Oh my God you guys! I did NOT want to come home. I had such a great time, I was in horse heaven! My cousin's neighbor's have horses and me and the rest of the vistors had a free pass to come over and visit/pet/feed them anytime. And my first ever trip to Churchill Downs was amazing! I got so many great pictures. I spent two days there; First for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, then the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. On Friday, I got to see Barbaro's newly unveiled statue/grave which was one of the main reasons I wanted to go down there this year. It was such a great moment for me. I thought I'd be a mess, crying and all that, but I didn't. I just felt this peacefulness, like I had completed a journey that started when I first saw him in his first race. He was the first horse that I watched from the start of his career to the pre-mature finish...and I can't bring myself to ever do it again. I can't get attached when they're so frail and bad things can happen so easily. I have my favorite that I pick for the Derby, and that's the extent of it, I try not to get attached. This year, I liked a horse named "I Want Revenge." I was picking him to win the Derby. Then on Derby day, I woke up and was told "I Want Revenge has been scratched! He's not racing today! He got hurt!" I thought it was a cruel joke that my friend was playing on me because he knew that was my pick to win it. So now I had to either re-pick my horse, or just not bet at all.

When I got back to the track, I walked past Barbaro's statue once again. It's a replica of his run across the finish line in the 2006 Derby, all 4 legs off the ground, like he's flying. I examined the statue once more and took special note of the saddle towel he was wearing...the number 8. Every time I see a horse win a race wearing the 8, I think back to Barbaro's Derby. So I made the decision that whoever was wearing the 8 this year, was going to be the horse that I picked to win. I bought my program and looked up the 8 horse. A 50-1 longshot named Mine That Bird. "Great, the horse that I want to win it has no chance!" But I'd already made up my mind that I was betting on that horse. So I went to the wagering windows and said "In the 11th race, 20 dollars to win on the 8 horse." The lady at the window looked at me like I was nuts. Like she was thinking "Wow, throwing away $20, must be nice." Then when I got to my seat, I started thinking about it...what a waste of 20 bucks. I should go cancel the bet, and instead of putting it on him to win, put it on him to show...there's a chance he might get up to 3rd place, and it'll still pay a lot." But I didn't cancel it. The jockey that was riding the horse was having a great day, and he'd been on the filly that won the Oaks race the day before. And he's won the Derby before, so instead, I just went and placed a $10 bet on Mine That Bird to show. So I had a total of $30 tied up in a horse that had no chance, but I liked his number. He was also a bay color, which I think is such a pretty color for a horse. And he was a gelding ("fixed") and the first horse I ever picked to win the Derby was also a gelding that was given no chance to win, but I liked his name (Funny Cide).

So the race..."The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" comes to an end and from my seat, I can't see who won because we were so far away from the finish line, and I'm so short, I can't see the big screen. The kid next to me had binoculars and says, "I can't see the number...but it's the pink saddle towel." I nearly had a heart attack. "PINK?! PINK?! THE 8 IS PINK! IS IT A LIGHT PINK OR A DARK PINK?!" Poor guy looks scared to answer because he was afraid to give the wrong answer, and he goes, "It's a light pink." Then I start screaming "OH MY GOD! I HAD 20 BUCKS ON HIM TO WIN! HE WAS 50-1! HOLY S---! I HAD 10 ON HIM TO SHOW TOO!" By now, everyone is sitting down or leaving their seats because no one had that horse to win and they were pissed. So now I can see the big screen, and sure enough, there's the pink 8, on the bay horse, with the elated jockey. When I cashed in my tickets, I left the track with $1161! All because of one horse and the fond memories that are conjured up when I see the pink 8. The irony is, I lost $1000 when I bet on Barbaro to win the Preakness and he ended up breaking his leg. I didn't even care about losing all that money, I just cared that my horse was hurt and probably going to have to be put down. And now, I won that back and then some! I know a devine intervention when I see one, haha! So a portion of my winnings are going to a horse rescue so they can buy food and supplies for a horse rescued from slaughter. And one last thing...I just heard today that Mine That Bird's trainer took the blanket of roses that they put on the horse after they win the Derby and placed it over the railing of Barbaro's statue, to pay tribute to him. Then he and the horse's owner stood there for an hour and a half and passed out the roses to all of the "Fans of Barbaro" who had come to see the statue and the new Barbaro exhibit at the Kentucky Derby Museum. That story brought tears to my eyes. The trainer has a broken leg and he stood there until every rose was gone and signed autographs. I know one thing, I'll be cheering for this horse to win the Preakness! And even if he doesn't, he's still got a special place in my heart...as the horse that won at my first Kentucky Derby, and the horse that got me my biggest winnings I've ever gotten! I just pray that his life has a different outcome than Barbaro's.

