Lyneham Academy

~Chapter 3~

Evie woke up to a dream. The car was just heading towards large white gates with the school crest embellished on them. Beyond the gates was the school of everyone's dreams. A large, Hogwarts-like building sat at the end of a tree-lined driveway, fields either side. Evie could see the large stable blocks to her left and multiple arenas. As they pulled in front of the school, her mum looking for a parking spot, Evie was gazing in awe at everyone around her. Lamborghinis, Range Rovers, and multiple chauffeur-driven Rolls Royces were parked next to them along with several posh horse lorries. Evie watched as a blonde boy in a suit led a beautiful dapple-grey out of one of the lorries before he went back into the lorry to retrieve a stunning chestnut. She was in wonder. Evie climbed out of the car, looking everywhere, taking the scenery in. Students, parents, and grooms milled around, some with horses, others with suitcases and trunks, and some waving keys excitedly in the air.

"Honey, you'd better tell the good lady over there you're here so we can take Ellie to her stable and get your things up to your room." Her mum called from the lorry as she tied Ellie up outside.

"Sure thing mum!" Evie called over her shoulder as she headed over to the women behind the paper-laden table, "Hey, umm, I'm Evie Cooke."

"I'm Mrs Woodlands, nice to meet you. Evie Cooke... Cooke," Woodlands muttered under her breath as she searched through the piles of paper, "here we are. You are in McCormick Hall, room 325 which is on the third floor. Your horse will be in barn 3, stable 29." Woodlands handed a large folder to Evie, "in here is your timetable, and other miscellaneous items you will need whilst with us. Have a nice day."

"Thank you, Miss." Evie strolled away, back towards the car, singing happily under her breath. "Should we take Ellie to her stable first mum?"

"Sure thing honey, let me just grab a trolley so we can get the tack box over there." Her mum spotted an abandoned trolley and they started walking toward the stables, "where is she going?"

"Barn 3, stable 29..." Evie looked around for a sign, noticing the blonde boy from earlier walking towards her who also seemed to be looking for a stable as he led the grey and dun. "Hi, I'm Evie and I was just wondering where barn 3 is. Would you be able to help me please?" Evie questioned the boy.

"I'm Abraxas, nice to meet you, Evie. I'm going to that barn as well so you can follow me if you would like. What stable do you need?"

"It says 29 here. Thank you." Abraxas wandered off towards a large, American-style barn with Evie and her mum following.

The barn's interior looked like a hotel. The stables were large with piles of straw and there wasn't a single piece of straw or hay lying around. A large arena sat to one side, a viewing box above the C end and fencing on the side facing the rest of the barn.

"Wow," Evie whispered as they walked in.

"Stable 29 is just down here, next to where my two will be going." Abraxas led the small group down an aisle to the stable, "I trust you will be able to find your way back again; I need to get back so I can grab my room keys. See ya later Evie." Abraxas strolled off after putting his two inside their respective stables. Evie led Ellie to the stable next to the grey which had the number 29 in one corner of the door, along with a shining gold nameplate which read: Elixir's Embrace (Ellie). Evie noticed a man walking towards them, as if to make conversation.

"Mum. That must be Theo Chapman." Evie whispered to her mum who turned around just as he neared the two.

"You must be Evie Cooke. I'm Theo Chapman but students call me Mr Chapman, nice to meet you. I'm the director of riding here at Lyneham so I hope Ellie settles in well. Try-outs will take place over the next 2 days so I will put up a list at 7am tomorrow with try-out times outside my office. If you would like to try-out for a place on one of our teams, please sign up by 6pm tonight on the sheet in the tack room."

"Thank you, sir. It's nice to meet you at last." Evie replied, "this is my mum, Katie Cooke."

"Nice to meet you, Ms Cooke, I'm glad we could accept your daughter into Lyneham. She has a lot of potential." Chapman said, "right, I'd better be going. There's a lot of paperwork which needs to be done and not much time to do it in. See you later Evie." Chapman walked away.

"I think the tack room is just over there." Evie took the trolley from her mum and walked towards a room full of tack. She found Ellie's area and started unloading the box and placing the saddle and bridle on the respective rack, along with the rugs, haynets, and feed bowls.

"We should start taking your things up to your room, let Ellie settle down and get used to her new neighbours." Katie Cooke suggested. Evie walked out with her mum and headed back towards the car, somehow the parking area had gained even more cars and horseboxes! Evie and her mum grabbed the suitcases and bags, placing them on the trolley they had taken Ellie's things on earlier, and headed to a sign to see where McCormick hall was, "It's that one over there sweetie." Katie pointed toward a large Georgian-style building which was almost adjacent to the stables. Evie grabbed the handle of the trolley and started walking in the direction her mum had pointed.