Free Chasing Gold by Catherine Hapka

stepped outside, taking in a breath of welcome fresh air.
    â€œHello?” she said.
    â€œAre you sure you’re not coming? Ems and I are at her house getting dressed. We’re leaving in like ten minutes.”
    Haley sighed. She didn’t need to check the readout to know who it was. Tracey sounded hopeful, as if she might actually be expecting Haley to change her mind and come to the dance.
    She wouldn’t think that if she could see me—or smell me—right now, Haley thought, glancing down at herself. Her jeans, shirt, and skin were spattered with ick, and a thin layer of the dust that always seemed to hang around chickens covered her from head to boot.
    â€œSorry, still can’t,” she told Tracey. “You guys have fun, though. I want to hear everything tomorrow.”
    â€œFor sure.” Tracey hesitated. “So you’re still coming to my party, though, right?”
    â€œOf course,” Haley answered, not allowing any impatience to creep into her voice.
    â€œCool. So you’re really not coming tonight?” Tracey sounded as if she still couldn’t quite believe it.
    â€œReally.” Haley could hear the sound of the tractor heading back her way. Her stomach rumbled, complaining about her delayed dinner. “Look, I have to go. Have a great time, okay?”

    Haley didn’t get home from Mr. Broom’s place until almost eight. All she wanted to do was gobble down about three pounds of food, then fall into bed, in thatorder. Okay, maybe she’d slip a shower in there somewhere—she hadn’t felt so filthy since the last time she’d helped move the manure pile.
    â€œI’m home!” she called to her uncle, who was washing dishes and singing along with the radio. Aunt Veronica was nowhere in sight, which meant she was probably in her office getting some work done. The sound of the TV drifted up from the basement, and Haley hoped that meant both boys were down there. The last thing she was in the mood for was teasing from them about her current state of stinkiness.
    She said hi to Uncle Mike and then dragged herself up the steps, grabbing a fresh bath towel from the linen closet as she headed down the hall to her room. Her nightgown was slung over the back of her desk chair where she’d dropped it that morning. As she grabbed it, she noticed her laptop sitting on the desk and flipped it open.
    I’d better check the Pony Post now, she told herself. I’ll be too tired later, and who knows if I’ll have even an extra two seconds tomorrow.
    For a moment, she felt even more exhausted as shethought about everything she had to fit in the next day. But she banished the thought, her fingers flying over the keys as she logged on to the Pony Post.
    As usual, there were plenty of new messages. Haley skimmed most of them, but her gaze caught on one from Nina.
    [NINA] Big news, pony peeps! Breezy and I had a lesson today, and guess what? I found out there’s going to be a horse show at my barn next month!
    [MADDIE] Cool! Are u going to enter?
    [BROOKE] Of course she is! Wait, N, will this be yr 1st show?
    [MADDIE] I think it is! Nina? Paging Nina! Don’t leave us hanging!
    [NINA] lol, sorry I was offline for a few hours. A girl has to eat, u know! Anyway, ya, this will bemy first show. Well, my first horse show, anyway. I’ve been in lots of other kinds of shows!
    [MADDIE] lol, we don’t want to hear about all yr dance recitals or whatev right now, OK? Spill! What kind of show is it going to be?
    Haley skimmed another few entries from Nina, detailing what she knew about the coming show. She was excited for her friend—Nina had owned her Chincoteague pony, a stout bay pinto gelding named Bay Breeze, for less than two years now. She hadn’t been riding for as long as Haley or Brooke, who had both learned to ride almost before they could walk. But she was learning fast, and Haley was sure she couldn’t wait to