Changing Ways

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

The next day as Ethan slowly walks into the stable, I give him a hard, lasting glare. He shrugs off the awkwardness and walks past me to Dragon' stall, and I return my attention to Harley. The poor guy developed an two abscesses in his hoof overnight, and Mom appointed me to soaking it in water sprinkled with Epsom's Salts. Apparently it's supposed to draw everything out, but so far I've had no success. The clatter of hoofs makes me lift my head.

"What's up with him?" Ethan juts out his chin and nods towards Harley's hoof. He eyes the carton on salt resting beside me. "Let me guess...hoof abscess?"

"Yep," I say stiffly, gently rubbing the blue roan's leg. I dumb another quarter cup of salts into the bucket and swirl the small white beads around in the cool water, dissolving them as I go, "two of them on the same hoof."

"Painful," Ethan nodded and leaned against the stall door.

I look up and shake the salty water off my hands. "Do you want something? Cause there's lots of stuff to do around here. Even if you don't live here, you're learning to ride here, and seeing as your boarding your horse, there's a lot of work to do..."

He sighed deeply. "Ok...I just stopped by to ask if you have a wash stall or something. I need to give Dragon a wash. He's got a bit of dried sweat from our last ride that doesn't wasn't to come off."

"Well, first of all, we don't just throw money and pointless things like wash stalls," I say standing up and point to a green hose, coiled up neatly at the end of the stable, "if you want to give your horse a bath, get some shampoo, a bucket and sponges."

Ethan laughs and shakes his head. "You are hopeless."

"What are you talking about?" I say through my teeth. Harley shifts painfully onto his other foot and I allow him lean against me. Normally, this is something that I would discourage, but seeing the circumstances, I let him.

"I'm trying to get you to forgive me," Ethan said throwing up his hands, "what do I have to do? I feel so stupid and awful and ashamed and embarrassed all at the same time. I just want a way to fix that."

I smile sweetly. "Well I want a way to fix up my life at school. My reputation. Cause it was ripped away by who? You."

"Have it your way," he says, holding up his hands, walking away with Dragon walking along behind him.

I'm still too made to even try and see things from his point of view...I mean, he was the one who ruined everything. And when I say everything, I mean everything. School wise at least. So I don't see how he can expect to walk on in, say he's sorry and have me just say 'it's ok. I understand you had some hate issues in your life. I don't mind that you decided to take them out on me or anything. Don't worry, Ethan, I totally forgive you for all the horrible things you put me through. We can be best buds now!'

Part of it is his arrogance, and how he thinks he can just get away with everything, and how nothing he does will matter. The other part that irks me is how much he wants to be forgiven. So while I hate him with the deepest desire, I also can't help but think that he might be a nice guy. Harley nibbles at me ankle, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"No, Harley," I say firmly, stepping away from his giant teeth. "How's your hoof doing?" Examining it carefully, I see that only a small fraction of the swelling has gone down. This fact worries me a little bit....I've been soaking it all morning, and I'm pretty sure it should look better than, well...this. I'm not to sure if I should just add more salt, so I call Mom on her cell.