Me and Katie (The Pest)

  Katie looked disappointed, but I didn’t bother to gloat. Everything was practically ruined.

  Right after dinner I went over to Sara’s.

  She was swinging in the hammock and I climbed in with her.

  “How was your lesson?” she asked. “Did you really ride a horse?”

  “I really did,” I said. For a minute I forgot about Katie. “It was so much fun! I rode this horse named Peanuts. She’s old, but she’s pretty and nice and does whatever you tell her. I think she likes me.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “She smiled at me. And she kissed me, sort of.”

  “With horse lips?” screeched Sara. “Ew, ew, ew.”

  “No, it wasn’t gross,” I giggled. “And I learned how to get on her and off her without any help, and how to start her and stop her and make her turn. We rode around a ring in a field.”

  “Wow…” Sara sounded impressed.

  “But guess what.”

  “What?” asked Sara.

  “Katie’s already ruined everything.”

  “She has? How?”

  “She wants to take lessons, too.”

  “Oh, no!” cried Sara. “With you?”

  “Maybe,” I replied. “It depends on how many beginners’ classes there are. She might end up with me.

  “But she might not.”

  “But she might.”

  I sighed.

  Sara sighed.

  “What are you going to do?” asked Sara. “I mean, if she ends up in your class.”

  “I’m going to kill her.”

  “No, really,” said Sara. “What will you do?”

  I thought for a few seconds. “Get even,” I finally replied.

  “How?”

  “I don’t know. Yet. But I’ll think of something.” I paused. “Will you help me?”

  Sara didn’t answer right away. She thinks I’m mean to Katie sometimes. She and Katie aren’t friends or anything, but Sara doesn’t like to see people cry or get their feelings hurt. And since I’m older than the Pest, Sara isn’t always on my side when I get after Katie.

  “I’ll think about it,” said Sara at last.

  From Sara, that was almost a “yes.” She must have decided Katie was being pretty rotten.

  “We could short-sheet Katie’s bed,” I suggested, “or mix up her paints, or hide those awards of hers somewhere—like in the trash compactor.”

  Sara narrowed her eyes at me. “I haven’t made up my mind yet,” she said.

  “Okay, okay.”

  I stuck my leg out of the hammock and gave us a big push off the ground. Back and forth we swung.

  It was getting dark out.

  “Wendy!” Mom called from our back door.

  “Ten more minutes?” I asked.

  “All right,” Mom agreed.

  Sara and I swung slower and slower until we had almost stopped moving. I caught a firefly and trapped it between my cupped hands.

  “Well?” I asked Sara, watching the tiny light blink on and off.

  “Well,” said Sara. “Okay. I’ll help. But only if we don’t do anything too mean.”

  “Thanks,” I said. We started the hammock up and swung until Mom called me in again.

  The next evening when Mom came home from work, I was waiting for her just the way I had been last week. Only this time I wasn’t excited. I was nervous. I was sulking on the front stoop as she came up the walk.

  “Hi, honey,” she said. She sounded tired.

  “Hi.”

  Before I could ask about Katie’s lessons, Katie burst through the front door.

  “Did you ask?” cried the Pest. “Can I take lessons?”

  Mom nodded. She sat on the stoop next to me. “You’re in the beginners’ class.”

  “Oh, yippee! Hooray!” The Pest whooped around the front yard.

  “Is she in my beginners’ class?” I asked. I crossed and uncrossed my fingers seven times, hoping the answer was no.

  Mom nodded again. She put her arm around me. “I’m sorry, Wendy. I think I know how you feel. There’s one other beginners’ class, but it’s jam packed. Mrs. Larrick said they absolutely couldn’t put another student in it. Your class is smaller, so that’s where Mrs. Larrick put Katie.”

  I stood up, shaking Mom’s arm off me. “If the Pest is taking lessons, then I’m quitting,” I announced.

  Katie stopped her whooping and looked at me with hurt eyes.

  I saw Mom’s face change. “Well,” she said briskly, “if you think that’s best. You can give your riding outfit to Katie. At least it won’t go to waste.”

