I walked into class, exhausted. I had my schedule changed due to photography being packed with everyone who thought it was an easy A. I was switched into being a teacher's aide, for film. The same class Sasha and Heather were in. They spotted me and waved me over. I walked over to them and pushed the seat down, and took a seat. "What are you doing here?" Heather asked me.
"Photography is filled, so now I'm an aide" I told them.
The bell ringing blasted loudly in the auditorium, and a man walked from the back, forward, onto the stage`s front. "Hello class! My name is Mr. Miller, or you can call me Mr. M!" he clasped his hands and continued to speak. "Sorry for putting you all through a couple of weeks in drama, I was recovering from having my appendix being taken out. Now, Mr. Ramirez has served your middle school film class, but I'll take over high school. In high school, we focus on two things. Filming, and acting." He grinned at us all. "So let's separate into two groups, people who want to film, produce, or direct; and people who want to act. Actors on the left, directors on the right"
"What if you want to be both?" someone asked.
Mr. M ecstatically answered "Ah, yes! Charlie Chaplin, Ben Affleck, Ben Stiller. All actors and directors. Those who want to be both will be in the middle. Now everyone, get into your sections!" People shuffled around, and I looked up from my phone. Sasha was in the Directors/Actors, and Heather in the Actors. I was the only still sitting. "Ah, and you must be my aide. The one who does absolutely nothing and just sits around on their phone" he said and I looked jump and smiled, holding my thumbs up.
"Das me" I winked. Everyone laughed, including Mr. M.
"It's nice to know we have a light-hearted gal in here!" he said. "Everyone, now take your seats."
As he talked about requirements for this class Heather looked ahead and an idea popped in her head. "Let's do chase me Charlie today" she told us.
I sat up, my interest was peaked.
. . .
I sat on Impulse as Sasha`s boyfriend, Jacob, raised the pole to 4'6. Heather cantered in, Aristocrat soared over the jump, and the flashy thoroughbred took the single effortlessly. Next was Sasha, Charm had just barely cleared the jump, tapping the rail with his hind. Impulse took off, excited to jump big. He tried to run to the jump, but I forced him to collect. He pushed himself strongly over the jump, giving room to spare. "How are you guys not scared?" Jacob asked us.
"I just shut my eyes and hope for the best" Sasha joked, as he raised the pole up another hole. Heather headed to the jump, and Aristocrat hit the brakes.
"Thanks a lot Jacob" Heather snapped at him. She circled her horse and lightly spurred him. Aristocrat tried to put as much space between him and the pole, just hardly jumping the height of the standards.
Sasha was next and Charm hit the jump, but somehow the pole didn't fall over. Charm clumsily landed and Sash was nearly thrown onto his neck. I clapped for her "Watch and learn girls" I grinned as I gathered my reins.
"All right Pirate, let's see what you got" Heather told me. My developing nickname was "Arr" and Heather took that into her on hands. I cantered to the now 4'9 jump and Impulse got excited. As soon as I let his face he took off. Impulse took a long spot, and cleared the jump with scope.
"Uhh, this is the last hole" Jacob said, as he raised the jump for the last time. It was now my height, and I took a deep breath. Heather took the jump, Aristocrat skimmed the pole, and heather screamed as she descended from the jump. I cringed as I saw her foot slip and her stirrup violently thrown upwards and hitting her thigh. I covered my mouth with my hands as she leaned on her horse's neck and slowed him to a walk.
"I'm good" she groaned. Sasha took a deep breath, and headed to the jump. Charm took the jump confidently, but hit the jump hard. The pole tumbled down and Heather laughed. "Give it your best shot Pirate" she told me.
I breathed deeply, and gave a small tap with my leg. My horse raced forward, excited to jump. I grabbed him and organized his stride on the straightaway to the jump, and took a short distance to the jump. Impulse awkwardly took the jump, but managed not to touch the pole. I slapped his neck with pats as he flared his nose. My hand started to coat with his sweat, even with the cool air blowing.
Jacob was stunned "… what do I do now?"
Heather grinned big. "Put the pole on top of the standards" Jacob hesitantly did so, and Heather took the challenge. Aristocrat hit the jump with his hind, and it rolled off the standards. "Nooo!" she groaned as she looked behind her.
"So either I win, or we tie" I looked her in the eye. I smooched and Impulse actually moved calmly under me. He took big strides to the jump. "I'm not going to make it" I yelled, approaching the jump. Impulse took off, slightly long. I screamed as I looked down at the pole under us "I love this horse!" there was plenty of space under us and we landed. Impulse threw an excited buck and after transitioning to a walk, I hugged his neck. "I looove this horse" I said as he halted and sniffed my boot.