home away from home

2

10 hours later and we make it to our new home, I'd have to admit it was pretty. The entrance was a long dirt road that led to the top of the hill where the beautiful white farm house sat. Two giant oak trees welcomed us to the front drive as the sun set right behind the house, it was almost like a movie, so perfectly pictured.
   Mom had got here a week earlier to set everything up so we wouldn't be stressed out and could start just where we left off. Colby and I walked in sheepishly, looking around like kittens who were leaving the box for the first time. The laminate floors were warm on my feet and as soon as I start to set my things down I hear my mom, "isn't this place beautiful? You should see the barn!" And before she could finish I dropped everything in hand and bolted out the door with my dog, beaux, and colby following right behind me.
I make it to the barn and oh man it's anything a person could ever dram for. A covered barn with eighteen stalls, nine on the left and nine on the right. To the left, a huge tack room filled with all my saddles and the the right, a gate that led to the huge covered arena where I could spend my nights practicing. The place wasn't as bad as I thought.

     The next morning I hear my alarm go off, "5:30" it reads. I slowly pulled myself out of bed, I didn't get much sleep last night, I was too worried about school the next day. Like usual I went out and did my chores then came back in and got ready for school. By the time it was 7:30 it was time to leave, I could feel my stomach getting tight and I was sitting those butterflies I typically get before a big run.
  We pull in and I let myself out, I take a big deep breath and walk up the steps of what the call, "home of the wild hogs." I decided to wear my state finalist buckle with my hair down and a t-shirt with some old seven jeans and sperry's. I wasn't trying to get noticed not impress anyone. I was just trying to get through the day and go home and ride.
    Right when I started to get settled it was time for lunch, not really what i wanted to be doing but I couldn't skip on the first day. I ended up sitting alone just like your typical new kid. As soon as I look up from my laptop I see three girls walk in. they weren't just any type of girls, they were the type that ruled the school, the type every boy drooled over, the type of girls to be mean. i impulsively hid my face to with draw attention. the one in the middle had long blonde wavy hair, almost like beach hair. except we were nowhere near a beach. she was not that tall and she was pretty, almost too pretty. the other two girls hard brown hair and were short. shorter than me. they were all wearing almost the same clothes. they all looked like they didn't belong here, skinny jeans and nice shirts. they walked by with such a flare of attitude they didn't have to say anything.
later that night while i was riding in the arena when mom came out, "how was school? didn't get a chance to ask you, you came home and went straight to the barn."
"yeah there wasn't much that happened other than i ate lunch alone." i added.
"that's typical on the first day, but after you make friends you won't have a problem." she sounded relaxed.
"...yeah." i mumbled.
after dinner, i finished my chores and headed up to my bathroom to get ready for bed. my mom came upstairs and asked me if i was starting to pack for this weekend. i had my first rodeo in arkansas this saturday, i was more nervous than anything and it's usually the other way around. during the week, i learned more and more about the school and those girls. the blonde ones name is jessica and the other two are courtney and madelynn. friday came quick and eventually it was saturday morning and we were headed for our first rodeo in the new state.

our plan is to get there at least 4 hours before we compete so that we have time to get settled and warm up properly so that no one gets hurt. it was about two hours before it was time for my run i decided to warm up wrangler and i, wrangler is my barrel horse. when we warm up we take two laps walking, three laps trotting, and four laps loping, and we save running for the arena.
during my last loping lap, i noticed something, something i would've never guessed. those girls, jessica, courtney, and madelynn we all here. warming up? i was so confused, i would've never thought. THEM? at a rodeo? barrel racing? oh, gosh, i thought, "now i really have to do good."

that night i was last to run, which is good 'cause you get to see everyone's run. "everyone put your hands together for our favorite rider of the rodeo- jessica stanford!" the crowd went crazy, " i guess she's pretty big here," i thought to myself. i carefully watched her run, she took the first a little wide so it brought her time up. as she circled the third barrel her horse took off, man was he fast! luckily, wrangler is faster. "16.1 for jessica stanford, wow! fastest time this town has seen! she sets the new arena record! soon after, our run came and i couldn't be more ready and it wasn't even state! "everyone please welcome ms. kyler-maisynn tucker! she is a 3x jr NFR qualifier and a 2x american champion. her family just moved here from texas due to her mom earning a spot on our very rodeo team! let's give her a big welcome as she takes her first run in a new town!" i didn't pay attention though, i block everything out right before a run. everything. as the gate opened wrangler threw his alley way fit. rearing up, whinnying, snorting, and throwing his head. then bam! wrangler took off to the first as he say perfectly to turn leaving only dust behind us. the second comes quick, this is our money barrel. he slips but catches himself, i could hear the crowd gasp and my mom yell, "ride past!"we didn't let that stop us, it only gave us an extra boost to the third. we reached it and wrangler took it home from there. all i had to say was, "take it home." he sat and took off running so fast, something i've never felt! we pass the timer and i look back as he is still running, i read the timer, "13.9" holy cow ! "oh my folks, i think we have ourselves a new town record. someone who can put us on the map. this family has it all!" the crowd was so loud! i could see the look on my moms face, she was so proud! if only blaine was here to see this!

as we were loading the trailer i see jessica approach me out of the corner of my eye, "hey new girl, don't get used to winning, it's kinda my thing around here, in my town. " she gave me an eerie feeling. we went home that night and had a big dinner since we had all wine buckles that night. i went to my room placing my newly earned buckle on my buckle rack, "33" i said to myself.

weeks had gone by and i still held the record and i was still winning.