Hey Guys! So this is my first story and I'm super excited. Please comment and tell me what you think (constructive criticism welcome and encouraged).

Where On Earth Did You Get a Rattlesnake?

Mickie's POV

"Mickie Laree Austin, get your ass down here now!"

I closed my book and sighed. It's not like I thought he wouldn't find out, but I figured I had at least a couple hours before the school called. They must have had a slow day for parental calls. Makes sense I guess, it was only the second day of school. I trudged down the stairs and into the living room to receive my punishment.

"Would you like to tell me why the school called today?" My dad gritted through his teeth. I could tell he was seething, and I could see why. It's not like this is the first time this had happened. Starting in ninth grade, my dad has gotten numerous phone calls from different principals for the various things I had said or done that had been deemed as "disruptive behavior", "inciting a disturbance", or, my personal favorite, "Insubordination".

"Well, knowing Mr. Ross, he probably gave a two hour explanation of exactly what I did so I don't think there is a need for me to tell you."

"Just tell me one thing Mickie. Where on Earth did you get a rattlesnake?"

I smirked. "If I told you, it wouldn't be as much fun."

"What good did you expect to come out of this?"

"Saving future generations of students from the evil that is Mrs. Holly's essays."

My dad fumed. "Well guess what? You got expelled again! So we are moving to Littleton. And I swear to God, Mickie, if this happens one more time you are going to the Catholic school in Maine! I hope your happy, now that you get to move across the country and take your sisters away from everything they've ever known! So start packing!" With that, he walked away towards his room.

"What? You can't do that, Dad! AJ and Layla didn't do anything! And what about Brash? There isn't a stable in Littleton!" I yelled, even though I knew it was useless. Once my dad made up his mind, there was no changing it. I groaned. I was dreading telling my sisters that we had to leave, but I knew my dad was expecting me to. It was another part of my punishment.

I dragged myself up the stairs, and turned the corner of the hallway. I looked through the big window in the front of our house. I saw the huge field that I would ride Brash on, the barn down the road with the rusty green tractor out front, and a whole lot of sunshine. Would I really be able to leave beautiful Red Bend, Tennessee for dreary Oregon? Last time we visited to see Dad's friends Hunter and Shawn, it rained every day and was freezing the whole time. I couldn't imagine staying there for over a week, much less moving there. I sighed and knocked on my youngest sister's door. Here goes nothing.

"Come in!" She yelled in that perky, bubbly voice of hers. I smiled to myself. My sisters and I were extremely close. I always considered myself to be the protector of them after our mom died, even though we were each only a year apart.

"Hey," I said softly. AJ was sitting on her bed with Layla. They were watching a movie on Layla's laptop. As I walked in, Layla closed the computer.

"Hey, what's up?" AJ said. Even though I tried to not let on that anything was wrong, AJ could always tell.

"Not much. I assume you could here Dad yelling?"

"Yeah," Layla said. "How much trouble did you get in this time?"

"Um, about that..." I couldn't figure out how to tell them. 'Hey did you hear that the Smiths are getting a new tractor and four new horses. Oh, and by the way, we are moving to what could quite possibly the worst town in the country,'? I didn't think so.

"Mickie? What's going on?"

"I-I got expelled." I looked down. I couldn't stand to see their faces.

"Again?! Where are you supposed to spend your senior year?"

"Littleton..." I muttered.

"What, Mickie? I couldn't hear what you said."

"Were moving to Littleton, okay!" I dropped my head and tried my hardest not to let the tears that were building up fall.

I could hear Layla gasp. "What? What about my dancing? How could you, Mickie?"

"Layla! Mickie it's not your fault." AJ said.

"No, AJ, Laylas right. I shouldn't have pushed Mr. Ross that far. You guys should start packing." I left before the disappointment in their voices could get to me. As I walked to my room to start packing, I couldn't help but wonder what the school was like. I knew from the few times we had been there that the town was small, quiet, and very traditional. In other words, completely different from where we lived now. I loved the loudness and the everything-is-a-party attitude of Hartland. How were we supposed to survive?

Ten minutes later, I walked into barn. I had left right after I told AJ and Layla about Littleton. Even though I had planned on packing, I felt too guilty to stand being near them. I knew Layla was right, I had screwed up their lives. I was confident that Layla could make friends, but AJ I wasn't so sure. She had always been shy, and since Mom died she barely speaks. She had been the closest to Mom. Layla wasn't really close with either of our parents, always out with friends or on a date. She was always the most popular one of us. I, before Mom died, was very close to Dad. We were extremely alike, from our love of horses and country music to our stubbornness and protectiveness that drove my sisters, and when it was Dad, sometimes me, insane.

When I reached my horse's stall, I stopped. There were photos of a younger me in various rodeos across Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas along with ribbons from these rodeos. Most of them were first or second place. In the middle of all this, on a shiny plaque, was the name "Brash 'n Sassy". I smiled sadly. I sure was going to miss this place.

"Hey boy, how ya doin?" I took Brash 'n Sassy, Brash for short, out of the stall and clipped him into the ropes hanging from each side of the aisle so he wouldn't move and started grooming him.

"So Brash, I got expelled again. Guess were I'm going to high school now? Washington High in Littleton. All the way in Oregon."

Brash swished his tail. I could tell he didn't like the sound of that.

"And you know what else? I don't get to take you 'cause there isn't a stable in Littleton."

Brash neighed.

"I know it sucks doesn't it."

"Talking to your horse again, Mickie?"

I spun and saw the owner of the barn, Stephanie. After Mom died, she kind of became my maternal figure. She even offered me a job at the barn, which is the reason I get to keep my horse here for free.

"Hey."

"So Littleton, huh?"

I sighed. "Yup." I stood there, feeling the tears build up yet again. God, I was sick of this feeling.

"Come here," Stephanie said. I immediately ran toward her and hugged her. I didn't cry, just hugged her. Stephanie was actually from Littleton, but moved here after her dad pissed her off or something like that. That's actually how Dad met Hunter and Shawn. Stephanie and Dad had always been good friends and she asked Dad to come with her to Littleton for moral support when her dad had asked her to go up and talk. Needless to say, that talk didn't end very well but Dad met Hunter and Shawn and the rest is history.

"Chin up, kid. It'll be fine." I smiled. Stephanie had said this to me countless times since I met her. From falling off a horse to more personal things, she always helped me with those six words.

"Will you take care of Brash for me?" I asked.

"Of course, honey. With all you've done for me and the barn it's the least I can do."

"Thanks Stephanie."

"Now go take Brash for a ride before you leave. C'mon, I know you want to."

I smiled. "Thank you again Stephanie. For everything."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah get to the field!" She said while grinning.

I grinned back. "See you soon." I saddled up Brash and went for what could be our last ride in a while.