CHAPTER TWO
(Chapter Title - Changing Lives (Reprise))
Lily was in a deep sleep when the sound of a trumpet woke her up, nearly having her fall out of bed.
"Dat?" Phoebe asked sleepily, lifting her eye mask.
"Probably time to get up" Robin said, already dressed and was brushing her hair.
Savanna, Lily and Rachel were still fast asleep.
Eventually, the girls got up and headed to the Mess Hall for breakfast before checking the clipboard to see which workshops were available.
"I think I'm gonna do Improv and Shakespeare today" Robin said to herself, getting a tray and piled it high with food before grabbing a carton of orange juice. She then went to her assigned table - Lin-Manuel Miranda.
There weren't many people in the Mess Hall that morning, but eventually, everyone trickled in and went to get food before sitting at their assigned tables.
After breakfast, Robin went to find the Improv Workshop, following the hand-painted signs. She smiled as she found it and sat down, adjusting the hem of her shirt.
Ian smiled as he saw a small handful of students in front of him, "hello everyone and welcome to Improv. I'm Ian and we're just gonna play some games and have fun."
"This guy is way too perky for my liking" a guy whispered to Robin.
"Tell me about it" Robin whispered back to him, "I'm Robin, by the way."
"Chandler" the boy - Chandler - said, smiling.
The workshop went by fast and Robin was on her way to Shakespeare, along with Chandler and another guy from Improv - Ross.
In Shakespeare, the fourteen students were paired up and assigned a scene from Romeo Juliet to perform for everyone.
Robin and Chandler were paired up and assigned the balcony scene.
"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east and Juliet is the sun
Arise, fair sun and kill the envious moon
Who is already sick and pale with grief
That thou, her maid art more fair than she
Be not her maid since she is envious
Her vestal livery is but sick and green
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off" Chandler said, looking deep into Robin's eyes.
"Bravo Chandler!" Ruby said, smiling from her director's chair.
The class applauded and both Chandler and Robin took bows.
At lunch, everyone headed to the mess hall, chattering happily with friends old and new.
Barney ate his Mac and cheese as he stared at Mollie, "by the end of camp, I'm gonna get her number."
Marshall rolled his eyes as he took a bite of his burger, "she's out of your league, dude."
"Hasn't stopped him before" Ted said as he sat next to Barney, "don't play the 'have you met Ted' card, dude. It's getting old."
"Speaking of old, how long has this camp been here?" Joey asked, sitting on the other side of Barney, "because I swear this is where Dirty Dancing was filmed."
"Dirty Dancing was filmed in North Carolina Virginia, so I don't think so" Ross said, coming over, "do you really think they'll make us sing for the musical audition?"
"Well, the camp is putting on a musical, so ya would think they would want us to sing. Were you gonna rap your song?" Chandler asked sarcastically as he ate his Mac and cheese.
Barney snorted into his Mac and cheese.
"Is he always like this?" Ted asked, running a tongue over his teeth.
"Who Chandler? Pretty much" Ross said, looking over to the table where Monica, Rachel and Phoebe were. He then looked at Robin and noticed how pretty she was. He then turned to his friends, "hey, is Robin single?"
"I think so, but she's not your type" Marshall said.
"Why? What's her type? Strong and muscular or skinny and weak?" Ross asked.
"Try girls - Robin likes girls" Ted said.
"Oh. That's cool" Ross said.
"She and Lily dated for a while, but they broke up when Lily and I met" Marshall said.
The guys continued their conversations before going to the afternoon's activities.
Rachel and Lily headed to the stable, since they were the only two of their friend group to sign up for lessons.
"What horse are you riding?" Rachel asked, grabbing a riding helmet.
"Splash. I met her yesterday. She's a sweetheart. What about you?" Lily asked, also grabbing a riding helmet.
Rachel looked at the clipboard by the door and found her name, "looks like I'm riding Bubbles."
A groom came over to the girls and led the way to their horses' stalls. The mares were next to each other, so Lily and Rachel were happy about that. The groom showed each girl how to groom their horses and clean their hooves.
"While you two are doing that, I'll get their saddles, saddle pads and bridles. Is it okay if you guys ride Western?" The groom asked.
Both Lily and Rachel nodded as they brushed their horses and cleaned their hooves.
"C'mon Bubbles, give me your foot, please" Rachel told her horse.
Bubbles was a 15.5 tall bay Quarter Horse who had a brown body with black ears, mane, tail, and legs. The only white markings she had was a blaze down the middle of her face and one sock on her left back leg.
"Need some help?" Lily asked, putting Splash in Cross-Ties and went to help Rachel.
"Yes, please" Rachel said, "she won't give me her foot."
Lily leaned against Bubbles' right front leg, clicking her tongue, "lift."
Bubbles snorted and gave Lily her foot.
Lily quickly moved aside so Rachel could get her hoof clean.
"How did you do that?" Rachel asked.
"I volunteered a couple summers ago at a Dude ranch. It was a lot of fun. I learned it there, too - my horse Bud was very stubborn" Lily said, feeling herself ramble, "do you have horses?"
"I wish. I had a pony when I was a little girl, but we live in the city, so we can't really have a horse. I do go riding in Central Park sometimes" Rachel said.
The groom came back with 2 Western saddles, 2 bridles 2 saddle pads.
"Does anyone need help getting their cinch tightened once we get the saddles on?" The groom asked.
"I will" Rachel said.
Lily looked at the saddles. They looked identical, except one was darker leather than the other.
"Splash's is on the left and Bubbles' is on the right" the groom said, "their saddles and bridles also have their names on them."
