Free Horsing Around by Nancy Krulik Page B

She also took art classes. And clarinet lessons, too.
    “What kind of boots are for riding?” Zoe Canter asked Becky.
    “They’re black leather,” Becky said. “And they go up to my knees. They’re what you’re supposed to wear when you ride English style. That’s the kind of riding they teach at the Cherrydale Stables.”
    “Your boots sound sort of plain,” Suzanne huffed.
    Becky shrugged.
    “Do you have a horse?” Katie asked excitedly.
    Suzanne shot her a nasty look. Apparently she didn’t like Katie talking to Becky about horseback riding.
    But Katie didn’t care. She loved animals. She wanted to hear all about this.
    “I don’t have my own horse,” Becky admitted. “I ride a pony who lives at the stables. He’s the sweetest pony in the whole world. He’s chocolate brown and his name is Brownie.”
    “Brownie,” Katie repeated. “I like that.”
    “Horseback riding is incredible,” Becky told the kids at the table. “I love that feeling of going up and down, up and down, up and—”
    “Becky, stop,” Kevin said suddenly.
    Katie looked over at him. His face had turned a weird greenish color.
    “Oh, man,” Kevin groaned. “I feel sick.” He got up and ran from the table.
    “I told you guys he was going to lose it,” Jeremy said. “Too many tomatoes.”
    “You are always so sensible,” Becky cooed to Jeremy. She batted her eyes. “You’re the smartest boy in the whole grade.”
    Now it was Jeremy’s turn to look like he was about to puke.
    Katie felt bad for Jeremy. Everyone knew that Becky had a huge crush on him. They also knew that Jeremy did not have a huge crush on Becky—or even a tiny one!
    “Um, Becky, is it hard to get up on a horse?” Katie asked, trying to turn Becky’s attention away from Jeremy.
    “Well, Brownie’s a pony, so he’s not as tall . . .” Becky stopped for a minute and thought. “You know, I have a picture of me sitting on Brownie’s back. It’s in my backpack. I’ll go get it.” She jumped up from the table and ran out of the cafeteria.
    Jeremy sighed and rolled his eyes as she left. “I wish she would just ride off into the sunset like those old cowboys,” he said. “Then I would never have to see her again.”
    Katie’s eyes bulged. She couldn’t believe what Jeremy had just said. “You do not wish that!” she exclaimed.
    “Oh, yeah, I do, Katie Kazoo!” Jeremy assured her.
    Katie frowned. She really, really wished Jeremy hadn’t made that wish. Katie hated wishes. She had a good reason. She knew just how awful things could be when wishes came true.

Chapter 3
    Katie was in third grade when she first got into trouble with wishes. It started one terrible, horrible day when Katie lost a football game for her team. Then she’d fallen in a big mud puddle and ruined her favorite pair of jeans. Even worse, she’d let out a huge burp in front of the whole class. How embarrassing!
    That night, Katie had wished she could be anyone but herself. There must have been a shooting star overhead or something, because the next day the magic wind came.
    The magic wind was a super-strong, tornado-like wind that blew only around Katie. It was so powerful that every time it came, it turned Katie into someone else.
    The first time the magic wind appeared, Katie turned into Speedy, the class 3A hamster. She’d escaped from her cage and wound up inside George’s stinky sneaker. YUCK!
    The magic wind came back again and again after that. It turned her into all kinds of people. Once it turned her into her grandfather! Katie had hair coming out of her nose and ears and her muscles ached all the time.
    Another time the wind switcherooed Katie into Jeremy’s kitten, Lucky. That time Katie had gotten into a fight with her own cocker spaniel, Pepper. He’d chased her right up a tree!
    The magic wind followed Katie wherever she went—even all the way across the Atlantic Ocean! When Katie was in Italy on vacation, the wind turned her into a gondolier. She