Chapter 1
My mums car rolls down the prestige long stone driveway of my new school and home, the lawns were clipped to perfection and no one dared to park on them. Elliot Falls Academy, one of the best schools in the world...
Christmas holidays was amazing, so much more then I could've asked for and now there's a new journey waiting for me.
The holidays were incredible, my friendship with Emily is great as usual, Scarlett and her are finally getting along. And so now I own Storm, my beautiful 7 year old palomino Arabian mix. Although I had just bought him these holidays we have been a team for almost 4 years and are inseparable.
Mum was patient as she waited in the long traffic line of cars dropping their kids off. I was thankful that all I needed to do was take my duffel bag and Storm out of the trailer. We had shipped all of mine and his things last week so I had been living with my clothes and tack I'm not taking. Thanks to Emily, Scarlett and Mia, Storm was kept in top condition during the holidays when I couldn't ride, well properly, because of my ankle.
Even though Emily was more busy then normal, I'm assuming it was because she was studying, she still managed to help me out. However she's not going to be at EFA for a couple weeks. Some high up maths debate she's doing for our old school.
I rub me hands together nervously, I don't think I will be able to get around this academy with out getting lost, it's huge. Mum smiles at me reassuringly before she looks back at the car in front of us. Once we get past these cars we needed to head down another little road to the horse drop off zone where the stables are. I was nervous no matter what, I'm definitely going to get lost at some point of time.
I recheck my hair for the final time in the mirror worriedly. Today I wore a grey polo shirt and and beige breeches with my black paddock boots that are cleaned to perfection while my blonde hair is in a neat french braid.
Finally the cars in front of us moved and we were able to turn down the lane that went to the stables horse float parking. I stare at the massive barn looming ahead that is going to be home to Storm for the rest of my high school life. Pastures were to the left and right of the fancy wide laneway, it was especially made so horse floats could come from both ways without problems. I stare out the window as we pass the barn and continue to the end of the laneway where the unloading area was.
We pull into a empty spot and I see Mia, she seems to notice my car pulling in and stops nearby. Hopping out of my mums car I grab my bag containing things in it like my iPhone charger and so on. I then head to the back of the trailer we borrowed from Hailey. Unlatching it, I walk in and untie Storm who automatically backs up without me asking. I take his lead line joined to the matching black leather halter he was wearing then got him out of the way so mum can shut the trailer.
"I'll go sign you in and meet you at your dorm, okay?" Mum says.
"Okay I'll see you in 10!" I reply before she paces off to the girls dormitory.
"Okay let's go buddy" I tell Storm leading him towards the glamorous stable. I see that Mia was still waiting for me at the front of the stable with Star, her sweet dutch warmblood mare that she rode at the EA qualifiers.
"Hi Mia" I greet as I walk over.
"Hey! How was the drive?" Mia asks hugging me.
"Good, very long, but Storm doesn't mind going for rides in the trailer, how about you?" I tell her.
"Once we got going she was fine, thank goodness" Mia says relieved.
"That's great, what stall is she in?" I ask Mia who shrugs casually.
"Stall 68 right next to you, do you really think we would let the coaches put you at the other side of the barn?" Mia asks teasingly. I laugh.
"Of course not, and thanks" I said grinning, typical Mia, always has my back.
"That's what friends are for" Mia says as we enter the barn and start making our way down the main isle before taking a right.
I find Storms stall on the right side after walking a few meters, the stables where massive and the barn felt endless. I open Storms stall door and lead him in before tying him so I could take his transport boots and cotton rug off. Mia does the same takes Star into the stall next to mine.
We finish doing so in 2 minutes flat and fold them up neatly, placing them on top of his tack trunk since I haven't got the key yet. At EFA, not only do we get a spot in 0ne of the tack rooms, but also a tack trunk with a lock and key.
"Hey Mia, would my stuff that I shipped be in the tack room?" I ask her as she puts her stuff on her tack trunk as well.
"Yeah, everything marked as horse equipment has been unloaded in the tack room in the areas that are labeled and assigned to you" Mia explains.
"Okay thanks" I answer.
Both our phones suddenly buzz at the same time.
Scarlett: Hey, don't you girls wait for me, I'm stuck in traffic and should be another hour or so
"I guess we'll have to wait a little to give you the tour, don't want to do it without Scarlett, is that okay with you?" Mia asks.
"No problem, want to just head to the dorms?" I ask.
"Yeah sure, come on" Mia says, we loop arms and leave the barn laughing about our holidays together. I'm so glad to have a person like Mia in my life, and Scarlett of course.
We walk out of the barn and across the school along the cute stone pathway and finally reached the equally gorgeous 4 story dormitory I'll be staying in. It was amazing but crowded with parents and students, all up there are 7 dorm houses for the girls and 7 for the boys. I don't even know how this schools affords it, no wonder why everything here costs so much. How did they find so much land in Florida?
It made sense though being one of the best schools in the world, they needed lots of rooms. But only years 8's and older could actually board at the school. I couldn't even imagine how much that would cost let alone the tuition. The way the dorms were set out was so that the 7 girls dorms are on one side and the guys dorms on the other while there's a garden mixed with a huge courtyard in between. Seats and benches were scattered around making a perfect place to study of have lunch with friends.
My dormitory was called Wellington Hall, and let me tell you it's amazing. I stick close to Mia as she pushes through the crowds of people and into the residence.
Wellington Hall was amazing, the walls were painted a classy but soft beige colour with black trims and it looked fabulous. The hard wood floors were sparkling and people were buzzing around. The seating room was separate to the foyer however so I'll have to check it out later. I see my mum and Julia chatting away, I tap Allison on the shoulder and motion to our parents. We make our way over and homesickness starts to hit me, I'm going to miss my parents.
"This reminds me so much of when we were their age" Julia, Mia's mum gushes as she attempts to hug her.
"Mum!!!" Mia whined dragging her away.
"Well I guess this is it" mum says trying not to get teary eyed.
"Oh here are your dorm keys, school credit card, school id and this is your tack trunk key, I've signed you in" mum adds handing me them. One had my dorm number on it and the other had my tack trunk number. I drop them into my bag and look back at my mum.
"I'm going to miss you" I said embracing her. I hear her sniffle again.
"I'll miss you too, remember always to give us a call or text, okay?" Mum says.
"I promise" I reply.
"Now go on and enjoy yourself, your dad and I will always be thinking of you honey, bye" mum says squeezing my hand.
"Okay goodbye" I say hugging her again as she's about to leave. Before I know it I was alone, in the middle of a crowd with no one familiar in sight. Great...