I roll over in the morning to the sound of my phone screaming, the alarm I had set for seven-thirty finally going off. I've already been awake for an hour, but I had been waiting for an excuse to finally get up out of bed. I sit up in my purple and white zebra striped bed and stretch, warming up my muscles before I actually step onto the floor and stand up.
From the top of the stairs, I can see that the kitchen lights are on and the TV is loudly stating the weather forecast for the week. In the back of my mind, I hear that today is supposed to rain, but I ignore it. I shower quickly and wrap my hair in a towel, then dress into a pair of tight fitting jeans, an old blue t-shirt, and my paddock boots.
After I blow-dry my hair and throw it into a ponytail, I begin to pack the bag I'll need for today. I throw in all of the things I spent last night looking for. Sterile gauze, alcohol wipes, hydrogen peroxide, bandages, more gauze, bacitracin, and an entire bag of baby carrots. In another pouch of my bag, I pack a water bottle and some Chex Mix for myself. After a quick thought, I throw in a second water bottle for Chase. The last thing I place into the bag is something I took from the barn the day before. Indie's halter and lead rope.
I head downstairs to my kitchen, where my dad's eyes follow me as I walk in. He looks upset by something, and his eyes look tired as if he'd been up all night.
"What's wrong, dad?" I ask him warily. I don't have enough energy to be wasting on my dad's problems.
"I won't be able to have our father-daughter day today," he informs me. "I got called in for an emergency where I work. I'm leaving at eight and I'll be gone all day." Shit! I had completely forgotten about the promise I made to my dad. Relief washes over me.
"It's no trouble, dad, really," I assure him. "It's probably for the better. I have something today that needs to get done, and soon." His frown is replaced by a smile once he hears that.
"Good," he says, standing up and walking over to me. He places a kiss on my head. "I'll have to go now, then. I'm already late, but I wanted to wait for you to come downstairs." I wave goodbye as he walks out the door. Okay, so I have an hour until Chase shows up. Chase. A thought strikes me. What if he doesn't come? I shake my head. Of course he'll come. I need his help, and I told him that.
I'm already packed and ready for the day by eight fifteen, and by eight thirty, the time is passing slowly. I try turning on the TV, listening to my iPod, and even going back to sleep, but my efforts are pointless. Only ten minutes has passed and I'm impatient and bored. I grab my laptop and scroll through my favorite videos on YouTube, mostly just instructional videos on how to ride and care for horses. I settle in watching a few.
Without realizing, I jump when the doorbell rings. I glance at the clock. 9:05 AM screams at me in bright green numbers. Chase must be here! I run to the door and look out the window to the right side of it. Sure enough, the handsome boy is standing outside on my front porch, a backpack slung over his shoulder. I whip the door open and wrap him in an excited hug.
"Chase, you came!" I exclaim. He laughs at my enthusiasm and surprise.
"Of course I came," he tells me. "How can I resist when you need help? Now I have a question for you. Where exactly are we going? I brought a backpack because you said dress for a hike, but you didn't really give me any other information." I look behind him and wave to his mom pulling out of my driveway, trying to avoid answering the question.
"Come inside," I invite him. He steps over the threshold, and I lead him into my living room. He gives me a wondering look. Fine. I'll tell him my plan. "Indie was spotted in Fairfax." A look of surprise comes into his eyes, but he remains silent and nods. "I talked to Kristy about it, and she said that the poor girl is emaciated. She probably won't let anyone near her." I pause.
