Free Heartbreak Bronco by Terri Farley

that’s she’s learned not to do what got her hurt.”
    Dark Sunshine sniffed at her between the boards and Amelia shivered with pleasure.
    â€œI guess so,” Sam agreed.
    Amelia’s words made sense, but Sam had the feeling the younger girl was talking about herself, as well as the mare.
    â€œYou like horses, don’t you?” Sam asked.
    For the first time, Amelia’s expression had real force. “If I didn’t, why would I be here?”
    â€œGood point,” Sam said, knowing better than to bring up Crystal.
    â€œI took English riding lessons when I was ten,” Amelia snapped. “They were a present from my grandparents, but the first time I got in trouble, my dad made me quit.”
    â€œI hate that,” Sam sympathized.
    â€œHate what?” Amelia demanded.
    â€œIf I really get in trouble—and it’s happened, believe me—I get grounded from riding Ace,” she said. “I know it’s not as bad, but—”
    â€œNo, it isn’t. My dad took everything away from me. My music, my books, and he even ripped my posters off the walls. I live in a bare room with just my bed and chest of drawers.
    â€œI could have taken that, but when I couldn’t go to lessons, that was the end of riding for me. Just when my teacher said I was a natural .” Amelia ended in a whisper.
    Blaze yipped and Sam was pretty sure Crystal had decided to leave the bunkhouse, but Amelia didn’t notice.
    â€œHere’s the stupid thing: I was actually honest with him.”
    â€œYour dad?”
    â€œYeah, I told him my friends at the stable were the ones helping me stay out of trouble. My friends in the neighborhood kept after me to steal stuff with them—”
    â€œThat’s real nice,” Crystal’s sarcastic voice came from the dark outside the barn. Then she appeared in the doorway. “Ratting out your friends, huh?”
    Amelia giggled. Her eyes changed, taking on a sly look as she said, “Not really. I was just saying that.”
    The switch happened so quickly, Sam couldn’t guess which was the real Amelia.
    Crystal joined Amelia’s laughter. Together, the girls’ merriment was—Sam stopped. The word that popped into her head was something Gram would say. But it was the only one that fit. Together, Amelia and Crystal sounded vulgar .
    â€œWhat’s that?” Crystal’s hands flew up to cover her hair before Sam noticed the rustling overhead.
    â€œPigeons,” Sam said. “They live up there.”
    â€œNot bats? Are you sure?” Crystal backed toward the doorway. “Let’s get out of here.”
    â€œOkay,” Amelia said. Without a word or glance, she turned to follow Crystal back to the bunkhouse.
    Â 
    The blue-green numbers on Sam’s watch glowed in the still-dark bunkhouse. Five thirty. In the morning.
    Sam yawned. She’d stayed awake until midnight, even though the girls had sounded like they were asleep.
    She was supposed to get up and have a meeting with Brynna. Five thirty was insanely early to get out of bed on a summer morning.
    Sam buried her face in her pillow. They didn’t need a meeting. But the rooster crowed from the hen-house, refusing to let her doze.
    Mentally grumbling, Sam slipped out of bed.
    â€œWhat?” Amelia sat straight up in her bunk. Her hazel eyes looked wide without glasses to hide them.
    â€œYou scared me half to death,” Sam hissed at her. “Go back to sleep. You have another hour.”
    Amelia stared, then lowered her head to her pillow.
    Heart still pounding, Sam picked up her boots and carried them as she tiptoed from the bunkhouse.
    Sunflowers nudged Sam’s arm as she sat on one of the boulders to pull on her boots. A starling’s creaky call mixed with the sounds of fretting hens, but Blaze wasn’t on guard. After the girls were settled last night, he must have trotted off to join the