"Round two, let's go," Mona strips the covers from me and rubs my leg. I shake my head and squeeze my pillow. "C'mon, honey. You'll be okay."
I let out a hasty breath and slowly drag myself out of bed. My muscles are sore from lugging around horse manure and hay bails all day. I'm half asleep whenever I struggle to get to the bathroom and I have to keep my hand on the wall to keep me up. I dread today.
Alec walks out of my room and looks at me, "morning, sunshine."
I rub my eyes, "why are you up? It's like five in the morning."
He nods, "nice observation. But, there's free breakfast at this diner down the street. I'm all for food and stuff being free." He smiles and stretches his arms above his head and his armpit hair flashes me.
He's wearing a muscle tee with a lion on it with its mouth open and gray pants, then his combat boots. He tops it all off with a leather jacket and a lit cigarette in his mouth. I bite on my lip and try to hide my facial expression the best that I can. I smirk, "muscle tees are for muscles," I walk into the bathroom and close the door.
I love that style. I look at myself in the mirror and run my hands across my face, then grab my toothbrush. I wet it, apply toothpaste and start brushing my teeth.
~
I throw on my old torn shirt along with jeans, then tie up my combat boots. I walk out and into the kitchen and sit with Mona. She slides me some buttered toast and I take a bite, then walk outside to wait for my granddad.
I finish the toast before I even make it outside. I lean against the building and light a cigarette, "I'm dreading today."
"Body sore?"
I nod, "hell yeah. I'm all for getting a job for money and stuff, but damn. If I can't feel my arms there's a problem." I smirk.
Mona smiles, "you'll get used to it."
"Yep," I nod.
"What did you do yesterday?"
I sigh out my cigarette smoke, "uh..I washed a horse and cleaned out fifteen stalls. I have to do the other side today, but he said he has a friend that would help." I shrug.
Mona laughs and shakes her head.
I look at her, "what?" She shakes her head again, "I want a good laugh."
"I saw you looking at my nephew."
I smile and put my cigarette out, "I'm not dead; I can still look." The smoke rolls out of my mouth and the wind takes it away.
Mona yawns, then it fades into a smile, "here's your ride."
I push myself off the building and stroll over to my granddad. Mona and my granddad exchange smiles and a quick wave, then we're on our way.
~
"Ready?"
I nod and hop out of the truck, "as I'll ever be." I whisper out, then walk to the stables. My granddad honks the horn and I wave from behind.
"Mornin'." Chris smiles and steps out of a stall.
I give my best heart warming smile, "morning." I grab the shovel and place it in the wheelbarrow, then I roll it over to the last stall I got to.
Chris chuckles, "my friend said he'll come by today and help ya with the stalls you did yesterday. I talked to him a few minutes ago and he'll be here around thirty."
I nod and start shoveling out the horse manure, then throw it into the wheelbarrow, "thanks."
He nods, "his name is Matthew." My head shoots up and I look at Chris who's petting a horse. He looks over to me and points, "be nice. I heard you have a temper."
I watch him walk out of the stable and I hear a car door close. I duck down and peek over the stall door. Chris walks in, then an alcoholic abuser. I grit my teeth and stay ducked down.
"She's..was in one of those stalls over there. Uh, I'll be back. I left something in the house."
I take a deep breath and unlock the stall door, then hide behind the shovel, "come near me and I swear to God I'll hit you with it."
"Rydley?" My dad squints his eyes and walks closer to me.
I grip the shovel tighter and lift it up to point at him, X marks the spot, "don't come near me." I try to hide the fear in my voice and back up.
"Rydley, it's me." He smiles and raises his hands in the air.
"I know who the fuck you are!" I scream with the shovel shaking in my hands and tears rolling down my cheeks.
"How's your mom?" He steps closer.
"Fuck off!" I scream louder and try to take a breath. My gaze switches over to Chris who has his hands on his hips with an unpleasant expression plastered on his face.
"Listen here, missy. It's your second day and I'm doing your granddad a favor. So far you were doing great and I don't want or need an investigation in my stable because you got shovel happy. If you two have a problem with each other, get over it and work. I ain't payin' ya to kill each other." Chris glares at my dad and me.
