MSRA ⇢ Starting New

⇢ 18 ; finale

The last months of school flew by. Nothing interesting happened at all, except Abby and Liam started dating. Oh, and Hope got better after a few weeks. She had just been pushed to her breaking point and needed a while to rest. When she got back into work, she was better than ever, bringing me all blues at a three-phase my cross-country team went to.

Now, there was one more day of school: One week before parents came to haul their kids and horses away for the summer, only to return the following fall.

"Last day of school," Noah said, handing me an iced coffee from student support as we walked into our school building. 

"I know," I said as I took the coffee. I took a sip and the sweet, creamy coffee filled my mouth. "It's making me sad."

"Why?" he asked. "No more school, no more homework!"

"I won't get to see you everyday," I frowned, taking my seat. "No more school, no more Noah."

"We're still going to see each other," he said. "We're only a state away from each other. Plus, don't we already have that road trip planned?"

"The one to Florida?" I asked. "That's not for another month."

"I know, but it's still something," he said. "We'll survive, trust me."

I overheard Ethan and Bridget talking about the road trip as well. We were all flying into South Carolina the day before and staying at Noah's house, and driving down to Florida. The whole trip would take a week, and we were planning on going to a bunch of different horse shows and stay in a condo on the beach.

-

All we did in classes all day was throw out old papers, hand back textbooks, and say bye to teachers and classmates. In the riding classes, we had mini competitions, and I won in cross country and dressage. As a prize in cross country, I got an 'MSRA' saddle cover, and in dressage I got some polo wraps.

Back in the dorms, I started packing. I left out my outfits for the next week, but packed virtually everything else, leaving my laptop and bed out. I piled my bags by the door with a sigh. I was going to miss the school. It was definitely my best school year, my grades never dropping below an 85%. Not only were my grades good, but I met the most incredible people, and I got to go to school with my horse. What else could you ask for?

After I finished my packing, Bridget and I headed to dinner together, eating waffles and bacon for our last day of school.

"I'm definitely going to miss this," Bridget said.

"What, school?" I asked, taking a bite of my syrup covered food.

"No," she replied. "You. I've never had a best friend like you before."

"Aw, Bridgey," I smiled. "I'll miss you too. We'll keep in touch, I promise!"

"Hey so the other day when I was filling out my school paperwork, I requested to have you as a roommate again next year," she said. "I hope you're okay with that."

"Are you kidding?" I exclaimed. "I did the same thing!"

"Good," she laughed. "I don't know what I'd do if I weren't your roommate next year."

"I'd probably cry," I admitted. "Like for real."

"Me too," she laughed. "So, you bringing Hope back next year? I'm not bringing Scarlet, my parents are buying me a new horse."

"Oh really?" I asked. "Keep me updated on how that goes! And no, I'm bringing my gelding Moose. He's a lot younger and he has a lot to learn. My sister is outgrowing her pony and Hope's all hers."

"Awe, well I can't wait to meet him," she said. "But right now I think we both need to get some sleep."

We got up and threw our trash away before heading back to our almost-empty room and falling asleep.

-

The next week was over before it even started. Before I knew it, I was packing my bags into the bed of my Dad's pick up, and we were loading Hope and all her tack into the trailer.

"Do you have everything?" Dad asked as I put the last of my stuff into the trailer.

"I think so," I said, getting sad. "I don't want to leave."

"I know you don't," Mom said. "But you'll be back here before you know it."

"Yeah," I weakly smiled. "Let me just go see Bridget and Noah and we can leave, okay?"

"Alright, take your time," Dad said. "We'll be here."

I ran back to the dorms and found Bridget in our room. "You leaving?" she asked.

I just nodded and hugged her. "I'll see you in a month," is all I could say. I didn't want to cry, not here, not now.

"I'll see you in a month," she said quietly back. I pulled away and left our room, bumping into Noah on my way out.

"Noah," I sniffled, just hugging him tightly. He hugged me back, burying his face in my hair.

"It's okay, Kat," he said as I started crying. "Hey, it's only a couple of weeks."

"I know," I said, pulling away. "Sorry, I'm being pathetic."

"Hey, no," he said quietly, wiping away some of my tears. "No, we'll see each other soon, okay?"

I nodded and sniffled before hugging him again. He pulled away to give me a kiss.

"I love you, okay?"

"I love you too," I said before kissing him again. "I have to go, my parents are waiting."

"Go," he said. "Text me when you get home, okay?"

"Okay," I nodded, before turning away and leaving the place I've called home for the past nine months.

"Ready to go?" Mom asked as I walked back to the truck.

"Yeah," I said, wiping away more of my tears as I climbed into the truck.