"Oh" Lily said, getting the saddle pad on the left and with the grooms' help, got the saddle on, along with getting the cinch tightened.
The groom helped Rachel get Bubbles' get her saddle pad and saddle on.
"Do we leave their halters on while we ride?" Lily asked, putting the reins over Splash's head.
"Yeah" the groom said, "let me help you with Splash - she can be a brat sometimes."
Splash held her head up high, but brought it down when the groom got a treat for her.
Rachel managed to get Bubbles' bridle on her with no problem.
"We're gonna go for a trail ride. Let me get my horse Apache, then we'll head into the arena" the groom said, going to a nearby stall and quickly brushed and tacked up a smaller version of Splash.
"Are they related?" Lily asked, stroking Splash's neck.
"They are - Apache is Splash's baby. Splash is seventeen years old and Apache is seven years old" the groom said, leading the way to the arena, "do you girls need help getting on your horses?"
"I do / nope" Rachel and Lily said in unison.
The groom tied up Apache's reins to a nearby wall while he helped Rachel.
Lily put her foot in the stirrup and counted to three before swinging her other leg over Splash's back and centered herself in the saddle, "I feel like a giant up here!"
"Yeah, she's pretty tall" the groom said, coming over to check Splash's cinch and Lily's stirrups, "are those okay?"
"Perfect - thank you. I don't know your name" Lily said.
"I'm Hector" the groom - Hector - said, going to Apache and mounted him, "we'll ride in the arena for a bit, then go on a trail, is that okay?"
Both Rachel and Lily nodded.
"A few rules" Hector said, "keep a half horse length between you and the horse in front of you. In the arena and on the trail, walking only. No passing, no matter what. When we go on the trail, it'll be me, then Bubbles, then Splash. We'll go for an hour, then come back here. Also, if you have a cell phone with you, turn it on silent or off completely - these horses spook easily and I don't want anyone hurt on my watch.
Keep your right hand on your reins, along with your horn and your left holding the extra. If your horse goes to eat grass, and they will, pull up on the reins and say 'no'. Any questions?"
Both Lily and Rachel shook their heads.
"Other than that, have fun. I told you my name and I failed to ask yours" Hector said.
"I'm Lily" Lily said.
"Rachel" Rachel said.
Hector smiled, "I usually listen to music when I ride. Is that okay?"
Both Lily and Rachel nodded.
"How do you make the horse go? I don't see a slot for a coin" Rachel said.
Lily restrained herself from rolling her eyes, "gently squeeze her sides and say 'walk on.'"
"Exactly" Hector said, pointing a remote at a stereo and the Carousel Waltz began playing.
"I love this musical!" Lily said.
"I do, too!" Rachel said, gently squeezing Bubbles' sides, "walk on."
Lily, Rachel and Hector rode around the arena a total of four times before Hector turned off the stereo and opened a gate that led to the horse trail.
"It's funny - the horses are going in alphabetical order" Rachel remarked to Lily.
"Apache, Bubbles, Splash - I just got that" Lily said, giggling. She felt like she could touch the sky from atop Splash. She got a knot out of Splash's mane and patted her neck, "you're such a good girl."
The three of them rode on a shaded trail that took them deep into the woods.
The three of them waved to campers and councilors on foot, who were on a hiking trail on the opposite side of the horse path.
Lily smiled as she heard music coming from the Performance Space and thought there was a musical class going on in there. As she passed, she saw Ruby and Ian slow dancing, their bodies pressed together, and their eyes closed.
Before Lily knew it, the ride was over and the three of them headed back to the barn.
"I'll take care of the horses if you girls want to get to your friends" Hector said, helping Lily off Splash.
"Thanks" Rachel said, heading out of the barn once she was off Bubbles.
"I'll help - I don't mind" Lily said, taking Splash's reins from Hector.
"Do you want to help me bathe some of the horses, since it's a hot day?" Hector asked.
The two of them ended up bathing all of the twenty-six horses, chatting either to each other or to the horses, or about the horses.
Lily's favorite to bathe was a gray gelding named Absolute. He was a Quarter Horse, as were most of the horses in the stable.
Absolute seemed to lean into Lily as she bathed him and shook like a dog when Lily was done, making her squeal with laughter.
Hector smiled, then frowned, "at the end of the summer, Absolute is being retired."
Lily looked at Hector confused, "what? Why? He's such a nice horse."
"We're getting a new horse next year and we can only keep twenty-six horses at a time. This guy will be going to a farm where a nice family will be able to take care of him" Hector said.
"He doesn't seem that old. How old is he?" Lily asked, drying Absolute off with an old towel once they were back in the barn.
"He's twenty" Hector said, "same age as myself."
Lily nodded and braided Absolute's mane and tail, "do you think I could ride him instead of Splash?"
"I don't see why not. He likes you and you like him" Hector said, "I'll switch their names when we're done here."
"Thanks. Would it be okay the next time I rode, I could ride English and do some jumping?" Lily asked.
"That'd be okay with me" Hector said, smiling.
Lily smiled and patted Absolute's shoulder, "does he have a registered name?"
"I think it's Absolutely Certain" Hector said as the two of them exited Absolute's stall.
"I should really be getting back to my friends" Lily said, "see you later."
"See you later" Hector said, watching Lily leave.
That night at dinner, it was announced that on Friday, which was in four days, Ruby, Ian and whoever else of the campers were going into town for theater trivia, karaoke and dinner.
Instantly, two clipboards were full of whoever wanted to go on Friday.
Lily smiled as she got into bed that night, making a mental note to send her parents a letter about her adventure so far.