Rodeo Romance (A Sodapop Curtis Love Story)

chapter 10

I woke up at 5 am to get ready for work, yesterday was fun, I definitely needed a break. I was exited to see the new colt too, I loved baby animals and babies in general. I made breakfast and woke up Soda before I left. He was grumpy I was leaving without him but oh well.
At the barn, I surprisingly wasn't the first one there, a few of my coworkers were already working. I made my way to the broodmares stall where the nightshift was waiting.
"Ok, a few things, the Colt is a little small and has some issues standing so he's taking supplemented milk, also, leo is showing some early signs of fever so he's being , keep an eye on him." I nodded and he gave me a list of all the supplements. 'well, I'd better get working.'  I thought tiredly.
                          Sodapop pov
       After Bonnie left I ate breakfast and got ready, surprisingly, most of her things were for men. Cheaper I guess.
     I was in her room getting dressed when a photo caught my eye, it was from the first day of high school, it was Steve, bonnie and I. Bonnie had her arms around us both and we all had the biggest smiles on our faces. I smiled at the photo sadly, that felt like so long ago.
     I thought about how different she looked now, her shoulders had slumped and no longer bore the bold confidence they once had, her face was sunken from tiredness, and her once smooth hair was now simple and plain. Come to think of it, she no longer looks like herself, the only way I could reconize it was her at the rodeo we're her eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes that simply disposed of any pain they'd encountered, those eyes that when the sun shines just right it was like the Sahara desert and so much care. Those were the eyes I fell for.
      I felt a small tear roll down my cheek, I loved her with all of my heart.
                        Bonnie's pov
     Today was really difficult, the sky was overcast and the flies were biting like crazy, there must be a storm coming. All of the horses were fidgeting, and Leo was defiantly coming down with a fever. There was some good news however, the goal was doing really good, he was standing and walking around. Now it was 5 o'clock and I was tacking up the last horse for a rider.
      "Hey Bon bon?" I turned around, the rider, Micheal was rubbing his neck.
      "Hey mik, Aries is almost ready."
       "Yea about that, there's a family emergency and I have to go. Can you ride for me?" I turned to him, ever since my accident I hadn't ridden horses.
     "Mik, you know I don't ride."
     "Come-on he's a Reiner, he'll be good, I just gotta go, please I'll pay you back." I took a deep breath.
     "Ok, I'll do it." He thanked me and left, Aries, despite his name was a calmer horse, a 8 year old bay gelding. The entire time lunging, I tried to hype myself up but I was still a little Shakey when I got into the saddle. He walked along really smoothly and I felt much better, I asked him to trot and actually caught my diagonals. After a few minutes I felt really good and began reining stuff with him. Everything was fine until there was a loud clap of thunder, the other horse in the ring freaked out and bolted, Aries freaked out and started bucking. I tried desperately to calm him down, I hadn't ridden in years and my balance was shit.
     Then I felt myself fly off, my already concussed head hit the floor and I blacked out.
                        *Flashback*
       "Okay kiddo, go break a leg." Mr. Bills patted my back, I sat on my horse waiting to race around the barrels. She was a chestnut mare, Mr. Bills had let me ride her once and we did so well she became my regular horse. I could barely contain her as she went down the aisle, I knew we'd have to hold back a lot because the sand was wet from the rain.
      "Next is Bonnie Nibbit riding Showstopping Aphrodite." The announcer called, we raced out she went around the first barrel just fine ut it was difficult to hold her back between the next, she threw her head down and back up, yanking the reins out of my hands I grasped her mane, now panicking as she accelerated. Around the next barrel I almost fell we were headed towards the final barrel going faster than we ever had, on the turn, I felt a yank and knew she had stepped on a rein, my heart dropped faster than we did. My limp body flew over the barrel but hers was flung over it with a loud crack and shriek. My whole body hurt but I stood and ran over to her flailing body. 
     "No, no, no, no, please no." I begged, holding her head in my arms.
                  *End flashback*
      Just minutes later she had to be euthanized, after that I never rode in fear I would ruin something else I loved. I blinked my eyes open, I was on a hard mattress with my coworker Tracie standing over me.
       "Bon, you up?"
       "Yea, is- is Aries okay?" My voice cracked a little. She placed a rag on my head.
      "Yea he's fine, just spooked. I got him calmed down." I teared up.
      "I thought, I thought, it would be like last time." I sniffled. She rubbed my shoulder as I sat up.
      "Shhh, don't think about that. Is there anyone you want to call? It's 8 o'clock."
      "Actually, can you drive me somewhere?" She nodded and we headed to the Curtis house.