Amy and Amber (6 page)

“I’ve got it back, that’s all that matters,” I told her. “And thanks for helping, everyone. I really thought it was gone…” I had to stop myself from bursting into tears again then – tears of relief this time!

So, my group had another cool lesson and we were really excited that we’d get to do the riding demo after all. In fact, Jody said we were all a bit
too
excited, and told us off a few times for getting giggly and messing about! In the end she made us do loads of changes of pace and rein and turns and circles, and kept us going for ages and ages so we
had
to calm down and
concentrate or we would have all crashed into each other!

The riding demo went really well too. It looked so cool when we went on different reins and did figures of eight weaving in between each other, as if the ponies were dancing. Finally, we each cantered to the back of the ride and then all turned in off the track, halted facing James and bowed to the camera!

Group B were watching too, and they gave us a big clap and cheer at the end. I was really pleased with how it had gone and I made a big fuss of Amber for doing so well.

Afterwards we had a talk about feeding, then we got to make up all the evening feeds for the ponies and horses, mixing the ingredients like in a recipe. Each feed was different and we had to concentrate. Sally kept an eye on us and stopped Kayla just in time when she was about to add a scoopful of oats to Cracker’s bucket by accident (it was supposed to be for Jody’s horse Bella, next on the chart!). “I wouldn’t give him that,” she joked. “Or he’ll be even more of a crazy Cracker than ever!” We all laughed, including Kayla, and it was so good to be happy together with no moods going on.

Just now at teatime we were all chatting together too, telling stories about our fave and worst riding moments. And of course we told Jody exactly how Kayla found the camera, and she said a big well done and got everyone to
give her a clap, which made her blush!

We’re off to play rounders in the lower field now and then we’re going to watch all the footage I’ve got so far for the video. Everyone’s desperate to see themselves on film and Jody’s going to make us some popcorn to go with it too!

I still can't believe what's happened. What a shock!

Well, when we came in from rounders, we all got some squash and settled down in the little TV room, munching popcorn. The girls squealed when they saw themselves on camera and went “Aw!” every time the ponies did something cute! The beach ride shots and Group B jumping looked especially cool (but I fast forwarded the bit of Kayla falling in the poo so she didn't get upset again).

Then we came to the bits I'd taken this morning in the barn and I realized that of course the camera had still been filming when I left it on the hay bales. “We'll see it drop into the straw in a minute,” I said to the other girls, “and then me sweeping it up and putting it into the wheelbarrow.”

Then the picture went funny as someone accidentally nudged the bales making the camera fall, just as I'd guessed.

Lexy gasped. “Ooohh, we're going to get a poo's eye view in a minute!”

But as we watched, I didn't see myself sweep it up into a wheelbarrow. Instead, Lydia said it was time for us to go in for lunch, and the camera kept filming as we packed away the mucking out stuff and checked our ponies' pens for stray hoof picks or head collars before leading them back in.

You could hear someone swishing through
the straw of our pen, then saying “Oh!” as she came into view above the camera.

It was
Kayla
.

She picked it up and turned it off, and that's the last thing we saw.

I stared at her. I felt like I'd swallowed a brick. “But … you had it all along!” I croaked.

All the girls were looking shocked and confused. “Why didn't you give it straight back to Amy?” Millie demanded.

That's what I was wondering.

Kayla had gone bright red. “I … well … it's just … I…” she stammered.

Before I knew it, I found myself running out of the farmhouse and up to the field. I know we aren't supposed to go off on our own, but I didn't even think about that at the time. I just wanted to be with Amber.

As soon as she saw me she came trotting up to the fence. I climbed into the field, flung my arms round her neck and burst into tears. “The camera was stolen!” I wailed. “By my own so-called best friend!”

Amber whinnied gently and nuzzled into me.

“How could she?” I sobbed. I couldn't say anything else because I was crying too much by then.

Amber snorted and nuzzled my shoulder again and I clung to her even more tightly.

Millie found us a few minutes later. “Are you OK?” she asked.

