Stable Girl 1: Katherine’s Story
My name’s Katherine Anderson. I am a fifteen year old stable girl in a small town outside of Missoula, Montana. My parents died in a train accident when I was only two, then my twin sister, Marissa, and I were sent to my aunt in Montana by my grandmother about a year after the accident.
Marissa has always been one of those types of girls who wouldn’t be caught dead at a ranch. She hates anything that can get under her fingernails or mess up her hair. I, on the other hand, am exactly the opposite. People think I’m weird because I’m not like my popular sister. I am well known but only by being Marissa’s sister. She gets the boyfriends, I get the boy friends. She gets head cheerleader, I get editor of the newspaper. We are so different, people can tell us apart physically, although we are identical (I dyed my hair brunette in sixth grade though). There are too many people who are like Marissa here in Brody, even if it is a town that requires getting your hands dirty, so to speak.
Surprisingly, the quarterback of our football team is my best friend. Todd James isn’t your typical jock. He’s not conceited, not stupid, not superficial and totally funny. He’s the greatest guy in the world. He moved here in seventh grade. It was a cold December day. I sat in Mr. Goodwin’s math class in the back row as always. The door opened and the counselor and boy came in. Ms. Chavez whispered to Mr. Goodwin, then left. The boy stood by the door.
“Class, we have a new student joining us. What is your name?”
“Todd.” The boy whispered.
“Well Todd, there’s an empty seat in the back, next to Katherine.” Mr. Goodwin pointed to me and Todd sat down in the desk next to me.
“Hi.” He whispered. It startled me. I barely talked to people.
Why is this guy talking to me?, I thought.
“Um. Hi.” I muttered.
He tried to keep a conversation with me for the rest of the period but I wouldn’t let him. What really surprised me was that he came up to me in the lunch line.
“Hey.” He said.
“Okay, what do you want? You’ve been trying to talk to me since you got here. Why?”
“You seem like an interesting person, like you don’t care what those superficial girls think.”
“You’re right; I don’t care what those girls think.”
“Seems to me like you need a friend.”
“I don’t.” I paid for my food and walked out of the cafeteria. I could hear my sister’s annoying laugh behind me.
My sister and her group of lip-glossed friends waited for me across the street after school that day. I was ten minutes later than I usually was.
“Where have you been?! We’ve been waiting here for like, ever!” Marissa said.
“Isn’t it the older sister the one who’s supposed to take care of the younger sister?” I asked. “I am a full hour older than you, you know.”
Marissa’s jaw dropped.
“How dare you. I can’t believe you! After all the things I’ve done for you this is what I get?”
“And what would those things be?!”
“Making you known.”
“Only as your sister!” I snapped. “You don’t even let me approach you in public! Not that I want to.”
“Then what are you-” Marissa’s grey-green eyes darted over my shoulder. “Oh my gosh, it’s Todd! How do I look?”
“Perfect.” Marissa’s best friend Shannon Kelsey replied.
“Hey Katherine.” Todd said. I turned around to face him.
“Hi Todd. What do you want now?” I snapped. Gasps came out of all of my sister’s friends mouths.
“You left your English book in class today.” He handed me the heavy book. “You’re going to need it for homework.”
“Hi Todd. How are you?” Marissa said, pushing me out of the way.
“Great,” He answered. Stepping past her, he continued to talk to me. “Can I have your number? In case I need any help on homework?”
More gasps came out.
“I guess. But only because we’re in every class together.” I reached into my black backpack and tore a piece of paper out. I scribbled my number on it.
“Cool.” He replied as I gave it to him. “See you later, Katherine.”
“Bye, Todd!” Marissa called as he walked away. He waved without looking back. My Aunt Val’s Yukon drove up.
“Hey girls. Hop in quickly, I’m in a hurry.” She said. Several “hello, Mrs. Velarski”’s rang out as my sister and her friends all climbed in the back. I sat in front.
“How was your day, Marissa, Katherine?” Aunt Val asked. Marissa answered first.
“Oh my gosh Aunt Val! There’s this new student and he is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!”
I rolled my eyes.
“He’s only a boy. Besides, it’s not like he likes you or anything.” I replied.
“What would you know?” Vanessa Tyrant’s squeaky voice said.
“Who’s the one he talked to just now?” I pointed out. The ride home was a quiet one.
About a half hour later the phone rang. Marissa ran all the way to the kitchen to answer it. Rolling my eyes, I continued to type a message to my friend Joey Cartson in New York.
MontanianWriter108: Marissa has a crush on this completely annoying guy.
NewYorkAnimal101: Who?
MontanianWriter108: A new boy at our school. He’s in ALL of my classes.
NewYorkAnimal101: Bummer. Is he so annoying that he’s not interesting.
