I woke up with a blanket draped over me and the tv off. Turning over, I look at the digital clock under my tv, 5:45. Slowly I stand and stretch.
I lift my arms over my head, "oh god!" I bite my lip and grip my side from the intense pain that runs up my side. I sit on the edge of my bed for a few seconds to allow the pain to ease a little. When it becomes more bearable I stand. I walk to my closet and grab a pair of jeans with holes and a grey cutoff shirt. I grab a sports bra out of my drawer and change.
The house is silent meaning everyone is probably out doing their own thing. I pop some pain medication into my mouth and grab a water from the fridge.
As I open the door I can barely see all the ranch hands out gathering horses through the fog. Breathing in deeply, the fresh smell of outside as well as the smell of horses meet my nose. It makes me smile.
I walk across the yard to the barn and grab a small cup of grain for Grey. She waits by the gate when I bring her her grain. I dump it in the bucket.
In the barn I throw the the cup back in the bin when a pair of arms wrap around my waist.
"Good morning," Clayton says.
"Morning." I try not to let the pain on my side show.
He releases his grip a bit. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Why?"
"Kory tell me what's wrong."
Should I tell him?
I sigh. "Ok....don't freak out."
He gives me a questioning look, "ok."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Well," I begin. "Yesterday morning I decided to see how Grey rides."
"Kory! Please tell me you didn't." I shrug. "Let me see the damage."
"What? No!"
"Why?"
"Cause I'm fine."
"I hear the pain."
I stick my tongue out at him. "You cannot hear pain." I twist out his grasp and walk out of the barn.
Banjo is waiting by the gate for his grain. I smile and grab his halter deciding I should ride him. He eagerly places his face in his halter.
"Come on, baby." I coo. He shakes his head. "What? No nicknames," I laugh.
I clip him into the cross ties. While I brush him clean I allow him to have a small cup of grain. When he finishes eating I get his saddle from the tack room. Gently, I place it onto his back with his blue saddle pad. I throw his bridle on my shoulder, and my helmet on my head, and lead him out.
As I walk to the arena I realize I never took Grey out of it. I smack my palm onto my forehead. I glance around looking for a spot where I could safely work him.
I hesitantly walk to the round pens. I let him go in the first one and lunge him in both directions. When I'm sure he's a little tired I swap his halter for his bridle. Carefully, I lead him out and throw his halter on the ground. I tighten his cinch and buckle my helmet.
Placing my foot in the stirrup, I hop a couple of times before I bounce over onto his back. Slowly, I gather my reins in my head and ask him to walk. I smile when nothing goes wrong. And then we're off to cautiously explore the yard.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Isaak POV
I slowly open my eyes, looking around my heart starts to beat faster. My eyes land on Kory who is curled up on a bean bag next to me. Smiling, I lean over and brush a strand of hair behind her ear.
I remember staying up late playing the play station but the exact time we fell asleep is a mystery. Cautiously, I stand up and grab a blanket off her bed. Laying the blanket gently on her I lean over and kiss her forehead.
On my way out I look at my watch to see it's about 4 in the morning. I drag my butt back to my place after trying so carefully to leave her house without waking anyone up. I practically fall on my bed before I fall asleep for another 30 minutes.
When I wake up again I brush my teeth and shower. My mind wanders back to Kory. She was beautiful and looked peaceful sleeping there. I can't help but be attracted to her. She's fun to be around.
I hear my alarm go off telling me I need to start my chores. I walk out my door and towards the barn. I'm the only ranch hand that wakes up before the breakfast bell; this allows me to get twice the work done. However, if I keep hanging out with Kory I will only begin to slack off.
I work hard, continuing through breakfast. No one notices I'm gone anyway. However, this morning I was not the only out here working. I caught a glimpse of Kory swinging her leg over a chestnut horse. She walks off and disappears around the side of the house.
Placing a pitchfork at the bottom of the latter I climb up into the hay loft. I sit down on a bale and lean back, closing my eyes. This work is tiring.
Apparently I doze off because I wake up to the sound of something heavy being dropped and incoherent muttering. I climb back down and see Kory picking a western saddle up off the ground. I small smile comes to my lips.
"Need help?" I ask. She's jumps then turns to glare at me.
"I can handle it."
"You sure?" She doesn't say anything, instead a she practically drags the saddle into the tack room. Before she comes back out I grab a brush and begin to brush the horse down.
She comes back out only to stop and cross her arms over her chest with a irritated look on her face. "Really? I thought I said I was fine."
"I just thought I would help a little."
She sighs and picks up a brush and begins on the other side. When were done I follow her out to the paddock where she lets the horse loose.
"What's his name?"
"Banjo. Dad gave him to me for 15 birthday when he was a baby. Trained him myself."
"Impressive."
She turns to me. "Yeah. Do you know anything about training horses?"
"I trained a few with some help."
"Do you mind helping me with Grey? Ever since she bucked me off she's been...different."
"Um..." I'm a little hesitant.
"Please," she smiles.
Oh god. That smile. "Yeah I guess I can. Can't guarantee I'll be much help though."
"That's okay." She grabs my arm and pulls me to Grey.
I stand a little behind her and allow her to circle Grey around us. Dirt flies up behind the horse as she digs her feet in the dirt, pushing off, as she almost gallops around us. Kory was right when she said she was different. Her time she spent free shows more everyday as we hold her back from that freedom. This horse needs more room than this arena, even though the arena is not that small.
Kory is tense. She holds the rope tightly, leaning back a little, preventing it from slipping free from her grasp. I step a little closer to her.
"Kory relax," I say softly. She relaxes and soon Grey relaxes, too. "Talk to her."
"Hey, Grey baby. It's alright." Kory talks soothingly, "Sshh. You can chill. We won't hurt you."
"Good." I comment and she half smiles.
When Grey gets down to a trot I tell Kory to bend down a little and look at her hindquarters. This is suppose to put 'pressure' there and cause her to turn them away from you, also making her look at you. Grey responds immediately and looks at us.
Kory's beautiful smile widens when Grey slowly comes to her. "Oh, good girl. Good job! Good girl!" She praises her.
After we let Grey roam the arena again we sit on the gate and watch her.
"Thank you. For helping me."
I look at Kory. "Anytime."
"Where did you learn to do that?"
"At a few horsemanship clinics," I shrug and hope off the fence. Kory does the same. Well, I'll see you tomorrow?"
She nods and hugs me. I don't respond at first, but slowly I place my arms around her back and hug her. We stand there in each other's arms longer than necessary and when we pull I can't help but fall for her a little more.
"See you later." She waves and walks off towards the dining hall.
I walk back to my cabin and clean up. I make a sandwich and sit on my bed eating it. When I finish I take off my shirt and jeans and slip on only a pair of plaid pajama pants. After I brush my teeth I lay down and almost immediately fall asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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