Free Cowboy Colt by Dandi Daley Mackall

here.
    Suddenly Colt’s dad turns from the window. “Colt! Your present is about to arrive!”
    â€œWhat?” Mrs. Stevens frowns.
    He doesn’t answer her. He runs to Colt and almost drags him out of the chair. “Wait until you see what your old man got you!”
    Colt and his dad rush outside. We all follow them.
    â€œWow!”
    â€œNo way!”
    â€œColt!”
    I hear the shouts before I get outside. Then I see why. A black horse trailer pulls up in front of the house.
    â€œHold on a minute!” Mrs. Stevens cries. “That’s my gift!”
    But as she says it, a second horse trailer pulls onto our street. It parks behind the first one.
    â€œHe’s getting two horses?” Larissa says.
    Mr. and Mrs. Stevens glare at each other. Colt stands between them.
    The driver of the first truck lets down the tailgate and leads out a beautiful sorrel American saddle horse mare. The horse is gorgeous. But she won’t stand still. She dances in circles and pulls back on the lead rope so hard I’m afraid she’s going to rear up and break it.
    â€œIt’s a top-notch three-gaited American saddle horse,” Colt’s dad explains. “I had an associate in Kentucky find her for me. She has won all kinds of prizes already.”
    The horse in the second truck backs out of the trailer. It’s a fantastic bay mare at least seventeen hands high.
    Colt’s mother says, “Happy birthday, darling! I got you a five -gaited American saddle horse.” She says this like she’s proud of the extra two gaits.
    Colt turns and faces us. His expression isn’t excited. It isn’t anything. “Thank you for coming, everybody. Thanks for all the presents, too. I hope you had a good time.”
    For a second nobody leaves. Then we all get the message at the same time. Kids start moving out. Some are texting or phoning their parents to come get them early. A couple of parents are already here. Some kids live close enough to walk home. It doesn’t take long for the Stevenses’ lawn to empty.
    But I haven’t budged. I keep looking at Colt, willing him to turn around and talk to me. I can’t imagine him with two horses, much less three. An image of chubby Bullet pops into my head. He’d look even fatter next to these trim mares. Still, I can’t picture Colt with either one of these horses.
    Colt’s parents are yelling at each other.
    â€œHe’s keeping my horse!” Mrs. Stevens shouts. “That means your horse can go back where it came from!”
    â€œThat’s not your decision! Colt can choose for himself!” Mr. Stevens shouts back.
    Colt is watching them, barely looking at his gift horses.
    I move next to him. “Colt, don’t they know all you ever wanted was a quarter horse? How could they not know that? That’s all you’ve talked about ever since we were friends.”
    He wheels on me. “What do you know about it? Some friend you are! You didn’t even bother to get me a gift!”
    Tears spring to my eyes. I’ve never seen Colt this angry . . . and he’s angry at me . I want to tell him he’s wrong. I did get him a gift.
    Only why make it worse? What made me think I could give this Colt—the Colt I don’t even know anymore—a gift he’d really like?

14

    Friends
    I take off running across the road. I don’t stop until I’m back to the house and in my bedroom. I throw myself onto my bed and cry and cry.
    I don’t know how long I’ve been crying when I hear a thump, thump . I stop my sobs. Then I hear it again. Thump, thump .
    It’s coming from my window.
    I look up and see Dream’s nose pressed against my window. I go over to her and lift the window. And just like that, she sticks her head all the way in.
    I hug her and press my face next to hers. She did it! She came in when I needed her most.
    There’s a knock at the