Madison v.s The Travelling Exchange Students

Chapter Two: The Meeting From Hell

"Are you sure you're okay?" Alex urges, pushing the brown hair that had fallen from my face back into place.

"Yes!" I reply for the eighth time. "I've told you."

I adjust my position on the couch in Antonio's office with a wince. The truth was, I'd fallen pretty hard. The bruises have already started to form on my shoulder, not to mention the pain in my lower back every time I move.

Of course, I got off lucky compared to Sarah. The ambulance left me behind and only took Sarah.

"When I said to not do better than me, I didn't mean fall off and hurt yourself," Alex jokes.

Slowly, I place my head in my hands. I am not in the mood for jokes.

My head continues to throb as I touch the band-aid that holds my forehead together. Alex gets up from crouching in front of me and joins me on the couch. He lightly kisses my head.

"You still haven't fallen off more than me."

"Wanna bet?" I laugh, painfully.

I can feel Alex's smile.

The office door opens with a creak and I slowly lookup. Justin, the head groom at SEC, enters with a bag in his hand.

"Brought you some ice Miss Maddie," Justin says, moving the plastic bag in his hand.

I flash Justin the best smile I can muster in this pain. "Thank you, Justin."

The plastic bag rustles as Justin hands it to Alex to place on my back. The cold causes me to grimace. I give Justin another smile as he wipes his wet hands on his red SEC shirt. I still can't believe I thought this man was the one responsible for stealing horses.

When horse thieves were breaking into SEC last year I made it my mission to capture them. It got in my brain that it was Justin who was the mole, helping out the thieves. My accusations cost him two weeks in jail.

Oh, was I wrong?

The mole turned out to be Jess, one of the instructors here at the centre.

"How's Sarah?" I murmur just loud enough for Justin to hear. 

The man runs a hand through his red, cropped hair. "Antonio just got a call from her Dad. Currently, she is at the hospital but so far she has a fractured wrist and elbow."

"Oh my," I say to no one in particular.

"Antonio also wanted you to know Alex, he is holding a meeting in the Admin room and all Senior and Junior Competition riders are required to be there."

Alex pinches the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Fine. I'll be there soon."

Justin nods towards the two of us before exiting the office. Silence fills the room.

"So are you going to help me walk to the Admin room?" I ask.

Alex shoots me a confused glare. "What? No, you are staying here."

"I'm just stiff and bruised Alex. I have nothing broken."

Unlike Sarah, I can't help but think. My best friend.

"This meeting can't be that important. I'll tell you what happens."

I shake my head. "No. I am going."

Alex hangs his head, gripping my hand with his. "Alright."

"Thank you, Prince of Riding."

"It has been a year, stop calling me that!"