Chapter 7:

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Mina looked out across the land breathless. She had been there for a total of less than 24 hours, and didn't want to leave. It was so wild, and untamed. Then she saw the 5 people.
"Serena! Look!"
Serena turned her head. Andrew was riding towards them.
"Shit!"
Grady turned.
"What?"
"Grady…could you be a sweet-heart, and hold off Andrew for us while we get to school?"
"Why?"
"Just…please?"
Mina looked at him, and gave him her best puppy-eyes.
"Oh…not another one…fine. I'll do it…"
Grady turned his black stallion, Coal towards Andrew.
"Great! Let's go!"
Emma didn't question. But she knew who the other people were. Andrew had caught her just before school let out, and told her everything. So she was in on it. They all raced off towards the school. A gathering crowd was forming, and people were placing bets already. Serena and Mina were in the first heat.

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Ray, Ami, Lita, Darien, and Andrew were sitting among the huge group of people. The first heat was staring in less than 5 minutes.

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Serena looked around. Molly, Mina, Luke, and Becca were the people that she knew in this heat. They all leaned forward, awaiting the bell. They were off. All of them were neck in neck. Mina started to edge out, Becca following, Molly, Luke, and then her. The end came closer and closer. Serena dug her heels into the flanks of her horse, and was off. She passed a large group of people, Molly, Luke, Becca…and gaining on Mina.
"C'mon…let's go!"
Guardian responded, and went faster. She flew past Mina, and crossed the finish line.

~~~

The race was a close one. But near the end of the race, the last horse suddenly became second, and then first. A loud cheer went up from the crowd. Darien looked around to see who won.
"Hey Andrew? Who won?"
"I don't know. I didn't got the chance to see!"
"Dammit!"
They all watched the next race. And the race after that. They it hit him. The girl riding the black horse has been in every race. Riding to win.

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On the last race, Serena was racing against Grady.
"Good luck Grady!"
"You to Rena!"
Coal and Guardian strained under each rider. Then they were free. Serena didn't race this race like she normally did. She bolted right ahead. Grady was on her tail.
"Guardian…can you go faster?"
The horse responded, and went faster. Grady couldn't catch up. The horse in front of him was way too fast. But he finished running the race. The crowd started chanting Rena! Rena!

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Serena looked at the crowd. Everyone was chanting her name…sort of. She looked at Mina. Her hair was done up like Serena used to wear it.
"You won!"
"Yup! Again!"
"3rd week in a row hey 'Rena?"
"That's right Em!"
"Here's your hat."
"Thanks!"
Serena jumped off of her horse, and slowly walked her to the corral with the other racing horses.

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Darien watched as the girl they called Rena walked her horse over and into the corral. She looked so happy that she won. And she looked Texan. He scanned the crowed for Serena, but didn't see her.
She's probably late…
Andrew smiled at his friend as he scanned the area for Serena.
He's so dense…does he not know that Rena is Serena?

~~~

Everyone congratulated her on winning again. And the day quickly ended. She was so glad that she could go home. She felt like someone was trying to find her, and that same someone was always watching her. She walked towards the corral, and her horse was waiting for her.
"Good girl. You did very good today!"
Serena kissed her nose.
"Are we ready to go?"
"Yeah!"
They walked slowly through the fields towards the ranch.
"Congrats on winning again…"
"Thanks Mina!"
They reached the ranch. Cal's truck was outside, and caked in mud. Savannah was grinning when they all pulled up.
"Well you guys! You all get to wash the truck!"
"Great! I need a cool down anyways!"
"Mother? Why are you so happy?"
"Because your father…has brought something home for all of you. Mina…you too. But you can't get it until you wash his truck!"
Everyone races upstairs, pushing and shoving to get to their rooms so they can change into shorts and tank tops. Grady was waiting for then outside.
"Ok. I don't want to wash…I'll supervise…"
"Fine!"
Serena, Mina and Emma picked up sponges, and buckets of water. They began washing the truck down, and needed the hose to rinse it off.
"Hey girls?"
They all tuned. Water came shooting out at them.
"AH! GRADY! YOU JERK!"
He laughed.
"So? What one is which?"
"You'll have to guess!"
Emma and Serena had both pulled their hair up, wore the same color cut offs, and their bikini tops which here also the same shade of pink. Mina on the other hand, was also wearing cut offs, and her red bikini top, and her hair done up in the same style that Serena had once worn it.

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"Ok! Let's go see Grady and Emma!"
Andrew led them out of the house, and into the field.
"This is a shortcut to the Starlight Ranch…" he told him.
Nobody complained. It was so hot outside, in the beginning of October that the girls had changed into shorts, and their bikini tops. The girls each wore their sun visors, colored from each other their planets. Ray wore red, her red top, Ami, blue with her dark blue top, and Lita with a green one with her jade green top. They all wore black cut offs, and their sneakers.

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Mina ran after Grady, trying to jump on his back, and pin him to the ground.
"Mina! Keep trying!" Emma laughed.
She kicked Grady's knees out from under him, and he fell to the ground.
"HA!"
Serena and Emma ran over to them, with buckets of water in hand.
"Girls…now…GIRLS!"
Mina flipped him over, and sat on his stomach.
"Mina…get off me… MINA!" he laughed.
She started to tickle his sides.
"MINA! STOP IT!"
"No!"
Mina continued to tickle Grady.

~~~

Darien was deep in thought.
Where is Serena? And why haven't I seen her?
He just shook his head.
What happens if I totally blew it with her? What happens if I ruined the future? What happens if Rini is never born?
Andrew looked at his best friend, and knew by the look on his face that he as thinking about Serena, and Mina has constantly been on his mind. He really wished that she had been there to see him off. But she wasn't. And he couldn't blame her. They got off on the wrong hand he night before, and she left his place in tears. But looking on the scene in front of them was something to laugh about. There was Grady; on his back being tickled by what he thought was one of Emma's friends.

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Mina could tell her hair was going to fall out. She felt it slipping, and then it fell out. Golden hair cascaded around her shoulders.

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Andrew held his breath.
"Mina…" he whispered.
Ray and Lita looked at the girl with very long blond hair.
"MINA!"
They ran to her.