Chapter 25
Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plots and my own characters/animals.
Chapter twenty five - Cute Cuddles and Fixing Problems.
"Sam!" Freddie shrieked as he watched his girlfriend tumble to the floor. He leapt the fence and rushed to her side, helping her up. Her aunt and Carly were just behind him. She groaned but stood up anyway, abit stiff. "Are you okay!"
"I'm fine, that was all my fault."
"Sam-"
"No it was."
"Sam," Her aunt said to her making her look up.
"Yeah?"
"I know you problem."
"And?"
"I can't explain to you now, do you think you'd be able to get back on?"
"Of corse," Sam let go of Freddie and walked to a standing Apollo, sticking her foot in the left stirrup iron and pulling herself up and back into the saddle.
"Right, Freddie I need you to do me a favour. Record Sam's riding for me." Sam and Freddie both looked confused but the boy agreed none the less. He pulled out his camera phone and resumed his place, perched on the fence with Carly. "Okay, Sam you ready?"
"Ready."
"Off you go," With that, Amanda rushed back to the fence and heard a small click over the phone being turned to video mode. Sam clicked her tongue and dug her heels gently into Apollo's sides, sending him in a walk. She did a quick walk to canter transition and in a flash, he was cantering around the first corner of the arena and headed for the orange jump. Apollo was about to take off, when the same thing happened. He stopped dead causing Sam to jolt forward, only just staying seated. She sighed and turned as she saw Freddie stop the camera phone and look at her, still confused. Sam quickly trotted Apollo to the fence line and dismounted, taking the phone from Freddie as he handed her it. "Now, you have a look at it and see if you can spot the problem." Sam nodded and pressed play. She saw herself riding cleanly towards the fence at a steady canter then suddenly, as the fence loomed, she dropped her reins a little. A few strides later, Apollo stopped.
"The reins, I'm dropping my reins." She stated simply.
"But what does that matter?" Carly piped up.
"It's making him nervous. Apollo doesn't like it. He's loosing confidence."
"How though?"
"Sam, do you remember who else used to drop there reins when jumping?" Amanda asked her and Sam nodded, smiling.
"Ava, she dropped them when she first started jumping internationally, it was nerves." Sam thought back in the past. " It used to make Sky run out and refuse because he was scared to jump with so much power, he needed to be held up."
"Ah," Carly said.
"I don't get why all of a sudden I'm dropping them slightly though?" Sam queered, confused.
"This is your first full training session, without Angel. This is going to be hard for you."
"Okay, you want me to try again?" Amada nodded and Sam chucked Freddie his phone back. Sam mounted up again and gathered her reins up. Apollo snorted and Sam gave him a pat. "It's okay boy, we'll make it this time." Sam did the same as she did the second time around, in one swift transition, she went from a fast walk to a canter. Sam sat deep and leaned back slightly keeping all of her weight in her heels. She turned Apollo to face the jump and determination spread her face. She was a stride away from the jump when she gave a small kick, Apollo took the aid with grace and took off, flying over the jump. Sam grinned leaning forward onto his neck, relieving all pressure from his back. When Sam landed softly on the other side, she decided to take the full course. Sam headed or the second. This one was a purple and pink filler jump, bigger than the first. It was around 5'4'' in height. It was a single jump but it made up in height what the first did in width. Sam simply smiled as Apollo approached the large fence. She gave a small and sharp kick and the stallion pounded his hooves softly against the dust, Sam felt her fingers cramping around the reins, she had to hold him back. He wanted to jump! Sam suddenly smiled, realising her fingers from the reins and letting Apollo shoot forward and take the second jump with ease. She pushed Apollo around and through the arena and took the third and fourth jump, then she stopped directly in front of her aunt, Freddie and Carly who were all still sat on the fence.
"Nice work Sam, you'll be ready in time." Her aunt smiled at her.
"Please, I was just warming up. That was nothing!"
"Go on then Sam, show us what your made of." Freddie smirked. She rose her eyebrow, in a challenging fashion.
"You really wanna' go there Benson?"
"Oh yeah Puckett. I went there." Sam softly laughed and gave her chestnut a sharp kick sending him forward.
"Fair enough, Put the jump up higher." She cantered around the arena as Freddie hoped off of the fence and rushed to the nearest jump.
"How high?"
"Put it up to 6ft."
"Are you crazy! You can't jump six foot, that like jumping bigger than your own height!" Freddie simply smirked. He didn't know what he was letting himself in for. Sam stopped Apollo and moved him towards Freddie. "I wouldn't doubt her Freddie, she's quite capable." Amanda shouted across from the fence with Carly.
"Yes baby, don't doubt me." Freddie looked at Sam, who had an adorable expression on her face, almost in a pout as she batted her eyelashes at him.
"Funny." He chuckled. "One of the reasons why I love you."
"You are so full of Cheese, Freddie Benson." Sam laughed.
"I am not cheesy!" He objected but Sam simply let out a girly giggle. Freddie's mouth dropped. "Did you just giggle?" He smirked at her and she shook her head quickly.
"No!"
"Yeah right."
"You might be my boyfriend Benson, but at this moment in time I am so close to getting off this horse and beating you up."
"Sorry dear." He muttered sarcastically.
"That sound familiar" She mutters. Sam hears the sound of her aunt cell phone ringing behind them but the pair ignore it, too wrapped up in there cute semi arguing. "Anyway, I was only joking about making you jump that, you don't have too if you-"
"Heck no, Benson. I know I can jump that high, so I'm gunna' prove it. Put the jump up."
"Is that wise Sam? You've had enough falls this past week."
"Just put it up and I'll refrain for hitting you." Sam sighs and Freddie immediately does what she says. He knows that she is serious, that even though they love each other, she is still the boss and she is always right. That she will still hit him if he doesn't do as she says.
