Rival Revenge Read Free

was the coolest class we had—comfy chairs were arranged in a circle and the class was mostly discussion-based. It was a welcome break from the traditional classroom format.
    â€œSo,” Paige said, pausing. She played with the gold circle on her necklace.
    Paige and I had been instant BFFs from the second we met. We’d never fought about anything. But I knew she realized I was keeping something from her. And I knew it hurt her feelings. But I just couldn’t. Not whenshe was starting this relationship with Ryan. She was also Callie’s friend. All I wanted was to pretend that night had never happened and to keep the rest of the semester drama-free.
    Just then, Alison Robb, one third of the Trio, walked in and sat beside Paige. Alison and I had actually kind of become friends in a weird way. Not so much friends, I guess, but she was the one out of the Trio who I knew the best. Whenever Julia, the final part of the Trio, wasn’t around, Alison was a pretty cool girl.
    â€œHomecoming!” Alison said, grinning at us as she sat down.
    And that’s when I knew this was all I’d be hearing about until the end of next week.
    â€œI know!” Paige said. “I’m dying . I can’t wait.”
    I opened my notebook and tried to concentrate on reading my notes instead of listening to them.
    â€œOmigod, the football game will be awesome !” Alison said.
    Her voice was so high, it was impossible not to listen to her. Every sentence she and Paige exchanged ended with an exclamation point. Or two.
    â€œAre you going with anyone?” Paige asked. “To the dance on Friday, I mean.”
    Alison shrugged. She tousled her sandy brown hair with one hand. “I don’t think so. I don’t know if anyone will ask me or not. Julia’s going with Ben for sure. But I think Heather’s going solo, so we’d just go together.”
    And I definitely wasn’t going at all. Jacob and Callie would be there. Eric would probably go too, even if he didn’t take a date. Plus, I had a bad track record with social events—like the Sweetheart Soirée and my birthday party—so I was staying far away from this one.
    The other eight students straggled into the classroom and Mr. Davidson was right behind them.
    â€œWelcome, class,” he said. He pulled a well-worn copy of The Secret Garden from his pocket. “I hope you all had time to complete the reading and are ready to discuss the assigned chapters. Who wants to lead the talk?”
    I raised my hand. Whenever I hadn’t been riding Charm, I’d been studying. Getting good grades was right behind riding on my list of important things to do. I couldn’t have even the tiniest thing get in my way of not staying on the Youth Equestrian National Team—the goal I’d worked so hard to achieve. If I lost the YENT …
    â€œSasha,” Mr. Davidson said, pointing to me. “Go ahead.”
    â€œI … um … I related a lot to how Mary felt aboutbeing in a new place,” I said. “I felt that way when I first came to Canterwood. She didn’t have any friends and when she meets Colin and Dickon, she finally starts to be happy. No one ever loved her and when she realizes she can love and that her friends love her back, she starts to enjoy her new home. But the place she feels most comfortable is the garden.”
    â€œAnd why do you think the garden makes her happy?” Mr. Davidson asked me.
    â€œBecause she can escape from everything and everyone. Maybe she can forget what’s going on around
her.”
    Mr. Davidson nodded. “Excellent. Thank you, Sasha.” He looked around. “Who’s next?”
    Alison raised her hand. “I loved how Dickon was like an animal charmer. It was sort of like the snake charmers in India, where Mary used to live, and I wonder if that’s why Mary liked him so much.”
    â€œWonderful point, Alison,” Mr. Davidson