Mossy Hill Academy~ The Competition

Chapter 3

A few weeks have passed since that horse careless on, when I found Snooker like that. Snooker's condition continues to get worse, and it scares me. He can't die, he's my best friend, and I need him.
Today is Saturday and we have our riding lessons, and I'm with Mali, Weslow and Sue, and I'm excited for this. I stand there brushing Dream, she really is a wonderful horse, but she belongs to mum. Sure mum paid for her, but her heart also belongs to mum too, because she's her master. Not me. I was Snooker's master, and he was my best friend. Once I'm satisfied that her coat is shiny and not covered in old fur I saddle her up, not bothering to take her to the cross ties, once that is done I lead her to the outside arena.
I see that Weslow and Ghost are already lined up next to a few other people in our class. I stand at the end I the line, next to a boy with a warm blood, but I'm not sure which type.
Our instructor walks out with her horse in tow, it's mum, with her new horse.
Crimson Girl is a beautiful Arabian, but I still don't get why mum had to get new horse, Dream was jut fine, I was the one who needed the new horse.
"Righty everyone, I'll be your riding instructor, I'm Mrs Grill, and this is Crimson. We are all going to go down the line, and I want each you to introduce yourself and your horse, starting with Zelie."
I glare at her, and she sends me a look that tells me not to do this in front of her class. I sigh.
"I'm Zelie, and this is Dream."
"I'm James, and this is Duke."
So his name is James, and he rides Duke, but what breed is he?!
I lean over to him and ask him what breed Duke is.
He quietly replies saying that he is a Dutch warm blood. I tell him that Dream is an Andalusian.
"Today we will be going on a short trail ride, we will be following a short track that will take us past a stream. If you guys are good, you might be able to take your horses into the water."
A few girls hiss a small yes, and the boys high five each other. I don't want to do this, the only horse I've ever taken into the water was Snooker, and Sue is currently riding him.
We all mount our horses, and head single file out to the trail, and ice it widens Mali pulls up next to me on her horse Lonesome Lightning, he's a gorgeous Chocolate colour with a light blonde mane. He's drool worthy.
"So, what's on your mind?" She asks
"Nothing." I half snap at her.
"Come on Zee, I know that face, I know what you get like, because I know you."
"Alright, fine," I huff "Sue is hurting Snooker, and his condition is worsening. Happy?!" I growl
Then I click my tongue and Dream speeds up her gait to a canter, and we ride away from Mali. She shouldn't have pressured me to do that, I would have told her when I was ready.
Soon enough we come to a stream, but it's not any stream. It's the one I found mum at, and suddenly I can't take it. I swing Dream around and we gallop away, and I see mum looking  at me disapprovingly, this is all her fault. She shouldn't have done this.
When I'm back at school Mrs Maple is waiting for me, her face stony and cold. I dismount Dream and walk past her, but she grabs her halter, stopping us in our path.
"Zelie, what on earth are you doing?!" She growls.
"I'm going to take Dream to the stables." I reply
"No you're not. You're going to give the horse to Tijax, and then you're going to follow me." She points to a man who is dressed in the MHA stable hand uniform, a loose shirt and jodhpurs with the MHA logo. I hand the reins to Tijax and glare at him, "You better take care of her." I whisper in a growl.
I follow Mrs Maple to her office, and when we get inside she tells me to sit.
"We are not going to be talking as Aunt and niece, but as principal and student. You can't just skip class like that, especially without telling anyone and being on horse back. That is strike one, if you get to three then it's a horse exclusion for a week. For that outburst it's a detention, meet in room 15 Monday after school."
"But-" I begin
"No buts, this is a very accomplished school with an excellent reputation, and you must show respect."
I glare at her,
"No sour looks included in that too."
My look softens, I'm so annoyed at her! She has no idea about what I'm feeling, and it's not like I'm gonna tell her.
"What do I do now." I sort of growl.
"Because your class is on an all day outing that you decided not to take part in, you can been poop duty for the large field, the one by the stables." She points out her window to the field that Jack, Missy and Merlin are in.
"What about the horses?"
"You can put them in their stalls while you clean up, they can stay in there for the rest of the day."
I glare at her, and then look away, not wanting another strike. Then I stand up and walk out the door, headed towards the stables, to get the wheelbarrow and poop shovel.
This is soo how I wanted to spend my Saturday afternoon. NOT!
Armed with a shovel, wheelbarrow, three halters and a leas rope I head out to the field. It's covered in poop on one side, but when I look closer I notice that most of it is just dirt. Hopefully this won't take too long, so I grab the purple halter and the red lead rope, hoping to get Merlin first. He's a tricky pony, and I can't catch him. He's quite fast when he wants to be, so knowing that he is attached to Missy I put her rope halter on and lead her out to her stall. Once Merlin realises what I'm doing he follows us a few paces behind, and after Missy is in her stall I quickly turn around and clip on Merlin's purple halter. He snorts and stomps his foot, not happy being caught, and I lead him into the stall opposite Missy, and they nicker to each other.
After latching his door closed and taking off his and Missy's halter I go out to fetch Jack, but I don't want to be alone when I am scoping his poop. So I call him over, he trots over to me and then asks for a pat.
"Hey Jack, how ya goin'?" I ask while patting his white stripe on his muzzle. He nudges me, and I cuddle him, then clip on his purple and blue halter, not bothering with a lead rope. I walk over to the open gate and lean on the hitching post, he follows me straight away, not liking me walking away. I then clip his lead rope on his halter and tie it to the hitching post in a slip knot.
"Now to shovel your poop." I sigh.

