Skylar Gardiner is a country girl to the core. She lives on a ranch with her family, she sings, but most of all, she loves horses. Every year her family let's a teenager on probation stay at their ranch and work as a ranch hand in hopes of getting t...
we ride for a few more minutes until we reach the clearing and go through it
(as shown in the picture above)
a:" wow, sky, this is beautiful, I don't even know what to say "
s:" I know right, it's gorgeous here "
he looks at me and smiles
a:" yeah, it sure is "
I blushed and turned away when he said that, he was staring at me like he was talking about me being gorgeous
we get off our horses and sit by the lake
a:" I know this place is beautiful but why is it your favorite? "
I start debating with myself in my mind about whether I should tell him or not and before I even realize what I'm doing I start telling him
s:" every summer my whole family would come camp here for a week, my cousin and I looked forward to it the whole year... "
I look at him and he gave me a smile and a nod to continue
s:" we were born six days apart, we were best friends, but I haven't been back here in two years... "
a:" why? "
I could tell he wasn't trying to pry, it was genuine curiosity
s:" summer, two years ago, my family and I were camping and our families went to go search for wood for a fire, it was almost completely dark and we would usually go with them, but we decided to stay back and continue swimming, there was a rope swing hanging off a tree, because we were both dancers we decided it would be fun to swing on the rope and see who could do the coolest flip into the water, I just finished my turn and she started swinging, there was a huge boulder in the lake, she swung, the rope snapped, she didn't get enough rotation and when she landed in the water she hit her head and knocked herself unconscious, when she didn't come up right away I thought she was playing with me, when I realized something was wrong I immediately jumped in to save her, but the currents were pretty strong that day and it was nearly pitch black outside so by the time I found her it took all my strength to get us both back on shore, I realized she wasn't breathing and I started screaming for my family, I was trained in cpr but in that moment I froze, eventually a water patrol officer heard my screams and started helping her, but it was too late, she was gone, and it was all my fault... "
by now tears were pouring down my face and I just felt a warm embrace around me
a:" shh shh shh it's ok, let it all out princess "
I cry on his shoulder for what felt like hours but it was probably only minutes, I don't know what has gotten into me lately, I don't let people see me cry, I don't talk about her, but with him, I feel safe
I stop crying and wipe my tears
s:" I'm sorry "
he grabs my chin and gently turns my head so I'm looking at him
a:" don't ever be sorry for crying sky, it's normal "
I smile
a:" I'm really sorry that happened to you Skylar, I really am "
before I can even think I'm saying something I never thought I'd say again
s:" would you like to see her? "
he nods
I grab his hand and take him to the big heart shaped rock with my name and her name with a picture of her on it
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a:" grace, was that her name? "
hearing her name again made me tear up again
I nod
a:" she was beautiful "
s:" yeah, she was, she was just thirteen, sometimes I think it should have been me, she had so much going for her, so much left to do in this world, yet she's gone and I'm still here "
he cups my face in his hands and stares into my eyes
a:" listen to me sky, I never want you to say or think that ever again, it's not your fault sky, you have just as much to live for as she did, if not more now that she's gone, do everything she didn't get to do not only for you but for her, yes, it was a tragic accident that ended a person's life far too young but she lives on in you sky, ok? "
s:" ok "
he starts looking between my eyes and my lips, my heart starts racing, I think my first kiss is about to happen but people come and we break apart
s:" let's go back "
he nods and we ride back to the ranch
that night I couldn't sleep no matter how much I tried, I kept thinking about what his lips would have felt like on mine and wondering if he was lying awake thinking about the same thing.
a/n: guys, whooo it has been a hot minute since I have updated, I'm sorry for that but between school and writers block I haven't really been able to write, but I'll try to do better. Since today is Austin's twenty fifth birthday I thought I'd update, happy birthday Austin, we love you - Kayleigh 💜
