Meeting New Friends…Mostly FINALE

~Told in the POV of Chloe~

“The Most Epic Adventure of My Life (Yet)”. That’s probably what I’d have to call that moment right then and there. Gingersnap, aka, the Wild Horse, was bucking angrily, neighing horrendously.

The Wild Horse stared at me evilly, fire in her eyes.

She was very angry. Good grief, I just tried to ride her! She threw me off AGAIN, and now had me backed in the corner, acting crazy! It was kind of scary, in a dangerous way, but hey, I liked danger.

“Calm down, nice horsie!”

It got so close, I could feel its hot breath on my face.

“HEY!!” Ellie got in the way between me and the Wild Horse, startling her.

“Back off, you ugly thing! How rude, scaring her like that! Shoo! Shoo! Naughty horse!” Ellie’s fearless bravery amazed me. Why didn’t I do that?

“You saved my LIFE!!!!!”I gushed dramatically, throwing my arms around her. Ellie hugged me back, but she had something important to say, so it didn’t last long.

“Chloe, Josefina told me some things you said that quite shocked me,” Ellie began. I looked at her curiously. “Like…what?” I asked.

“She said that you didn’t want to hang out with me anymore because I was mean to you on your first day, but you told me that we could forget it and just be friends!” Ellie threw out.

“That’s not true,” I started slowly. “The first part, I mean. I never said a thing like that. Josefina told me that you cancelled on me, that you had other more important business to take care of.”

“What?! I never said a thing like that…” Ellie trailed off.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” She asked me.

“Ellie, my friend, we’ve been set up.” I finished.

“Oh, I’m so glad you don’t feel negatively about me!” Ellie hugged me tight, and I hugged her back.

“I’m glad you didn’t really cancel,” I smiled.

“But where does that leave Josefina?” I suddenly asked.

“She lied, and endangered you. That’s not OK. Something tells me Gingersnap was in on it too. We need to go talk to her.” Ellie decided, and we marched to our room.

“Josie!” Ellie exclaimed when she saw Josefina. She was sitting up in bed, it looked like she just awoke from a mid-afternoon nap. Everyone else was still resting.

Josefina’s smile grew wide. “Hey, bestie!”

Her smile quickly faded when she saw I was behind Ellie.

And that we both had serious, no-time-for-games looks on our faces.

“Um, what is it?” She asked nervously.

“You lied to us. Why?” Ellie asked plain and simple.

“Yeah, that really wasn’t cool.” I added. “And I’m not, like, holding anything against you, but that was really mean. Gingersnap could have hurt me, and while I like adventure, sure, I can’t believe you’d set us up like that. Did you purposely MEAN for me to get hurt?”

“And if you have a problem with us being friends,” Ellie grabbed my hand. “Then you’d better have a good reason.”

Josefina gawked at us, her eyes darting from me to Ellie, from Ellie to me.

“I-I-” she started to say, but she didn’t finish.

“Woah, woah, I’ve been listening to this whole thing and I’m telling.” Jasmine shot up, surprising us.

We all looked at her, Josefina’s eyes wide with fear.

“That was not okay what you did, and Madison needs to know,” Jasmine added. There was something about her that said she really wasn’t kidding this time.

She slid off her bed and started walking off.

Josefina grabbed her arm.

“Jasmine, please don’t tell!” She begged. “Mama would be so disappointed in me,” she added in a quiet, sad tone.

“Yes, that’s right, she would. And she will. What you did was very disappointing.” Jasmine snatched her arm away from her and continued marching off.

And she didn’t look back once.

Josefina’s eyes filled with tears, and she laid back on her bed without another word.

Half of me felt sorry for Josefina. Okay, all of me felt sorry for her. I felt kind of bad that Madison had to know. Josefina would probably get in a lot of trouble. I laid on my bed, but I couldn’t take a nap. I just kept thinking on what would happen to her.

Ellie and I, since we’re kindred spirits, were thinking the exact same thing.

A few minutes since we laid down, we heard muffled sobs. I opened one eye and glanced at Josefina. She was laying face-down on her bed, drenching her pillow with tears.

Soon we heard Jasmine coming in. “Madison wants you to come to her right this minute,” Jasmine told Josefina. “She’s sitting at her desk.”

Josefina left quietly, sniffling.

She was gone for a long time, and soon, we were tired of resting and waiting for her to come back.

So we sat up together and listened to music.

Josefina came in soon after, a solemn look on her face. “Mama wants to see you, Ellie,” she told her. Ellie and I shot curious looks at each other.

~Now told in POV of Ellie~

“Um, OK,” I muttered, slowly getting up.

What could Madison possibly want to speak to me about?

When I got to her, she was waiting for me.

“Am I in trouble?” I asked.

“No, Ellie, but I need to talk to you. Josefina’s been sad lately, because she feels you like Chloe more than her.”

“Of course I don’t!” I spoke up.

“I know, but Josefina feels that way. She’s really sorry about what she did, and she was so miserable about it. She was apologizing over and over again through her sobs when we talked. She said she knew she shouldn’t have done it, but she was too afraid to go and talk to you about it. She was worried you wouldn’t want to listen to her anymore, or wouldn’t have time to.” Madison informed me.

“Oh,” was all I could utter. “What about Chloe? She could have gotten hurt.”

“Josefina told me that she honestly didn’t mean to put Chloe in danger in any way, and felt terrible about it when she heard Gingersnap’s neigh’s. She only wanted to distract Chloe with something and lie to her so she wouldn’t be with you so much, and that you’d have more free time with her.”

“But…was that right?”

“No, and Josefina will get punished for it. But I suppose she’s learned her lesson – she couldn’t stop crying and telling me how sorry she was. Once you come back, she has an apology for you, too.” said Madison.

“Should I spend more time with her?” I asked.

“Yes, along with everybody. Chloe will of course get lots of attention, since she’s new, but once the newness sort of wears off, things will return to normal again. Include Josefina (and anyone else who wants to join!) in everything you and Chloe play so she doesn’t feel left out, and just be  fair, OK?” Madison finished.

“Okay,” I grinned. Madi hugged me, and told me to go now.

*Where did that picture come from?!*

So, long story short, Josefina and I made up.

“We are the best of friends.”
~Runaway Princess Movie, 2015~

Chloe and Josie made up as well, and they’re all good. They’re actually quite good friends, and they’re writing a story on horses together. Chloe is learning who to ride correctly, and Gingersnap actually likes Chloe now.

So, all’s well that ends well.

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME, CHLOE!

:-)