Something to Prove

Chapter 10: Here's My Number

"Ugh, the homework load here is insane!" I groaned for the hundredth time.

"I know, right? I'm still not used to it!" Carly and I were back in our room after class, about to head over to the library to do work.

"I'll do half my homework now, but then I have to go to the stable. I can finish the rest after dinner," I reasoned. I sorted through the assignments I had, choosing which ones to bring with me.

We walked quickly to the library, eager to get started. Canterwood's library was gorgeous. The polished dark wood tables each had cute little lamps on them, and the endless shelves were filled with more books than I'd ever seen in one place. Carly and I set ourselves up in a quiet corner and got to work.

I was in the middle of conjugating French verbs when I saw someone come up to our table. Glancing up, I almost fell out of my chair. Jason stood there, looking uncomfortable. I smiled and looked at him expectantly.

"Hey, Aspen. Sorry to bother you, but I, uh, saw you working here and was wondering if maybe you could give me a hand with the assignment we got for English class? I'm a little stuck," he said with a frown. Carly stared at me, eyes wide.

"Oh, uh, sure! What do you need help with?" Jason slid into the empty chair beside me and pulled out the English homework. He explained where he was stuck and I flipped through my notes, looking for the same question. Within five minutes, I had explained the question to Jason and he was nodding in understanding.

"Wow, you made that sound so simple," he said. "Thanks!"

"No problem," I replied. Feeling brave, I decided to keep the conversation going. "If you ever need any more help with English, don't hesitate to ask me. It's my favourite subject."

"Cool." He smiled warmly at me. Ohmigosh! Major butterflies! He ripped a small piece of paper out of his binder and scribbled something down on it. "My cell number, in case, you know, you want to text me or anything."

"Awesome. Then here," I wrote my own number onto a blue sticky note, "is mine." He took it and our fingers brushed. Breathe iiiin, and ouuut, don't start hyperventilating.

Jason stood up and turned to leave. "Guess I'll see you around?"

"Yup. For sure. See you in class tomorrow." I stopped myself before I could start rambling like an idiot. Then I noticed Carly. She was still staring at me, mouth open, like a dork. I threw a crumpled piece of paper at her. "Don't say anything." She closed her mouth and grinned at me, clearly making an effort not to burst out with "I told you so!".

"I totally saw sparks, Pen," she said after a moment. "He so likes you, and I bet he's dying to ask you out," she teased, knowing that would make me blush.

"Well," I said, getting up from my chair. "He has my number, so we'll see what happens!" I said playfully. I left Carly doing homework and headed back to our room before going to the stable. Not that I would admit it, but I might have been paying extra attention to my phone the entire way to Orchard. Just in case a certain someone decided to text.

...

The heels of my Ariat Windmere boots thudded loudly on the cold ground as I walked to the stable. I wouldn't be riding, so I'd just worn jeans. The wind pulled at the ends of my long hair and stirred up the yellow leaves that dotted the sidewalk.

Fallon was turned out, so I wandered in the direction of her paddock. When I got closer, I noticed someone standing by the fence. A blond someone. Heather Fox, Sasha had warned me, could be pretty intimidating. I braced myself for whatever was coming my way and closed the distance between us.

Heather's stare was all ice. I supressed a shiver. "So," she said. "You're the new intermediate rider." She looked me up and down and smirked. "I give you a week, tops."

"Uhhm, excuse me?"

"Before you realize that you'll never make it here." Ooh, ouch. Sasha was right about her being mean. "I mean, face it. You're a total novice who has more horse than she can handle. I figure Mr. Connor put you on the intermediate team just for a laugh." I opened my mouth and was about to defend myself when Heather turned and walked away.

"That was rude and uncalled for," I muttered to Fallon, who had come to stand with her head over the fence. I rubbed her blaze thoughtfully before clipping my light blue lead line to her halter and taking her inside.

I took my time grooming Fallon, going over Heather's words in my head. She wasn't completely wrong, I suppose. I was still a fairly green rider, especially compared to everyone else. And I did have a little more horse than I could handle some days. But she was wrong about me not making it at Canterwood. I would fight to stay here as hard as I could.

Fal jolted me out of my thoughts by shaking her head and stamping her hoof. I laughed. "Had enough of the cross-ties?" I finished grooming and unclipped her, putting her back into her stall. Fallon went imediately to her hay and started munching. I rested my arms on the half door of her stall and propped my chin on my hands. "marking the beginning of a new," I whispered, loving the way Fallon's show name felt to say. She stuck her nose in my direction and snorted, and I smiled at her. "You're silly, you know that?" She flicked her ears towards me, hanging onto my every word. "Silly, but mine." I couldn't get over that idea. Fallon was actually mine.

I left the stable reluctantly, but feeling lighter than I had since getting to Canterwood.