Dreams Come True

be friends too – all apart from Jade Roberts and her friend Monica Corder. They hadn’t said a word to Lauren or Mel, although they had giggled when Jade had leaned over Mel’s desk and caught sight of a horse that Mel had drawn.
    ‘Looks more like a pig than a horse,’ Jade had said to Monica.
    ‘Or a mule,’ Monica had said, flicking her blonde hair back.
    ‘Just like her dumb pony,’ Jade went on, her green eyes looking mockingly at Mel. ‘I mean, imagine having a dumb pony that won’t jump. How sad can you get?’
    ‘He’s not dumb!’ Lauren said angrily.
    Jade turned her full attention to her. ‘And what do you know about horses?’
    ‘Well, I’ve got one,’ Lauren said.
    ‘Lauren Foster?’ Jade said suddenly. ‘You’re the girl who owns Twilight, aren’t you?’ When Lauren nodded, Jade laughed. ‘How sad. I got my dad to sell him because he wasn’t good enough to win ribbons. My new pony, Prince, is a hundred times better.’
    Lauren glared at them but, before she could say anything, Mr Noland heard the whispering and told Jade and Monica to be quiet.
    Lauren was still fuming when the lesson came to an end.
    ‘Come on, Lauren!’ Mel said as they went outside. ‘Let’s go and sit under the tree. I’ve brought some photos of Shadow to show you.’
    ‘You know, I had an idea last night,’ Lauren said quickly, wanting to cheer her up. ‘I think Shadow might be scared of jumping… for some reason. We could try walking him over poles on the ground, then, as he gets braver, we could put up some tiny jumps.’
    Mel looked doubtful. ‘Do you really think it will work?’
    ‘I’m sure,’ Lauren said. ‘Look, why don’t I come over after school with Twilight and we can try then?’
    Her enthusiasm seemed to encourage Mel.
    ‘OK,’ she said eagerly. ‘Let’s do it.’

Five
    ‘ S hould I try now?’ Mel said to Lauren later that afternoon. She was mounted on Shadow and nervously looking at the poles that she and Lauren had laid out on the grass.
    ‘Yes,’ Lauren said, patting Twilight. ‘Just trot him over them.’
    Mel turned Shadow towards the poles. The little dapple-grey pony glanced once at Twilight, and then trotted bravely over them.
    ‘He did it!’ Mel exclaimed in astonishment.
    ‘I told you!’ Lauren said. ‘Now try again.’
    So Mel did. By the time Shadow had trotted and cantered over the poles ten times, Mel was beaming from ear to ear. ‘Maybe I’ll be able to get him to jump in the end,’ she said. She got off Shadow and hugged him. ‘You’re such a good boy!’
    Shadow snorted and Lauren was sure that he looked pleased.
    After untacking the ponies and turning them out into Shadow’s paddock to graze, Lauren and Mel went up the path to see Sparkle and her two kittens in the barn.
    Star and Midnight were awake. They were toddling round the nest of hay, their heads looking almost too large for their fluffy black bodies.
    ‘Which one’s which?’ Lauren asked. They looked identical to her.
    ‘Star’s got a white star shape on her tummy,’ Mel explained. She picked up the kitten nearest her. ‘Look.’
    ‘Oh, yes!’ Lauren laughed, seeing the white hairs.
    ‘Do you want to hold her?’ Mel asked.
    Lauren nodded eagerly and Mel handed Star over. The little kitten looked

    into Lauren’s face and then miaowed, her mouth opening so wide that Lauren could see all the way to the back of her pink throat. ‘Hello,’ Lauren murmured. ‘Aren’t you lovely?’ Star cuddled into her arms.
    ‘Wasn’t Shadow good today?’ Mel said to Lauren as she picked up Midnight.
    ‘Yes, he was,’ Lauren said. ‘I’m sure he’ll learn to jump in the end.’
    ‘I hope so,’ said Mel. ‘I just wish he could learn in time for the meeting on Saturday. Jade and Monica are being so mean about him and the only thing that’s going to stop them is if he learns to jump.’ She looked at Lauren hopefully. ‘Do you think we might have him jumping soon?’
    ‘We might,’ Lauren said. ‘Fingers crossed.’
    As Lauren rode Twilight home, she couldn’t stop thinking about Mel’s words. Shadow might be able to learn to jump with help, but how long would that take? It might take ages and Mel would just continue to get teased.
    If only we could teach him to jump more quickly, Lauren thought.
    She remembered what Twilight had said about his powers – he had some but he didn’t know what they were. Maybe he did have some magic that could help. But how could they