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attention—you’re pulling on Charm’s mouth.”
    “Sorry,” I whispered to Charm. I lowered my hands and held them still above the saddle.
    “Shoulders back, Heather,” Mr. Conner said.
    He put his hands on his hips as he watched us circle around him. I looked up from between Charm’s ears when I saw Callie trot Jack into the arena.
    “I’m so sorry I’m late,” she said to Mr. Conner, stopping Jack in front of him.
    Callie was a mess. Half of her hair had escaped her ponytail and she had dry mud caked on her boots. I peeredat Jack. She hadn’t groomed him. Or, if she had, she’d missed the tangle in his mane and the bits of hay stuck in his tail.
    “Callie, please leave,” Mr. Conner said. “You know that I do not tolerate lateness and it appears that you didn’t groom Jack prior to the lesson.”
    Callie lowered her head. “Sorry,” she whispered.
    “Please be on time for your next lesson and have Jack groomed properly.”
    Callie nodded. She dismounted and turned Jack away from us. She led him out of the arena. I wanted to go after Callie—I knew she must have felt awful. But I couldn’t look for her until after the lesson.
    Charm, confused by my lack of signals, weaved toward the wall—almost bumping Aristocrat.
    “Pay attention, hello!” Heather hissed. Her blue eyes narrowed at me.
    I nodded, letting Charm drop behind Aristocrat. Heather was right. I had to focus. Every practice between now and the YENT was crucial. I had to make each one count.
    Mr. Conner worked with Heather and me for another forty minutes before dismissing us. I dismounted and hurried to get out of the arena.
    Heather trotted Aristocrat in front of Charm and blocked the exit. “I’m
not
letting you mess this up,” she snapped. “Callie was late and you’re distracted. We all have to be focused and on our game or Jasmine King is going to think she has a chance at becoming the best Canterwood rider.”
    “Sorry,” I said. “You’re right.”
    With one last glare, Heather moved Aristocrat out of the way. The dark chestnut swished his tail in Charm’s face as he walked forward. Heather guided him back to the wall and started doing a working trot.
    “Aren’t you leaving?” I asked.
    Heather shook her head. “I’m practicing, Silver. Leave already.”
    She had to be as tired as I was after that grueling lesson. But she wasn’t going to stop.
    I unsnapped my helmet and led Charm out of the arena. Callie had Jack crosstied by the hot walker—his coat gleaming. She had also taken time to redo her ponytail.
    “What happened?” I asked. “You’re never late.”
    Callie put Jack’s body brush into his red tack box. “I went to Jacob’s track practice after class. I just totally forgot what time it was.”
    “Just don’t do it again or Mr. Conner will be making
you
run laps around the arena,” I said, only half joking.
    Callie unclipped Jack’s crossties. “No kidding.”
    I loosened Charm’s girth, preparing to cool him down. “If you see Heather, watch out. She gave me the ‘if you lose focus and Jas makes the team and we don’t, I’ll kill you’ speech.”
    “Not happening,” Callie said. “We’re totally focused.”

10
WHO’S THE REAL RIDER?
    “WHY ISN’T TODAY FRIDAY?” I ASKED .
    “Seriously,” Callie said, linking her arm through mine. “How can it only be Wednesday?”
    We walked down the hallway of the English building on our way to class. Sunlight streamed through the arched windows, catching the stained glass panes at the top. Spots of blue, red, and yellow hit the eggshell-white walls and swirled marble floor.
    Laughter rang through the hallway and Callie stopped, yanking on my arm.
    “Ow! What’s—” I closed my mouth when I saw why she’d stopped.
    Violet, Brianna, Georgia, and Jasmine stood in the middle of the hallway, huddled together and laughing.
    “They’re everywhere,” Callie whispered. “I’m sick of running into them every five minutes.”
    “At least