Just A Kiss (SOON TO BE PUBLISHED)

Chapter 3

IAN

Ian Donahue has never been nothing special. Just a plain North Carolinian college boy with big dreams.

He might not have had much money and lived on a ranch in the country but he wanted nothing more than to become the best.

And what was that?

He wanted to be the fastest horse racer in the state.

He's been riding since he was seven and has competed in several horse races within those 14 years.

He is now on his way to the pros.

He always thought he was more than a 21-year-old country boy, senior in college in small town, North Carolina. He just wanted to prove himself to everyone that he could mean much more than they would think.

His story didn't start at the moment he was born or when he was first conceived, being nothing more than the size of a peanut. No. His story started when he got a horse named Crabby.

Ian named his horse Crabby because that horse was a crab. Never did as told or listened to instructions but through time Ian has been able to make Crabby his best friend. Crabby disliked most people. Not Ian. Ian was the only one Crabby trusted. It would take a lot to get Crabby to like anyone else.

Crabby has been his riding companion since he was seven. They entered races together. They won together. They are best friends. This is one of the only reasons he would never leave the ranch. His whole life was there. He refused to get a dorm on his college campus because he couldn't stand to be away from Crabby. He also didn't want to leave his father and ill mother. His mother was diagnosed with Leukemia a year before. That's why he needed to be the best. By winning horse race after horse race he would be able to help his Dad out with her medical treatments and the bills that kept on piling up. His life wasn't as nice as he would make it seem. His family used to not be that close. Friday nights his Dad used to go out with his bar buddies and came home late at night, disturbing his sleep. His parents would fight about it every night. These nights caused him to have trouble in school. The fights would go on for a couple of days, especially in the middle of the night. His mother used to work long hours. He hardly ever saw her. She would leave early in the morning and not return home until late at night. Ian would often have to wake himself up for school, make his own meals and do much on his own starting at a young age. After his Dad and Mom went to therapy their family started getting closer. His Dad would stay home on Friday nights and his Mom started to cut her hours down so she had time to take care of Ian. They became even closer after his Mom got sick. There were some fights about money. Especially between Ianand his Dad. But most of the time they were good. 

Ian walked the field of his college campus to get to his next class. He went to community college. He got a scholarship to go to a very good school in New York but he refused the offer. Saying he could never leave North Carolina.

"Ian!" Someone called out across the field and ran towards him.

"Hudson!" He called back. He has been friends with Hudson since High School and agreed to try and go to college together. He decided to stay in community college for four years and not two. They both wanted to stay close to home.

"Haven't seen you in a while." Hudson said and shook Ian's hand.

"A couple weeks. Sorry. I had to take care of my Mom." Ian has missed a couple weeks of school throughout the year so he could help take care of his Mom on her bad days. Which were often a lot. Ian would go to the college for a little while in the afternoon to pick up notes and work he's missed so he could keep up as he took care of his Mom.