But enough about my weekend, now onto what you really care about!

As Wheeler lays on his back by the lake while Sammie kisses him and awkwardly works on getting his pants off using just one hand as her other hand supports herself above him, he's giving himself a pep talk, trying to convince himself that he's doing the right thing.

"It's ok. This doesn't mean anything…it's part of the job. Sometimes when we have to work undercover, we need to do things we wouldn't normally do…things that we don't want to do. But I gotta keep up the act. It's the only way to get answers…Linka doesn't need to know. No one needs to know how I found out…It's for the team…it means nothing."

"Come on, don't just lay there…earn your pills!" Sammie says as she places kisses across his chest.

Wheeler reluctantly moves his hands to her waist and runs them up her sides as she begins kissing her way down his torso.

Then why do I feel so guilty? I'm not really Linka's boyfriend. This isn't cheating. Technically, Linka is nothing to me…No, that's not right. I'm nothing to her…she's everything to me.

"Sammie stop," he says as he gently pushes her away.

When she doesn't listen, he tries to sit up and crawl out from under her, but she won't stop.

"Sammie, I can't do this. I…I love Linka. I can't do this to her. I'm not a cheater. This would break her heart...it's breaking mine."

"Don't be stupid. We're just kids. She's an exchange student and will be gone in a few months."

"It doesn't matter. Age doesn't matter. Location doesn't matter. When you know, you just know. I love her, and I have since the moment I saw her."

"That's cute…really. Seriously," she says sarcastically. But she still persists. "She'll never have to know about this…you'll get your pills…and I'll get laid on Homecoming night…it's a win-win situation for everyone."

"Yeah, except I have a conscience…and I have a hard time believing you wouldn't somehow let it slip and Linka would find out. I'll find another way to get the drugs."

"No one else is gonna tell you. I rule the school. I have all the power. I can make you or break you. One word from me, and no one will ever talk to you, let alone tell you where to get your drugs."

"No offense, but you couldn't even get someone to ask you to the dance until you forced Justin to take you. I think maybe you over estimate your power over people," he says as he stands up, pulls up his pants, and fastens them. "People don't listen to you because they like you, they're afraid of you…I don't know why…maybe because they're afraid you'll make up lies about them like you did to Amanda. It's too bad she's not smart enough to realize what a crappy friend you've been to her."

Sammie laughs humorlessly.

"I'm gonna give you one more chance," she says as she throws herself at him once more and begins kissing him.

"Ha! And you call me a slut?" Amanda says from behind them.

Sammie pulls away and turns around, and as soon as she's out of the way, Dominic lands a punch to Wheeler's jaw, knocking him down.

"That's for Linka you bastard! How could you? She's a sweet girl. She deserves better."

Sammie sees this as an opportunity to play the victim.

"Oh thank God you two came when you did! I was just going for a walk by the lake when he came and we were talking, and then he tried to kiss me, and I told him no, that I didn't want to do that to Linka, but he kept insisting, and took off my shirt, and forced me to…"

"Oh give it a rest Sammie! We know that you were the one that was all over him," Amanda says.

"And how do you know that?"

"Linka told us," Dom says.

"WHAT?!" Wheeler yells as he rubs his jaw.

Sammie gets a satisfied smile on her face, but says nothing.

"She saw everything. She came to our tent and was freaking out," Amanda explains.

"Shit," he says under his breath. "Look, this isn't what it looks like. I'd never hurt Linka. Not on purpose…that's why I stopped. Where is she?"

"Probably halfway to Glendale by now," Dom says.

"I have to go!"

"You gonna walk? Cuz Linka was going to take your car," Amanda announces.

"How? I have the keys," he says as she reaches into his pocket and holds them up to prove it.

"Oh…well then maybe she won't be leaving," she concedes.

"Unless she got Justin to take her home," Sammie adds.

"No. She wouldn't ask him. She hardly knows him. I gotta find her," Wheeler says.

"You're the last person she wants to see right now," Amanda informs him.

"No, I need to explain. She'll understand."

"Understand?! How can you possibly explain having sex with another girl?!" Amanda asks.

"We didn't do anything! And I was only trying to get information on who to get drugs from. Sammie said she'd get them for me if I…did this."

"Whatever…it doesn't matter. Either way, you were betraying Linka. Either by having sex with Sammie, or by doing drugs. Clearly, she was against you trying to find a way to get them. She made that clear the first time we met you at lunch," Dom says.

