Take the Reins (15 page)

“TIME?” I YELLED.

“Six thirty!” Paige said. “You're the party host, Sasha. You can't be late—that would be tacky.”

“One sec.” I needed a final mirror check before heading out. My hair was piled into a chignon that, according to Paige, made my cheekbones pop, and I wore a pale blue keyhole top paired with skinny jeans and a pair of Paige's black boots. Earlier, Paige had put her diamond studs in my ears, had done my makeup and had given me a new look for the party.

“I still don't know if Jacob is coming,” I said. Secretly, I was kind of relieved that there was a chance he wasn't coming. I'd probably be awful at the whole dance-and-small-talk thing. Sure, I'd spent time with Jacob before,
but not with the pressure of a dance looming over me. I wasn't even brave enough to ask him to come in person.

“You never know,” Paige said.

I was impressed with Paige's handiwork. I felt fairytale-ish. Paige had given my lashes a light coat of mascara. She'd also talked me into trying a sparkly pink lip gloss with a matching sheer blush.

“Come here!” Paige called, looking out the window. “Looks like your party is going to be perfect.”

I couldn't believe it. Snow! Large, thick snowflakes covered the sidewalk. It was coming down so fast I couldn't see more than a couple of yards ahead. On the sidewalk, a couple ran through the snow together.

“We need to change your hair and then you
have
to go,” Paige said. She grabbed my hairbrush and started to dismantle my chignon.

“But my hair was fine!”

“Just let me fix it,” she said. “It's not snow hair.” She combed my hair straight and gave me a deep side part. “Perfect.”

“Are you sure you don't want to walk over with me?”

“I can't,” she said. “Five more minutes for my hair and then I need to grab the desserts out of the fridge.”

“Do you need help?”

Paige shooed me out the door. “I don't have much to bring over. Go!”

The Winchester hallway was deserted. Annabella and Kristen's room was already dark since they had gone home yesterday.

A rush of cold air hit me when I opened the door. The old-fashioned street lamps lit the glittery ground. Snowflakes danced in the light from the lanterns. My boots crunched in the snow as I hurried to the stables. Mr. Conner had said he would unlock everything, turn on the lights and set out the food and drinks. Close to the stable, I heard the neigh of horses and the jingle of bells.

Mr. Conner had six of the stable's calmest, strongest horses hitched to six red, black, and silver sleighs. Jingle bells as big as grapefruits hung off the sleigh with smaller bells attached to harnesses and reins. A liver chestnut hitched to the first sleigh shook his mane and the bells rang across the yard. Hot air blew from the horses' nostrils and floated up to the sky. The stable glowed with a warm yellow light.

I ran to Charm's stall. “Hey, boy!” I said, peering at him over the door. He was asleep in the back of his stall with one hoof cocked comfortably. “I'd come in, but I can't get dirty. I'll see you after the party, okay?” Charm
opened a sleepy eye and then let out a soft sigh. He was out for the night.

Students filled the arena. A few danced in the middle of the room, others lined up at the food tables and some chatted and laughed as they sat in the chairs. And I had worried I'd be the only one to show up! Even the chaperones looked like they were having a great time.

In the far corner of the room, by the big Christmas tree, stood the Trio. They smiled and giggled—it was nice to see everyone happy. I glanced around for Jacob, but didn't see him.

“Have you seen Sasha Silver?” Callie asked, grinning as she took my hand and twirled me in a circle.

“I really want to ride the sleighs,” I said. “Let's go get one together.”

“Snack first and then sleigh?” Callie suggested.

“Sounds good to me.” As if on cue, Paige entered through a side door, her arms laden with covered dishes. Callie and I went over to help her.

“This looks fantastic, Sasha,” Paige said as we set down the bowls, plates and tray. “Your
food
looks fantastic,” I said. “Everyone's going to love it.”

“They better,” Paige said with a snort. She had gone all-out on cupcakes with snow-people faces, mini
turkey sandwiches, and frozen strawberry desserts.

I looked over at Callie, who was too busy stuffing her face with a cookie to talk.

Mr. Conner had set the loud speaker to play holiday tunes. I wondered what dancing with Jacob would feel like. Would it be weird? I'd probably crush his toes or something. Oh, well, it didn't look like I was going to find out tonight.

