Blue Spring's Riding Academy---Starting New

Spirit Runner

Hey." His voice was calm and slightly shy "I'm Payton. I'm guessing you're either Blair or Olivia." Payton said to me. "God he looks so familiar. Where do I know him from???" I thought, sitting down across from him. "Hi Payton." I said, keeping my voice light. "I'm Blair. Do you ride or did you come here for academics?" I said. "Yea. I ride. My mare just got here actually. I just got the notification as you walked out here." He said with a blinding smile. "That's cool. We just put our horses in the stable. It's huge!" I said. "I uh, actually don't know where it is. Could you, uh, maybe help me out?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Sure. Let's go down to the lot and grab your horse." I said, making the motion for him to go ahead. "I'll be back!!" I yelled out to Liv and Jonah as I walked out the door.

Payton was already at the end of the hall, waiting on the elevator. I took a breath and calmed my emotions. "God Willows, what is wrong with you? He's just another guy. Get a grip." I said quietly to myself as I walked down the hallway. Right as I got to the end, the elevator opened with a ding and Payton motioned for me to walk in first. I shot him a smile as I walked passed and mentaly grinned to myself as I saw a slight blush go across his face. It took us about 5 minutes to get down to the parking lot and find his trailer. Payton went around to the back and unlocked it. And the second he did, he walked in and quickly untied his mare. She was a beautiful gray, had a black mane and tail, 2 white socks and a star on her face. "Woah. She's beautiful. What's her name?" I said, reaching out a hand to pet her. "Her name is Spirit Runner, or Spirit. She's pure Arabian." Payton said, clicking her forwards. Spirit sprung into a quick walk and gave a snort as Payton slowed her. I walked on the other side of Spirit and gave directions down to the new arrivals stable.

"You got tack?" I asked as we finished putting Spirit away. He didn't know it but he picked the stall right across from Olivia's horse, Duchess. "Yea, It should be in the tack room. I haven't unpacked it yet." He said. "Go get it." I said. "What?? Why would I get my stuff? There's nowhere else to put it." He gave me a weird look. "Don't ask damn questions Drake. Go and get your stuff." I said, giving him no room for an argument in my voice. Payton shot me one last weird look and went to get his stuff. He came back with two black storage containers and put them down. "Ok weirdo, what did you need my stuff for." I shook my head and grabbed a container. Bringing it over to Titan's stall, I unlocked the door and set his stuff in the corner next to mine. He was smart and stacked his other container on top of the other one. "I'll explain when we get back to the dorm." I said in a quiet tone. Titan, my horse, wasn't in his stall, so we exited quickly and started walking out.

And then we both heard something that would make any person want to crawl into a closet and die.

A shrill high pitched voice rang out as well as the sound of footsteps. "PAYTONNNNNNNN" A girl said trying to give Payton a hug. I took one look at him and almost died from laughter. I also knew where I recognized this girl from. Sabrina Minton. A girl from my rival stable, Glen Ridge Elite Stables. From North Carolina.

"Hi Sabrina." Payton said, pushing her off of him. It was at that moment when Sabrina saw me. It was obvious that she recognized me. "Hey barbie. You're still trying to beat the beginner team?" I asked, a smirk on my face. Sabrina turned to face me, her nose stuck into the air as though I was scum on her shoes. "Well well well. Look what Ellington let go. Did they kick you out for being so bad?" Sabrina asked, faking concern in her voice. "As if." I snorted at her pathetic acting. "Did daddy buy your way in barbie?" I asked. "Duh. Daddy bought me the best room in my dorm and he bought me a horse that's a million times better than your Titan. Where's the nag by the way? Finally realize that he's still worthless and sell him?" Sabrina's sickly sweet voice said as she tried to get under my skin. I rolled my eyes.

"Barbie, why don't you go polish your riding for once? Just cause your dad owns a low end company that somehow is doing well and he can buy you experienced horses doesn't mean you are a good rider. You just being here is already bringing down the Blue Spring's expectations. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have better things to be doing than standing around talking to trash." I said, turning on my heel and walking away. Payton didn't even say a word, but followed me for a solid minute before I spotted a bench and sat down. Payton took a seat next to me and started to speak. Somehow, after all the trash talking that Sabrina was saying, I guess he still didn't recognize me.

"Sorry about Sabrina. Her and I used to be a thing, but she only used me for fame because I was the only kid my age who could go head to head with Ellington Stables top riders, Blair and Jonah Willows. Now that I think about it, you have the same first name. I don't know your last name, but it would be nice having Blair around again. I miss those twins" He said with a smile. I turned to look at him. "Well. It's always nice seeing the old competition. Sabrina and I go way back." I said, "She used to get so angry when her score wasn't even close to mine. But that's what happens when you only have experienced horses because your dad can buy them." I sent a smile at Payton.

"Yea I hear that. Sabrina and I went to the same stable, Glen Ridge Elite. My parents sent me there because of Sabrina and her father. Otherwise I would've gone to Ellington. Sabrina's dad forced my parents to move down to where Glen Ridge is. It sucks really. I probably would have become way better if I went to Ellington like I was supposed to." He said with a sad look. "Well, I used to go to Ellington." I said. I watched as Payton started to smile. "What was It like?" He asked, his voice full of curiosity. I thought for a second before answering.

"It was amazing. We had bi-weekly competitions with Glen Ridge and completely crushed them. Although, there was a kid, which I think might have been you, who we were going to offer him to come to Ellington, but when we talked to his parents, they said they were happy with their little boy being at Glen Ridge. Now that I think back a few years, his name happened to be Payton Drake." I said, bumping his shoulder a little. Payton looked at me, hope in his eyes. "Let's go back to the dorm. There's something I want to show you." I said, standing up.

Payton stood up as well and we started walking back to the dorm. Little did we know, Sabrina had decided to us.

Sabrina's POV.

"Let's go back to the dorm. There's something I want to show you." I heard Blair say to Payton. Grrrr. Who does she think she is stealing Payton off like that. Not to mention they live in the same dorm! I told daddy to get me and Payton in the same dorm, so why is he not going to Springway? That's the most expensive dorm there is besides Phoenix. Sadly, daddy couldn't get me into Phoenix, but I knew Payton's parents could. Whenever daddy forced them down to Glen Ridge, that was when I was dating him, so daddy made them so I could be happy. Daddy always gets me what I want whenever I want it. I followed them the entire way back to the dorms and was shocked that Payton was walking into Phoenix. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get into the dorm without the key, let alone know which floor they were on. Damn, I really wanted to get some blackmail on Blair. She's good. Too good for this school's beginner and Intermediate. So why was she here? And why was her stall in the beginner stable when her parents could have easily bought her a stall in the advanced barn?