tickled my twitchy nose Saddles and bridles lined the walls waiting for morning lessons I walked toward the back and ducked into Silver Moon’s stall Hiya girl I said as I rubbed her nose Then I got a good look and whiff of the stall It was a mess You were out in the paddock most of the day I mucked out this place two times already Why so messy Ainsley peeked through the grilles in the wall You and Silver Moon are perfect for each other You’re both slobs Cassidy flared her nostrils Be nice Ainsley shrugged Just keeping it real Cas Khadija does have the messiest bunk It’s a fact Do you think that’s true Silver Moon I rubbed my cheek against hers Are we slobs She bobbed her neck up and down She agrees with me said Ainsley Score one for me 6
We all laughed Ainsley Cassidy Ryleigh and I are bunk mates Although this is Cassidy’s first summer here the rest of us have bunked together for four years We call ourselves the Three Horseketeers because we’re BFFs I’ve been riding Silver Moon for the last three years She’s a flea-bitten gray Thoroughbred mare Her light gray body is covered with little specks of black dots I ran my hand along her belly and started to connect the dots with my finger Are you ready to make s’mores tonight Cassidy’s eyes grew wide Seriously Horses like s’mores I giggled as I adjusted my hijab No Just joking Cassidy pointed to my head scarf Do you have to wear your hijab every day I’m Muslim I said I was born in Pakistan If there’s a chance that I’ll see a boy then I cover 7
up Some girls don’t want to wear one but I do It’s my choice I’ve been wearing one since fifth grade Cassidy frowned But this is a camp for girls No boys allowed Ainsley knocked on Cassidy’s head Hello in there Colby comes to some of our campfires doesn’t he Colby is a reporter for the Storm Cliff Times And Dr Samuels I reminded Cassidy And his son Brent Ryleigh’s eyes lit up Clyde comes too When he’s in town Clyde Collins is Aunt Jane’s boyfriend He’s away on business trips most of the time I love wearing my hijab I said It makes me feel proud to wear one with my nani my ammi and my cousins Do you always match your scarf to your clothes asked Cassidy 8
I try to My nani sews them and surprises me with new designs and colors all the time She’s the best grandmother I touched my scarf This purple one matches our camp shirts perfectly Cassidy agreed Yesterday you wore a green one to breakfast It matched your pajamas Sometimes we go to breakfast in the Pavilion in our pj’s As long as we’re dressed by eight thirty Aunt Jane doesn’t care I fed Silver Moon a piece of apple and then pulled out a purple ribbon from my pocket I brought this so I could color coordinate with her too I quickly braided her mane and weaved the silky ribbon through it When I looked over at Ainsley she was brushing Minka Minka is a black Percheron mare Eighteen hands tall She’s big and bossy Almost done said Ainsley Ryleigh led Butterscotch a palomino quarter horse stallion out of his stall He’s her favorite 9