I slowly lower my shovel and walk back to my stall with my eye still on my dad. I see Chris in my peripheral walking out of the barn and my dad walks over to get a shovel. I drop my eyes long enough to clean out the stall.
"Rydley, I need to talk to you."
I ignore him and lay out fresh hay for the horse.
"Rydley, please?"
I scatter the hay, then move to the next stall.
"How's my little Liberty Belle?"
My head shoots up and I glare at him. I swallow some of my anger and grip my shovel tighter, just ignore him.
"Her birthday was two days ago, right?"
I shovel out the manure and watch my dad do the same.
"Rydley Lee Johnson, I am your father and you will listen to me, understand?"
I smirk and shake my head.
I hear the stall unlock and boots walk over to me. I drop my shovel and quickly run over to the door and lock it. I cling to the back wall and I feel my heart pounding in my throat, "please don't hit me!" I raise my arms up above my face and hide in the corner.
"Rydley, calm down!" The door unlocks and I feel his presence over me. It's heavy and dark and I can barely breathe.
I push myself more into the corner and I tighten my shaky arms over my head, "please!" I cry out, "please don't hit me! I'm sorry!"
"I'm not going to hurt you! Calm down, please!" My dad touches my arm to untangle them.
"Get off of me!" I scream a blood-curdling scream and the stall door unlocks, then his presence is gone. I collapse on the floor and throw up on the hay. My body struggles to stay up from the sore muscles and fear. I sit back down in the corner and try to calm down.
~
"Are you okay?"
"Of course she's not okay, Mona! She bout near had a panic attack today!" My grandmother screams.
"Did he try to hurt you, sweet pea?" My granddad places his hand on my arm. I jerk it away and look at him. "Sorry," he frowns.
"Maybe you guys should leave her alone. It's obvious that she doesn't want company." Alec leans on the bar counter.
I barely look at him and I nod, "I like that idea." I whisper out.
"See?" Alec walks away to somewhere else and everyone follows.
I slowly get up from the bar stool and I walk to Mona's bathroom with a towel. I strip out of my clothes and run bath water. I carefully step in, then slowly lower myself in the warm water.
I close my eyes and rest my head on the shower wall. I take a deep breath and rub my face with my wet hands to wash away the dirt of today.
I take a deep breath, then submerge myself under the water. I stay there till I run out of breath, then I come back up. I turn the water off with my foot and my legs look like giant islands in the water. I sit up and start scrubbing my skin with soap, then I rinse.
I wrap my towel around me and I brush my teeth, then I walk over to the bedroom. I dry off and slip on some panties and a shirt, then I climb into bed. I pull the covers up and close my eyes.
I hear a knock at the door and I nearly jump out of my skin. Alec pokes his head through the crack and looks at me, "Mona wants to know if you're hungry."
I shake my head.
He nods, then disappears. I close my eyes again and collect my bearings, it's okay, I open my eyes when I hear the door open again. Alec slides his shoes off and points at the bed. I shrug and he slides in, "wanna talk about it?"
I shake my head and turn over to look at him.
"Want my advice?"
I shrug.
"You said he wanted to talk to you? Well..talk to him."
My bottom lip quivers and Alec hugs me. I shake my head, "I don't know if I can do it or not."
Alec rubs my back, "bring your grandparents along."
I take a deep breath and I scoot closer to him, "Chris said I have a few days off."
"That's stupid. You'll still go back and he'll still be there."
I nod, "right?" I sigh, then shrug, "oh well. Maybe I can spend time with Liberty or something."
"Or me." Alec smiles and squeezes me.
I roll my eyes, "in your dreams."
Alec turns my head to face his, "it's okay to dream." He whispers out, then touches his lips to mine.
I totally wanted to fuck with #TeamColton. Is that mean? Eh, maybe. But, I got a new dog Saturday and he's adorable! He's passed out, so I decided to write. Anyways, two questions:
1: Do you believe what her dad said about not hurting her?
2: Thoughts on Rydley and Alec being a couple?