Chapter 1: A new life and new territory
Riley Deacon looked out the plane window, she was overtired and the sun was rising a day late. She had flown from the Australian Orphanage Association in Sydney to Los Angeles and then San Francisco. She had been requested to have permanent stay at a woman's apartment; the woman's name was Sue.
Since she was two, Riley had been transferred to different housing establishments all over Australia. The reasons she had been moved was because of her rebellious attitude, she always had the urge to go against the rules. Maybe it was just in her blood line, she never found out. Another reason she got transferred was because she was abused verbally and emotionally forty-five percent of the time. Enough was enough when she turned 12, interestingly enough; it was when Sue placed her offer.
So there she was, twelve years old and on the way to a new life and country; or so she hoped. The plane touched down about two hours later, after gathering her stuff; Riley slowly got off the plane. She grabbed her bags and made her way to the arrivals, looking out for the woman with reddish hair and a sign that had her name.
A group of people stood in front of her, grumbling with annoyance she politely shoved past them and kept looking. Out of the blue, someone called her name. Turning her head around quickly, Riley spotted Sue.
With the feelings of excitement, fear and drowsiness the young tween slowly made her way over to the woman.
Sue, seeing the frightened look in Riley's eyes opened her arms welcomingly and smiled. Smiling back slightly, Riley dropped her bags and ran to the woman's arms. First impressions always last, Riley thought as she hugged Sue. She smelt like honeysuckle.
"Welcome to America, Riley." Sue smiled as she picked up a few of the bags and made her way to the car.
"Thanks, Sue." Riley replied while she looked at everything in amazement.
Maybe living here would be easier than she thought.
The months passed and Riley began to adjust to her new home. She was enrolled into the local school and was working part time at a ranch about an hour out of town. The ranch was well known for its amazing cross country eventers and Quarter Horses, and while Riley worked there not only did she get paid but she was taught how to ride both western and English.
Because she was such a hard worker on the ranch, the owner Alex Ryan promised her that she would have her own foal once it was born. Three months later, Riley owned a little black colt called Viper; who was named that for a reason. She began entering events with one of Alex's mares, whose name was Wind Dancer. She was called that because when she jumped, it felt like you were flying on the wind. Wind Dancer was a 7 year old paint with an easy going attitude; she was one of the most trusted horses on the ranch with beginners.
This continued on for the next year. Riley had established friendship groups both at work and at school. She was enjoying the fact that everything was different and that she had new opportunities, and she didn't need to write in her journal anymore because there wasn't a need to; she had nothing to complain about. She went up two jump levels and had begun to help train the younger horses for cattle and young eventers. Adrian was her best friend. Even if he was the boss' son, she could admire from afar.
One Saturday evening, after Josh had dropped her home from the ranch, Riley found another girl in the living room of her home. She dropped her bag on the floor and hung her keys up and stepped forward to ask the girl who she was. The girl looked awfully shy and barely looked at her, examining the carpet with an intense gaze.
"Well, I'm Riley. I'm 13 and in desperate need of a hot shower." Riley looked down at her mud stained jeans and boots, her shirt ripped at the shoulder; then her eyes drifted to the girl who was eyeing her rather oddly.
Riley hoped she didn't smell as bad as she thought she did.
Feeling weird under the girl's gaze, Riley began to back away from the girl, hoping to make an escape for the shower.
"Riley! What have I told you about -" Aunt Sue came out of the kitchen wearing an apron.
"About wearing your work boots inside the house? And take your hat off while you're at it. You look worse than Josh on a hot Friday afternoon." The girl slunk backwards towards the wall, hoping to blend in with it.
"Do you work on a ranch with horses?" She asked quietly, staying close to the wall.
Aunt Sue watched as the young girls interacted.
"Yeah..." Riley looked at Sue who was scowling at her.
Riley cleared her throat and continued more formally.
"Yes I do. I work there as a casual now since I can handle my school work better and I'm getting B's in a majority of my classes. Viper needs some more training too, he's only 1." Riley looked proud as she removed her boots and placed them nicely by the door, removing her hat while she was at it.
"You have a colt?" the girl continued in her soft voice. Riley nodded and rolled backwards onto her heels in awkwardness.
"This is Samantha, Riley. She's my niece from Nevada. She's going to stay here for a bit with us." Sue filled in for Sam since it was obvious she wasn't going to speak anytime soon.
"Welcome to San Fran," Riley stuck out her hand, and Sam shook it politely then quickly dropped her hand. Shrugging mentally, Riley glanced at Sue who nodded at the sleeve.
"I need a hot shower..." Riley tried to bolt but Sue made her come back.
"What happened to your shirt missy?" Aunt Sue stuck her finger into the torn part of Riley's shirt; she saw light bruising beneath it.
Riley sighed, knowing she wasn't going to win this battle.
"I was riding Wind Dancer today for cross country and came off; I landed on a star picket." She winced as Aunt Sue softly poked the bruise, did she enjoy poking all her bruises?
"Alright then, go get your smelly bum into the shower and wash up for dinner. It should be ready soon."
Riley nodded and made a beeline for her bedroom.
"Oh and Sam will be bunking with you dear!" All that was heard was the door of the bathroom slam shut.
"I take it she isn't use to sharing?" Asked Sam, following her Aunt into the kitchen.
"No, no she doesn't dear. Remember what I told you about her. It's a touchy subject right now since you're here." Sam nodded as she helped prepare dinner. As she tossed the salad, Sam started to think.
"Does she feel like I'm taking you away from her?" Sam asked aloud, stealing a bit of capsicum from the salad.
"She might, I didn't tell her you were coming because of it. She's just finished settling in and relaxing into a routine. I've been a parental figure to her for about a year." Sue said gently as she bustled around the kitchen.