"Sam!"
"Yeah?" Sam turns to her aunt.
"I've just got a phone call, from Dylan." Sam froze at that name, his name.
"What did the jerk want?" She practically growled, her eyes turning red with anger.
"He wanted to know how Apollo was."
"And you told him?" Sam asked.
"No, I said I would get back to him as I was 'busy'."
"I'm not giving Apollo back to him, Aunt Amanda."
"Sam! That stallion doesn't belong to you." Amanda snapped at her niece, trying to talk some sense into her.
"No I know."
"So, you can't just keep him, he's not your horse." Amanda said.
"I never said I was keeping him, I'll ride him at the event and then give him back to his true owner."
"Sam, that's kidnap."
"She's right Sam, you can't steal him. He'll call the police." Freddie answered.
"I don't care. When that horse first came here, he was terrified of me. I'll ride him and then I'll give him back to his first owner, Tara " was all Sam said.
"The police won't see it that way, they won't see it as a kindness for Apollo. They'll charge him with animal cruelty but they'll probably jail you for kidnap with your track record."
"What track record?" Amanda asked her. Sam's eyes went wide with this.
"Nothing! C'mon guys. I think we should take the horses on a cool off hack."
"I agree!" Freddie nodded, a slight smirk on his face.
"But- what? Weren't you- Sam you were gunna' jump!" Carly stuttered, confused and oblivious.
"C'mon Carls!" Sam shouted across the arena making Carly jump from the fence and rush to Sam's side. Freddie walked along with Sam, as she made her way across to the barn.
"I thought we were gunna' take him for a cool off walk?"
"I need to think about something." Sam untied the girth and pulled off Apollo's saddle and saddle pad.
"So what are we gunna' do now?" Carly asked her.
"How about you go shopping Carls. My aunt has to pick Jade up from school. You could go with her and convince her to traipse around the shops with you spending probably all of your shopping money." Sam laughed.
"Wow! Really! Bye guys!" And with that, Carly rushed around the corner and headed over towards where Amanda was putting away jumps.
Freddie chuckled a deep throaty chuckle watching Carly skip to the arena. Sam chucked the saddle so it was placed on the stable door and began to take off his bridle. Pulling the reins to his brow band, Sam pulled off the bridle, letting him realise the bit from his mouth. Laying it over the saddle, Sam looked over at Freddie.
"Can you hand me his head collar?"
"Sure." He passed her Apollo's leather head collar and she smiled at him. "Sam are you okay?" He asked her and her eyes snapped up to look at him.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Freddie rolled his eyes, He knew she was lying.
"No Sam, you're not. Something's bugging you." He said. Sam headed a sigh.
"It's just- I'm worried about Apollo. He seems so settled. I can't give him back to Dylan. He might only be his trainer but I think he's doing the most damage. His owners are no better. I really think we should give him back to Tara, after all he is rightfully hers."
"We can't Sam, it's stealing." Sam fastened the buckle on Apollo's head collar and then snapped his lead rope onto the tie ring. She lifted her flat hand to his muzzle and let him snuffle around against her palm, letting him tickle her with his chestnut lips. Sam smiled.
"But he seems so happy, in the company of someone who cares. And I know that Tara does care about him. " Sam sniffed. She walked out with Apollo, his metal shoes clashing against the concrete as Freddie walked beside Sam.
"I know but it's not up to us. Legally, he still is Dylan's horse."
"Okay, I'll figure something out." Sam opened the large gate and undid the buckle, taking off the Chestnut's head collar. At this sudden freedom, Sam stepped back letting Apollo shoot off to the bottom of the field, joining the two other stallion's at the fence line bordering the house. Sam smiled, watching him gallop off. She closed the gate carefully and turned to Freddie. "Come on. I really need a cuddle." Freddie looked at her funny but intertwined her hand with his own. He Didn't understand, Sam wasn't a girl who enjoyed hugs. She lead him across the grass and into the house. Noticing the car was gone, she realised that Carly and her aunt were out collecting Jade. They'd be in town for over an hour knowing Carly. Sam placed a small kiss on Freddie's lips and then opened the main door that backed out onto the veranda. She pushed through the door and collapsed on the couch, pulling Freddie down with her. Freddie sat up against the arm of the sofa and placed his arm around her, pulling her into a soft, passionate embrace. She smiled and closed her eyes, leaning into him, on her side. She wrapped her right arm softly around his torso and locked eyes with his own.
"I really do love you, you know Freddie." He smiled, gazing down at her.
"I love you too Sam." He placed a single kiss against her reddening lips. One of his hands, grazed against her soft cheek and she smiled, there lips moving in perfect synch. Like it was meant to be. He pulled away from her, after there mini make out session and hugged her tighter. " You really don't know how much I love you."
"Like I said before Benson, Full. Of. Cheese." She smirked, letting out a slight laugh making him grin. Sam rested her head against his lap and let Freddie gently caress her cheek, sending her slowly into a deep, sound sleep, Freddie not far behind.
Carly, Amanda and Jade all came through the door around an hour later, giggling. Carly was carrying around ten bags, making it hard for her to get through the door. When she did though, what she saw touched her heart. Sam and Freddie were wrapped up in a hug, asleep on the couch. She turned to Amanda and smiled, sweetly. She pointed to the door and Amanda nodded, picking up Jade. "Yeah, lets go. We can come in the other door at the back, so we don't disturb them." Carly pushed her way quietly through the door, closely followed by Amanda who was still carrying Jade. The three left the sleeping couple alone.
Here you go! Dreamer x
Chapter 25, as promised. There aren't many chapters left in this now, just the competition and then when they get back to havenfields. Then, it'll be time for the sequel! I have a name in mind but all suggetsions are still welcome!
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