I just shrugged and hugged Amber tighter.

“Erm, sorry, but Mum says you have to come back in,” she said gently. “Kayla wants to talk to you.”

“Well, I don't want to talk to
her
,” I sniffled.

But I knew I had to go in or Jody would be
cross, so I gave Amber one last squeeze and climbed back over the fence. Millie didn't say anything else, she just put her arm round me and together we trudged back down the lane.

The second I stepped into the kitchen, Kayla started talking. “Amy, listen, it's not how it looks,” she cried. “Please, you've got to believe me. I never meant to keep the camera from you.”

I glared at her. “Well, why did you then?”

The others must have still been in the TV room, because Millie hurried off in that direction. Only Jody was there, standing by the sink with her arms folded,
not
looking very happy. “I'd like to hear your explanation, Kayla, and I'm sure Amy would too,” she said sternly.

“Well?” I demanded.

“I meant to give it to you as soon as I got in for lunch,” Kayla insisted, “but you weren't here. I thought you were probably washing your hands upstairs or something, and I was about to go up too, but then Jody asked me to set the table. By the time you came down, all the others were here and honestly, it just slipped my mind. It was only after lunch when you found out it was missing that I remembered.”

“But why didn't you just give it to me then?” I demanded.

Kayla glanced nervously at Jody. Then she sighed. “I know I should have done. But I panicked. I'd been so moody with you this morning, in front of everyone, I was worried you'd all think I'd taken it on purpose, just to be horrible. I did try to tell you the truth, when you came out of the loo, but then Millie and Shanika appeared. I was just so scared that if everyone thought I'd stolen it, I'd be in
massive trouble and get sent home. Even worse, I thought you'd hate me and stop being friends with me. I didn't know what to do then, so when we went out to search I hid it in the long grass on the way. I thought someone would soon find it, but no one thought to look along the track between the barn and the muck heap. In the end I realized I had to ‘find' it myself.”

“But you saw how upset I was!” I cried. “I thought I'd lost all the footage for the video,
and
the camera!”

“I'm so sorry,” she wailed. “I never meant to hurt you – I was just so scared that I ended up doing something stupid. Please, Amy, you have to believe me. I didn't take it on purpose, I would never, ever do something like that.”

I sighed. “I know,” I told her. “But you could have just told me the truth. We're supposed to be BFFs after all.”

Jody gave me a smile. “Well, I'll leave you girls to it,” she said gently, slipping out of the room.

I was really surprised then, because Kayla burst into tears. “It hasn't felt like we are,” she sniffled. “I've been feeling so lonely over the past few days. I wanted us to ride together, but when I got put in another group you didn't even seem bothered.”

“Course I was bothered!” I gasped. “But I was trying to be a good friend! Being in Group B was such a great opportunity for you. I knew it would be selfish of me to hold you back.”

“But I didn't care about getting to do more in lessons!” she insisted. “What I'd been looking forward to most about this holiday was us two having fun together. But you didn't seem to care about that so I thought I may as well go in Group B.”

I felt really bad then for not realizing that.

“And the truth is, I've been struggling in that group,” Kayla mumbled, blushing. “I can't get Cracker to do what I want like the other girls can with their ponies. I know Sally thinks I'm rubbish.”

I blinked at her, totally shocked. There I was thinking we were having the best week of our lives, and instead she was miserable! “Why didn't you talk to me about this?” I asked, more gently.

“I wanted to, on the beach,” she told me. “But I didn't know what to say. And I should have tried again this morning, instead of just getting into a state. I'm so sorry, Amy.”

“It's me who should be saying sorry,” I insisted.

“Well, OK, maybe it's both of us,” said Kayla. She smiled at me, wiping her eyes, and I smiled back. I still feel guilty about how wrapped up I've been – I mean, how could I not have even noticed that she wasn't enjoying herself?

“Things will be different from now on,” I promised her. I gave her a big hug, and she hugged me back. “I suppose we should go and face the others,” I said then.