Riding On ~~:~~ A Free Rein Fanfiction || Completed

Chapter 16

"Ann?" 

The blonde jolted awake as she heard yelling through her bathroom door. The lukewarm shower buffeted her with water as she realized where she was and let out a yawn in an attempt to rouse herself.

"You ok?" She heard her father ask on the other side.

"Yes," she spoke and turned off the water promptly, wringing out her hair of any excess water and slipping into one of her fuzzy bath towels. Her mirror was fogged over and so she could barely see her own silhouette reflected back at her. She tenderly reached to the mirror, and smeared away some condensation, revealing herself, saturated by her morning shower, but unable to hold back her smile. 

The mirror began to fog back over almost immediately and as it did, she stepped out of the bathroom into her cool crisp room. 

Sunlight had already begun rolling in through the blinds, the sun desirable particularly after the intense storm that had occurred. 

Ann bit her lower lip in thought, her face flushing and the corners of her mouth upturning in bliss as she reminisced about how the storm wasn't the only thing that was intense.

She shook herself from her thoughts, flabbergasted that she'd thought such things and fiddled around, beginning to get ready. It was a quarter past nine and Marcus had sent everyone a text requesting their audience for an important announcement.

Ann wondered what it could be, it must be something incredibly important, otherwise, he'd of told her when they were together... wouldn't he? The blonde once again shook herself, removing the thoughts with her and opening her closet. She stepped inside and Picked out her garb for the day and after taking some time to get ready, hair, and some minor makeup. She trotted downstairs, leaving herself with plenty of time to walk to the stables.

Callum watched as his daughter entered the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee, and his eyebrow crooked. 

"Couldn't sleep huh?" He asked, wanting to tease his daughter, especially since she rarely drank coffee thus he knew something was up.

She nodded, avoiding his gaze as her lower back rested against the counter and she sipped on the warm beverage.

"Yeah, must have been that storm, it was a doozy..." he spoke cheekily, his eyebrows wiggling.

Ann choked on her drink as she met his eyes, and hastily put down the mug as she struggled to catch her breath as her father held back laughter from his seat at the table. 

After regaining her composure she chugged back the drink and grabbed an apple from the fridge.

"I'm going to the stables," she told him as she left the kitchen.

"Yeah, I know, I think you're more excited to see Marcus than Soleil!"

He yelled as she walked away.

In the living room, she flushed, and grabbed one of the round decorative couch pillows and walked back to the kitchen and chucked it at him, hitting in right on the cheek. He stuttered and she stuck her tongue out at him and left, hearing him roar with laughter as she walked away and exited their home.

As she walked along the path to the stables, she could feel the warm sunlight heating her black jersey top, relishing the feeling of it. It wasn't long until she approached the stables and her heart moved from her chest to her throat and she stopped momentarily. 

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Then she moved, walking through the front entrance and into the yard. Mostly everyone was already gathered, from the trio of girls, Mia and Susie, and a few others. The only individuals who were absent were Pin and Marcus.