New Lauren vs. Old Lauren

Woke up way too early this morning. My brain wouldn't let me sleep. Ever since I got my acceptance letter to Canterwood, if the thought of school enters my brain even for a second, I get so excited slash nervous that I can barely stand it. I had to get up and go for a run.

When I got back, I changed into my swim suit and floated around in the pool for a while just thinking. What if I made a mistake by applying to Canterwood now? Maybe I needed another year at Briar Creek. It hadn't been long since my . . . accident. Not long since Kim had started working with me. I wasn't sure if I was ready for the pressure of the show circuit again or if I could even handle it. I wasn't that Lauren Towers anymore.

And that's what terrifies me about Canterwood. What if, by some ridiculous chance, someone there recognizes my name? What if they know about my past? Canterwood's supposed to be my fresh start and the last thing I want is for people to know me as the Old Lauren before they get to know me. It feels good to say, well, type this so it's not just rattling around in my brain.

I wasn't even going to start a blog, but Dad thought it was a good idea. He said I could lock it if I was afraid to be honest and write what I was thinking and feeling. I thought about it and finally decided that there was no way anyone at Canterwood would ever find my little blog. No one there is going to read it and find out that Lauren from Union is coming to Canterwood.

Hmmm . . . I wonder if I should even mention that I'm from Union. That's where Sasha's from. Not as if she needs her last name mentioned, but Sasha Silver is a former Briar Creek rider. Kim trained Sasha until she was accepted to Canterwood. Sasha is Canterwood royalty and Briar Creek legend. She and her horse, Charm, are on the Youth Equestrian National Team, and competing for Canterwood Crest. I've got a lot of work to do to follow in her footsteps.

~LT