I SETTLED INTO THE SADDLE FOR TUESDAY’S lesson. I’d read every page in our horse manual—twice—in case Mr. Conner tested us.
After Friday’s failed quiz, Mr. Conner had called me into his office on Monday. While my teammates had warmed up their horses, I’d answered different questions about worms and parasites. My studying had paid off. I’d gotten each question right, and Mr. Conner shooed me out of his office to tack up and get in the arena.
I walked Whisper toward the big window. The Halloween window clings that had gone up yesterday made me smile and get that feeling. I couldn’t even describe it, but I only felt this way around Halloween. I loved it more than my birthday! I had a dozen Halloween T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts that I wore during October.
The stable had decorations everywhere. But it wasn’t just the stable. I’d left my room this afternoon and, on my rush to the stable, spotted decorations in Hawthorne, in the classrooms, caf, and all over the outside of campus.
The second I had free time, I was going to walk the campus and look at each and every decoration. I’d probably even take pictures for Chatter or FaceSpace. I shook my head. It made me think of New York City tourists who stopped, took pictures, and almost got run over by taxis as they gawked at famous buildings or popular restaurants. You’re going to look just like that, I thought, giggling to myself. At least there aren’t any cabs or bicyclists to worry about.
Whisper and I passed the window. Smiling ghosts, pumpkins making silly faces, black cats, and a grinning green-faced witch had been scattered over the glass. I knew I’d stare at them every day until Halloween was over. “Look, girl, aren’t the decorations fun? It’s our first Halloween together.”
“Someone’s getting excited.” A smiling Lexa rode next to me. “You haven’t moved from the window for about, oh, five solid minutes.”
“Guilty. You haven’t seen anything yet. I actually considered skipping this lesson to walk around campus to see the decorations.” I gave Lex an innocent smile.
“Oh, LT. You’ve got it bad. Everyone has their favorite holiday, though. I mean, when my family goes to New York City every few Christmases I practically walk from the Upper East Side to the Lower East Side to see the holiday transformation.”
We let our horses walk, and the two mares kept an easy pace. Lexa and I were still the only two here yet.
“I love New York during Christmas. My sister and I walked along Fifth Avenue once and looked at the window displays. They’re très belle!” I giggled. “Becca and I wouldn’t go in any of the stores because they were so expensive—we were afraid the manager wouldn’t even let us in.”
Lexa laughed. “Oh, right! Those designer stores are intimidating. I go to Macy’s. Best displays ever. Plus, I can actually afford some of the clothes.”
“Speaking of clothes, I told Khloe about my Halloween wardrobe. Did you notice that I’m wearing Halloween-themed shirts all of a sudden?”
Lexa raised an eyebrow. “I did. But I didn’t know it was a thing. What’s a ‘Halloween wardrobe’?”
I looked up when Cole and Clare entered the arena. Lexa and I waved as they started warming up their horses at the opposite end of the arena.
“There’s one store that has the best Halloween tees and long-sleeved shirts on the planet: Target. Every year, I go there and buy new Halloween shirts. They’re insanely inexpensive, and in August I start saving my allowance so I can get a lot of them. Some of the tees are, like, five dollars!”
Lexa motioned that we turn the horses and began a circle in the opposite direction. Whisper was a little tight on the turn; her not-fully warmed muscles made her circle sloppy. The change of direction would stretch her out.
“Sweet deal,” Lexa said. “I’m going to start shopping there! So . . .” She looked at me expectantly. “How many tees are in this ‘Halloween wardrobe’?”
I smoothed Whisper’s mane so that I didn’t have to look at Lexa. If I did, she would know. “Oh,” I said. “Like ten, maybe?”
Lexa snorted. “Lauren Towers.”
I looked at her. “What?” My tone was hiiigh—like I’d just sucked helium from a balloon.
“Do I have to ask you the question again and again until you tell me the truth?”
“How—how—,” I sputtered. “You always know when I’m lying! Not fair!”
Lexa grinned, leaning over to pat my shoulder. “Oh, sweetie, it doesn’t help when your face turns red, you won’t look me in the eye, and your voice gets several octaves higher than usual.”
“I’m going to make Khloe teach me how to lie,” I said, pretend-grumbling. “She has to have learned that in acting class.”
