just because [pin hawthorne] 𝐢

chapter eighteen

"It's no good, Raven's not here," Pin said after a while.

"Then we should try the caves too, see if Zoe needs help," Olivia chimed.

"I think we should just head back, the storm is looking bad," Pin said. Olivia kept silent, and the group turned back around.

"What happened between you and Pin?" Jade asked, falling in tandem with Olivia, a good deal behind Pin.

"How do you mean?" Olivia asked.

"I don't know, you two were getting along great last night at prom, and now you barely look each other in the eye for more than a second," Jade explained.

"I don't know, I-" Olivia started. "He was mad that I wanted to ride out to find Raven today, and he asked me not to ride but I did anyway, now he won't talk to me," Olivia said. It was technically true, she'd just omitted to mention the totally irrelevant fact that they'd shared a kiss yesterday.

"And now he won't talk to you at all?" Jade asked. Olivia simply shook her head, kicking Nina into a canter. It wasn't long before they met back with Marcus and Becky at their meeting point.

"No luck then?" Marcus asked them.

"Nope," Olivia said, dejected.

"Heard anything from the others?" Pin asked. Marcus shook his head. Suddenly, the rain started pouring down, Becky letting out a squeal.

"We have to head back now," Pin said. "The longer we wait, the more dangerous it'll get," he added.

"And leave them out there?" Olivia asked. As soon as the words were spoken, Susie was spotted riding towards them.

"Susie? Where are Mia and Zoe?" Marcus asked.

"Mia got mad, Zoe followed after her," Susie explained.

"That's it, I'm going to find them," Olivia said, turning Nina in the direction Susie had just arrived from.

"It's no use, whoever finds them will be stuck in the forest with them, we need to go back, then we can get actual help," Pin said. As much as Olivia wanted to ride out anyways, she knew what Pin was saying made sense.

"Pin is right," agreed Jade.

"Alright, let's go," Olivia said, turning Nina once more. As they rode back out to Bright Fields, the rain got heavier, and Pin closer to Olivia. Not that she'd been paying particular attention or anything. Olivia dialed Zoe's home number, to inform her mother that she was still out riding. When they reached Bright Fields, they were greeted by Mia's dad getting out of his car.

"Sam called me, I've been so worried," he said, approaching the group. "Where's Mia?" He then asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, she's still out there," Marcus said gravely.

"She was upset. She rode out into the woods, Zoe followed," explained Susie.

"Something must've happened," added Jade.

"Isn't that Mia's horse?" Becky asked. Olivia turned towards the direction the blonde was facing, to find Mia's horse galloping towards them, empty saddle.

"Well, where is she?" Mia's dad asked in concern.

"Susie said they were out in the woods. I'll ride out first," Marcus offered. Mia's dad nodded.

"Okay, I'll take the roads," he said. As they both readied to go out and search, Olivia dismounted Nina, hissing in pain when she landed, her injured foot sinking into the soft ground. Pin was immediately at her side.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes," Olivia said, though it was obvious she wasn't when she tried to walk and stumbled. Thankfully, Pin had been by her side, and he caught her, holding her tightly as he helped her back upright. Olivia cursed under her breath at the sharp pain shooting up through her ankle when she tried putting her weight on it. "Okay, maybe not," she admitted.

"Don't put your weight on it, you'll make it worse. Here," Pin said, slipping his arm under Olivia's to help her stay up.

"Guys! Look!" They heard Jade say. They looked up to find Zoe riding back, Mia riding on Major with her, and besides them, to everyone's surprise, Firefly.

"Is that... Firefly?" Jade asked.

"Oh, thank god," Mia's father said when he noticed his daughter.

"She's hurt!" Zoe yelled. Marcus headed out towards them, and helped Mia dismount Major, bringing in his arms to her father, who then brought her to the tack room. Zoe followed them inside with Sam. Olivia tried moving forward to follow after them, forgetting she'd been leaning on Pin for support.

"Woah there, angel, slow down," he said, holding her back. Olivia's face went red, in part due to having completely forgotten she needed to wait for Pin, but also due to the fact that Pin had just called her angel. The boy seemed to realize as well, because he looked away from Olivia, though not before she caught him turning pink. Pin helped Olivia along to where everyone seemed to have gathered in the yard.

"It's a bad sprain, I doubt she'll be able to ride tomorrow," Sam said, joining them from the tack room.

"That makes two of us," Olivia grumbled under her breath, jumping slightly when Pin chuckled lowly beside her.

"Hold on, if Mia can't ride then, we need someone else for the show tomorrow," Becky said.

"Then that means..." started Jade, trailing off.

"Zoe's on the team!" Becky said excitedly.

"Oh, no, I... I can't," Zoe said. Just then, a car pulled into the stables, a man who Zoe seemed to recognize as her father got out. Zoe ran to him, embracing him. After a moment of reuniting with her father, Zoe headed back to the group, apologizing about having to leave so early, and then heading out. Soon enough, everyone resumed to their prior occupations, and Olivia was left there, leaning on Pin for support, feeling incredibly stupid.

"Well, I don't want to keep you, I'm sure you have things to do, I think I can take it from here," Olivia said, trying to walk on her own, and only making it so far before she had to stop and lean on the paddock.

"You think?" Pin asked, joining Olivia again and helping her to a bench. "I'll get you some ice, stay right here," he said. It's not like I can go anywhere anyways, Olivia thought. Pin came back with a bag of ice which he pressed to Olivia's ankle.

"You don't have to help me you know? If I'd just listened to you when you told me not to ride, all of this could've been avoided, you don't owe me anything," Olivia sighed. She hated whenever people did things for her, it made her feel incapable.

"Don't be ridiculous, I can't count the number of times you've helped me, it's the least I can do," he replied. Olivia smiled gratefully at him.

"So uh," Olivia cleared her throat after a moment of silence. Pin looked up at her, and Olivia suddenly felt shy. "Well, I was wondering about what happened yesterday," Olivia started.

"I'm gonna go get you more ice. I'll be right back," Pin said suddenly, catching Olivia off guard. The bag he'd brought her was still cold enough for her to use, there really was no use for another one. When Pin came back, Olivia tried addressing the previous night again, though as soon as she spoke up, Pin cut her off, changing the subject to tomorrow's county show. Olivia's cheeks burned in embarrassment, and she held her tears in. So he really did regret it. Olivia was never so glad to see her aunt's car pull into Bright Fields' entrance.

"I should go, my aunt is here," she told Pin, struggling up.

"Oh, alright, do you want me to help you to the car?" Pin asked, getting up with her.

"No, I'm fine," Olivia said. "Goodbye Pin," she told the boy, walking towards her aunt's car, every step sending sharp pain into her leg, though it wasn't comparable to the ache in her heart.