The question struck me hard, almost like lightning, and just the same the question also caught me off-guard too. I never knew that Aeris was seriously thinking about the future already. To tell you the truth, I haven't thought that far yet, the farthest I've gone would be that me and Aeris would both get into the Palace Guard. So I really can't comprehend how she thought that far already, maybe the female mind really is too complex for males to comprehend it...
Whatever the case I should get back to the issue at hand. How should I answer in a way that won't hurt her, or anger her. I don't want our friendship to break. What should I do in this situation? A fairy godmother would have helped in similar situations, but I know how many times I call for one, it won't happen. Hmmm...maybe I'll just dodge the question! Dodging questions make don't hurt feelings, and they mean that you'll give your answer later anyway!
Unfortunately for all you readers out there reading this chapter, Maximus apparently did not understand the meaning of dodging the question and how it would affect a person's feelings. Especially if that person was a friend, and a female friend at that...
Apparently Aeris was still waiting for an answer, as one ear pointed at me while the other was facing the long road to home. Okay here goes nothing, time to dodge the question! I cleared my throat. I can do this! I gathered up all the courage I could muster and came the moment when I finally dodged the question with total awesomeness and innocence,
"Wanna eat hay together at the barn later?" I asked, sure that I had an awkward smile and other than that looked totally normal. Aeris looked at me as if I had gone crazy then laughed. But I guess Aeris bought it because she agreed and asked no further about the earlier question. And I don't think my parents heard the conversation either because I looked around when we were suddenly alone for some reason. I wonder if it was their doing, but I guess they wanted some time alone together since they don't always have time alone together as dad is usually on a mission or I'm there with them on our morning walks and family outings.
While we ate our hay, we brought up some fond memories we shared together such as the time we went on a trip to the Palace Guard HQ without telling our parents, or the time when her little brother got stuck in a log and we had to pull him out, or the time when we played a horse's version of soccer : Hayball and hit a beehive, all those time we had fun together, laughing and doing nothing else. Times I wish we would continue to have throughout our lives. Then after eating hay we raced a bit, played some Hayball with the other yearlings
Night came quicker than expected after all the fun we had done today. But what I did not expect was coming. And it started the next day. Around sometime in the late morning, after our daily morning walk, I went over to Aeris' place to ask if she wanted to go to the P.G.'s HQ and go do some walking around like we usually do there.
I could see her mom along with her little brother who was romping around in the meadow, as I neared her home. I called out to both of them saying,
"Hi Auntie, hi Squirt (as how I usually teased her lil bro who in return always gave me a hard look)! Is Aeris there? I'd like to invite her along with me to go to the Palace Guard's HQ."
"Hello to you too Maximus! I'm sorry but Aeris went off somewhere earlier, she also said that she wouldn't be back til evening."
Weird. She would tell me first before going though...maybe she's got something to do today or she's hanging with some friends or maybe she just wants to be alone again.
"Thanks anyway. Please tell Aeris that I say 'Hi' though. See you later Aunty and you too Squirt!"
"No problem. Goodbye and take care, oh and say 'Hi' too to your mother for me!. "
"Bye Max!" said Squirt as he cantered near the fence
As I came back home, mother was at the entrance and it looked like she had something important to say to me. Lo and behold, the latter was true when she said the following,
"Maximus, I have something to tell you. It's important because it has something to do with your future."
First time I have something this important! Wonder what it's about...maybe its about me finally becoming a palace guard, or don't tell me that I actually defeated a real bandit and it wasn't just another one of my super awesome dreams wherein I always get the bad guy!
"Maximus! Maximus! For hoof's sake, you're drooling with your mouth open!"
Huh? Crap! I really am drooling!
I realized as my mother called me back to reality and I quickly wiped out the drool that was almost, by now, reaching the ground. Then I grinned at mother to cover up what she had seen then she laughed in a good way that didn't make you feel bad. But now, the talk was back to whatever it was that she had wanted to tell me which was so important and I guess awesome that I daydreamed a bit and ended up drooling in front of her.
"Your father would like to talk to you, because you and Aeris will enter the Palace Guard's training for new recruits next spring as you and Aeris will be eligible to join by then!" Mother said energetically, and then she searched my face for a happy reaction, but instead got a dumbfounded look that said, "REALLY? OH MY GOODNESS I CANT BELIEVE IT!" but I guess it sufficed for her as she smiled.
"Wow! I can't believe that i'm finally gonna be part of the Palace Guard!" I shouted while prancing a bit in circles. "Thanks mom! That was the best news ever! Thank you thank you thank you!" I repeated too many thank yous there but I was too happy about the news I just received.
That night I was up late still thinking about what mom had told me and I also thought about Aeris' question. I kept thinking, sort of regretting too, that I should have known the answer to the question she had asked. After all it was something we had been dreaming about since we were foals. I knew I had dodged the question o purpose because I simply hadn't known the answer, and even now I still did not know it at all. I wonder if I had hurt her feelings back then because I know girls are complicated. Like every male out there I, at least, know this much.
After seeing my mom get annoyed for absolutely no reason at all or doing something really weird like getting mad when I don't fix my stall or when I don't eat properly or when I forget to shine my hooves.
Gahh! If only I had answered her question immediately, without a doubt, without a friggin pause! Then I wouldn't have to keep thinking about this matter and keep regretting it. What should I do? What should I tell her? What the heck is my answer anyway! I kept thinking as I pounded my hooves on the ground.
I guess finding answers aren't always that easy. Especially when you have to tell your best friend how sorry you were for dodging her question about the future. And then telling her, finally, after so long or in my case, 3 days, the answer she immediately make have wanted to hear the first time. I would like to tell her an earnest answer that will not hurt her and will be the best! I hope that i can tell her someday, that answer that i'd like to tell her...
There you have it, finally for the third chapter of Hoofprints. I updated a bit late since school started for us here already :( I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, and comments and reviews are always welcome!
