Home for Christmas (21 page)

Lauren

“MERRY CHRISTMAS, WHISPER,” I SAID
softly. Entering the stall, I locked the door behind me and slid my arms around her neck. A green-and-red-checkered blanket was draped over Whisper's back and hindquarters. “I got here as soon as I could,” I added. “Mom just dropped us off after the adopt-a-thon ended. I had to come say hi to you before the bonfire.”

The rest of my friends were visiting their horses too, or had gone to help Kim with the bonfire. I squeezed Whisper, then let her go. I moved by her head and ran my hand under her chin, her soft whiskers tickling me.

“Are you having a good vacation?” I asked Wisp. Her ears pointed forward and she breathed into my hands. “You'll be here for a few more days, girl. We have New
Year's, and then you and I will both be going back to Canterwood.”

I'd been so busy with the rescue and having so much fun with my friends that I hadn't realized until now that I missed Canterwood. A lot. It was great to be home and see my parents and sisters, be in my hometown, and visit Briar Creek, but Canterwood was home too. It hadn't hit me until now.

“We're home for Christmas, but we'll be going to our other home very soon,” I said. “Get some sleep, beauty. I'll see you soon.”

Whisper blinked at me and nudged my coat pocket.

“Oh! You smartie,” I said. “I almost forgot your Christmas treat.”

I dug into my pocket and pulled out three apple-and-maple cookie treats. Mom had bought them from an organic farm, and I'd given some to everyone before we'd left my house.

I uncurled my fingers, offering one treat, and Whisper snatched the cookie off my palm. She crunched loudly and bumped my hand for another.

“Hey,” I said, giggling. “You almost ate a finger. Take it easy.”

Whisper lowered her head a little, almost as if she was
apologizing. I offered her the second cookie, and this time she ate like a delicate lady.

“Last one,” I said. Whisper's gray, black, pink, and white lips took the cookie, and she blinked as she munched. “Good, huh?” I asked. She bobbed her head.

I kissed her muzzle. “Good night, again. I'm going for real this time.”

I left the stall, latched the door behind me, and walked down the aisle. All of the horses were tucked away in their stalls and blanketed against the cold winter night. I exited out the side door and grinned. Finally!

Giant gorgeous snowflakes danced through the air. I raised up my arms and twirled in a circle, laughing. It was about time for snow! That made the evening
parfait.

“Twirly girl!” Khloe called.

I laughed harder and Khloe ran over, grabbing my hand.

“C'mon, LT!” she said. “You have to see the bonfire.”

Snowflakes stuck to my eyelashes. An orange-and-yellow glow flickered as we hurried alongside the barn. Smoke became visible in the air through the snowflakes, and I smelled wood burning. Khloe and I rounded the corner, reaching the back of the stable, and we found our friends.

All
of our friends. Not just the people in our group. But the nicknamed Sasha & Co. The older students weren't just people we went to school with or knew from one holiday of volunteer work. They had become our friends. And opening a giant bag of marshmallows was Kim. It wouldn't be a Briar Creek bonfire without her.

The flames covered a half-dozen giant logs, and sparks flew high into the sky. Heather waved at me from across the other side. She was barely visible over the tall flames. Sasha and Callie laughed as they roasted marshmallows.

“Want one?”

I looked over at the familiar voice. Drew, his face glowing from the fire, held out a perfectly toasted marshmallow on a stick.

“I'd love one. Thank you,” I said. I slid it off the end of the stick and popped it into my mouth. “It's perfect,” I said through sticky lips.

“I grabbed this stick for you,” Drew said. He handed it to me. “Kim was upset before you got here. She bought roasting sticks for tonight and couldn't find them. Lucky for her, I've grown up using
real
sticks, and so has Callie. We both went to the edge of the woods, gathered enough for everyone, and presto—roasting sticks.”

“Aw,” I said. “I'm so glad you and Callie helped. Let's put these sticks to work!”

Soon I'd eaten
enough marshmallows to lull me into a sugar coma. Drew and I snuggled next to each other on a log-turned-bench. Khloe and Zack had their arms around each other's waists as they stared into the fire. I bumped Drew's knee with mine.

“Look,” I said in a whisper.

Clare, looking Christmas chic in a red beret and matching wool coat, was hand in hand with Garret.

Drew followed my gaze and grinned. “I don't think they'll have any trouble finding some mistletoe.”

I frowned. “Not sure about that. I haven't seen any tonight.”