  “Oh, no!” I cried. “No way. I’m not giving her my things. I’ll stick with the lessons. You’ll see. … But I bet Katie will drop out.”

  With that, I stormed off to my room.

  5.

  Sky High

  ON THURSDAY, INSTEAD OF getting on the bus to Hasty Acres by myself, I had to drag Katie the Pest along with me. Charlie and the kids said hi to me, then they all looked at Katie.

  Here’s another thing about Katie. She’s really cute. Well, all right, she’s pretty. She’s tiny with a little heart-shaped face framed by blond hair, and she has these huge brown eyes and long black eyelashes.

  Katie was the littlest kid on the bus and everyone thought she was adorable, especially after she told all her knock-knock jokes. First, Charlie started calling her Cutie. Then, Mandy taught her the bus songs we’d sung on Tuesday. And Tom slipped her a piece of bubble gum.

  I sat by myself in the backseat with my arms folded across my chest. I stared out the window, hating Katie. By the time we arrived at Hasty Acres, I had an idea for a great way to start getting even with the Pest. And Sara wouldn’t even have to help me.

  As soon as Charlie stopped the bus, I grabbed Katie. “Come on!” I cried. “I’ll show you the stables and the horses.” I raced ahead.

  “Hi, Chris,” I called when I reached the stables. “I’m the first one here. Can I have Peanuts again?”

  “Sure thing, Champ,” he said. “I’ll get her saddled up for you.” He disappeared inside just as Katie caught up with me.

  “Come on in,” I said to her. “I’ll help you choose a horse. The rule is first come, first served. You can have whatever horse you want as long as you claim it before anyone else does.”

  “Okay,” agreed Katie.

  We walked into the dark stable. After our eyes adjusted to the light, I could see the horses’ names on their stalls.

  I took Katie’s arm. “I know just the horse for you,” I said. “Perfect for the first-time rider.”

  Katie beamed at me. She wasn’t used to my being so nice to her.

  Ha. She’d learn.

  “But hurry before the other kids come or they’ll get him first,” I added.

  At that moment, Mandy, Vicky, Tom and two other kids came into the stable. When they saw Peanuts being saddled they knew she was taken. They began clambering for Mr. Chips and other favorites.

  “Hurry,” I said again to Katie. I pulled her over to Sky High’s stall. “This horse’ll be great for you. Now stand right here, or someone else will probably get him. I’ve got to go stay with Peanuts while Chris saddles the horses.”

  I stood outside the stables loosely holding Peanuts’s bridle. Peanuts whuffled and breathed on my neck, and I fed her a carrot I’d brought along. But I was mostly paying attention to what was going on in the stable.

  Katie was waiting by Sky High’s stall door. Chris saddled up Mr. Chips, Daffodil, Sundance, Eugene, and Daybreak for the other kids. They led them outside and stood with me.

  Chris reached Katie. “Are you Katie White? Wendy’s sister?”

  Katie nodded.

  “Ever ridden before?”

  Katie shook her head.

  Chris looked around at the stalls. “Let’s see. Who’d be good for a beginner?”

  “Sky High,” answered Katie. “I want to ride Sky High.”

  “Sky High?” exclaimed Chri
s. He looked a little startled. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” said Katie definitely.

  “I don’t think that’s a very good idea. How about—”

  “No!” cried Katie, stamping her foot.

  “Well … we’ll see what Mrs. Larrick says. You can lead him to the riding ring.”

  Chris saddled Sky High and led him outside for Katie.

  Katie stood beside me, looking up at her horse. It was a long way up. A very long way up. Sky High snorted and pawed the ground impatiently.

  “Hold on to his bridle,” I told Katie.

  “His what?”

  “His bridle.” I showed her how I was holding Peanuts’s bridle. Peanuts smiled at me (I think) and munched away at the last of her carrot.

  Katie reached gingerly for Sky High’s bridle. Sky High tossed his head and opened his eyes wide. The bridle jerked out of Katie’s grasp and she jumped back. “Wendy …” she wailed.

  I was a little afraid myself, but all I said was, “Oh, for pity’s sake.” That was what our father said when he thought we were being unreasonable.

