Timber Creek Academy

~5~

At 5:55 A.M. I was already out the door in black sweats and a hoodie to the barn. It was required of student riders to take care of their horse in the morning. How I was going to feed Leo, groom him, clean his stall, and turn him out while still being on time and getting some food in my body all by 8:30 in the morning was unknown to me, but I had to make it work. I rushed to the feed room and quickly scooped his breakfast into his red feed bucket. Luckily, I know how to clean a barn full of horses. My trainer was out of town for a week and me and a few other riders volunteered to care for the horses and clean the barn. It was actually pretty fun!

I stuck Leo's food in his stall, and he munched away. As he ate, I groomed him super good. I had to get him looking his best for tryouts after school. I used a curry glove to scrub some crusty mud off of his legs. He must have had fun in the pasture yesterday!

By the time he had eaten and was ready to go out, it was already 6:25! I clipped his lead rope on and took him out to his pasture. I kissed him and told him to stay clean while he was out. I would've put a sheet on him, but it was too hot.

I marched with impulsion all the way back to Leo's stall and grabbed a pitchfork. There was already a wheelbarrow in our aisle, so all of us shared it. As fast as I could, I cleaned Leo's stall of manure and old hay that had fallen from his net. Soon, his stall was clean, and I volunteered to dump the wheelbarrow. I have never pushed a wheelbarrow as fast as I was then. I sped around the corner, and I saw the Clique. Ugh. I hope they didn't try to pull anything on me today, but I'd watch my back. Today would most likely be a day for them to try to mess me up. On tryout day.

I looked ahead and kept going. Rachel's back was to me, and she said something to Ally, then walked backwards a step and as she turned around crossed right into my path.

"AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" she screamed as she hit the wheelbarrow. Everything that happened seemed to go in slow motion.

I had tried to stop, but it was too late. Rachel tipped backwards, and the bucket that she had been holding toppled with a loud CLANG on the ground. Her feet were airborne, and she fell backwards, into...

the wheelbarrow.

Everyone was so quiet and still as she realized where she was, and stood up from the wheelbarrow. She spun on her heel, and looked me dead in the eyes. I was working waaaay too hard to suppress my laughter and keep a straight face, and I had a feeling that Carly and Macy, who were standing to the side, were too. My eyes flickered to Beth and Ally, who even looked like they were about to giggle.

"You," she said, with anger in her voice, "will pay." She grabbed her bucket, then sped out of the aisle with Ally and Beth flanking her. I didn't even have time to apologize!

Once she was out of sight the whole aisle erupted with laughter. "Oh my gosh, Sabrina, you're so gonna die," Carly said while tears were spilling out of her eyes because she was laughing so hard. I could barely breathe because I was laughing just as hard.

"Oh, you have noooo idea," I said between giggles.

I couldn't stop laughing as I dumped the wheelbarrow and returned it to our aisle. It was 7:09, and I still had to shower, get ready, and eat breakfast.

***

An hour later, Hailey, Anna, and I had made our way to the cafeteria for breakfast. I got a bowl of chocolate cheerios with milk, Hailey got a banana nut muffin and scrambled eggs, and Anna got bacon, eggs, and orange juice.

We ate together and talked about which classes we had first. Hailey had math first, and Anna and I had English first. We were in the same building, but different classrooms. After English, I had sewing class, then civics and economics, biology, lunch, study hall, and last, math. Then I was off to the stable for tryouts!