First Fence (Pony Jumpers #1)

CHAPTER 12

It was a bit remiss of me, but it wasn’t until another week had passed and a huge rainstorm was predicted that I realised I couldn’t find Squib’s waterproof cover. I’d searched the tack shed at the paddock and turned the garage upside down before I remembered taking it to Katy’s. I could picture it perfectly, hanging from one of the rug hooks in her organised tack room, and my heart sank. If it had been anything else, something Squib didn’t really need or something that belonged to me instead of him, I’d have just left it there. But I couldn’t make Squib stand out in the pouring rain over the next few days just because I was too proud to go and ask for it back.

There was only one thing for it, and no time to lose. The clouds were looming on the horizon, and a light drizzle had already started. I walked down the hall and rapped on Anders’ bedroom door, then tentatively nudged it open with my toe.

“You in there?”

He was sitting on his bed surrounded by textbooks, and he looked up when I came in.

“A distraction. Exactly what I needed.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “I’m kinda busy here, Poss.”

“I need a ride to Katy’s.”

Anders gave me a querying look. “And?”

“And you have a car.”

“Yes.”

I wasn’t in the mood for his games. “So will you please drive me over there?”

My brother looked strangely pleased. “I take it you two are talking to each other again at last. About time.” He snapped his textbook shut and chucked it on the bed next to him as I picked at the edge of the rugby poster on his wall.

“Not exactly.”

Anders narrowed his eyes at me. “So the moping is going to continue?”

“I’m not moping.”

“Uh, yeah you are. You’ve been walking around this house like a sad sack for the last three weeks and it’s driving us all up the wall. I figured you two had some kind of teenage girl falling out, but I thought it would’ve blown over by now.”

“It was a little more than that,” I said defensively.

“Wanna talk about it?” What was it with everyone in my family wanting to talk things over?

“Nope. Wanna give me a ride to Katy’s to get Squib’s cover so that he doesn’t drown when this rain turns up?”

As I spoke, the rain on the roof starting coming down more heavily. Anders looked out the window with a grimace, then swung his long legs onto the floor and stood up, stretching.

“At your service, as always.”

“Thanks bro.”

“You owe me,” he insisted as we walked out of the front door.

“Name your price.”

“Hmm. I’ll think about it and let you know.”

He unlocked the driver’s door of his battered old car, and leaned across the front seat to open mine. I shook the raindrops from my hair as I climbed in, settling into the worn out seat and shoving the miscellaneous sports gear and rubbish around with my feet.

“I could clean your car for you.”

“Nah,” he said as he started the engine. “This favour is gonna be worth way more than that.”

The rain eased off slightly as we drove out towards Katy’s house, and I crossed my fingers that it wouldn’t get too heavy before I could throw Squib’s cover on him. I hoped it was still where I’d left it, and that Katy hadn’t thrown it away or anything. It was so scruffy that she would never mistake it for one of hers, but it was the only one Squib had and he’d be miserable without it.