“You should sit and relax for a while, now that all the planning is out of the way,” I reminded Paige.

“Just as long as I can see people's faces,” she said. “I'm going to take a poll on my cupcake and frosting recipe later.” We sat and started to gobble the food.

More people came inside. Ollie and Becky, two of the team's ninth grade advanced riders, stopped in front of Paige, Callie, and me just as I stuffed my mouth with an almond cookie.

“We wanted to tell you what a great job you did!” Ollie exclaimed.

“Thanks!” I said. “Have you gone on a sleigh ride yet?”

“We're headed there now,” Becky said. “See you later!” They walked off and I turned to Paige and Callie.

“Can you believe they talked to us?” I squealed. “Us? The lowly seventh graders?”

“You did an amazing job,” Paige said.

We laughed and dug back into our strawberry frozen ice. Paige finished her dessert and headed for the tables to check on the food. She pointed out her cupcakes to one of the riders and launched into a list of every ingredient she put into it. The girl nodded, staring at Paige with wide eyes. Maybe Paige had found an apprentice.

The Trio slid into the seats beside Callie and me. They all had on matching black nail polish.

“What are you guys doing for Thanksgiving?” I asked them.

Julia brightened and twirled a sapphire ring on her finger. “My parents are taking my sister and me to my aunt's house in L.A. We're having a big party and we got three tofurkeys this year!”

“Toe-what?” Callie asked, giggling.

Julia laughed. “Tofurkeys. It's a tofu turkey.”

“I'm going home for Thanksgiving,” Alison said. “I can't wait to sleep in my own bed and see my pugs.”

Funny, I'd pegged her as a poodle girl.

“What about you?” Julia asked Callie.

“Home,” Callie said. “I'm baking pumpkin pies with my mom.”

“That sounds like my Thanksgiving, minus the baking,” I said.

Heather sat still and didn't offer up any plans.

“What are you doing?” Callie finally asked Heather.

Heather stared at her hands. “I'm going to my grandma's,” she said, her tone clipped. “My parents are going to Hawaii.”

“Sorry,” I said. “That sucks.”

Heather slumped in her seat. “Whatever.”

It was weird to have even a sort-of conversation with Heather.

“Maybe they don't know you want to go,” I said. “Could you call them or something?”

Heather shrugged and stared at me as if I had dared her. “Maybe.” With that, she got up and left the arena.

Alison and Julia headed off after her.

“Look,” Callie said. “By the door.”

Jacob stood in the garland-covered doorway, scanning the room. Oh, my God, he came!

“What now?” I asked, trying to duck behind Callie. This whole boy/girl dance thing was nothing like it was on TV or the movies. Movies always made it look fun to approach a guy at a dance, but this was torture!

Callie pushed my arm. “Pretend that since you're
the hostess, you're supposed to greet everyone.”

Okay. This was just Jacob.

Jacob waved.

“Hi,” I said, when I reached him.
It's just Jacob
, I reminded myself.
You've played video games with him.
But he was still a boy at my party and I was the girl who had invited him.

Jacob glanced around at the room and grinned. “You did all of this?”

“Not by myself,” I said, slipping back into a kind of easiness. “I had lots of help.”

“It looks great,” he said, stepping closer to me. “Do you want to, uh, dance or something?” A look of uncertainty flickered in his green eyes. Was
he
afraid I'd say no?

“Sure,” I said slowly, trying not to panic about my dance skills that didn't exist.

We headed to the middle of the floor, and stood at arm's length from each other, until I finally stepped closer and he took my hands.

We swayed together to the music—a slow song, thank God! But every movement felt awkward.

“Oops,” I said, stepping on his foot. My face flamed with embarrassment.

“Doesn't the guy usually step on the girl's feet?” he joked.

“Are you going home tomorrow?” I asked.

“Yeah, it'll be a traditional Schwartz Thanksgiving—football and way too much food.”

Twenty minutes later, we had danced through several songs, including a really bad rap version of “Jingle Bells,” when Jacob touched my elbow. “Do you want to keep dancing?”

I looked over and saw Callie talking to Paige. She gave me a thumbs up.

“Definitely,” I said.

I swallowed hard when “Silent Night” started to filter softly over the loudspeakers. A slow song. Oh, my God.

