The Bet

chapter 1

Ah Moonlight stables. An amazing place for horses and jockeys. You got a round shaped barn with a horse galloping statue in the middle. You got a hot walker and a swimming pool. For horses, I mean. We've got our own a signed wash stalls and scheduled wash times.

Aside from that we've got our own race track with starting gates and benches.

I'm Alison Mitchell and this is my life, Races, horses and dirt. It's not all that tho. To me it's all about the horse, the the places, the adrenaline. It's all amazing. Especially when we get to that state or city before race day and I get to tour the place.

I'm currently on my way to take care of my horse, Hex. Its 7:30 now and I just slid on skinny jeans and a sweatshirt with a short sleeve shirt under it. My alarm went off at 6 but I slept till 6:30. For breakfast I made myself an iced coffee and my dad made toast, eggs and bacon. I put jelly on my toast, grabbed my coffee and began my journey out and to the stables.

The groom's were already up and walking from stall to stall. They fed the horses at 6:30 and after that either put horses in a hot walker to warm up or let them be. Hex always got put in the hot walker so that's where I went first. After I grabbed his lead rope I headed to the hot walker.

Sure enough he was in there with two other horses and they were trotting around. When it came to his section I opened the walker door and it slowly came to a stop. "Hi boy." I said as I rubbed my hand up and down his face. "You ready to run?" I raised my eyebrow.

We had gotten tacked up and were in the starting gate. I had thrown my helmet on and grabbed my whip before we got in here. I rubbed my hand on his neck to calm him down a little. He was really excited to run the moment he saw the gate.

I leaned forward a little and grabbed a nice chunk of his mane. And just like that the doors flung open with the bell and Hex flew out. He immediately went into a fast gallop. I knew if he was that fast now it would burn out by the final stretch. I got him to slow down finally but we were halfway across the tack already.

He kept asking for rein and asking to be let free but I held back. We were still flying tho. We finally got to were the final stretch would be and I gave him the rein he wanted. He took off faster and I could feel water tickle my eyes and threaten to come out.

We passed the finish line and slowly turned a gallop into a trot. I stroked his neck before dismounting and leading him out of the fenced track.

I saw my dad by the fence with his stopwatch so I came over to him. "How was he? Were we faster then yesterday?" I asked. He had a look that immediately told me no. "Yes but only by 0.05 seconds." He said. I let out a quiet oh and looked down.

"Why don't you try again but against some one" He said with a smile. I nodded and turned my head just as one of the jockeys came up with a chestnut named Scar.

"She can go up against me." He said to my father. "I needed to get scar out here anyway." Scar was a race horse who we bought and replenished after a racing incident. He didn't get hurt to bad but the jockey didn't make it.

"Alison?" My dad turned to me. "I don't see why not." I said. The jockey smiled at me and I gave a small smile back. My father told us to get the horses in the starting gates so the groom's waited until we got back on the track to load us up. After we were loaded we just waited.

The bell rang and both of our horses sprang out at the same time. Scar bolted out in front of us since the jockey had given him full control of speed. Bad idea. From the start I got Hex to hold back and he listened. We got to the final stretch and just like last time I gave Hex rein the rein he needed to soar.

He picked up speed and shot us past scar. I could see scar lose energy now which is why he shouldn't have came out of the gat at full speed. Hex passed scar and got us past the line by maybe three lengths. I let him gallop until we were told to stop and we came to a fast canter then to a trot then a walk. I  walked Hex past Scar on the way out of the track and told the jockey that he did a good job but to not let scar go full speed from the beginning.

I brought Hex off the track and to my father. "Was that better." I asked, out of breath. His face said it all. "By 32 seconds. That's your fastest time yet." He said. I could hear the joy in his voice. He told me that he was going to talk to Scars jockey and gave me a kiss on the forehead before walking away. I turned to Hex and smiled. "Let's get you cooled." I said looking at his sweat covered face and lead him away.

I passed the wash stalls to look at my wash day and saw that it was tomorrow aka Thursday. I shrugged and walked away from the wash stalls and to the tack stalls across from them. I got to the third one which was, unfortunately, my personal one. I say unfortunately because a lot of people think I'm spoiled because my dad owns the stable which I find completely unfair and judgmental.

I got Hex 's saddle and saddle pad off and put to the side. I then grabbed my grooming kit and began scraping and wiping the sweat off him. After he was dry and brushed I moved onto his hooves that already clumped up with sand. After his body grooming was done I got his bridle off and started wiping his face down. I put his halter back on and brought him back to his stall where I took his halter off and hung it on his hook outside. He shoved his nose in my face and nudged me back. "Ok I'll get you a treat!" I said. I grabbed one of his cherry flavored treats and fed it to him. Before I walked away I have him a kiss on his nose then went to put his tack away.

I put his saddle and saddle pad on his hooks along with his bridle beside them. I wiped my forehead sweat and looked at the tack room clock. It said 1:14. I decided to go back home and grab lunch before heading to my best friend, Madilyn's house.

I walked across the dirt road and to the house's gate. I tired in the four diget code and continued up the paved driveway to my three story house. I went to the back of the house where the pool and porch were. I walked up the porch and finally into the house. It was very clean. It was a mix of marble glass floors with pale walls that were covered in horse paint ings. It definitely seemed like something from a movie. But I finally got to the kitchen. When I pushed into the swinging doors I noticed that my older brother, Jared, and younger brother, Jason, were sitting at the kitchen table. Unlike me the older boys wanted nothing to do with the racing business but stuck around to do online College classes. The younger one isn't aloud on a horse.

"Hey sis. I didn't hear you come in." Jared said, shutting off his phone in response. "Yeah I came in from the back and I took my shoes off." I said and we both looked at my clothed feet. "Oh okay." He said. I nodded while pulling the bread out of the bread box. I got out bread, avocado and honey to make toast. I'm not sure why but avocado toast is strangely good. After the toast popped out of the toaster I put my avocado that I look the skin off and cut on it. I drizzled honey on it and watched at the translucent sticky substance came out.

I sat down beside Jason who was playing with cars. "Btw I'm going over to Madilyn's." I said in between bites. "Do you want me to drive you there?" Jared asked. I shook my head. "No I'll take my skate board." I said. He sighed out an okay and went back to his phone.

Once I finished my toast and put my plate in the dishwasher, I gave my little brother a kiss on the head. I told jared bye and walked out the kitchen doors. Before I actually left the house I took my sweatshirt off and put it on my bed in my room before grabbing my phone and actually exiting the house. Once outside I grabbed my skate board that was on the side walk and walked to the front of the house and out the gates.

Once I made sure the gates were shut and locked I put my skate board down on the pavement while I made sure my shoes weren't untied then began my journey.