  “Let’s go, gang,” called Chris. “Everybody’s here.” He came over to give Katie a hand, so I walked ahead with Mandy.

  When we reached the riding ring we lined the horses up like last time. I saw Chris whispering to Mrs. Larrick before he went back to the stable.

  Then Mrs. Larrick and Paula walked to the middle of the ring. Paula and I smiled at each other.

  After Mrs. Larrick introduced herself and Paula to Katie, she said, “Katie and Mandy, I’d like you to switch horses. I want you on Daybreak, Katie.”

  “Oh,” groaned Mandy.

  Katie glanced at me. I had told her Sky High was good for beginners. “Please, can’t I ride Sky High?” she asked, not knowing why Mandy had just groaned.

  “Katie—”

  Mrs. Larrick started to say something, but just as she did, the Pest accidentally kicked Sky High’s foot. He jumped to attention and bolted out of the line, dragging Katie beside him for several feet.

  “Let go of his reins!” commanded Mrs. Larrick.

  The Pest dropped them immediately and stumbled to the ground.

  It was all over in just a few minutes.

  Mrs. Larrick caught Sky High and walked him around the ring to calm him down.

  Paula helped the Pest to her feet and talked to her for awhile to calm her down.

  Then Mrs. Larrick led Sky High to the end of the line of horses, and in her most no-nonsense voice, told Mandy to come take his bridle. Mandy grumbled, but did what Mrs. Larrick asked.

  Paula and the Pest walked over to Daybreak.

  “Are you scared?” I heard Paula ask. “You could just watch today, if you like.”

  Katie shook her head. She did look scared, but nothing was going to keep her from riding lessons.

  “Class!” Mrs. Larrick called for our attention, and told us to mount our horses.

  I mounted Peanuts easily and watched Paula and Katie. Paula explained how to mount. She put the mounting block in front of Katie and told her just what she had told me last week. Katie got her left foot in the stirrup all right. And that was it. She couldn’t pull herself up. She held onto the saddle for dear life. She pulled and pulled, but the only thing that happened was that the saddle slid over sideways slightly.

  “Oof,” groaned Katie.

  Paula righted the saddle. “Let’s try again,” she said.

  It was no good. Paula lifted her up partway, but not high enough. Finally Mrs. Larrick and Paula managed to sit Katie on Daybreak. After a few seconds, she actually looked fairly comfortable. Comfortable enough to turn her head and stick her tongue out at me. I stuck mine out at her.

  Finally the lesson started. Once again, I rode around the ring on Peanuts. I sat up tall, holding the reins loosely, the way Paula had shown me last week. Peanuts did just what I told her.

  And Daybreak did some things Katie told him. But Katie didn’t have much control. And she still looked afraid. She sat all hunched forward gripping the reins, the saddle, anything. When she kicked Daybreak, she lost her balance and nearly fell off.

  Katie was taking riding lessons all right, but she was terrible. For the first time in her life, Katie was really bad at something. I was better than she was! I probably didn’t have to worry about her at all. What a relief.

  I couldn’t decide whether to be glad her lesson was going so badly, or mad because Paula spent the entire hour helping Katie. I didn’t need any help, but it would have been nice just to talk to Paula.

  When the lesson was over, we dismounted—except for Katie. Paula and Mrs. Larrick had to haul her off Daybreak.

  I smirked.

  Katie’s first riding lesson was going to be her last.

  6.

  A Horse of My Own

  I WAS WRONG ABOUT the Pest. She went back to riding class on Tuesday.

  And she got Peanuts.

  The little sneak.

  When Charlie picked us up she plunked herself down in the front of the bus, right next to the door. As soon as we parked by the farmhouse, Katie frantically opened the door, jumped out of the bus, and tore off to the stables. She got going in such a hurry that she beat everyone else there. By the time I arrived, Chris was saddling Peanuts for her.

  The Pest smiled at me triumphantly.

  “Hello there, Wendy,” called Chris cheerfully.

  “Hi,” I said. I didn’t feel cheerful at all. “Can I ride Mr. Chips?” I asked. No horse would be as good as Peanuts, but Mr. Chips seemed nice enough. What if I couldn’t ride any horse except Peanuts, though? What if she were magic or something? Maybe I wasn’t really a good rider after all.