Jacob held out his right hand and I placed my hand in his. I hoped mine wasn't gross and sweaty.

Jacob moved his other hand to my waist and I tried to remember what to do with my free hand. I looked around and got my answer. Shoulder.

Jacob looked at me and smiled. I tried not to look as if I'd never danced like this before. We started to sway to the music and with every line, I relaxed. I hadn't melted into a puddle of embarrassment and Jacob didn't hate slow dancing with me. This was turning into the perfect night!

We danced through a few more songs before Jacob glanced at his watch.

“I should head back and finish packing,” he said. “But I had a really great time. Thanks for inviting me.”

“I had fun, too,” I said.

Jacob pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me and I remembered when we'd gone for ice cream and he'd handed me his IM name.

“My cell number,” he said. “You know, in case you want to talk over break or something.”

“Cool,” I said. All I could do was smile.

“Okay,” he said, grinning. “See you soon.”

He turned and headed out of the room and I watched him look back at me before he closed the door.

I, Sasha Silver, had just survived my first dance with a boy. Sure, I had stepped on his feet a couple of times and yes, I had been nervous. But I'd danced anyway—and lived to tell the tale. Apparently, that's what Canterwood Sasha did.

“YOU GUYS WERE SO CUTE TOGETHER,” CALLIE
said. “He wanted to dance with you all night.” She adjusted her snowflake earrings.

Livvie made her way over, looking happy and party-ready in a sparkly white sweater and black jeans.

“I have to get back to the dorm in a minute, but I wanted to stop by and see this,” Livvie said. “The decorations are amazing!”

“Thanks,” I said.

“It was definitely worth all the hard work you girls put into it,” she said.

“Before you go, you should grab one of Paige's cupcakes,” I said, pointing to the food table. “But don't ask
her about the recipe unless you have an hour to kill.”

Laughing, Livvie waved and headed over to Paige.

 

“Time for a sleigh ride!” Callie said. We'd stuffed ourselves with more cookies, linked arms, and stepped outside into the real Winter Wonderland. Snow fell gently in fat flakes. The horses shook it off their backs and out of their manes.

“It's gorgeous,” I whispered, my breath visible in the air. We headed for an empty sleigh, our footsteps crunching in the snow. The lanterns lit up the endless fences behind us.

We stepped up to the sleigh. My fingers couldn't resist touching a golden jingle bell.

“You first,” I said.

Callie climbed into the black sleigh and I gave the gray horse a quick pat on the flank.

I gripped the sleigh and climbed inside.

“Sasha!” It was Heather, wrapped in her long black coat, snowflakes whitening her shoulders.

“What's up?” I asked. We stood in silence for a moment. We were close enough that our visible breaths clashed in the air.

“Thanks,” she said. “For being so nice to me after
everything.” Heather shoved her hands into her coat pockets. “I also wanted to apologize.” She stopped and looked up at the night sky. “I'm sorry.”

“If we can't act like a team, we'll all lose,” I said.

“I don't like to lose,” Heather said, swiping a long strand of hair off her face.

“That makes two of us,” I said.

She paused. “You should also know that I followed Callie into Winchester and took her note. The one where she asked you to practice with her.”

Behind me, one of the horses rattled the jingle bells and let out an impatient neigh. A chilly wind picked up and made us pull our coats tighter.

I adjusted my gloves. “We're teammates now,” I said, looking at Heather. “Friends” was the wrong word.

Heather nodded.

“Have a good Thanksgiving,” I said, and walked back to the sleigh.

The driver who was dressed in a black coat, top hat and white gloves helped me into the sleigh. Callie handed me a thick, checkered blanket to cover our laps. The driver clicked to the horse and the sleigh lurched forward over the snow. Heather stood there as we pulled away—getting smaller and smaller.

The driver aimed for the snow-covered woods. Lanterns dotted the trail and gave off a gentle yellow glow. The horse's bells jingled. The trees looked soft and cottony. I wished the ride could go on forever. I wrapped the red and green checkered blanket tighter around my legs and warmed my hands underneath.

Callie bumped her shoulder against mine. “Here's to Canterwood!”

“Here's to the advanced team!” I said.

I couldn't wait. Going home would be nice, but coming back to Canterwood would be even better. And this time, Charm and I wouldn't get spooked.