Birchwood Academy

Chapter 1: Before the Storm

The picture is of Oliver, click to see full image.
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I sat in the back of my parents SUV, staring out the window at the rolling Pennsylvania hills. I closed my eyes and tried to push back my nerves. I felt my brother's hand wrap around mine and I gave a weak smile. "Mia Kendrick, are you really nervous about a new school?" Now he was staring at me with his annoying older brother smirk on full blast.
"Tristan Kendrick, are you really gonna miss me?" I shot back. I knew Tristan wouldn't take the jab seriously. But I would miss him, a lot. And I knew he would miss me too.
"Stop bickering you two, we're here," my mom teased. She knew that our fighting wasn't meant to hurt. My dad turned the SUV through the iron gate and my stomach dropped to my feet. I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket and unlocked it. I clicked on the app that would give me some comfort, a livestream of my horse popped up and I let out a sigh I didn't know I was holding in. My dad had installed the camera in the trailer a few weeks ago so I could check on Oliver during car rides. Oliver was my 9 year old, 16 hand, dark bay, warmblood, and he was my best friend. We started in beginner novice eventing last year but I have been riding since I was 7. This year will be the first time I ride with a new instructor. For the past 7 years I rode with my old instructor, Mackenzie Parks at Sporting Chance Stables. Great, another reason to be nervous for Birchwood Academy. The prestigious East Coast academy that I had somehow gotten into. My train of thought was broken off as my dad stopped the car. "Tristan can you grab Mia's bags and come with us to get her checked in?" My Mom pulled two of my three suitcases from the seat next to me. Tristan hopped out of the car with the other bag. "And Mia, can you take Oliver to the stables please, you just have to follow the signs," she gestured to the silver and blue sign that point down a gravel path. I nodded and walked around to the trailer. I pulled down the ramp and opened the gate, Oliver stood with his head low and his ears were floppy, my horse was asleep. I almost didn't want to wake him but I called out to him and stifled a giggle as his head shot up. I pulled his black lead rope and he pranced out of the trailer and into the parking lot. So much for the peaceful scene from a few moments ago. I put my hand on the leather of his halter and we started down the gravel path to the barn. Absentmindedly, My thumb stroked little circles on his cheekbone and he seemed to calm down a bit. And then he tripped. Of course this would happen to me on my first day, typical. He stumbled on a large pebble and almost fell over, my heart stopped as the lead rope slipped through my hand. Oliver scrambled to his feet and began galloping across the perfect lawn. I screamed "loose horse!" And ran after him. I could only watch in horror as he ran past an arena where people were practicing. His lead rope was flapping in the wind which only added to his panic, he knocked into a giant pile of jump poles that were leaning on the fence and they clattered to the ground. Right in the path of a big black gelding. The horse spooked and reared, hooves stretching into the air. It looked like he was going to flip onto the girl riding him, but she tumbled off in a black and tan blur. She hit the dirt with a sickening thud, by then Oliver had slowed to a trot and I grabbed his lead rope. I hurried over to the girl laying on the ground. I bent down and asked "Are you ok? What can I do to help?" The girl, who had sat up, pointed to helmet and I unbuckled it and pulled it off, releasing her straight black hair. The other rider who had been checking the black horses legs walked over.
"Claire, Renegade is fine, just spooked."
Claire finally spoke, "Oh thank god, we have a show in three weeks."
A voice behind me made me jump. "Girls what happened?" Oh. My. God. Mr. Novak, the head riding coach was here. I was officially dead meat.
"Sir, my horse tripped and spooked, I lost hold of him and he spooked Renegade. It was an accident, I'm really sorry." This was it, I'm dead. But the other rider, Harper I think, spoke up.
"Mr. Novak, I saw the whole thing it really was an accident." I mouthed a thank you to her as Mr. Novak bent down to Claire. 
"Is anything hurt?" He took Claire's helmet from her hands as she pointed to her ribs.
"I don't think they're broken but I would like to see the nurse please." Claire sounded so calm for someone who had just had a bad fall.
Mr. Novak turned to me, his face grim "Make sure this doesn't happen again." I nodded and clutched on to Oliver's lead rope. I felt tears burn in the back my eyes. Harper walked over to me, holding her horse and Renegade's reins.
"No one will remember this tomorrow." She smiled at me. "I have to put these two away, see you later!" I waved and Oliver and I walked to the barn. I hated comparing the barn at Birchwood to Sporting Chance but the tan and green barn was stunning. The aisle was big enough for two horses and each stall was twice the size of Oliver's old one. I almost didn't believe it when I saw a golden nameplate with Oliver's name on it. "Ok Ollie, welcome to our new home." I stroked his blaze for a bit and let the embarrassment wear off. I pondered calling Mackenzie, but I already heard her voice telling me to woman up and deal with it. I smiled at my self-given pep talk as I gave Oliver one last kiss and walked out of the stall, making sure to close the door behind me.