Comeback *Book One*

Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Three

I replace Beau's bridle with his well worn leather halter in the aisle. After clipping him to the cross ties, I remove his saddle. And in one trip, I carry everything to the tack room. I throw my bridle and girth on the dirty tack hook and put my saddle and saddle pad on one of my saddle racks. Opening my tack box, I take out my grooming bag and two horse treats.

Before I start brushing Beau, I feed him one of the treats and put the other one in my pocket. He greedily snatches it up. I smile at him and quickly start to brush him off. When I am done, I throw him back into his stall, where he resumes munching on his hay.

"Now it's time for you, girl!" Faith puts her head over the stall door and nudges me, expecting a treat. I laugh and give her the one in my pocket. I take the lead rope hanging from her stall door and open her door. I quietly clip it to her halter and lead her back out into the aisle. In the aisle, I clip the cross ties to her halter and unclip the lead. I give her a kiss on the nose before I brush her already sparkling body. Almost time for my first ride on Faith and I couldn't be more excited! After I am finished brushing her, I grab the grooming bag and bring it back to the tack room.

Before I take Faith's tack out, I walk over to Dee's office. I quietly open the door, in case she is on the phone. She was not on the phone, she was actually writing on some paper. "Hi Dee." I say to her. "I am about to hop on Faith. I just have to saddle her up."

Dee smiles at me. "Sounds good. Let me just finish this paperwork up and I will be right out."

"Ok." I exit her office and go back to the tack room. Quickly grabbing my dressage saddle, girth, dressage bridle, and saddle pad, I could barely contain myself. I was pumped to ride such a wonderful horse.

As I saddle Faith up, riders start to file into the barn. April, GiGi, and Drew all walk in to the barn together. They all look around until they find me, now bridling Faith.

"Hey, Ali!" Drew says, smiling at me.

"Hey." I say back

"Excited to ride Faith?" GiGi and April both ask.

"Absolutely!" I respond as I tighten the girth. Slowly, I lead Faith out to the indoor arena, followed by Dee, GiGi, April, Drew, and a few other riders. Mom comes too! She is walking at a fast pace with Dee.

Sigh. Why did there have to be a whole crowd? I ask myself as I pull down my stirrups and check the girth one final time. Everyone files into the viewing room, except, of course, Dee and I.

Dee gives me a leg up. "Ready?" She asks. I nod in response. "Good." She says, patting my knee.

I proceed Faith at a working walk around the ring. She has a nice smooth forward step. That was good. I walk around the arena for a few minutes before Dee instructs me to trot. A squeeze Faith with my legs and she goes forward into a nice flowy, elastic trot. Faith tucks her head neatly. I ask her for a working trot and an extended trot both directions around the arena. I work on simple things with her, like serpentines and 20-meter circles, before going into more advances stuff, like leg yields, shoulder-in, and haunches-in. She's such a pro! I slow her to a walk, patting her on the shoulder.

"I love this horse!" I exclaim to Dee as I walk around the arena at a free walk.

She laughs, "I figured you would! You both look incredible together."

"Thanks." I pat her again.

"Why don't you canter her just working on keeping her elastic through some 20-meter circles." I nod to Dee and and shorten up my reins, asking Faith to pick up a trot. In the nearest corner, I ask her to canter. She obeys me, and picks up an incredibly smooth canter gait. In the next corner, I ask her for a 20-meter circle. Faith could do this in her sleep!

Dee shouts to me, "Flying lead change at X, avoid the jumps. Do the same circle, opposite direction."

Obeying Dee, I do a flying lead change across the diagonal at X. Faith doesn't even blink! I have to swerve to the left a little to avoid hitting a jump and change directions. At the same exact corner but in the opposite direction, I ask her for 20-meter circle. Again, she does it like a pro. A few strides after the circle, I slow Faith to a walk, giving her a big pat on the shoulder. As I am walking Faith around the arena, I see mom run out of the viewing room. She looks at Dee and says, "We know who." After that, Mom goes darting out of the arena.

Well that was weird. I think to myself. I look at Dee. She rubs her temples then looks up at me, smiling. "Great job. Why don't you bring her back in the barn. After you are done with her, come to my office." Okhayyy?

I dismount Faith, loosen her girth, and wrap up her stirrups. By the time I am done, everyone is gone, including Dee and everyone from the viewing room. What was going on with everyone today? I ask myself, leading Faith back to the barn.

I decide to untack Faith in her stall. When I am done, I grab her tack. I could already here loud discussion from some of the riders as I walk to the tack room with my tack.

When I enter the tack room full of riders, the loud discussion stops to a full silence. Um...?

I awkwardly put my tack away and grab my grooming kit. Right when I exit the tack room, the conversation continues, this time a little quieter.

I run over to Faiths stall and walk in. As I walk in the stall, Faith continues eating her hay. "Why is everyone acting so weird today, baby?" I talk to Faith as I brush her.

Sigh. I really didn't want to go back to the tack room again. Whatever. I suck it up and step into the large room. Once again, conversation stops. I sigh to myself as I set my grooming box back in my tack box.

"Good job on Faith." Someone blurts out.

"Um... Thanks." I respond. I glance around the tack room. GiGi, April, and Drew weren't there. I remember Dee wanted to see me in her office. That is probably where they were.

I slowly guide myself out of the tack room and into the office. And sure enough, I was right. April, Gigi, and Drew were on the tack room. So was Mom and Dee. Drew looked pissed and so does GiGi. Dee looks upset. April looks like she is about to cry, whereas Mom IS crying.

"I don't care what they say! We are NOT rescheduling the court date!" Then, mom slams down the phone. Court date? For what?

They all seem to notice me now. "Whats... What's going on?" I ask, now a little bit worried.

"Ali..." Dee starts. "We know who tried to kill you."

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:O CLIFFHANGER!!! Woohoo! So I haven't been on Wattpad in like forever! I have been so busy with school and horse shows it isn't even funny. But now school is over so I have a tad more time on my hands. I hope you guys enjoy this well deserved chapter. Planning on making another update within the next few days.