Madison v.s The Horse Thief

Chapter Fifteen: Mean Girls At Shows

"Yes please, the sooner we can get there the sooner I can stop stressing," laughs Sarah, handing over Jupiter so easily. 

I have to hold my tongue and not yell at Sarah about how Justin is a horse thief. I don't have any evidence yet so saying that about everyone's favourite groom is taking horses would be absurd.

Justin holds a dirty hand out. "I can take Virgo if you'd like Miss Maddie?"

I almost give in to Justin's sweet charm. "No! I mean, your busy Justin I'll find someone else."

Justin looks at me with no facial expression for a moment. "Oh, that's alright. You seem nervous, Miss Maddie. Are you ok?"

"Just peachy."

Good going, Maddie. Does anyone even say that anymore?

Justin doesn't ask me anything else and just dips his hat at me and Sarah before walking Jupiter away. 

"Good. Let's get Virgo loaded so we can get on the bus before Will."

The drive to the New Castle was more... eventful than I had expected it to be. Georgia had snapped at Sophie about sitting at the front. Sophie would try and turn around to talk to the other girls on the Junior and Senior Competition Team but Georgia would yell at her.

Will, Alex and Tom, and Jack with Jasper sandwiched in between them took up the back seats of the bus. They declared themselves the Back Bus Boys and sang the entire drive-it surprised me that Alex sang with them and didn't have a hint of annoyance on his face.

Then there was Will's flirting.

"Lily!" he called.

Lily who was sitting next to Kate in front of Sarah and I groaned. "What William?"

"You look really good right now," Will smiled back.

"Yeah I know," Lily scoffed, but there was a hint of red on her cheeks.

"How good do I look would you say?"

"I don't want to be mean but I think you could try harder. Way harder. Especially if you want to please me," Lily had replied. "I mean I have two guys right now who would drop everything and look great for me. Not just good."

Will looked dumbfounded and didn't reply after that. Everyone at the front of the bus laughed. 

Sarah and I walk our horses off the truck and I can't help but let my jaw drop at our surroundings. The New Castle Showjumping Cup is how Lily described it. Big. It worries me that the entire ground is scattered with people of all ages on horseback, fancy trucks, stores selling all sorts of top-quality clothes and so many photographers. 

"You're going to do great," Sarah whispers to me, putting an arm on my shoulder.

I know she's trying to help but her kindness makes me uncomfortable-maybe it's just the nerves-so I walk-off. I hear Sarah scuttle after me and Virgo and Jupiter's hoofprints.

"So where are we going?" I ask Sarah, after a long silent pause.

Sarah takes me to the middle of the showground where the stalls Antonio has rented for today sit. Virgo makes do with his stall, munching almost instantly at his hay net. My hands seem to not leave his face and I really don't want them to. This show, the atmosphere, and what I'm competing in, make me so anxious. Virgo is making me calm and I don't want to leave my rock.

"Hey, come with me to the bathroom to get changed," Sarah says from the stall next to me. "I can't believe my class is so early today."

I can't let these nerves get to me. Today I am a SEC rider.