Red Oak Academy Book One: Mount Up

~Chapter Eleven~

Saturday morning I woke up at six thirty. I pulled on some denim breeches and a pink athletic shirt. I slipped on some tall black boots and went out the door after grabbing my phone.

The rest of the week had flown by and Liz and I had got together a few times to practice. I had helped her get Sadie ready Friday night. We had bathed, clipped, and braided her. When we had parted last night, I had promised her that I would meet her at the barn at 6:45.

I hurried through the cold autumn air and into the barn. I made my way to Sadie's stall. She wasn't there and I soon found her in a pair of crossties a few stalls down.

Her blanket and sleezie were off and Liz was brushing her. Her roan coat was shining.

"Hey Liz! She looks great," I told her.

"Rilee! Thanks!" She replied.

I grabbed a brush and helped Liz finish grooming Sadie. When I was done I checked the time on my phone. It was 8:15. "Hey Liz," I called to her.

"Yeah?" She looked up from her spot on the other side of Sadie.

"Ya might want to go get changed cause it's 8:15," I showed her the time on my phone.

She nodded,"Kay, I'll be back in a little while."

She walked down the aisle and went into the bathroom with her clothes. About fifteen minutes later, she came back out of the bathroom wearing dove gray breeches, a white show shirt, and a custom made black show jacket.

"Wow, you look great Liz," I exclaim.

She blushed,"Thanks!"

I slipped Sadie's bridle on while Liz put on a choker pin and a pair of gloves. I led Sadie down the aisle toward a warm-up ring and Liz followed, pulling on her black helmet.

We walked to the center and I handed Liz the reins. She looped the reins over Sadie's neck and mounted. I walked out and climbed into the skybox.

Liz started warming-up. After a few laps, she started doing small exercises. She did a few lead changes and serpentines. She popped over the two jumps in the center of the arena. They looked amazing and totally ready.

I climbed down from the skybox and walked to the gate where Liz was exiting. "You guys looked great!" I praised her.

She smiled,"Thanks, hopefully Mr Jones thinks the same thing."

We made our way to large arena where the testing was taking place, me on foot and her sitting atop Sadie's back. When we got there she took a deep breath and urged Sadie forward with her spurs.

Since Sadie could be super stubborn, Liz had to use both a crop and a pair of spurs.

I climbed into the new skybox and watched as Liz rode around the arena on the rail. Every time Mr Jones gave her a command, she did it almost instantly.

I watched intently and didn't notice Regina and her two friends climb into the skybox until Regina spoke right into my ear making me jump,"You here to see your sorry little friend fail?" (Sorry Liz! I don't mean this at all!)

I glared at her,"Jeez do you love scaring people out of their minds? You could've told me you were here."

She smirked,"I did just now when I asked you that question."

"No I'm not here to see my friend fail, I'm here to see her do way better than you did."

"Sassy are we? Well I can take some of that sass right out of your sorry little mouth. Y'know Drew is known to cheat a lot. He is a ladies man and he flirts around with everyone."

"Why are you telling me this," I questioned with a sick feeling in my stomach.

She smiled a sickly sweet smile,"Because I wouldn't want my best friend Ri Ri getting hurt by a guy would I?"

I pretended to gag,"Please we are not best friends and we never will be so leave me alone!"

She rolled her eyes and sat down next to her friends, Jenni and another girl named Blaire that didn't ride.

I focused back on Liz who was now starting the course. She and Sadie started out great then when they landed the third jump, Liz asked for more speed to get over the next oxer and Sadie wouldn't go any faster.

Liz went with and and just put an extra stride in. I was amazed, I couldn't easily fix my stride like that. After that Liz and Sadie worked in harmony and completed the course with no rails down.

After she finished her dressage round, Liz rode to the middle. Mr Jones walked over to her. "I'm not going to make you wait for my decision."

I groaned. Lucky duck, the waiting was the worst part!

He glanced up at the skybox,"Do you want your friends to leave?"

I snorted, you could hardly call all of us friends. Frenemies maybe. But not friends.

She shook her head,"It's okay, I'm fine with them being here."

"Okay," he nodded. "Well in that case, you have great equitation and you can tell that you and Sadie have a great bond. The team I'm placing you on is...," he dramatically paused and I gripped the edge of my seat tightly. "the Advanced Team!"

"Yeaaahhhh!!" I cheered and raced out of the skybox to congratulate her.

I moved past Regina who looked like she just ate sour grapes. I laughed at her expression then hugged Liz from behind after she dismounted.

"Great job! I knew you would make it," I told her happily.

"Thanks," she said smiling. "That felt amazing!"

"You looked amazing! I can't wait to have lessons with you!"

"I know, me too! Hey I have an idea, why don't we go to that desert place the..."

"The Sweet Café?"

She nodded,"Yeah that's the one, we should go there to celebrate!"

"Definately, let's just get Sadie here taken care of then we can go," I replied.

We untacked her and gave her a special rubdown for how good she did then we hung out at the SC for a little while. Life was good, I had a great new friend, a perfect (well hopefully) boyfriend, and a wonderful roomie/bestie.

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Hello!!

Second update in two days! Yay!

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This chapter is dedicated to _heyitsemma. Thanks bunches for your votes! It means a lot to me!!

In the media is Liz and Sadie! ♡

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Q.O.T.C.

What is your favorite Christmas tradition you have?
Mine is to open our stockings Christmas Eve.

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Kisses,
ABBI ♡♡