  Chris saddled Mr. Chips for me, and I led him outside. I led him as far away from Katie as I could get. Mr. Chips and I just stood for awhile. He didn’t smile or kiss me or whuffle into my neck, but he didn’t toss his head or snort, either.

  I pulled a sugar cube from my pocket, put it on my palm, and held my hand out flat toward Mr. Chips. Mr. Chips blinked a couple of times, then very delicately took the cube between his lips. He crunched away contentedly, glancing at me every so often. I think Mr. Chips was shy.

  When the lesson began a few minutes later, I mounted Mr. Chips as easily as I had mounted Peanuts. That was a relief.

  Then I turned to watch the Katie-the-Pest Show. But it wasn’t as good as I’d thought it would be. Katie actually managed to get on Peanuts all by herself. Not very gracefully, but she did it. And as soon as she did it, she looked straight at me and made a face.

  I pretended I didn’t see her.

  We began walking around the ring. Katie didn’t look as awful as she had on Thursday. Unfortunately. And I decided that Mr. Chips was just as good a horse as Peanuts (or maybe I was a good rider). He did what I told him. The only thing was, he seemed a little bored.

  But not for long.

  We’d been around the ring several times when Mrs. Larrick said, “Bring your horses to a stop, class.”

  We all put on the brakes, even Katie.

  “You’re doing beautifully, class,” Mrs. Larrick said, “I think you’re ready to begin trotting.”

  Trotting! The first thing I thought was, “Wait till I tell Sara.” The second thing was, “Now maybe Katie will drop out.”

  We watched as Paula borrowed Daybreak from Mandy, kicked him into a walk, and dug her heels in again to speed him up to a trot.

  Then she demonstrated posting. She stood slightly, lifting herself a few inches above the saddle, then sat, then stood, then sat, then stood. Up and down, up and down, in the rhythm of Daybreak’s gait.

  After that, Paula gave Daybreak back to Mandy, and helped to organize us in a tight line that stretched about halfway around the ring. I was at the head of the line.

  “Okay, Wendy, you’re first,” called Mrs. Larrick. “See if you can kick Mr. Chips into a trot, then trot around the ring to the end of the line.”

  I realized I was nervous. I wa
nted to do well, especially with Katie there. And I wished, for about the eighty-seventh time, that I were riding Peanuts. But the Pest had taken care of that.

  I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I kicked Mr. Chips. He walked a few steps and I kicked him again. The next second I was being bounced in the air. I felt as if I were riding in a car along a street full of potholes.

  Bump, bump, jolt.

  I stood in the stirrups to avoid the bouncing, then sat for a few seconds to rest my legs, then stood again.

  “Terrific, Wendy!” cried Mrs. Larrick. “You’ll be posting in no time.”

  We practiced trotting for the rest of the hour. Even Katie tried. When the lesson was over, I was so excited I could hardly hold still. I dismounted, kissed Mr. Chips on the neck, and jumped up and down a few times.

  Paula came over and put her arm around me. “What did I tell you? You’re a pro.”

  I beamed. “Thanks,” I said.

  “I’m serious,” continued Paula. “You’re really very good. You’ve got good balance and poise, and nice control of your horse. You might want to consider taking private lessons as well as the group lessons. If you do, just let my mother or me know, okay?”

  “O-kay!”

  At dinner that night I told everyone what Paula had said.

  “Honey, I’m so proud of you!” Mom smiled at me.

  “That’s fantastic,” Dad said.

  “Yay!” cried Scottie.

  “Can we get a horse?” I asked.

  “Oh, lamb!” laughed Dad.

  Katie was drinking her milk and gazing out the window.

  “How do you like lessons?” asked Mom.

  Katie swallowed and choked on her milk.

  Mom looked at her carefully. “Do you like riding lessons?” she asked.

  “Yeah, they’re fine,” said the Pest.

  “Are you sure?” asked Dad.

  “Yup,” said Katie. She took a big bite out of her hamburger and chewed it for a long time.

  “Well… good,” said Mom uncertainly.