Chasing Gold by Catherine Hapka

to work on!
    The rest of that morning’s lesson flew by. Haley was surprised when she checked her watch at the end andrealized they’d gone fifteen minutes over the allotted time.
    â€œThanks so much for coming all the way over here to teach us today,” she said as she stopped Wings beside Jan.
    â€œYou’re welcome.” Jan rubbed Wings’s nose as he nudged at her, looking for treats. “I didn’t mind a bit. It’s not every day that a student of mine is getting ready to ride with Zina Charles.”
    Haley smiled. “I know, right? I can hardly believe it’s really going to happen.”
    At least it will if I get everything done and earn enough money, she added silently, though she didn’t say it to Jan.
    â€œWell, I think you two are ready. I can tell you’ve been working hard,” Jan said. “You and Wings have made a lot of progress since our last lesson.”
    â€œThanks.” Haley beamed and leaned forward to rub the pony’s withers. “He’s a superstar!”
    â€œThat he is.” Jan dug a slightly dusty carrot-flavored horse treat out of her pocket and fed it to Wings. “I’ll expect a full report after the clinic, okay?”
    â€œPromise.” Haley slid down from the saddle and ran up her stirrups. She’d pretty much forgotten about the restof the world while she was riding, as usual. But now she was back to thinking about everything she still had to do before the clinic. There was no time to dawdle, especially today.

    â€œStay, Bandit.” Haley closed the picket gate in the dog’s face.
    He whined at her from the barnyard, wagging his tail hopefully. But Haley knew better than to let him into the garden. The last time he’d sneaked in there, he’d dug up half of Aunt Veronica’s prized irises and eaten all the blooms off her roses.
    Haley reached over the gate to give Bandit one last ear scratch. Then she headed into the house. It was after four thirty already, and she would have to hurry if she was going to have time to take a shower, change clothes, and grab something to eat before Emma’s mother came by to pick her up for Tracey’s party.
    Uncle Mike was still out in the barn changing the oil in the tractor, but Aunt Veronica was in the kitchen getting dinner started. “Tracey came by an hour or so ago,”she told Haley. “Left you something. It’s in your room.”
    â€œOkay, thanks.” When she got upstairs, Haley found a garment bag lying on her bed. Unzipping it, she pulled out a flouncy floral skirt and a pale green blouse. A note was pinned to the front of the blouse, written in Tracey’s big, loopy handwriting.
    Surprise! I know u r busy, so I thought u could wear this. It will look cute on u! See u at the party!
    After that came several hearts and flowers and smiley faces, followed by Tracey’s signature. Haley glanced at the clothes, feeling both touched and annoyed. It had been nice of Tracey to take the time to figure out something for her to wear and drop it off, especially since she had to be pretty busy herself today. But couldn’t she see that this outfit wasn’t exactly Haley’s style?
    She dropped the garment bag on her bed and wandered to her closet. Swinging open the door, she stared blankly at the clothes inside.
    Then she sighed and returned to the bed. She didn’thave the energy to come up with something else to wear. Tracey’s outfit would have to do.
    Half an hour later, Haley was showered and dressed. She headed downstairs, following the scent of roast beef.
    When she entered the kitchen, everyone else was already at the table. “Wow!” Aunt Veronica said with a smile. “You look beautiful, Haley!”
    Jake glanced up from shoveling mashed sweet potatoes into his mouth. “That’s not Haley,” he said through a mouthful of half-chewed food. “That’s a girl.”
    â€œYeah,