Update! On time! ;)
ENJOY!
Unlike yesterday, when I walk into the kitchen, I find not only Soraya, but the boys too. Adam throws me a grin as I slip onto a stall, reaching for the orange juice and pouring myself a glass.
"Decided to wait for us for once?" I ask casually, draining my glass, keeping one eye on Adam, awaiting his answer.
Ty's mouth twitches, amusement shining in his eyes. Adam merely laughs, taking a bite out of his bacon sandwich. "Something like that," he shrugs.
Soraya rolls her eyes, slipping down besides me. She taps her hands on the table, making a little tune as she twists her lips in thought. She's about to say something when Adam beats her to it, "What was up with you two yesterday?" he asks, shooting looks at Ty and I.
We shrug, catching each other's eye. "It worked though, didn't it?" I say smugly.
"Yeah, but you just sat there. For like six hours!" he argues.
I smile, "It's called patience, dear brother."
"So, did you get to know your horse?" Ty asks, raising an eyebrow, making quotation marks with his fingers.
"Yes—"
"Really?" Ty breaks in.
"Yes—"
Marie chooses this particular moment to make her entrance, tutting as she rounds the kitchen door. "Children," she reprimands.
We all stare at her incredulously, to which she shrugs and says: "You're gonna be late."
One glance at my phone proves her annoyingly right.
"She's correct," I sigh, sliding from my stall.
Soraya laughs, "She always is."
"I'm still here, you know?" Marie sings.
"Yeah, we know, Muffin," Ty says, kissing the top of her head affectionately.
I may have just melted.
She smiles happily, whispering something in his ear to which he rises and says: "Maybe one day, Muffin. One day."
I'm mightily confused, something I often am around Ty, but let it pass, grabbing my hat and pulling on my boots. "Come on, let's go," I smile, walking towards the door. Like every morning, we make our way down to the arena and once again follow Amber up to the top field.
Once we reach the top, she stops and says: "Congratulations, everyone, on yesterday's progress. You all did great, but today's about becoming even better." I can tell practically everyone is grinning from ear to ear, we're all as proud of our progress as she is. "Now," she pauses, "correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure every single one of you has been able to approach a horse." We all confirm this. She nods, "Good, so the aim of today is to halter your horse." She shrugs off the twenty or so halters from her shoulder, handing them out one by one. We all take one and await further instructions. "Now, off you go," she calls before adding: "Remember," her eyes flicker to Ty and I, "patience is the key." Everyone nods and are quick to make their way through the gate.
Once again, I follow the path, positioning myself in exactly the same place. I fall to the ground, crossing my legs Indian style. The blue roan from yesterday soon spots me and for the next hour slowly makes his way towards me. I make no move to rush him, and instead study his every move intently. I notice how he shies at close contact, and how he likes to stand and graze for a while. He takes his time, but one ear is always on me.
As the second hour rolls around, I soon discover he likes to stick with a certain horse. This particular horse is a grey, and she's a mare. Both on them are making their way, slowly and steadily, towards me, perfectly comfortable in each other's company.
Whilst scanning the field in the third hour, I note Ty is exactly the same position as yesterday, like I am. I also note how intently he's watching the grey mare. It doesn't take me long to figure out that's his horse.
Lunch rolls around and I clamber to my feet, taking one last look at the two horses before walking back down the snow-covered path. I soon join our little group, which includes the boy's this time. I notice Kit's date, has also joined us. I haven't seen Zac at all today, and watching the two of them together stirs something strange in my stomach.
I slip into the booth at the restaurant, feeling a weird mix of excitement and total nerves when I see Zac stroll towards us. He grins at me, "Hey, Amy."
I do my best to smile back, "Hi, Zac."
He slips down beside me, placing his tray on the table. Ty slides into the seat opposite me with Kit soon to follow. The others fill into the large round booth, all chatting among each other. Elle gives me a confused look as I bite my lip, and even though I try to shrug it off, I know she doesn't buy it.
I chew thoughtfully on my food, swallowing it before turning to Zac. This is my first proper chance to talk to him since he asked me out, and I don't want to ruin it, not like I've done before. . .
"So, Zac," I start, smiling pleasantly. "What's your workshop about exactly?"
He smiles, setting his fork down. "It's about cross-country."
"Oh, right. So what do you do exactly?" I think I'm aware I've repeated the same question twice, just with different wording.
He doesn't seem to notice, and if he does, he hides it well, "Mostly tips on how to ride the course." He smiles, his dimples showing, "It's a crash course on how to ride the course."
Again, I think this is meant to be funny, so I laugh. I can see Ty eying me skeptically out of the corner of my eye, but chose to ignore said fact.
"So, are you looking forward to Friday?" he asks, smiling.
"Yeah, of course," I reply enthusiastically.
He grins, "Great, me too."
After this, we join the group conversation, although I can't help notice how Ty and Kit often slip into conversation of their own.
We soon go our opposite ways, but I can't help feel a little... deflated after my conversation with Zac. Why is it so awkward all the time? I bite my lip, praying this is not a repeat of my disastrous date. Nerves churn in my stomach and I feel rather queasy.
I don't know how, but Kate somehow knows this and does her very best to cheer me up. I can't help but feel grateful. By the time we reach the top field, I feel fine again.
I smile genuinely, "Thanks, Kate!"
She grins back, quick to return to her usual hyper self. "You can thank me later!"
I'm confused again, but I'm always confused, so I frown once before letting it slide. I must not over think things,I repeat over and over in my head. Over thinking never does me any good. I've learnt that lesson the hard way.
As always, I find myself sitting cross-legged in my, now, favourite place and am soon to spot my blue roan and the grey mare. Although, when I glance opposite me, I don't see Ty. Once again, I'm mightily confused; he's always there, and I'm always here.
There's something about him, something I can't grasp. The moment I think I finally understand him—
"Everyone thinks we're strange being so patient," a voice says casually, making me jump.
. . . Something comes up and confuses me all over again.
They fall to the ground beside me, bending their legs in front of them.
"Maybe we are," I say sarcastically, not moving my eyes from the blue roan before me.
"I thought I'd come and join you; you looked lonely," they say.
I shrug, "Since when did you become observant?"
"I always have been," they say in a way I know they're smiling.
I turn to look at them, studying their face. Their eyes are shining as always, and their skin is golden with tan, but this is not what I am confused about.
They're not smirking.
It's this particular fact that leads me to start a real conversation with them. I turn my eyes forward once again, pulling roughly at the tufts of grass in front of me. "My mom always believed patience was important," I say, twirling a piece of grass around my forefinger. "She said: if you wait long enough, you'll always get what you need," I continue. "Never want, only need," I add.
I carry on talking, almost to myself, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I know they're listening carefully to every word I say.
After a while, I turn to them and say: "Hey, Ty?"
He looks up, "Yes?"
"My mom died in a car crash five years ago," I deadpan, because for some unknown reason, I feel like, right here and now, I can tell Ty anything. It's strange, and slightly unnerving, but it's how I feel.
He takes in my face, which is masked from all emotion. I don't feel anything, anymore. It's my, and always has been, coping mechanism. He's silent for a moment before he says, very softly: "You were in it, weren't you?"
And it's at this point I have to turn away, my eyes prickling with tears, because his eyes, they're... there. There like they are in Marie's picture, like she promised me they are.
And when I do finally answer, my voice is hoarse, thick with emotion, "Yes."
Thoughts?
;)
~wildatheart~
