Chloe and Cracker Read Online Free

run indoors, get in bed and have a good cry with my head under the covers. I’d thought we’d only have to worry about the gate when it came to getting a clear round but then I realized we had to deal with the water jump as well and the whole thing just seemed hopeless. It didn’t help that Charm was flying over everything without even trying and Sally kept saying, “Well ridden, Bella!”.

    Then things got even worse. When we tried the last couple of jumps together, I still couldn’t get over the water tray. Bella offered to give me a lead so Cracker could follow Charm over, which made me feel absolutely stupid, like she was just showing off and trying to make me look silly. “No thanks, I’m fine,” I mumbled, without looking at her. I know now that she wasn’t being mean at all, but it’s too late to take back what happened.
    Anyway, Sally said it was nearly time to finish and let us all have a pop over a single, to end on a positive note. I didn’t feel positive though, and as we walked our ponies round on a long rein to cool them off, I was simmering with fury at Bella.
    As I dismounted on the yard, I found her right behind me and when I saw her happy, smiling face I just snapped. “You were only offering me a lead to make me look hopeless!” I hissed. “You think you’re such a good rider, but it’s only ’cos Charm’s so good that he makes you look good too. It’s not fair that you get the easy-peasy pony while I’m stuck with Cracker!”

    And then I marched Cracker straight through to the barn and untacked on my own, not even waiting to hear if Bella said anything back.
    I got on with brushing him down, but my heart was pounding and I felt terrible – how could I have said something so mean? Everything had gone wrong and I wanted to ring Mum and get her to drive down here and take me home.
    That was when Olivia and Asha came up, looking nervous. “Bella’s crying,” Asha announced.
    I felt like running away, but I made myself follow them back to the main yard. When I got over to Charm’s stable, Georgia had her arm round Bella, and Suki, Mai and Joelle were hovering beside them, looking worried.

    But before I could say
    anything Georgia looked up and gave me a glare so cold it made me shiver. “How could you be so mean to Bella when she was only offering you a lead to help you?” she hissed.
    The younger girls all stared at me and I felt completely awful, like I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. I realized that there was only one way to explain how I’d acted – I had to tell the truth. I took a deep breath. “Bella, I’m sorry,” I began. Georgia snorted but I clenched my fists and carried on.
    “The thing is, I wanted Charm,” I admitted. “I’ve been trying not to let it show, but when I was struggling so much on Cracker, I couldn’t help thinking, if I only had Charm… I didn’t want to feel jealous and I tried my best to hide it–”

    But Georgia interrupted me. “It’s even worse that you’ve pretended to be her friend all this time!” she said icily.
    “But I am her friend!” I cried. I tried to get Bella to look at me but I only caught a glimpseof her red, tear-stained face before she buried it in Georgia’s fleece again.
    “It’s okay, Bella, you’ve got real friends, forget about her,” said Georgia. “Come on, you’ll be okay with us lot.” And with that she led Bella off towards the farm house. The others followed, giving me very cross looks. I started crying then and hurried back into the house. I tried to creep through the kitchen to get upstairs but Jody was at the sink, testing Millie on her times tables. As soon as she saw my face she made me sit down and tell her what had happened. While I was explaining it all, and trying to stop crying, I realized that I’ve been so focussed on Charm I haven’t even given Cracker a chance. I felt like I’d been mean to him , as well as Bella, and that made me cry even more.
    I don’t blame