June 2009 Story Contest

The Best Summer Ever by HorseCrazy1101

Once, in a little town called Rover, there was a little filly all alone at school. All of the other fillies and colts had fun together, and they were all like one group. Some were beautiful black and shiny. Most were brown and had very nice shiny coats.

This little filly's name was Sonny. She was very beautiful. She was a beautiful golden brown horse, and she had the nicest attitude. When she turned toward the sunlight, her coat turned gold and redish-orange. Nobody liked her though. She never knew why. The last day of school came, and she was really nervous about what was going to happen. Last year, some one put gum in her yearbook, and she was so embarrassed. This year, she was sure something like that was going to happen again. Suddenly, she saw one of the most popular fillies come up to her. Was this going to turn out good or bad? She wasn't sure. She looked down at the ground, and waited for the insults.

This time, the popular filly looked at her. "You're really pretty, Sonny. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"No." Sonny replied.

"Oh, good. Cause it would have been a lie." All of the popular filly's friends started to laugh and prance away. Sonny was so discouraged. She couldn't take that anymore. Fortunately, today was the last day of school, and she probably wouldn't have to worry about them anymore.

She ran back home in tears, and her mom saw her. "What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing. I'm fine. I'm just going to run around the track some. Is that okay?"

"Sure. But Sonny, just be careful."

"Okay, mom, I will." Sonny walked sullenly to the track in the field a couple of blocks from her house. She trotted into the starters gate, and looked around to make sure nobody was there to make fun of her while she was running. The coast was clear. She broke through the gate, and ran her fastest. She could run, and she couldn't do it without getting made fun of. A little while later, while she was running to get cooled down, she heard laughter in the distance. It was the snobs of the school. The ones she couldn't stand. The ones who made her feel like a complete failure at school all the time. She hid in the woods so they couldn't see her. They all got into the starters gates, and they broke out in a gallop. They were fast. They ran and raced. Probably getting ready for the race coming up next week. Anyone who wanted to run could join the race. It was free to watch and participate in.

Sonny stood still in the woods, and suddenly, "So, are you going to race next week?" Sonny jumped back, and saw Sasha, the popular one.

"I don't know yet. I might."

"Well, just to let you know, if you do, I hope you can run, because you will get so beat out there against me and my friends."

"Okay, well, I have to go. Thank you for the advice." Sonny walked home and asked her mom if she could run in the race and prove all those girls wrong.

"Sure."

"Oh, thank you mom! You won't regret this!" Sonny replied.

"I know. You're fast, and pretty. Don't let those girls discourage you and put you down because you are a different color horse. You're the same as they are, they are the same as you are, and they don't know that."

"Thank you." Sonny practiced alone for the race every day. She was so excited. The day she awaited for finally came, and she was nervous and excited at the very same time. She saw the popular fillies gathered around talking. They saw her, and laughed. She thought back to what her mom had told her, "Don't let them discourage you because you are a different color."

"Racers up!" yelled the announcer.

"Hey, Sonny, I hope you know what my tail looks like, because you are going to be seeing it a lot in this race!" said Sasha. She laughed, and Sonny got focused on the finish line.

"On your mark, get set." said the announcer. The gun shot went off, and the horses jolted out of the gates. The race had begun. Sonny was right next to Sasha, who was the leader at the moment. She kept her pace. Everybody had started to fall behind. It was between Shasha and her now. A burst of adrenaline kicked in, and she ran faster than she had ever before.

3, 2, 1, FLASH!

"Now you guys, that was a photo finish! I don't know who won that one!"  Had Sonny won the race, or had she just lost against the most popular filly in school?

"You guys, the results are in! The winner is..." the announcer yelled. The news that Sonny had been waiting for had come in. She waited in silence.

"Sonny Nightingale, who won by a hair!"

She had won! She beat the most popular filly in school! She was so excited. She couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces. That moment came.

"Congratulations. You'll have to show me how to run like that someday. That was really fast, Sonny." said one of Sasha's friends.

"You'll make a great racer one day."

"Well, looks like you did beat me after all." said Sasha in shock. She looked at her with a frown.

Sonny looked down at the ground, and Sasha gave Sonny a smile, and said, "Congratulations! It takes a lot of courage to go up against your enemies, and then give them what they have given you."

Sonny smiled speechlessly, and looked up at her. "Thanks." she said.

"You know, I'm really sorry about all of the trouble that I gave you. Do you want to be friends, and just start over?"

Sonny replied, "Yes. That is what I have been waiting for ever since we became friends in my mind the very first day of school last year."

They laughed together, and Sonny said, "Hey, Sasha,"

"What?" she replied.

Sonny continued, "You have just given me the best summer of my life. Thank you."

Sasha cried in happiness not knowing what to say. She was so mean to her, yet she gave her the best summer of her life. That was a miracle waiting to happen.

The End.