Great…now what?

"The drugs weren't just for me. They were for Linka too. She's the one that got me hooked."

Please forgive me Babe.

"What? No way! Not Linka! She seems so…normal," Amanda says.

"I thought that when we moved out here, we could get away from the drugs…but it's been hard. Especially on her. At night, she's a mess. I know she's got a stash somewhere to get her through the day at school…but she's afraid of what'll happen when she runs out. That's why I was trying to find someone to supply us."

"Wow," Amanda says, disbelieving what she's hearing.

"I gotta go," Wheeler says as he runs back towards camp, wondering the whole time how he was going to explain to Linka, not just about what she saw with him and Sammie, but now because of him, her friends thought that she was a drug addict.

Once Linka has discovered that Wheeler must have the car keys, she goes to Justin and Sammie's tent.

"Justin?"

"Yeah?" He calls back.

"Can you take me home?"

He opens the tent and looks at her.

"Why? What's wrong? You sick? Where's Wheeler?"

"He is with Sammie…I do not want to talk about it. Please. Just take me home."

"Sure!" Justin is happy to oblige, seeing this as his opportunity to comfort the pretty Russian. "I'll get dressed and meet you by the Blazer."

During the ride home, Justin did his best to comfort her, also taking the opportunity to talk badly about Wheeler to try and make her even angrier and feel more hurt. The worse she felt, the more he got to look like the good guy and take care of her.

Once Wheeler is sure that no one can see or hear him, he tries to reach Ma-Ti.

"Wheeler?! What is going on? I am getting vibes from Linka, but every time I try to get more information out of her, she shuts me out. I would pick up pieces, but much of her words were in Russian. The only thing that I can tell is that she is very upset and angry. And when I could understand her, she was saying things like leaving you out there for the cougars and coyotes.

"Shit. She's mad at me."

"Now what did you do?"

"Remember how I told you that I had to do something in order to find out who was supplying the drugs?"

"Yes. And we told you that you should tell Linka about it, but you did not."

"Yeah. Well, she caught me."

"We told you so!"

"NOT NOW MA-TI!!! I gotta talk to her. Can you just get through to her and tell her to wait for me…"

"That is going to be hard Wheeler. She is very angry. And if she caught you…I am afraid I must side with Linka on this one."

"But I didn't do anything! I stopped it! I couldn't do it! All I kept thinking about was Linka. Ma-Ti, it's bad…Linka and I…before I was with Sammie…I was with Linka."

"WITH…? As in…intimately?"

"NO! Not quite. She stopped me…which is what makes her seeing me with Sammie even worse."

"She is going to think that since you and she did not go through with it, that you went to Sammie instead…"

"I KNOW!!! Please! You gotta help me."

"I will try," Ma-Ti says as he breaks their connection.

By now, Wheeler has returned to their tent and sees that Linka is nowhere to be found. He changed out of his sweats and threw on his tux pants and shirt. All of her stuff is gone and so is Justin's SUV. When Wheeler goes to Justin's tent, his worst suspicions are confirmed…she's left…with another guy. A guy who has a crush on her. He wouldn't be surprised if Sammie had this planned with Justin all along.

Wheeler was driving home when Ma-Ti got back to him.

"I am sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. She was blocking me out. But I just thought you would like to know that she just got home, she is safe, but still very angry. She will not talk to me, Kwame, or Gi about it…And Wheeler…a guy dropped her off. He walked her to the door and…"

"And? And what?!"

"They kissed."

"No. He kissed her. She didn't kiss him back," Wheeler insisted.

"Yeeeeeeah she did."

"She's not like that!" He knew Linka. He knew she doesn't just kiss guys for no reason. It took her how many years to kiss him? And he was fairly certain that she felt something for him, even if it did take a while for her to show it.

"I asked her about it, and she was very angry. She said it was not my business who she kissed. I said that it was because you were my friend, and she said that you and her are not a couple so it does not matter what she does and that she would have asked him to come inside, but could not since, Gi, Kwame, and I were here."

"I don't believe that for a second. She's just angry. She wouldn't have…"

"I would not be so sure Wheeler. It was a pretty serious, intense kiss," Ma-Ti confesses. "Kinda like the one you and she had that night of the party, when you were letting everyone know that Linka was 'taken' when she got out of the pool."

"Where is she now?"

"Swimming. I guess she is burning off some steam. She is doing laps in the pool."

"I'll be there in like, a half hour," Wheeler says as he presses the gas pedal of the Corvette a little harder.

To Be Continued...