“Really?” Drew asked. He shifted on the log, then raised his arm in the air.

“What are you—?” I looked up, and a sprig of mistletoe hung from a red ribbon around his finger.

My face grew warmer, without help from the fire. I locked eyes with Drew—his so ocean blue.

“We
have
to follow tradition now,” Drew said. “I'm sorry, Lauren. There's no way around it.”

I sighed, pretending to be upset. “If there's no other
option. I wouldn't want to mess with a Christmas tradition or anything.”

Before I could say another word, Drew lowered his arm, dropped the mistletoe, and put his hands on the sides of my face. His cool fingers sent chills over my body. We leaned forward and gently touched our lips together. When we pulled apart, I slipped my hand into Drew's. We stepped closer to the bonfire, and the flames warmed my skin. Next to us, Khloe and Zack held hands too.

Even though it was the end of our time at Safe Haven, it was the beginning of lots of things. In a few days, we would all be counting down to the New Year, and we'd return to Canterwood to finish seventh grade.

Through the light snow and the flames, Sasha had her arms wrapped around Jacob as they kissed. They pulled apart, still holding hands, and grinned at each other.

“Merry Christmas.”

I froze at the sound of that voice.

It
couldn't
be.

26

Sasha

MR. CONNER WAS AT
BRIAR CREEK
!
I stepped forward and hugged him. “Mr. Conner! I can't believe you're here!” I said.

He hugged me back, smiling. “How could I miss a bonfire on a snowy night like this?”

“Let me get you some hot chocolate,” Paige said, dashing off.

That was Paige—always the perfect, polite hostess.

“How did you know we were here?” Eric asked Mr. Conner.

“Kim was kind enough to inform me about tonight,” Mr. Conner said. “I'll tell you all of the details, but I'd like to address my younger students at the same time. It's wonderful to see each of you.”

Paige, mug in hand, came over and offered it to Mr. Conner.

“Thank you, Paige,” he said. “This smells delicious.”

“It's not from a packet and water,” I said. I shot a proud smile at Paige. “Paige made it from scratch.”

“I've heard that you are quite the chef,” Mr. Conner said. He took a sip of the hot liquid and smiled at Paige. “What I've heard is true. This is fantastic!”

Paige ducked her head. “Wow, sir, thank you so much.”

Mr. Conner took another sip, and Kim came up to him.

“I'm so glad you could make it,” she said, shaking his hand.

They moved away from our group and stood off to the side, heads bent together as they talked. It was beyond weird to see my ex-coach talking to my current instructor.

“Okay, Silver,” Heather said, folding her arms. “Either you spill your secret now or I'm going to turn
you
into a marshmallow over the fire.”

I giggled. “Hmmm . . . okay!”

I looked at the faces of all of my friends—Eric, Jacob, Callie, Brit, Heather, Alison—and couldn't remember the last time I had felt this elated.

“When my parents called me into the kitchen,” I said, “I thought I was in trouble.” I wanted to give a little
backstory, since only Brit and Callie had been in my room when it had happened. I explained what my parents had said, dragging it out a little until
I
couldn't stand it for another second.

“My mom and dad said that when I'm ready—
whenever
that is—I can adopt a horse from Safe Haven!” I almost screamed the sentence.

“Sasha!” Brit said.

“Wow! Merry Christmas!” Jacob said, kissing my cheek.

“Omigod!” Callie said. She clasped her mitten-enveloped hands together.

“You're kidding!” Alison said.

Eric one-arm-hugged me. “You totally deserve it! Wow!”

“Thanks, guys,” I said, bouncing on my toes. “I'm super excited. I'm not ready for another horse yet. I can't even imagine having two right now, but just knowing that one day I can rescue one is amazing.”

“Somewhere out there, a horse doesn't even know it yet,” Alison said, “but he or she just got the best Christmas gift a horse could ever want.”

27

Lauren

SASHA HUGGED MR. CONNER. HE SMILED
at her and her friends, and they all started talking.

“I can't believe he's here!” I said to Drew.

After a couple of minutes, Mr. Conner left Sasha and joined Kim. He shook her hand and they talked. I couldn't hear them over the crackle of the fire and the chatter of everyone else.

“This is so crazy,” Drew said. “Mr. Conner is part of Canterwood. I guess that I kind of thought he never left the campus.”

I giggled. “I know. Me too.”

I stayed next to Drew, chatting with him and enjoying the warm fire on my face.

Shoes crunched in the inch or so of snow that had quickly accumulated on the ground.