Madison v.s The Travelling Exchange Students

Chapter Five: Off We Go

My bags are packed, my tack is in the truck and everything else I need is waiting on the bus.

Oh, along with the great, big pile of nerves that decided to tag along for the trip.

Yipee!

My teeth chatter while I fiddle with Margo's necklace. The sun has risen and the sky is a misty blue as I walk down towards the lavish SEC stables. For a year this has been the place where I've had fun, have cried, have completed my dreams, gone on adventures, and made the best memories.

Now I have to say goodbye to it for eight months.

See ya later Admin room! Adios Antonio's office! Goodbye tack room!

Until we meet again. Hopefully.

I weave my way through the trucks and cars that are parked outside the wooden building. Grooms are buzzing around like worker bees. 

Inside the stable, the members of the competition teams are leading their horses out of stalls. Will flashes me a smile as he breezes past with his gelding Romeo.

Now it is time to get my boy.

Virgo's stall is on the left side of the stable, right up the back. As I walk, I take a quick look into each stable. When I reach Jupiter's stall I stop. His grey ears have flopped back and his back leg is cocked up.

Sadness for Sarah wells in me. We were meant to be going on this trip together.

"Good boy, Jups. She'll be back soon," I whisper as I leave his stall.

I arrive at Virgo's stall and run my fingers along with the gold nameplate as I look inside.

Won't be seeing that for a while.

Virgo seems to also be as sleepy as Jupiter, with his head facing away from me. He is wearing his blue cotton rug, which is helpfully covered in shavings. I take his leather halter off its hook and step inside the stall.

"Hey, chocolate head," I murmur, so as not to startle him.

Virgo lifts his head as he wakes from his slumber. A low nicker comes from him as I rustle for a treat to give.

"Here you go boy," I say.

Virgo slaps up the carrot in my hand. I secure the halter around his head before giving his glossy, brown neck a pat. 

"Say goodbye. We will come back, I promise. Just not for a little while," I whisper to Virgo.

Virgo just blinks. I stroke the white snip on his muzzle. My favourite part of him.

"Hey, Maddie."

I turn around. It is Sophie, leaning on Virgo's stall door with Liberty in her hand. Virgo leads me to the door so he and Liberty can touch noses.

"Hey?" I reply.

Sophie pulls her black hair over her shoulder. "You ready for this trip?"

"Yes. Super stoked. These exchange students are a bit of a mood killer though."

Sophie smiles. "Yeah."

I awkward let my eyes drop to the ground then back up at Sophie.

"Look," I start, fidgeting with the necklace again, "how does Georgia know about this Elias guy."

Sophie's smile fades and she rubs the back of her neck. "Oh, not really sure."

I raise my eyebrows. "Really?"

She doesn't meet my eyes. "Well... I do know but I don't know. She hates it when I bring it up."

"Is he really a big deal?" I ask.