Chapter 20
May 15th
Nicole was glad that she was able to study quietly today. She was also glad that she wasn't thinking of Riley, something she had been doing quite a lot of lately and she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she was in love with him. Nicole had never had a boyfriend before and she didn't know what it was like to think of him all the time and to be in love. At least her father was now starting to like Riley and he was not talking meanly about him anymore.
Nicole was also glad that her study was going better than she expected. She was getting a lot more than she planned done and she was well ahead of schedule. She was starting to wonder whether or not she deserved a break. But if she went on a break, she feared that she would get too distracted and not study for the rest of the day. A visit from Riley would have made it worse and Nicole was hoping that her boyfriend would not come over.
...
Nicole got another hour of study done before she decided to stop for her lunch. She closed her books and went downstairs to make herself something to eat. Nicole was disturbed from making her lunch, though, when she heard hoofbeats coming down the driveway. There was only one horse that those hoofbeats would belong to.
Storm.
Nicole stopped making her lunch and went outside to greet her friend.
"Hey," said Nicole, "I wasn't expecting you."
"Yeah, well, I knew you would be on your lunch break so I thought I would come over. Do you want to go for a ride?"
"Do you have to ask? I'll be ready soon."
Nicole then went to get changed and it wasn't long before she had Ruby ready and saddled for the ride. The girls headed out on the trail, enjoying one another's company. This was a better break from studying than just lunch, and Nicole promised herself that she would eat her lunch while she studied after her break.
...
While Nicole was thinking about study, Isabella was thinking about her brother. She was so excited and she really wanted to tell everyone that she was going to be an aunty, but she couldn't. As soon as Mr Wilson left her house, he called Isabella, asking her not to tell anyone else about the news. Isabella said that she wouldn't, but it was hard keeping it a secret because it was so big and exciting. Isabella decided that she would just have to use her powers of persuasion to get Mr Wilson to let her tell other people.
"What are you thinking about?" asked Nicole as she walked Ruby over to Storm and Isabella's side.
"Nothing, why do you ask?" replied Isabella. She didn't like lying but she had to do as Mr Wilson asked.
Nicole then pointed to a large log that sat in front of Storm and Isabella.
That was when Isabella realized that Storm had stopped.
So far, she wasn't really good at focusing on anything but Mr Wilson's good news.
"So, not thinking of anything, are you? You seem to be distracted," said Nicole.
"I am not thinking of anything special," Isabella came up with a white lie, "just study I guess."
"I think study is on all of our minds at the moment. My exams start next week."
"Yeah, so do mine, and then we have a long break."
"It is great," said Nicole.
"So, how did your placement go this semester?" asked Isabella.
