Evelyn's POV:

" ...You're pretty quiet "

I paused from adding the finishing touches to Ash's present table. The twins, Harry, Felix and I were currently in the main indoor arena setting up for the surprise birthday party we had been planning for the past few weeks.

Jewel and Sky were hanging up the decorations on the walls while the boys were stuck getting everything cleaned off, like the kick boards and door. The arena was already spotless, but thanks to the boys it had an extra sparkle to it...except for the boys, who were now covered in dust and dirt (At least i hope it was dirt).

I finished stacking the various presents Ash's parents, my parents, me and the twins had bought for Ash and turned to Jewel, who stared at me while she held up a patch of streamers for Sky to tape on the arena wall.

" If I was in your shoes I would still be jumping off the walls with excitement " Jewel spoke. " It's only been a few days since the tryouts, has the scholarship lost its glamour already? " she teased with a small smile.

I couldn't stop a sigh from escaping my mouth. " No...well...kind of... " I looked down and kicked a clump of dirt across the arena. " It feels amazing...but at the same time, I know Ash won't be there with me...it's weird...she's kinda like my sister...and we've been living together for almost a full year now...I couldn't imagine taking on Elliot Falls without her... " I stuck my hands in my sweater pockets. The weather may have been warming up but today was a particularly cloudy and cool day, with the sun only making brief warm appearances.

The weather was almost showing how I felt...torn...

" I...I'll be back... " I scurried out of the arena before anyone could respond. once the door was closed behind me I made a B-line to the only person (or in this case animal) I knew I could spill everything to.

A familiar whinny made me smile as soon as I left the barn.

I looked up and met Hugo's gaze as he lifted his head from his hay net in his paddock. He was still on individual turnout for about another week before we would try to put him back in with other horses. The vet had come out and did a follow up check on his sprain and I couldn't be happier with the results she had told me.

" The sprain is healing up faster than I've ever seen. I think with the consistent icing and Hugo taking so well to his stall rest and individual turnout you should be safe to start hand walking him within the next week "

Next week we would be headed back to Holloway for the summer before flying down to Florida to attend EFA. Hopefully Hugo would be ready to get back to full work by then and Navarre would be a bit more mentally matured to handle the EFA horses, who had three times the experience my little powerhouse had. Still, given the way Navarre rose to the challenge to be my mount for the tryouts, I wasn't too worried.

Climbing over the fence, I slowly walked over to Hugo, who sniffed my pockets and nudged my elbow looking for treats.

I smiled when he pressed his nose against my stomach (after concluding I didn't have any treats to offer) and blew out a breath in a sigh, closing his eyes. I played with his forelock, which was starting to lighten at the tips like it always did when spring/summer came around. His dapples became lighter, which somehow made him look less like the freight train of a horse he was. He wasn't a lean Thoroughbred or a dainty warm-blood, more like a draft cross, which I was sure I would find in his lineage if I looked back far enough. It was one of the many things i loved about my main man. When people see him they don't expect him to move so fluidly or jump as easily as he does, and I love seeing the looks on their faces when he really picks up on a cross country course.

It was something I wanted so badly to get back to, but I also knew that I couldn't rush a horses recovery, or else the same thing could happen again...or something worse could happen.

" ...We're going to Florida boy " I whispered as I started to braid his forelock. " We got the scholarship...you, me and Navarre... " I had to stop myself as the words " And Ash " came out of my mouth.

" ...I'm torn boy... " I continued. " I don't know...if I really want to do this...if Ash can't be there with me... " I bit my lip. Was I crazy for thinking this? EFA was my straight shot at making it to the top. Their graduates went on to become professional competitors in the world of horses. If I really wanted to make it to the Olympics, this was the best way to do just that...

" But what's the point in making it to EFA if I'm going to be all alone? " I rubbed Hugo's face as I leaned back against the fence. " You know what it's like for me to try and make new friends boy...Ash and the AMPS crew are the only genuine friends I've made in years...everyone else uses me... "

Hugo snorted.

" And now I'm going to be the new kid...not just that, but the new 'scholarship winner'. People may expect more from me than I actually am...what if they regret their decision to pick me? "

Hugo laid his ears back

" What if Ash was meant to win this? What if my winning was just a fluke? Like...what if we tied for first and they just drew a random name from a hat "

I think if Hugo could roll his eyes he would, so instead he turned away from me and dug into his hay net, making me smile.

" ...I can't survive EFA on my own boy... " An idea suddenly popped into my mind, like a cartoon character after the light bulb appeared over their head. " That's it! I know what I have to do! " 

Hugo flicked an ear back to me, but continued eating, letting me finish my ranting.

" And I know the perfect moment to make it happen... " With one final pat I jogged back to the arena to finish setting up the party with the others.

I think I was about to give Ash the best birthday gift ever!