the exception [pin hawthorne] 𝐢𝐢

chapter three

"Seriously, I swept this whole yard yesterday, why is Mia making us do it again," whined Olivia. Becky simply groaned in annoyance as a response.

"Zoe, where have you been?" Jade asked when she saw Zoe arrive. "Mia's being, even more Mia than usual."

"I had a dozen different dreams about stealing the cup yesterday. Is Pin here?" She asked.

"Don't think so," Jade replied.

"No one's seen him since yesterday," Becky said.

"Right, well I went to Holloway, they said he was fine," Olivia said.

"What do you mean they said he was fine?" Zoe asked.

"Well I asked them if they'd seen him, and they told me he was there at Holloway and that he was fine," Olivia said.

"And you just left him there with Holloway?!" She exclaimed.

"Well, what did you want me to do? Kick the doors down and bust him out? Honestly, just be glad they didn't call the police on you guys," Olivia said as she kept sweeping.

Before Zoe could retort, a stranger rode in on Raven, though Zoe seemed to have seen him before since she started getting mad at him.

"Ah, I see you've all met our new trainer, James Forsythe!" Mia exclaimed.

"Our new trainer?" Zoe said in surprise.

"The pleasure's mine," he said. "And training starts... fifteen minutes ago," he added, looking at his watch.

"Alright then, Zoe, Susie, Jade, and Olivia, get ready for training, be in the paddock in ten," Mia said, walking away.

Olivia headed for the tack room, taking her riding hat and putting on her jacket, before heading back out to the paddock. The other girls, save for Jade, were already there. Jade eventually arrived, wearing a fluorescent green frilly shirt, which upon further inspection, Olivia found to have been made by Becky. Mia and Susie giggled.

"Are you fundraising?" Susie mocked.

"No, it's a gift from Becky," Jade answered.

"Or, I could pay you not to wear it if you like," laughed Mia.

"It looks awesome Jade," Olivia reassured her.

"Are they limited edition, or can she make me one?" Zoe added.

"Okay, listen up," James said, walking in. "Two buckets each, two laps of the arena, and two months to get you ready for Junior nationals.

"Well this isn't training, these are buckets," Zoe said.

"It's discipline," Mia said.

"Thank you, Mia. From now on, the order of importance in this scenario is me, then your horse, then the buckets, then the fence, and then you," he said, before blowing the whistle. Olivia hastily picked up the buckets. They were heavier than what she was used to carrying, but her agility made up for it. It didn't take her long to finish her two laps. She had to agree, it did seem ridiculous, but she supposed she would just have to trust James knew what he was doing.

"I can see why you think James Forsythe is the best Mia because I can now carry straw like a champ," Zoe said after completing an extra task James had her do for being out of line.

"Oh no," Jade said as a notification popped up on her phone.

"What is it?" Wondered Olivia.

"Oh no the article about Zoe's Holloway heist must be up," Mia said, taking out her own phone.