MontanianWriter108: He seems like a cocky, arrogant, superficial guy.
NewYorkAnimal101: He may seem that way but that doesn’t mean he is, Katherine. Give him a chance.
MontanianWriter108: Why though?
NewYorkAnimal101: Because I said so and you love me. :-D
MontanianWriter108: Fine. I’ll try to get to know him but only because you’re my friend. But I have to go, my uncle needs the computer.
NewYorkAnimal101: Give him a chance, okay?
MontanianWriter108: I will. Bye.
MontanianWriter108 has signed off.
I signed off and headed towards my room. The whole uncle thing was total bull. I don’t like it when people tell me to give people a chance when I don’t feel like they deserve it. I had just closed my door when Marissa came in and held the phone out so I could reach it.
“For you.” She said, and then walked out.
“Yeah?” I said.
“Katherine?” It was Todd. Surprise, surprise.
“Yes, Todd?”
“Um…what are you doing?”
“I’m lying on my bed. Why?”
“Just wondering.”
I sighed.
“Listen I need to get some things done so can I call you later or something?”
“Uh. Sure. My number is 555-0198.”
“Okay. Good bye now.”
“Bye. See you tomorrow!”
I hung up and put on some music.
The next four months that year Todd and I went from acquaintances, to friends, to best friends, my sister became extremely jealous of me because Todd always paid attention to me and not her along with continuing to despise me for it. It wasn’t until last year (freshman year) that Joey pushed the idea of Todd liking me toward me.
NewYorkAnimal101: I seriously think he likes you, Kat.
MontanianWriter108: I don’t.
NewYorkAnimal101: Well I do. Remember when I came to visit you last summer and I met him?
MontanianWriter108: Yeah. Why?
NewYorkAnimal101: Every time I looked at him he was looking at you with this bizarre expression in his eyes.
MontanianWriter108: I’ve never noticed it.
NewYorkAnimal101: Have you ever even looked straight into his eyes?
I paused for a moment before typing. Have I ever? I know his eyes are blue but have I really looked into his eyes? For more than less than a second?
MontanianWriter108: No not really.
NewYorkAnimal101: Next time you see him, look straight into his eyes, okay?
MontanianWriter108: Why do you always do that?
NewYorkAnimal101: What?
MontanianWriter108: Convince me to do things that you want me to do that you know I wouldn’t do if I wasn’t you.
NewYorkAnimal101: Hey, that rhymed! I don’t know why I do that. It’s just something I do, you know?
MontanianWriter108: Yeah.
After that conversation I thought about Todd nonstop. When he called me, I barely talked; trying to detect anything that would give evidence to what Joey said was true. I don’t know why I didn’t ask him straight up. I guess I was afraid that he would think I liked him and that I was just like one of the many girls who were obsessed with him like he was some kind of celebrity. In a way he was. Making varsity football on quarterback for your high school football team in your freshman year did not happen to everyone. Even a year later in our sophomore year girls worshipped him. But everything Joey had said was probably true. Joey wasn’t one to lie. He was always honest. Sometimes too honest.
The next day at school was even worse. I couldn’t concentrate on anything. Especially since he sat next to me and we had most of the same classes. I was called to the board to solve an equation in Algebra, asked to read a paragraph in History, told to get a beaker out of the cupboard in Chemistry, asked what a word was in Greek and Latin, as well as informed of an important deadline in Journalism and I didn’t even know it.
“Katherine, are you alright?” all my teachers had asked.
"Yeah, I’m, fine" I replied.
For a long time I was like that. I never had the courage to look into his eyes. I was with him almost all the time and I never really looked into his eyes. Then one day, at the of the year carnival, I did. His blue eyes were like looking into his soul. They obviously reflected what he was feeling. When we made eye contact, I didn’t see anything else but adoration in his eyes. It was like physical poetry. Luckily, we didn’t stand there for too long, so nobody saw. Except Marissa.
“What were you and Todd doing today?” she asked the morning after.
“Talking.” I calmly replied.
“Your lips weren’t moving.” She pointed out.
“Why should you care?” I demanded.
“Because,” she glared into my eyes three inches from my face. “He’s mine. Everyone knows that.” She walked out of my room.
“He doesn’t even like you! He thinks you are a complete, superficial, joke!” I yelled after her.
That afternoon I told Joey what Marissa had said.
NewYorkAnimal101: It’s obvious she’s jealous!
MontanianWriter108: Of what? She’s the one with the perfect life.
NewYorkAnimal101: She’s jealous of you.
MontanianWriter108: Why?
NewYorkAnimal101: Because you have a thing going on with Todd.
MontanianWriter108: Okay there is not a ‘thing’ going on between me and Todd.