"So, I'm like invading her personal space in a way?" Sam questioned again. Sue nodded and grabbed the salad before placing it on the kitchen table.
Ten minutes later, Riley appeared in the kitchen wearing black flannelette pj pants with a black singlet shirt that barely covered her midriff. Sam saw a scar on her left collar bone and the bruise she had gotten from falling off.
"Can I help with anything?" Riley asked as she looked around, avoiding Sam's gaze.
"You can get the ketchup from the fridge and come sit down," Sue said as she sat down with Sam. Riley quickly opened the fridge and grabbed the bottle before going to sit down. Groaning as she sat, she slathered her beef steak in ketchup.
"Why must Alex insist on me getting back into the saddle after a fall like I had?" Riley asked as she cracked her neck, Sue looking at her questioningly.
"How did you fall?" Sam asked, keeping an eye on her food. Looking up from her's, Riley's eyebrow rose.
"Dancer refused the jump; I went over her head and rolled down the embankment. It's a decent 9 metres or so, something a horse would clear in a few strides." Riley cut her steak and stuffed it in her mouth along with mashed potato.
"Why do you jump if it's that dangerous?" Sam asked again. Riley looked at Sue before giving her a look. Rolling her eyes, Riley replied.
"I do cross country and show jumping because I find it exciting; in exchange for working with cattle I get lessons. The Golden Horseshoe Ranch is well known for its famous eventers and cattle horses." Riley waited for Sam to look up from her food but she didn't.
There was silence as the three ate; Sue was watching Sam who was glancing at Riley who was taking a keen interest in her food.
"Riley, is Adrian picking you up to take you to the yearling sales tomorrow?" Sue asked, breaking the silence. Sam looked up at her Aunt just in time for Riley to look at her food.
"Yup and I get to pick a few, he's also teaching me a few things about the sales." She mumbled, shifting in her seat under the watchful eyes of the others. Riley shoved a large chunk of mashed potato in her mouth. She glanced up; Sam went back to moving the food around on her plate.
Sam wanted to tag along too but she'd never admit it, it was Riley's territory. By the look of the girl, she didn't stuff around with anything.
"Adrian is like, eighteen by the way Sam. He's like my big brother and best friend." Riley smiled gently as she thought of him.
Tears appeared in Sam's eyes; Riley pulled out of her daydream and looked at Sue who was looking at Sam with concern.
"What's wrong Sam; did Riley upset you with her words?" Sue's eyes suddenly turned on Riley; they were burning holes straight through her. Gulping deeply Riley slid down in her seat.
"No, she reminds me of my friends back home." Sam replied softly, and Riley rolled her eyes. Most cowboys and cowgirls were like her, ate a lot and stunk of horse 99.9% of the time.
"What specifically upset you, dear?" Sue asked, ignoring Riley now.
"Adrian being her big brother and best friend," Sam replied, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice.
"Well from here out, no one from work will be mentioned around you and I'll keep my horse gear out of sight." Riley grumbled, picking up her empty plate and going to the sink. She washed her plate and stuck it on the side of the sink. Sue was looking at Riley; the wall had gone back up. She could tell by the tension in her shoulders.
There was silence as Riley washed the dishes, Sue was wondering if having Sam here was a good idea. She owed her brother in law but she also owed it to her foster child.
"Well then, the no mentioning of horses or ranches should help settle you in but be stuffed if I can't have Josh or Adrian over anymore." Riley snarled gently to herself, her back still to the pair.
"RILEY!" Sue cried.
"So I have to change my whole life's set up for one girl?" Riley yelled back, a vein in her neck popped and her face was turning pink.
"I have to change the way I live to make someone else I don't even know, feel comfortable?" She groaned and held her side, Sam assumed she was bruised and the sudden intake of breath hurt. She knew she was barging in on them, but her dad had forced her to come here against her own will.
Sue's eyes flashed with concern but she glanced at Sam, hoping to make peace straight away.
"Sam, don't listen to Riley, she's had a long day at work and the bruise must be causing her some pain."
Nodding, Sam placed her plate on the sink and attempted to wash it up but Riley cut her off quickly and did it herself. Sam looked at her aunt, wondering what she did wrong. Nodding her head in the direction of the living room, Sue asked Sam to leave. After she left, Sue cuffed Riley over the back of the head.
"I did not teach you those manners; you don't know what has happened to Sam so keep your comments to yourself." The older woman said firmly, Riley looked at her. A staring match quickly escalated, they were both stubborn and neither gave in until there was a knock on the door.
Sue pulled away and went to the door, Riley followed as she dried a plate. Sam was looking over the back of the couch where she was watching television. Opening the door, Sue gasped.
Josh was standing there with a bloody nose and broken lip.
Idiot, Riley grouched as she went to get the first aid kit; he was notorious for getting into fights.
Sue pushed him in; she saw Sam retreat to her new bedroom but didn't give it a second thought.
"Who was it over this time?" Riley asked, smirking.
"Why must you ask that all the time?" Josh grumbled, his lip hurt a lot.
"Because I can," Riley said as she grabbed ice from the freezer and tissues for his nose.
"Annoying," He grumbled again and accepted the tissues.
"Silly if I say so myself," Sue said as she picked up the phone and called his mum, for the third time that week.
"Can I crash here for the night?" He asked Riley, Sam was standing in the door way with red eyes.
"Don't see why not but you can't use the spare bed in my room, it's taken." Riley growled as she sat on his knee, Josh glanced at the girl in the doorway.
"Its ok, I like your couch it's actually pretty comfortable. Who might this be?" He whispered, pointing subtly at Sam.
"My worst nightmare," Riley grumbled back, and Josh couldn't help it. He laughed.
"Nice squirt, nice." He chuckled then groaned in pain. Sue handed him an aspirin and continued to talk to his mom.