I think I was about to have a hysterical fit.

Flossie said, “Well, I’m juggling my tights, you know.”

Vaisey was shaking her head from side to side, moaning, “I can’t. I just can’t. I want him to think I’m pretty and—”

Flossie said, “AND you’ll fail your assessment if you don’t.”

Vaisey looked like she was about to cry.

It’s different for me. I haven’t any pride left. Shame, after all, is my middle name. But Vaisey will feel terrible if she fails.

I made a decision. I put one of my front legs round her shoulder and said, “Look, little pal, Jack will like you whatever you do so . . . come on. Let’s do this for Black Beauty and Merrylegs and friendship.”

Jo said, “Would you go out there, Lullah, in front of Charlie and all the lads? Really?”

I said, “Yeah . . . so what if Charlie’s here? He hates me anyway. But there are people out there waiting to see us. People who love the theater, people who we let our feet bleed for. People who are waiting to give us our golden slippers of applause . . .”

Vaisey gripped my hoof and Jo said, “When you get the golden slippers of applause, don’t forget to ask for four . . . each.”

Vaisey put her ears back on. “Lullah, we’ll do it for each other!”

Flossie and Jo clapped us on the back.

We were on fourth after Honsy and Natasha. The Black Beauty music began and Sidone announced, “Tallulah and Vaisey bring us the joy and sadness of a two-horse friendship.”

It was the longest five minutes of my life.

We trotted on lightly as foals, we nuzzled, we jumped, we pulled toy carts about, I strummed on a guitar, and Black Beauty played the harmonica as I sang my rap song. Finally and slowly I died in Black Beauty’s legs.

I died to the sound of gales of laughter.

Backstage, Vaisey gave me a big hug and said, “You are truly a great pal. I never would’ve done that without you and now I feel so good. People really liked it, didn’t they? They clapped, didn’t they? It was a shame they laughed when you died, though. Maybe they thought you were just pretending?”

Flossie said, “Mr. Barraclough had to be helped out he was laughing so much.”

When I’d taken my legs and ears off, I thought I’d just go off quietly and see if I could creep away down the lane, go home, and get immediately into my bed. Forever.

No one would notice me leaving because everyone was too busy flirting with everyone else; the boys of Woolfe Academy were everywhere, talking to the girls; Sidone was flirting with Hoppy the headmaster, so was Monty; and Blaise had cornered some terrified little bloke in a tracksuit.

The worst thing was knowing that Charlie had seen me. If he didn’t already think I was an out-and-out twit of the first water, he would now.