NewYorkAnimal101: When are you going to admit it?! It is perfectly clear that you like him. Possibly love him the way he loves you?
MontanianWriter108: …
NewYorkAnimal101: Is it possible that Katherine has absolutely nothing to say to my comment? Quick someone get a camera and head over to Montana!!!
MontanianWriter108: Haha. Very funny. It’s just that, he makes me feel…special.
NewYorkAnimal101: Wait, is this Katherine Anderson of Brody, Montana?
MontanianWriter108: Yes, Joey.
NewYorkAnimal101: The Katherine who said that Todd James was a cocky, arrogant, superficial guy?
MontanianWriter108: Yes, but that was before!
NewYorkAnimal101: Before you fell in love with him?
MontanianWriter108: No, before I got to know him.
NewYorkAnimal101: Okay, so you got to know him then fell in love with him.
MontanianWriter108: I am not in love with him Joey now drop it!
NewYorkAnimal101: Fine…just because you’re in denial.
MontanianWriter108: I am not in denial!
NewYorkAnimal101: Katherine = in denial.
MontanianWriter108: Okay, I’m signing off now.
NewYorkAnimal101: Katherine = in denial.
MontanianWriter108: Good-bye Joey.
MontanianWriter108 has signed off.
The summer started and I made my usual trip to New York to see Joey, who was utterly annoying about the whole Todd thing. When I got back a week later, Todd invited me to go on a road trip to Seattle with his parents. My aunt and uncle said I could go and that Marissa had to do all of my chores while I was gone (score!). Of course Marissa wasn’t too happy about that. She had to take care of the horses for a whole week. The night before the trip she bombarded into my room to yell at me.
“Thanks for knocking.” I said as I packed my clothes.
“You think you’re so great just because you are the best friend of the quarterback. You have no chance with him.” She relied hatefully. I laughed.
“Who said I want a chance with Todd?”
“Everyone. It’s totally obvious.” she smiled her hideous grin. “Try to make a move on him and you wish you never had been born.”
“But I was born wasn’t I? A whole hour earlier than you, Sis. Now leave me alone so I can finish packing.” That made her mad. She got in my face. I could she the envy and hate in her eyes.
“If you even think about putting a move on him, you’ll be eating horse droppings for the rest of your life.”
“Oooh big threat. Who’s going to feed them to me? You and your little posse certainly aren’t. You won’t even pick up dog poop, how’re you going to shove it into my mouth?”
“You little…Man, I hate you!” she screamed at me. I pushed her out of the room.
“Likewise dear sister. Likewise.” I replied before closing the door in her face.
The next morning Todd and his parents came to pick me up. I said my good-byes and got in the car. After twelve hours and three tourist traps I fell asleep. Todd covered me up with a blanket so I wouldn’t get cold. I woke up in a hotel room the next morning.
“Rise and shine.” Todd said happily. I noticed we had a room to ourselves. I took a shower and got dressed. We were in the car a half hour later. We stopped in several small cities to get gas and junk food. Instead of listening to his parents sing along (horribly) to oldies songs, Todd and I listened to our own music and talked in the back. In Welling, Washington, we stopped at a funeral home to see Mrs. James’ mother’s grave. Todd and I went through the graveyard alone.
“Katherine there’s something I need to tell you.” He led me to a stone bench. He didn’t talk for a while.
“Yes?” I finally replied.
“Ok…crap I can’t do this.”
“What?”
He pulled something out of his pocket.
“Here. You need to read this.” He handed me a letter, folded up in an envelope. And then he walked away. ‘Katherine,’ it said on the envelope in Todd’s handwriting. I opened it up. My heart was beating faster than a hummingbird’s. I started reading it.
‘Katherine,
I cannot hold this in any longer. Ever since I met you I’ve been infatuated with you. You mean everything to me. I just can’t get enough of you. Even with your moody ways. I’m in love with you. In every way possible. You may only have feelings for me as a friend, but it was imperative for my sanity that I told you this. I want you. I. want. you.
Love,
Todd’
I looked up shocked. Joey was right. Todd was in love with me and I was oblivious to it. Mr. James found me after about three minutes.
“Time to go.” He said. I got up and walked with him to the car. The rest of the drive that day was pretty awkward. It was even more awkward when we had to share another room together in Seattle. I was watching TV when he finally spoke to me.
“Did you read it?”
I turned off the TV and sat up to face him on the bed parallel to mine. The pink trees outside the window swayed with the rain and wind that was blowing.
“Yeah…yeah I did.” I replied. “It was really sweet.”
“You think I’m an idiot don’t you?”
I got up and sat next to him.
“Not at all.”
“So you don’t mind?”
“No.” I looked straight into his blue eyes. “I don’t.”
