"Vet confirmed it was a stone bruise. A nasty one by the looks of it, so Lily can't ride for two weeks."
"Two weeks!"
Sarah's shock punches me in the gut, right where my guilt patch sits. "Yeah..."
Through the phone, I hear Sarah's sigh and the creaking of her bed as she flops down on it.
"That sucks," she huffs. "First the tires going down and now this! There must be some psycho purposely screwing you guys up."
I chuckle into my phone, my arm wrapping tighter around my waist. "That's what Will said."
"We must be right then," Sarah jokes.
I purse my lips. If only you knew.
"So what else am I missing?" Sarah continues.
"Oh, nothing," I sigh.
I hear Sarah suck in a breath as I continue to walk down the stable aisle.
"Mhmm, right," she grumbles. "Maddie, I'm missing out on the trip of a lifetime. You gotta give me more."
I dodge a groom hurrying along as I laugh into my phone. "Well, Alex and I are doing really well. So is Will and Lily; they are still trying to sneak away as much as possible to do... their thing. Georgia and Sophie are in a sort of fight over Elias-"
"Wait, you mean the hottie?" Sarah shrieks.
My stomach churns. "Yes... Sarah, I've already told you he is a complete freak."
"So?"
"Do you really want to be caught up in a love square with Sophie and Georgia? Trust me, Georgia is still furious from when we caught Elias and Sophie going at it."
"Eww, gross," Sarah remarks. "I suppose you are right. I might have to put my horse boyfriend dreams on hold. We all can't be as lucky as you."
When I reach Virgo's stall, I lean against the door. "Ha, ha. Very funny."
"What? It's true."
I peer into Virgo's stall and smile as he looks up from his hay bag and waddles over to me. I reach out my hand and rub Virgo's forelock, giving him a kiss on the snout.
I'm about to reply to Sarah when somebody appears by my side. Somebody wearing Doc Martins.
Raising my eyebrows, I glance at Sienna who is standing too close for comfort.
"Hey, Maddie," she smiles. "We need to do something."
I stare in silence at Sienna, not knowing what to say.
"Who is that?" Sarah's voice rings in my ear.
I sigh and turn away from Sienna, grasping my phone tighter.
"Just Sienna," I mumble into my phone. "Look Sarah I have to go."
"Oh, Sienna! Put me on speaker, I wanna talk to that motherfu-"
Before Sarah can finish her sentence, I hang up on her. I do not need her screaming at Sienna from another state. Taking a deep breath I turn back to Sienna who doesn't look very pleased.
"What could we possibly need to do?" I shrug.
Sienna locks her jaw. "Something."
I frown and shrug my shoulders, hinting that I want a better answer than that.
Sienna rolls her eyes. "Elias sent me to grab you."
I raise my eyebrows at her soft tone.
"Are you his evil henchman now?" I ask. "Doing his dirty work, fetching his slaves?"
Sienna rolls her eyes but seems to hold her tongue. What is going on with her?
"Look, I didn't know he would do that," Sienna mumbles.
I can't help but scoff. "'A very freeing night.' Your words, not mine, Sienna. Of course, you knew."
"Will you quieten down," she hisses. "Okay, I did know he would let them loose but not on the road! Do you really think I would let anything that bad happen to Alex?"
Sienna takes me aback and I shut my mouth. Despite her overall disgusting attitude, no she would never do anything to hurt, Alex.
I drag my eyes over her and see she has her signature camera around her neck.
"What you doing with that?" I ask.
Sienna looks down at her camera, adjusting the strap around her neck. "Taking pictures for Antonio. He has a lesson with the Senior team."
I fold my arms across my body. I don't remember hearing anything about a Senior team lesson...
"Anyway," Sienna shrugs. "We can't keep Elias waiting."
Sienna turns on her heel without another word, heading straight for the stable door. I stay stuck in my place unwilling and unable to move. What could this crazed kid want now?
"You'll find him our in the paddocks!" Sienna calls over her shoulder. "Have a good one, Maddie. I love you."
I scoff, giving Virgo a final pat. Bitch.
--------------------------------------------------------
The scorching afternoon heat rains down on me-it matches how my blood is boiling. I'm surprised the grass I'm walking on isn't erupting into flames with each step I take. I've been walking around this twenty-acre block trying to find Elias for what seems like forever. My back hurts, my fists are clenched and my forehead is a sweaty mess.
Safe to say, I'm done with his crap.
Finally, I see Elias sitting perched on the metal gate of the paddock at the very bottom of the equestrian centre. I could kill him-no-I will kill him.
Biting my tongue, I stride forward into the crop of trees where the paddock gate sits.
"I hope you are happy!" I shout, tasting blood in my mouth.
Elias smiles from his spot on the fence. "I'm happy about a lot of things, Maddie-be specific please."
I let out a grunt and march up to the fence. Right before I shove Elias in the chest, he slips down off the gate and lands right in front of me. Our noses are millimetres apart.
He smiles. I take a step back.
"What do you want?" I bite.
"Jeeze, getting right into it are we?" he laughs. "That's what I've always loved about you."
I roll my eyes. "So, what is it?"
I watch as Elias's face drops from his cunning grin to a more solemn frown. I stand, waiting for his answer but it never comes. Elias just shoves his hands in his pockets and looks to the ground.
"Nothing?" I laugh.
"No," Elias replies. "I want to talk to you."
