sat outside Steel's stall re-wrapping her stable bandage wraps. The sky was full of pink clouds and she watched as they turned yellow and then white as the sun rose into the sky. This was the last day of the show. One last show jumping course. 13 jumps. That was all that stood in the way of the end of the event. The weird thing about show jumping day at this show was that it didn't start until the afternoon. The morning was full of cleanup and course walking, but no one was riding. Cecily had walked her course four times now and was out of things to do with herself. So she just hung out by Steel's stall. Eventually she gave in and decided to clean all of her tack so her work wouldn't be as bad when she got home. 

Noon rolled around and then one. Cecily changed and groomed Steel. Finally she got on and rode down to warm up. She completed a relaxed warm up before she was called down to the ring. The rider in front of her got time faults. Cecily urged Steel into the ring. She was tired. She could feel the edge of exhaustion held at bay only by the amount of adrenaline pumping through her veins. She saluted the judge. The bell rang. She squeezed Steel into a forward canter and pointed him at the first jump. This part was the easiest for both of them. Cecily counted down strides and lifted off the ground. Steel pulled against the reins and she bent her elbows next to her side. Sometimes she got too stiff in competition. He softened at the lighter contact and Cecily mentally chided herself. She didn't need to make his job any harder. 

Cecily collected Steel around her corners and pushed him toward her next jump. The horse sailed over them with ease. She looked around her turn to the combination. It was a one stride. Steel pulled toward it and Cecily tightened at the big jumps. Catching him in the mouth he chipped in and barely made it over the first jump clear. Cecily closed her legs around the horse and gave him his head. He took a huge stride and left long to the big training oxer. Grabbing for mane Cecily waited to hear the pole hit the ground. But it never did. She closed her legs around Steel and urged him towards the last three jumps. He sailed over the Swedish oxer, the vertical and finally the fake brick panel jump with the ivy climbing up the sides. She passed through the finish flags. 

"A double clear round for Cecily Walsch and Strength of Steel," the announcers voice cut through the cheering of the crowd. 

Cecily smiled and leaned down to pat the big grey gelding. Chris walked over and gave them both pats and congratulations. Cecily took a deep breath. 

"I'm going to walk around the warm up until ribbons," she told Chris. 

Her and Steel lazily walked around warm up, doing their best to stay out of the way of the other riders. He was tired too, she could tell. She gave him another pat on the neck and he snorted. 

"You're such a good boy," she told him. He shook his mane. 

Ribbons were called and Cecily headed back down to the arena. She lined up with the other contestants. Ribbons were given from 8th place upward. 8th place was a girl on a big chestnut mare, 7th was a girl on a bay gelding, 6th went to the girl on the dun pony.