He smile. Next thing I knew I was leaning in to kiss him. Our, ahem, moment was interrupted by our hotel phone ringing. Todd put it on speaker phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello Todd.” It was Marissa.
“Hello Marissa.”
“I was just wondering if my sister has tried to do anything. You know, romantically.”
My jaw dropped. How dare her! I couldn’t believe what she had just said. I looked at Todd in response.
“No,” he said. “I was the one who tried.”
I could practically hear the hallelujah chorus. I had to go to the bathroom to muffle my giggles. When I stopped laughing I came back out. Todd had hung up with Marissa (or she had hung up on him).
“Want to go get some candy?” he asked.
“Yeah!” I grabbed my jacket and ran out the door into the rainstorm with him behind me. As we crossed the street to the grocery store he grabbed my hand. I smiled and kissed his cheek.
“Jellybeans?” he asked.
“Sure. Nerds?” I said.
“Yeah! M&M’s?”
“Why not? This is fun. Dots?”
For about the next ten minutes it went that way. One of us would suggest a candy and the other would agree to buy it then suggest a different candy. It wasn’t until both our carrier baskets were full when we went to go pay for it.
“.84.” the cashier told us. We looked at each other and started digging into our pockets.
“I have 20. What about you Katherine?”
“20.” I replied. We paid for our candy and went back to the hotel. The next hour we watched TV movies and ate our sweets. Suddenly, Todd turned off the TV and asked me a question.
“Are we…um, you know…officially going out?”
Now that was a hard question. I liked him. But I didn’t know whether I was ready for this.
“Do you want to be?” I asked.
“Well…yeah.”
“Okay then. I guess we are.”
He looked up at me and smiled.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“You’re sure about this?”
“I’m positive Todd!” I said laughing. He grabbed me and kissed me. There were no interruptions this time.
When we got back to Brody, I had the highest self esteem. Nothing, not even Marissa could ruin my good mood.
“Katherine did you have fun with Todd and his parents?” my aunt asked at dinner the night I got home. I looked at Marissa.
“Yes I had a great time.” I replied. Marissa opened her mouth to speak but my uncle cut her off.
“That’s good. We certainly missed you over here.”
“Can I be excused?” my sister asked disgusted, knowing what had happened.
“Yes, you may. Katherine, do you want to start unpacking?” asked my aunt.
“Yeah. Then I might go for a ride. I need to spend time with the horses.” I pushed my plate of steak away and headed upstairs. Instead of unpacking, I logged on to my instant messaging service. Nobody was online. I put my away message on and ran out to the stables. My horse Secret neighed when I entered the stable. I saddled her up and rode her around the ranch. My sister came up to me on her horse, Princess (yeck..) and challenged me to a race.
“What are the terms?” I asked.
“Winner gets Todd.”
“Win or lose, I get Todd,” I replied. “but I will race you. And I will win.”
“Tomorrow at dusk. There will be a big audience.” And with that she rode off into the darkness.
The next day at before the race I got Secret ready. I was nervous. I had no idea why.
“It’s okay Katherine. Get yourself together. It’s a win-win situation.” I told myself. Todd came into the stable.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah I’m fine.” I assured him.
“There’s quite a crowd out there. Are you sure you want to do this?” he brushed a few strands of hair out of my face. I looked into his caring eyes.
“I’m positive.” I replied.
“’Kay.” He gave me a quick kiss on the mouth. “Good luck.”
I guided Secret out of the stables and mounted her. When I got to the race track that had been made around the corral, I looked at Todd. He gave me a thumbs up. I smiled at him in response and rode to the starting line.
“On your mark.” My aunt, who was commentating, announced. I looked over at Marissa.
“Get set.” My uncle, who was the flag boy, held up his checkered flag. My sister looked back at me. I set my gaze ahead of me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my twin do the same.
“GO!”
Marissa and I were off. The whole first lap we were neck and neck. I was going so fast I couldn’t hear my aunt announcing what was going on. The first half of the second lap I gained the lead. I held it until three-quarters of the third lap. Then Marissa caught up to me. I kicked as hard as I could to make my horse go faster. Marissa did the same. The flag waved and cheers roared from the crowd.
“You won! You won!” Todd yelled running up to me. He picked me up and kissed me. I looked over at Marissa who was crying.
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll get over it.” A voice behind me said. I hadn’t heard that voice in two weeks. I turned around and saw Joey Cartson standing there.
“JOEY!” I threw my arms around him in a big hug. “How’d you know about the race?!”
“Todd called me and told me.” He explained. “And…I’m moving back to Montana. My dad just got transferred back over here.”
“That’s great!” I exclaimed.
“Come on, let’s go celebrate.” Todd said. I put my arms around Joey and Todd and walked back to my house.