"Well, I don't want to talk to you," I say. "After what you did a couple of nights ago? No way. You went too far that night by messing with the horses."
Elias shakes his white hair. "I forgot you are Miss Horse Saver."
Could this guy get any worse?
"That's it, I'm going. This was a waste of time," I spit.
I turn to leave when suddenly Elias's hand has a tight grip around my wrist.
"Wait!" he says, urgency in his voice.
I let out a sigh. I'm going to regret this, aren't I?
I turn around, my arm still in Elias's hand.
"Okay, I'll give you a minute."
Elias smiles but I swear I see a glint of something in his eye.
"So what is it?" I ask, pulling out of his grip. "What's our next plan?"
Elias laughs, looking down at his black sneakers. "Actually, I don't have another plan I want to talk about."
Err, well that's a surprise.
"Then, what?" I ask, curiously.
"Do you remember what I said a couple nights ago?" Elias asks. "About, Alex?"
"Um, yes," I stutter.
What is this leading too?
"Then you'll remember what I said about Alex having the girl," Elias shrugs, looking back up at me.
I take a step back, totally confused about what Elias was trying to say. He looks at me with a sly smile and chills run down my back.
"S-so you want a girlfriend?" I ask, taking another nervous step back. "Ask out Sophie?"
Elias shakes his head, murmuring under his breath. He looks back up at me, his lips pressed together in a thin line.
"You don't get it, do you?"
I slowly shake my head, watching as Elias closes the gap between us. I'm too bewildered to move away.
Elias's hands suddenly plant on my shoulders, keeping me in place.
"I'm not jealous that he is dating someone. Do you know how many girls would say yes if I asked them out?" Elias laughs.
I look down at the ground but Elias grabs my face and prevents me.
"Hey, look at me," he hisses. "I'm jealous he has the stunning, smart girlfriend with the cute accent who is way to good for me."
Elias takes his thumb and drags it down my cheek bone and over my lips. I tense under his reptilian touch and wish for the ground to swallow me up. What is he doing?
"I'm jealous that he has you," Elias continues, still running a hand over my face.
"What... what are you saying?" I whisper.
"I like you, okay?" Elias admits, taking his other hand and running it through my hair.
"Don't..." I mumble snatching my face away from his touch.
Elias raises an eyebrow and looks at me strangely. "Really?"
I raise my arms, pushing his hands away from me, unable to meet his eyes.
"Yes, why are you saying this to me, Elias?" I mumble.
Elias steps back from me, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Because it's how I feel."
I wipe a hand over my face, the feeling of Elias's touch still burning on my cheek.
"You can't feel that way," I say. "I'm with, Alex. I love him more than life itself. I could never like you, Elias."
Elias scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, sure. I mean I should have expected this."
"What?" I ask. "That I'm loyal to my boyfriend. You're a creep Elias, I would never like you. Could never be in a relationship with you."
Elias laughs. "Yeah right."
Elias takes a step towards me and before I can react, his hands are around my waist pulling me close to his body.
"Let me go," I demand, putting my hands on his chest to push him away. He doesn't budge.
"No way," he smiles, making my stomach drop.
"What about, Sophie?" I ask, panic rising in me.
"Sophie?" Elias asks. "What about her?"
"You like her, don't you?" I shout. "I see you guys secretly holding hands and sneaking off."
"Pfft, she was just a bit of fun," Elias chuckles, leaning closer to me.
"But she genuinely likes you," I whisper, trying to move my face away from Elias's.
Elias shrugs. "Oh well, that's her fault. I just wanted to get into her pants."
Elias leans in closer, brushing his lips against my ear. "And guess what? It worked."
My throat clenches, my stomach plummeting. This feeling of sickness rises up my throat and I feel like I'm going to throw up, all while thinking about poor Sophie.
I look to the ground but Elias pulls away from my ear and lifts my chin up. He cups my face.
"Yeah, I was just messing with you at the beginning, but now? Now I like you. Qhich is crazy that you got me to do that, not many people can. Just give me a try."
My jaw locks as I watch Elias try to close the gap between our faces. Suddenly a loud smack rings out. Elias's face is pushed to the side, his arm slipping away from my waist as he takes a few wobbly, backwards steps.
My palm that I used to slap him across the face starts to sting and I put back down against my side. I've even caught myself off guard.
"What do you think you are doing?" I shout.
Elias touches his red cheek with his hand, tenderly. His mouth hangs open as he stands up straight again.
"You honestly think I would kiss you?" I continue, walking over to Elias, shoving a finger in his face. "Do you think I would cheat on Alex with... with... You!"
Elias pants, still focussed his face.
"Don't pull that again Elias or I'll have you shipped back to Sweden quicker than you can say IKEA meatballs."
"Maddie..." Elias croaks.
I don't listen, I just turn my back to him, rage fulling every section of my body.
"Now leave me alone!" I shout, sprinting away, leaving Elias-and his ego-bruised.
I can'tttt believe we are up to chapter 30 of the second book in this series! I remember thinking I was a God for writing 30 chapters in my first book ahah. Anyway thanks so much for reading!
With every story I've written I've always had a goal of reaching a certain chapter that I have had planned on happening since coming up with the story idea. For the first book of this series it was getting to the Under The Tree chapter (I actually wrote that chapter before I even wrote chapter one)
I've had this chapter planned ever since I created Elias.
So thanks again for reading!! I would love to know what you think is going to happen or want to happen.