J.O.P. Stable: The Twin Saga (Book 1: The Summer Finale)

Chapter 9:

" Um, Hey... " I said. I had never really talked to Marlo since she got here.

" You were expecting someone else weren't you? " Marlo replied.

" ...Ya, sorry, my sisters just being a total...never-mind, I don't think you'd understand... "

Marlo chuckled and shook her head. " Try me "

I paused for a few seconds, not knowing where to start, so I just explained everything from the day we heard the news about her and the others arrival to now.

" Thats rough, but I understand, me and my sister are just starting to get our relationship back on track " She replied.

I exited the stall and grabbed Shadows Dressage saddle, saddle pas and half pad. " Well, if you don't mind my asking, what happened? "

" Basically me and my sister Lauren are polar opposites. She's more...girly, you know, pink, frilly, yuck, that kind of stuff and I'm more of the tomboy. I do riding, she does ballet and cheerleading. My family owns a few racehorses so riding was always in the family... " She explained.

" That must be hard with horse racing losing its funding... " I replied.

She nodded. " It was, my parents make lots of trips down south and into the U.S for races, so I stay with my Aunt, who's is more like Lauren, so she is always trying to get me to wear more pink and more makeup, even when I want to go riding "

I couldn't help but laugh lightly. " Yikes "

Marlo laughed along with me. " Exactly. While we were growing up, my parents tried to get Lauren into riding, but she was more into ballet dancing, figure skating, cheerleading, etc. When I came along and actually wanted to learn how to ride, my parents were thrilled. Lauren became jealous, thinking mom and dad favoured me because I choose riding. Soon everything became competition with us, even school grades. Eventually we just became enemies, until Lauren left for university and Figure skating training. We only just started getting along again after we found out that I was going to be apart of this team and she was accepted onto the women's figure skating team for the Olympics "

" Wow, that sounds intense, but at least you managed to work it out " I replied.

" I'm glad, fighting for too long is exhausting " Marlo replied.

I smiled sadly and looked down. " Tell me about it... "

I heard more hoof steps coming from the left. I turned and smiled as Blaire halted Flicka, hooking her up to the cross-ties.

" Anybody else getting nervous for the Finale? " She asked.

I nodded. I was more nervous about our team pulling together or not than actually riding in the show...

" Cutting it kind of close for time Blaire, Flicka giving you a hard time in the paddock? " Marlo asked. Marco seemed to start dancing in place beside her so she slipped a chain lead rope through the noseband of Marcos halter, letting the lead rope dangle.

" What's that for? " I asked.

Marlo glanced at the rope. " Its how he was handled when he used to race, it seems to calm him down in a weird way, so I do that whenever he gets antsy or nervous "

" Marco was a racehorse? " Blaire asked this time.

Marlo nodded. " Yep, his name for the Jokey club is Mighty Marco and he belonged to our competition in the horse racing industry. He retired when he was 3 after losing most of his races. he was gelded and then given to me as a present after I asked for an off the track thoroughbred. If it wasn't for me and the owners willing to sell to even their competition, he might have ended up in the slaughterhouse "