Lexa didn’t say a word. She just stared. Waiting. Waiting for me to spill.
“Okay, okay. So I might be a little obsessed,” I said. “I brought about ten of my favorite Halloween shirts to Canterwood. But I have at least twenty more in my closet at home.”
“I love it,” Lexa said. She smiled, shaking her head. “Learning new things about friends—especially stuff that not everyone knows—makes me feel like there’s a tighter bond.”
Honor bobbed her head as if agreeing with her owner.
“I agree. Completely. With that in mind, here’s something that everyone at school can see, but no one’s ever asked me about it. Only Ana and Brielle, my best friends at Yates.”
I pressed my boot against Whisper’s side, giving her continuous gentle pressure. She responded exactly as I’d hoped, sidestepping toward Honor. Lexa’s eyes scanned my face, her own full of curiosity.
“Every year,” I started, “I wear a Halloween shirt from October first until the end of the month. If I don’t wear a Halloween-themed shirt to school, I sleep in one. Then, after the month’s over, I pack them away until next year.”
I cringed, closing an eye and peeking at Lex through the other. “Was that too weird for you? Are you going to drop me and become BFFs with Delia?”
“Please. Don’t dis Delia,” Lexa said, grinning. “Every time she gets in trouble for talking on her cell in the hallways, texting during class, IMing at lunch—she always gets teary and says she forgot the rule.” She frowned. “But somehow, she’s still getting away with it, and this is her second year at Canterwood. I think I’ll keep you and not get between Delia and her iPhone best friend.”
We giggled.
“I like sharing stuff with you. I’m glad you don’t think I’m weird.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Drew lead Polo into the arena and adjust his left stirrup leather.
“Everyone has something like that,” Lex said. “I don’t think you’re weird at all. Maybe after our lesson I can come over and you can show me the shirts you brought.”
“I’d love to.”
“Cool! Want to trot the horses around the arena wall?”
With a nod from me, we asked our horses for a faster pace. We were halfway across the arena before something hit me.
“Hey,” I said to Lex. “What’s your thing?”
Lexa got a teasing grin on her face. “I’ll tell you. Someday!”
“Lexaaa!”
She cued Honor to canter, kicking up dirt behind them. She laughed as Honor dashed away from Whisper and me.
“Oh, not happening! You’re not getting away that easy!”
I let out the reins, and Whisper and I charged after Honor, chasing her across the arena. I barely noticed that Clare, Cole, and Drew had stopped their horses and were watching us, laughing.
“C’mon, guys!” I called, motioning to them. “It’s reverse tag and Lexa’s it!”
Within seconds, we were all laughing and engaged in tag. The game melted away the stress of the day, and everyone was having fun. Cole let out a whoop when he tagged Lexa.
“Drew’s it!” Cole said.
My eyes centered on Drew. I was determined to be the one to tag him.
Showered and sitting at my desk, I picked up my phone. There was thing I had to do before I started homework.
I opened BlackBerry Messenger.
Lauren:
I had a lot of fun playing tag! I hope you don’t feel bad that I tagged you. Twice. 
I sent the message to Drew, put my phone on my desk, and started pulling books from my bag. I was going to be up a long time tonight. Teachers had announced that midterms were next month—right before Thanksgiving break. It was already mid-October, and I knew there was no such thing as starting too early on prepping for a test at Canterwood. I’d have to find more time to add study time. I paged through my calendar, looking at everything I had going on this week.
Riding every day.
Glee club practice.
Meeting Cole outside of class to work on our assigned Lumière costume.
The list continued with smaller things like quizzes in different classes and a couple of essays due. I peered over my shoulder, and Khloe was bent over her math book, erasing furiously on her paper. Take a breath, I told myself. If you stress, you’ll get sick. Then nothing will get done. One thing at a time.
The first thing that I needed was a cup of tea. I stood, putting my phone in my hoodie pocket, and slid my feet into gray fuzzy slippers.
“I’m going to make tea,” I said. “Want anything from the common room?”
Khloe looked up, and she had that intense Khloe Kinsella I’m studying so hard my brain might melt look.
“I’ll be your best friend until death do us part if you grab me a Diet Coke,” Khloe said.
I smiled. “As long as it’s until death do us part.”