J.O.P. Stable: The Twin Saga (Book 1: The Summer Finale)

Chapter 25:

Sky's POV:

" Ooh! That has to hurt! "

" Oh totally! " I replied to Ben Argent, a tall guy with black hair and blue eyes who was riding an 18 hand high bay Belgian Warmblood thoroughbred cross gelding for team Quebec.

I was in my bonus class, the Puissance jump, which was being held in the attached indoor arena.

And it was literally all guys.

No joke.

After receiving some awkward stares and ignoring a few guys whispers, I had warmed up and met Ben. He thought it was totally cool how I signed up and dint quit after seeing it was all guys, and i had assured him that, in a joking tone, Onyx and I could out jump all these boys any day.

Even though I had been joking, I did want to win this, and I knew Onyx did to.

But currently we had just watched a guy and his horse smash through the fake wall, which had been set a scary 6 and a half feet. Luckily both horse and rider were fine, but seeing them fall like that had made me feel sick.

I didn't want that to happen to Onyx and I.

Onyx, sensing my nerves, shook his head and tugged at the reins, backing up and kicking the arena wall behind us.

" Excuse me! No! Do you pay for that? " I scolded.

Onyx craned his neck to look at me, as if trying to say ' Do you? ' in a sarcastic tone.

" I don't either, but that doesn't mean you can just go kicking the wall " I replied to him, probably looking like i was crazy for having an non-existing argument with my horse.

" You always talk with him? " Ben partially joked, his tone teasing.

I smiled, trying to play along. " Yep, he's a very good conversationalist " I replied, making us both laugh.

" What about you? Or is your horse the ' Strong Silent ' type? " I asked, making air quotes with my fingers.

Ben laughed. " Nope, Comanche here is all but silent, its actually a miracle he's staying this calm, usually his stomping or kicking or something else destructive "

I laughed this time. " It's the same with Onyx, he's so childish, he acts like an unbroken 3 year old sometimes "

We chatted a bit more until it was my turn to jump the wall. All Onyx and I had to do was clear the wall without knocking down a single piece, and since we were the second last to go, ben being the last, and the fact that everyone else had knocked down a piece or worse, our chances looked pretty good.

As soon as I took Onyx over some high triple bar jumps, my nerves had melded into excitement. I eyed the wall and i just wanted to jump it. it was like an itch that wouldn't go away.

I just wanted to jump.

As we approached the wall, I held Onyx at a fast canter until we were strides away, then I let him go into a slow gallop the last few strides. I pushed myself out of the saddle as he took off. It was much more force during take off jumping this wall than a regular show jump or cross-country jump. When we were in mid flight I could almost see all the riders and half the audience gathered at the fence line around the arena. I could help but smile, forgetting all about knocking a piece. I really felt like I way flying, and clearly so did Onyx. He snorted, ears perked and we started heading back down to the ground. Onyx landed with more force as well, almost sending me flying forward, my hands jerking forward. Onyx cantered away from the jump, shaking his head, tail held high.

I looked back so fast i thought i would give myself whiplash. The wall stood tall behind us, unmoving.

Untouched.

I smiled, giving a few of the other guys a cocky grin. Serves them right for doubting that a girl could jump Puissance.

I patted Onyx's shoulder, so proud of him.

Ben was already taking Comanche over the warmup jumps by the time I halted Onyx at our spot.

Comanche looked ready, an ear back at Ben. They headed towards the jump, but Ben let Comanche slowly gallop all the way to the jump instead of canter first, like I had with Onyx.

Comanche leapt the wall, but his back hooves dragged a top piece of the wall dangerously close to the edge. It dangled threateningly.

' Come on ' I chanted in my head. I wasn't asking for Ben to lose, but I wanted to win this so badly!

Our team needed this!

The piece must have heard my chants because it fell to the other side of the wall.

When Ben looked back he frowned and shook his head, but he still gave Comanche a good pat. he was a good guy.

And I wasn't talking about the horse....