Canterwood Crest Academy: The Rescues

Chapter 2: Welcome to Orchard

It had only taken a few minutes to find Cobalt's and Gracie's stalls, which were luckily right next to each other, but it had taken over half an hour to grab my grooming box and all of Cobalt and Gracie's tack, which included saddles, bridles, wraps, boots, blankets, saddle pads and much more and find out where it would all be going. After that we walked around the stable, checking out all the arenas and even the hot walker in the back. I ignored the looks that riders gave me, riders that Cobalt had almost trampled. After the stable tour we had carried my age up to my room, which was unfortunately on the top floor of the Orchard building. That alone had taken us another half an hour and it all lead to now, with me, sitting on the bed I had picked, waiting for my roommate to arrive.

I had barely unpacked anything besides my clothes, my half of the room almost as bare as the other half. I had set up the flat screen tv that my grandparents had bought me for my acceptance and my laptop was plugged in and on the dark oak desk. The whole room seemed cozy, with its eggshell white walls and clean wood floors, with a single large window in between the beds that streamed in the sunlight, projecting it onto the floor, but I just couldn't stop replaying Cobalts bolt in my mind. Mr. Conner would probably just put me straight on the beginner team during Saturdays tryout. Every Equestrian student at Canterwood was required to try out for one of their teams, either beginner, intermediate or advanced. My goal for my first year was at least the intermediate team, but if by some miracle I happened to make the advanced team, I would be too happy to even think straight.

'But you already blew it with Cobalts little adventure...' My subconscious nagged at me.

I shook my head and busied myself with unpacking the rest of my things, hanging up my equestrian posters and photos of me with Cobalt and Gracie and me with my friends back at Oak Hill. I suddenly had a terrible feeling of being all alone, having no friends here at Canterwood and barely knowing anything about my roommate. All I knew was that her name was Caitlyn and she was also an Equestrian. We had only emailed about ours horses before she stopped replying, oddly enough right after I mentioned Gracie and Cobalt were rescues. I hadn't thought much of it I'd seen more of the other students and school horses. They all seemed so...fancy. Polished and pampered with pedigrees probably to match, it made Gracie and Cobalt seem almost out of place, being rescued ex-racehorses.

My thoughts were broken when the doorknob jiggled. I tried not to stare at the door, instead pretending to straighten the framed photo of me with Gracie and Cobalt in the paddock back at Oak hill, on my nightstand.

A tall girl walked in, juggling bags on her arms and suitcases dragging behind her. She smiled when she looked up at me and immediately set her bags on her bed. " Hi! You must be Ashley! "

Her hair was a shiny medium auburn and pulled up in a high ponytail. Her clothes looked runway ready. Black jeans with a white dress shirt under a light pink vest with tall Dressage boots.

I nodded and smiled back. " And I'm guessing your Caitlyn? "

She giggled. " You guessed right, obvi " I laughed along with her, already feeling the tension of earlier melt away.

" I am so sorry about not responding to your last email btw! Our apartment lost internet and I had already gone over my phone data so my mom barely let me do more than text... " She rolled her eyes and sighed. " Parents... "

I grabbed my phone off my desk and handed it to her. " Just in case we have anymore internet issues "

She smiled and quickly added her number. I sent her a text so she could add my number before we both went back to unpacking. I started to noticed Caitlyn's wardrobe seemed more like the starting line up to a fashion show, with designer jean, tops, dresses, shoes and even watches. I tried not to be envious as I looked back at my own bargain brand and hand-me-down clothes. Most of my allowance we towards things for Gracie and Cobalt, but that was worth every cent.