Briarwood Elite Riding Academy: Take the Reins

Chapter 18: Painting A Message

The morning of the double elimination I was up before the sun was.

My anxiety was ruling over my better judgment as I laid in my bed and watched the sun creep across the dorm room floor.

I wasn’t sure if my score was good enough to keep me going. I might have run the hardest and fastest in my life but it still could fail in comparison to Justin’s time or even Tatum’s.

By the time everyone was up I knew it would be a different sort of day. Everyone was silent as we changed, Amelia looked green and even Zoé and Chloe were unusually pale.

This was serious.

Breakfast was also ‘eaten’ in strained silence though no one really ate and we scarcely attempted to even keep eye contact. Ben wasn’t present in the cafeteria and I wished he had been. I knew if I kept sitting in silence I would explode.

“Let’s head down now.” I muttered, pushing away from the table and not entirely checking to see if they were following.

Being so wrapped up in the fear of a double elimination I couldn’t exactly worry about the stable-hands or this mysterious ‘Gemma’ person which I suppose was a plus as I walked into the stable block.

A stiff air encircled the arena and nearly suffocated me; the usual chatter or banter of rumpus teenagers was cut through with stillness and emptiness as the competitors waited in a perfect horizontal line with their mouths closed tight.

It left an eerie feeling in my stomach joining the nausea and a cold sweat began on my back.

Ben was late also, so as I found a place in line I felt an extra bit of yearning to hold his hand and have his calm exterior around me. It wasn’t until a minute before elimination did Ben entered the arena right in front of Sebastian.

Without as much as a pause Sebastian dove into announcing the scores.

“With the highest score of 29 is Gabriel Petit.”

Gabriel looked shocked but he confidently strode forward; it was the first time Gabriel had had the highest combined score so I understood how happy he must have felt.

“Receiving the second highest score of 28 is Justin Bridges.”

I fought off a bit of resentment as I watched Justin stride forward; I didn’t want him to be winning especially after he nearly got Ben eliminated from the competition and because of his possible involvement with the note business.

“Receiving the third highest score of 27 is Ben Jones.”

Ben looked as humble as ever as he joined the line beside Justin yet there was a stiffness about the both of them that suggested they both hated being stood closely together. Which was understandable.

“Receiving the fourth highest score of 26.5 is Katharina Braun.”

I felt a glimmer of happiness to see a girl joining the line-up of guys.

“And receiving the fifth highest score of 26 is Logan Prest.”

Logan jogged to the front and exchanged a smile with Katharina; their scores had been so close but I was glad both of them were able to smile about it and be pleasant.

“I will now announce the riders who will be continuing with the competition.” Sebastian announced; “Chance Spring.”

“Blair Thyme.”

I felt a large rush of relief overtake me as I my name rung out around the arena. Grateful I rushed forward into line beside Chance and let out a breath of air I didn’t realize I had been holding. I felt my anxiety slowly begin to fade off and my stomach begin to settle.