Chapter 1

Slowly I leaned against the coral. Silently she watched as the many horses of River Bend Ranch graze lazily in the warmth of the Nevada sun. Suddenly I was standing in shadow. I looked up to find Jake Ely, River Bend's hansom young stable boy and one of my best friends, leaning on the fence next to me. His eyes were a dark brown that were in the constant shadow of his Stetson. His ink black hair was tied back in its usual leather strap to show the smooth mahogany skin from his Indian heritage.

"Hey brat." He said as he looked out over the small herd of saddle horses.

I rolled my eyes before turning back at the horses. We stood there in silence for a few moments before I said, "I'm going for a ride."

"Great I'll come with you" Jake said following me into the barn. I stopped dead and turned swiftly on the heels of my new boots to face him, "Jake you're really starting to annoy me. You've been popping up everywhere I go today. What do you want?"

I could instantly tell he was embarrassed. He scuffed his boots on the ground and reached up to rub the back of his neck. "What. Is. It?" I said making each word a question of and in itself.

"I was…um…wondering if you…um… wanted to go to the…um…prom"

"I'd…I'd love to go Jake." I said trying not to shout out in excitement.

"Really? I mean cool. I better get to work, see ya." He said before walking the rest of the way into the barn.

I ran to the house almost colliding with my stepmother, Bryanna, who coming out of the house.

"What's up?" Bryanna asked as she stepped a side to allow me to race to the phone.

"Nothing," I answered, "can I go out for a ride?"

"That's fine just be back be fore dark"

I picked up the phone and dialed Jennifer Kentworthey's house.

"Hello?" Jen answered.

"Jen see if you can meet me at War Drum Flats in twenty minutes."

"Hold on…my mom said that was fine."

"See ya there." I hung up the phone before taking off at a run toward the barn.

------------------------------------------20 minutes later---------------------------------------------

I arrived at War Drum Flats at the same time that Jen did riding her palomino mare Silk Stockings.

"What's going on?" Jen asked, as she pulled silly up to trot beside Ace.

"Not much, except," I paused, rose in my saddle, and pulled Ace's forelock out from the bridle. I could see her friend fidgeting slightly in her saddle "Jake asked me to the Prom."

"HE WHAT?"