Recovery

Chapter 11

A/N

Don't go crazy about my bad horse descriptions- remember Grace knows nothing about horses. So I'm trying to make it seem that way. Anyways, kn with the chapter.

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I'd like to start by saying that I knew from the start this was the Worst. Idea. Ever.

Claire's beat up, red truck pulls into the driveway of what must the ranch. Specifically, Osprey Point Ranch. A large barn sits in plain sight, near to a cluster of paddocks.

Two or three horses are grazing in each paddock, except for in one that is noticeably farther apart than the others.

In that one, a brown horse, almost the color of a dark caramel, with a white stripe down his face, grazes. He has a whites blotch on one of his hind legs. His back two legs are white below the knees, giving the appearance that he's wearing socks.

The horse stands out to me. The sunlight sort of glints of his coat, and I can see from here that he's strong, as his muscles are very defined.

A few people- mostly teenagers- are scattered around the barn yard. One of them leads a horse into the aisle of the barn, another lifts a saddle onto a different horses back. A guy around my age with dark hair lifts a girl who can't be more than eight up onto a pale white horse. Though I can only see his profile, I can tell he's hot. Not that I really care.

"We're here!" Claire exclaims in a shrill, happy voice that's too cheerful for my taste.

I offer a forced smile, though on the inside I'm barfing due to the overload of sunshine and happiness and freaking rainbows falling from the sky.

I climb out of the car, following behind Claire when I suddenly realize how out of place I look. Everyone here is wearing jeans, some form of boots, and a shirt that at least covers the shoulders, if not their entire arms. Which I don't understand, because it's hot out here, which explains why I'm wearing shorts, a light blue tank top and gladiator sandals.

"Ivy!" Claire calls. I pick up my head and see a brunette girl with soft brown eyes bounding towards us. How can she look so happy?

"Ivy, this is Grace. She'll be staying here for the summer," Claire explains.

"Nice to meet you," Ivy states, out stretching her hand. I stare at it suspiciously before realizing she actually expects me to shake it.

I groan internally, and outstretch my hand.

"Ivy, can you show her around?" Claire asks. "By the way, have you seen Avery?"

"Yeah- he was helping Chrissie with Dakota last I checked," Ivy responds, a smile still apparent on her face.

I'm so confused right now with all these names I don't know- I think my head might explode. Though there is a plus side to that- if my head explodes, I don't have to stay in this dirty, sweaty slice-of-hell any longer.

"Okay, so he's probably in the ring," Claire mumbles to herself. "Have fun you two!"

And with that, she leaves socially retarded me alone with this happy, peppy, bubbly girl.

"Who's Avery," I question, trying to pop the awkward bubble that seems to stalk me.

"Oh, he's Claire's son- look, right over there," she states, pointing. Standing next to Claire, in the middle of what looks like a heated argument, is the same guy I noticed helping the girl onto the horse. Who, in hindsight, was probably named Chrissie and the horse is most likely Dakota.

You see, I'm learning.

I don't notice I'm staring at him till Ivy grabs my shoulder and pulls me away.