Some localities need the sunlight to look beautiful, the warm wind etcetera. Some other are wonderful even at night. It was evening, actually, but when you let yourself enjoy the moment that turns to something peddling.
The stars were starting to show up, but the sky wasn't really dark yet, just a bit dingy. I used to spend my weekend time in this area, taking photos or just relaxing in the nearest field. I and Jenna used to often play in the field when we were little. It was a relief for me that she definitively moved here from Australia when she was nine, at least I had someone I could count on.
I and Justin walked to the porch of the simple rustic house and knocked at the door. I smirked as the blondie in a pajama sleepily answered the door. She widened her eyes and turned into some energetic ball as soon as she saw me, and engulfed me in the tightest of the hugs.
"GUNNYYYY!" she yelled and I giggled, hugging back. I realized her hug was a little too tight when my breathing pattern changed, so I patted her back.
"Hey, I'm suffocating here." I said, chuckling a bit. That's when she released me.
"Oh, sorry." she giggled out and turned to Justin.
"Hi! I'm Jenna!" she introduced excitedly, holding her hand out. It was funny, one second ago she was about to die by slumber, but now she was all bubbly and pumped.
"Justin." he replied, shaking her hand.
"Woah, tight grip!" she stated and I raised my eyebrows at her. He's not the only one with a tight grip, girl, trust me.
"Hey, were you sleeping?" I asked, pointing at her pajama.
One thing I admired of her was that she didn't care of what people thought of her and her clothes, she just liked being comfy. Right now she was in a pajama in front of a complete stranger and she was not embarrassed at all. She was actually the opposite of me, all smiley and positive. I envied that.
"Yep. Even though it's still early to sleep, but y'know..." she shrugged.
"Hey, want me to get Baldo and Spirit ready? Oh and I can come with you guys, I'll take Bella!" she said, referring to the horses. I shook my head and caressed her head.
"We'll go for a ride now. But you, go to sleep, Bubbly Bear." I replied, using her nickname of when we were little.
"You're very tired." I added and ruffed her hair, causing her to scrunch up her nose.
"Okaaay." she huffed "Are you staying the night?" I nodded and her face lightened up even more.
"Yay! I'll go make your bed. See you later!" she gave me another quick hug and a two fingers salute to Justin, then she headed back into the house and sprinted upstairs to prepare the room. I let out a laugh.
"She seems nice." Justin stated. I smiled at him.
"She's the best." I replied, as we started walking to the stables.
"I thought- weren't you the one with no friends?" he said. Thanks for the tact, Justin.
"I don't know if we can count her as my 'friend'. We're cousins, it's a different relationship. Besides, she attends a different school. I only see her in the weekends, not all though." I replied, shrugging, and he nodded in understanding.
As we reached the stable, I opened Baldo's hash and grinned at him. He stood up from his position as he saw me and whinnied, causing me to laugh.
"Oi, buddy, it's been a while!" I said, caressing his long, dark, shaggy neck. Justin stepped closer and observed the horses in awe.
I adjusted the saddles of Baldo and Spirit, since Bella, Dorian and Golly were peacefully sleeping in their stables. Then I handed Justin the stuff to wear and got ready too.
"Ready?" I asked and he gave me thumbs up.
—
"Woah! This is so fun!" Justin exclaimed, caught up in riding. I laughed.
"Told you!" I replied. "Is it the first time you ride?" I asked.
"Hm no, I've done it like other two times. I'm not an expert though."
"You're cool enough." I stated and we stopped at a fount to let the horses drink. There was supposed to be a blind dark, but a long time ago I and Jenna positioned an amount of lanterns along this path, and they were aglow.
I hopped on the floor and rifled through the stuff in my bag until I found my Canon.
"What are you doing?" Justin asked, hopping off as well and stepping toward me.
"I want to capture the moment." I admitted and took a picture of Spirit and Baldo drinking by the fount.
"There's not a lot you can photograph at night, it's too dark." he stated.
"But I just need to look up." I responded, pointing my camera at the sky and capturing it. The stars were beautiful tonight and it wasn't even cold. Everything was silent, just as I liked it.
"You really like photography, don't you?" Justin asked and caressed Spirit's brown back.
"Well, like they say, picture paints a thousand words." I smirked. "You know, I just like catching every side of the world I like and have the chance to see it whenever I want. A photo is a memory that never fades." I explained.
"I mean, with my memory I wouldn't need it, but it's nice to have pictures as 'souvenir' from great experiences and sights. I want to get old and look at these pictures being like, 'yeah I remember seeing that sunset and living that moment, and it was beautiful'." He smiled and sat down on the floor crisscrossed, keeping a grip on Spirit's reins with one hand.
"My favourite theme and muse is anything that has to do with nature. Look at this site, there are probably many similar to it, but never the same- I'm sorry, am I rambling?" I asked, reddening a bit.
Sometimes I talk too much, sometimes not enough. What's wrong with me? Have a decent conversation for once, Lynn!
He laughed in response.
"No, it's okay. We all have our hobbies and passions." he said and I nodded.
"Tell me about yours then." I requested and he thought about it for a moment.
"I like reading. It's so... relaxing."
"Oh, Alex loves reading too! You two are gonna be close, I can tell." I smirked.
"I hope so. We can't say the same about Brian."
"Don't worry about him, he's a bit pissy by nature." I chuckled and sat down on the floor. He grinned too.
"But he's not the problem. I-I am." he sighed and looked down.
"Why do you think that?" I asked. He was a really nice guy, he wouldn't hurt a fly. It's not fair that he has to deal with that other personality.
"B-because... I tried to get rid of Jarrod but we're literally two faces of the same coin. What can I do, an intervention? An exorcism?"
"Or just learn to stand him..."
"I tried but can't. He's taken over my life and he's ruining it...I feel like he trapped me. Like I'm tied up and can just watch as he sets the bomb and wait for it to explode..." I could sense the pain in his voice, as he rubbed his arm awkwardly.
"I swear, if I could make a request, it would be to get rid of him forever. I've had enough... I just want to take control and not let him beat me, destroy me. I feel trapped in myself." He looked up and stared at the starred sky. I sighed and shuffled beside him to put one hand on his shoulder sympathetically.
"You could wait for a shooting star and make a wish. Wishes are never wasted, as long as you believe it can happen." I stated, reassuringly.
"Too lame to be real." he responded, rolling his eyes.
"Maybe. But things never stay the same." I stood up and patted my clothes.
"We should go now." I stated, noticing the time. He gave a resolute nod and we hopped back on the horses, gripping tightly on the reins.
"Hey" I called, which made him look up at me again.
"no one's stronger than you unless you make them think so. It's all about self-confidence." I assured and he bit his lip.
"Do you think you have enough self-confidence to face the world?" he asked. Pft no, definitely not. But I was working on that.
"It comes and goes, life's basically a race to catch it and keep it, I guess." I replied truthfully as we started the ride home.
"I just believe in my convictions, never being ashamed." I added. Everything that left my mouth was the pure and candid truth. You should never be ashamed of who you are and what you believe in. It's something I'm very proud of, no one can break my spirit when we're talking about being who you really are, that's my main valor.
Have trust in yourself, still listening to the others' opinions too, they're just the background, the frame.
This is not just all in your head.
—
A/N: Jenna McDougall. No need to say more.