Laying down in my room I replay my meeting with Mrs Maple over in my head, how did she know that I was coming back? Mum must have phoned her, telling her that her failure of a child was coming. I just wanted space, and instead of laying in a field with Dream I had to scoop poop. Though I'll admit that it was a great excuse to be with Jack.
The door to our dorm swings open and Mali comes in laughing with Weslow.
"What's so funny?" I ask
"We just got back from our ride, and Mrs Maple was outside looking puzzled, trying to find this horse."
"And?" I ask, not sure how this is so funny.
"She was looking for Crimson." Weslow finishes, then they crack up laughing.
I fake a laugh, still unsure how this is funny.
Then they walk out together, linking arms and giggling.
I throw my pillow to the ground in anger, Weslow was my friend!
Mali the friend stealer, since 1924.
I thrash around, throwing pillows everywhere and screaming.
A knock at the door stops me in my tracks.
"Hello? Is anyone there? If there is, are you okay?" The voice asks.
It's a boy, I slowly get up and head to the door, I slowly open it, and standing there is James with a worried look on his face.
Awkward...
"Oh sorry, I had no idea you were there..." I mumble
"I just heard someone screaming, and raced over. Are you okay, you sounded pretty upset?"
"Yeah I should be fine."
"You're friends with Mali, Weslow and Sue right?"
"Well, not Sue."
"So would your hissy fit have anything to do with the two of them walking away giggling and linking arms?" He asks.
Boy is he observant.
"How did you know?"
"I pick up on a lot of things."
"Okay."
"So was it?"
"Yeah."
"If you want to come with me you can, I was going to go for a walk."
I smile at this boy, "Sure."
He smiles back, "Where would you like to go?" He asks
"Perhaps the stables, we could grab some carrots on the way?" I suggest
"Sure."
We head to the dining hall, and scrounge some carrots from the chefs, who give them to us as long as we pat their horses for us.
Skipping to the stables I grab out my phone and we are about to take a photo together when we see Sue in the stables. I grab James and we hide behind a wall.
"What's this about?" He whispers
I point to Sue, and how she's in Snookers stall.
"And?" He asks
"Watch her."
She looks around suspiciously to male sure no one is looking, and I open the camera on my phone. She grabs a whip out of her pocket and begins to circle Snooker.
"I hate you stupid horse, I don't get what Zelie sees in you, honesty. When you 'go away' then I'll get the thoroughbred in the field, he's a much better horse."
Surely she can't be talking about Jack?!
She raises her hand and brings the whip harshly down onto Snooker, and he cries out with pain, and she does it multiple times, each time the blood drips down Snooker harder.
I Yelp, and Sue turns around and sees us. Her eyes narrow down, "You two."
We turn and run, but I drop my phone, and I don't even notice until we get back to James' dorm.
"Well crud." He says, "I had no idea she would do that, at least you have your phone as proof."
I reach into my pockets, but it's gone.
"Crud... I must have dropped it when she was chasing us." I slam my head onto the wall, and then I curl up my hands into fists.
"Chill out Zelie, we'll get to back. Mrs Maple will see the condition he's in and know somethings up."
I nod my head, Sue's just a spoilt brat, she'll get found out eventually.
"Okay, you're right. For now though, I'd better go to my dorm, or we'll both be in trouble."
"Okay Zelie, bye. See you at dinner?"
"Count on it."

Waking back to my dorm alone scares me, the Welsh dorm is on the other side of the garden, and when I get inside Sue will be there. I hate sharing a dorm with Sue, and Mali.
I quickly open the door, slide inside, grab my backpack and slide back outside. Not knowing where to go I head to the stables, to see if Snooker is okay, I doubt he is.
Just as I knew he would be he's laying down in a pool of his own blood. I go over to him, and I hold the whip that was used to do this damage. Suddenly a voice breaks the silence,
"Zelie? Did you do this?" Mum asks
I turn around to face her, "Of course not,"
"How come you have the whip in your hands?" She asks
"I swear I didn't do it."
"I know she did, and I have the evidence to prove it." Sue sneers