9 
9 Sasha
IT WAS STILL DARK OUTSIDE when my alarm clock buzzed the next morning. It was six and time to get up and get ready to go to the first day at Safe Haven for Thoroughbreds. It didn’t even feel like a Monday, usually my least fave day of the week, since it was break.
Callie rubbed her eyes, sitting up and smiling sleepily from the daybed. “I can’t wait to get to the rescue center,” she said.
“Me either. This is going to be the super-best Christmas break ever,” I said. “We’ve got all of our friends, our horses, and we’re helping new horses find homes.” Like, one could come home with me, I thought. I’d dropped a few not-so-subtle hints to Mom and Dad that it would be giving back to the community if I adopted a horse from Safe Haven. But they’d said that I was doing more than enough by volunteering.
“It’s a twenty-four-seven horse fest,” Callie said. She got up and picked breeches and a yellow thermal shirt from her suitcase. “Speaking of horses, I was kind of caught off guard by Lauren Towers and her friends yesterday.”
It felt like old times between Callie and me. We were about to have a gossip fest, and it was like none of the baggage we had from the past existed. Maybe the holiday spirit helped wipe it all away.
“I was surprised to see Lauren too,” I said. “More shocked, though, that she had all of her friends there. She planned a Christmas like ours.”
“I figured we would probably run into her sometime at Briar Creek,” Callie said. “It was weird, though.”
“Why?” I pulled a hunter-green wool sweater over my head. After our ride, Kim had explained to all of us that she’d kept quiet about each of our groups coming to BC because she’d wanted us to feel out the sitch ourselves.
Callie shrugged. “It was almost like she was ready to compete with us or something. She and her friends didn’t hesitate at Heather’s dare. I mean, I’m glad they did it, because I got to see for myself that the rumors about them are true.”
“That they’re gunning for spots on their advanced team as soon as they have tryouts. That girl, Khloe, who’s already on the advanced team, is YENT material.”
Callie and I both slid our feet into thick socks and started lacing up our boots.
“They’re not our competition,” I said. “Lauren and her friends are a grade behind us. We don’t have to worry about our slots on the advanced team and the YENT.”
“You sure?” Callie asked. “Tell me that you don’t think Mr. Conner might combine our advanced team with theirs for a practice every once in a while. Or offer them a chance to try out for the YENT sooner than our chances.”
I shook my head. “That would never happen. Mr. Conner keeps every grade separate. He’d never let them jump ahead in line, either, no matter how good they are.”
I finished tying my laces, my mind racing from what Callie had said. Lauren’s background was better than mine. She had a champion pedigree before I had even completed my first double oxer. I swallowed. Next semester wouldn’t bring that kind of change to Canterwood . . . would it?
Callie stood, helmet in hand. “Ready?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Let’s go gather everybody and grab some breakfast. No more thinking or talking about Lauren until we see her again. Deal?”
Callie smiled. “Deal.”
We left my room, and the boys’ door was already open. The smell of bacon, eggs, and sausage lingered in the air.
Callie and I walked into the kitchen and found Paige at the stove, flitting between pots and pans like a hummingbird.
“Morning!” Paige said, smiling. She was dressed in a pair of my boots and breeches. “Sash, I told your mom that I’d love to cook breakfast for everyone. I wanted to do something since she’s letting us stay here.”
I grinned. “My parents will never let you leave,” I said. “Not once they’ve tasted Chef Parker’s cooking.”
With a flick of her wrist and a satisfied smile, Paige flipped a perf omelet onto a plate in front of me.