Taking Flight by Sheena Wilkinson Read Free Book Online

stables for seven. I hope she got my note about putting the chilli in the oven.’
    When I think about going to the stables I feel two things. One, that it’s going to be crap having to go somewhere with Princess Vicky; and two, that tonight I’m going to see a horse. For some reason, ever since I saw that photo of Vicky’s horse, I’ve kept on thinking about it. When those memories of last weekend threaten to fall off the top of the wardrobe, I imagine riding the horse. Going faster than anything.
    It’s a rush to get out of the house again after the chilli and Vicky moans the whole way there that she doesn’t like riding straight after tea.
    â€˜So, how’s your mum?’ she asks me, but not as if she cares, just as if she wants to know how soon she can get rid of me.
    I shrug. Not going to talk to her just because she suddenly decides to talk to me.
    It’s about fifteen minutes’ drive to the stables. I don’t see where we’re going because it’s dark but pretty soon we’re on twisty, up-and-down roads with no street lights.
    I thought the stables would be big and posh but we drive into quite a small farmyard sort of thing. Horses start neighing when we get out of the car.
    â€˜Flight, baby!’ says Vicky, leaping ahead of us into this big shed thing.
    Colette turns to me and smiles. ‘OK?’ she says. ‘D’you like horses?’
    â€˜Dunno,’ I say. I get out and follow her across the yard into the shed.
    In real life Flight is even better than in the photo. I’ve hardly ever been near a horse before. Only once but I didn’t get up close because one of the gypsies came out and chased me. It was one time I had a fight with Mum and I took off. After a bit I sort of forgot about the fight and I just wanted to see how far I could run. I left the estate behind and ran on and on. Way up on to the Glen Road – further than I’d ever been. I was only about eleven. And I came to the gypsy camp. It was a real tip, all rubbish and old cars. But there was a horse. It had a rope tied round one of its legs and it was just standing there eating grass. I crossed the road to go and see it. It was a nice horse, black and white with big hairy feet. Itlooked round at me with a bit of grass hanging out of its mouth and I slowed down in case I scared it. Then I heard someone yell, ‘Oi, you! Clear off, you wee shite!’ I ran back down the hill. That’s the last time I saw a horse.
    Vicky’s horse is sleek and shiny. He looks down his nose at me over the stable door. I stretch out my hand to let him sniff me and he curves his neck to reach down into my hand. When he sees it’s empty he sort of loses interest in me, but he lets me stroke his face. His face is like velvet.
    â€˜Isn’t he gorgeous?’ Vicky says. For the first time she smiles at me.
    â€˜Yeah. He’s …’ I want to say amazing, unbelievable, beautiful. ‘He’s OK.’
    Colette and I do a bit of standing about getting in the way while Vicky fusses around Flight, brushing him and putting on his saddle and that. I try to look bored.
    A thin woman with short red hair comes up leading a tiny black pony. ‘OK, Vicky?’ she says. ‘Ready in the school in five minutes? I’m just putting Hero in and I’ll be straight down. Warm him up, both reins, while you’re waiting.’ She talks fast but posh. She nods at me and Colette and strides off with the wee pony.
    Vicky comes out of the stable, wearing a riding hat, and Colette and I jump sideways to give her space to swing herself up on to Flight’s back. When I see her sitting up there, all easy like a cowboy, I’m so jealous I could kill her.
    For a balls-freezing hour Colette and I lean on the gate of a big sandy field thing with spotlights all round it and watch Cam making Vicky and Flight do stuff. Some of it looks easy – just going round in circles