Madison v.s The Travelling Exchange Students

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Another Secret Meeting

The grey mare's legs snap up at the right second, allowing her to soar through the air. Sophie follows Liberty's movement, shifting up and out of her jump saddle. The evening sun glints behind them, making me to squint to see.

They looked like a picture-a perfect horse with an even more perfect girl perched on its back.

Their moment in time ends as Liberty allows gravity to catch her and bring the pair back down to the soft arena sand.

"Don't just sit there after you finish the jump, ride to the next one Sophie!" Antonio calls from the centre of the outdoor arena.

Sophie grips with her calf and pushes stronger with her seat as Liberty canters up to the next jump in the grid line. The mare seems to wobble for a stride but Sophie keeps her legs on, staring deep at the centre of the blue and purple verticle.

At the right moment, Liberty lifts into the air, Sophie gently rising with her. Her brown ponytail even defies gravity with her.

Clearing it by miles, the grey lands softy in the sand on the other side, Sophie sitting back right away and allowing her horse to come back to a nice controlled canter.

With a nod of approval from Antonio, Liberty transitions back into a walk. A beaming Sophie lets Liberty walk on a long rein to join the rest of the group.

"Well that's it for today, everyone," Antonio smiles, turning to face the line of students on horses lined up against the arena fence. "Tomorrow we'll all meet together with the Senior Team."

Hopefully early in the morning before the Darwin heat scorches us.

Antonio untucks his folder from under his arm and makes his way out the arena gate.

We were scheduled to leave the NT tomorrow but with Elias and I's trick of making the tires disappear, that is not on the table for a few more days.

"Good, we can finally go and eat," Bishop grumbles, leaning down and scratching Rosie's neck.

I giggle. "You're always hungry."

"So?"

I squeeze a very tired Virgo forward so we can cool down. Bishop tells Rosie to do the same.

"Did you see my amazing last round?" I hear Sophie shout with glee.

Glancing over my shoulder I see her leaning to one side to get closer to Elias who is riding Åska around the outside track.

"You looked fantastic," Elias mumbles back from under his helmet.

Seeing Sophie swooning in her saddle makes me want to puke. Apparently, someone else feels the same way.

"God, yeah, yeah we get it! You're such an amazing riding duo," Georgia scowls, pushing Aviation into a forward walk to overtake Sophie and Elias.

Bishop and I exchange a look.

Sophie sags her shoulders, her bottom lip sticking slightly out. Elias takes a gloved hand and rests it on the small of her back. I can't ignore the ugly scowl he throws Georgia's way as she rides away from them.

Something even harder to ignore however is the bruise taking up a good portion of Elias's left cheek. The purple-green patch sort of glows in the late afternoon light.

He made up some lie the day after the dinner that he got it when Åska accidentally headbutted him. Look I've seen a horse knock a person's cheek out and maybe it's because I'm the only person that knows what truly happened, but I don't understand why everyone is believing his story.