Maple Stream Riding Academy

Chapter Twenty-Nine: New Year, New Trainer

It's five o' clock, almost dinner time. I take a shower, change into pajamas, and head downstairs. Mason and Sam are playin air hockey.

"Best 2 out of 3!" Sam yells, hitting the little black disc back to Mason.

"Whose winning?" I ask, Reagan standing by my side.

"We just started this round," Sam says. "We've both won a game."

"Yep. And I'm gonna win this round," Mason says, hitting the puck and getting it into the goal. We laugh and Reagan and I watch them finish the round. It ends in a tie, 9-9, because Laura calls us to dinner. We're having cobb salad. I take a small bowl and fill it up half way. Mason and I sit on the couch together, and when I take a bite of the salad, he whispers "Thank you" in my ear. I can only eat a few bites before I feel completely full, but at least I eat something. I sit with Mason until he's finished eating. By then, everyone's talking too loud, so I bring him up to my room for some quiet.

"We should Skype Callie," I say, opening up my laptop. I scoot over on the chair so Mason can sit next to me.

"Hi Cami! Hi Mason!" Calli exclaims when she picks up my call request. "How are you guys doing?"

"Good," I reply.

~

We talk to Callie for a few hours, and we even bring in Sam and Reagan to play truth or dare, with Callie choosing the truths and the dares.

After we hang up the call, Sam and Reagan stay in my room talking to us until nine. When Reagan leaves, she says Maggie wanted to give Mason and I some alone time. We're lying on my bed, talking about random things and our goals in life.

"Cami, thank you," Mason says, looking at me.

"For what?" I ask, a little bit confused. I feel like I only made his life more complicated.

"For coming into my life," he says, leaning over and kissing me. "I love you."

I lean my forehead against his and whisper "I love you too."

We sit there for a while, my head nestled in the crook of Mason's neck, his arms around me. I slowly drift off to sleep.

~

"5!"
"4!"
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
"Happy New Years!"

Mason and I kiss to celebrate the new year. "Happy twenty-fifteen," I tell him, smiling. I'm glad it's new years, you know, new year, new me. I've eaten a little today, but I haven't been focusing on food. We start school tomorrow, January 2.

"I'm going up to bed," I tell Mason. He gives me another kiss and I head upstairs, changing out of my jeans and into spandex shorts. I crawl into bed and fall asleep peacefully.

I wake up at ten. Nobody's awake, so I go downstairs and make some iced coffee, turning on the news to see what's going on. I sip my coffee as I watch the pretty journalist explain whats happening in the blizzard on the east coast.

"I'm glad we aren't in New York," Mason says from the kitchen. I jump a little, and turn to see him popping some toast in the toaster. "Want some?"

"Sure, but don't scare me like that," I say as I stand up. I waltz over to him and hug him, not wanting to let go. I just now realize how tall he is compared to me. When I hug him, my head goes perfectly in the crook of his neck.

"So classes start back up tomorrow," Mason says, leaning his chin on my head.

"Yay..." I say sarcastically, just as my phone starts to ring. I answer it, still in Mason's embrace. "Hello?"

"Hello, Cami, it's Lynn."

"Hey Lynn, what's up?"

"I'm taking your training to the next level," Lynn says. "I got you a private cross country trainer."

"What?! That's awesome!" I exclaim.

"Yes, and I'd like you to come meet her."

"Okay, when and where?" I ask.

"Twenty minutes at your barn? Tack up Raquel."

"Okay," I say as I hang up the phone.

"What's going on?" Mason asks, kissing my temple.

"New private cross country coach," I reply. "I have to be at the barn in 20."

"I'll go tack up Raquel," Mason says. "Go get changed into riding clothes." And so the adventure begins.

~

My coach is a short, chubby woman with short strawberry blonde hair. Her stern face is partially hidden by her hat, but I can still see her glaring at me as I walk Raquel over to her.

"So this is the amazing Ms. Cameron Taylor?" the trainer says, holding her hand out to me. "I'm Ms. Burton, your new instructor. You are going to be pushed hard."

"I'm up for the challenge," I say, standing tall and proud.

"Okay. Mount your horse and warm her up," Ms. Burton demands. "I want to see how good you really are."

(A/N Sorry doods this update was a serious filler... I'm so sorry 😁😁😁)