Unbeta-ed - So all mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer- I own nothing
Drabble written for a friend...to take her mind off her 'injury'!
Hairless Ponies, Eavesdropping and Frozen Peas
"Why exactly are we here again Marissa?" Seth moaned as the car pulled up outside the stables.
"I told you Seth, Caitlin sent me an e-mail. She wants some pictures of China and as she's been shipped off to boarding school it's the least I can do." Marissa patiently explained to Seth one more time.
"No…. why are we here, we should all be doing something wild and exciting as it's Saturday. My idea of fun is not hanging around a stinky stable yard. I mean…do you even know that the mail was from Caitlin? This could all be just a cunning plan to fool everyone from what is really going on. I personally think the gruesome-twosome has her locked up in the basement cause she did disappear veeerrry suddenly. One day she was here being all whiney and spoilt, the next…gone!" Seth snarked
Ryan shot Seth a 'look'.
Summer gave him a dead arm.
"Stop being a little bitch Cohen, I think it's nice that Coop wants to do this for her little sister. I happen to think that Caitlin is very sweet to love a bald pony."
"A what?"
Ryan looked at Marissa, hoping for some insight…his knowledge of ponies was pretty limited growing up in Fresno and Chino but even he knew that ponies should have hair. Maybe this was some Newport thing or just a Julie Cooper inspired brainwave. Hairless ponies…just spray paint the color of your choice, voila…. matches any outfit.
Marissa gave him a shrug, unbuckled her seatbelt and breezily said as if it was the most common thing in the world.
"China has alopecia."
"Err right." Ryan stole a look at Seth who was grinning broadly. They all stepped out into the yard. Marissa linked arms with him.
"I really appreciate you being cool about things. I'm pleased that we can put Alex and stuff behind us and be friends, it means a lot to me Ryan. You've got to admit it is fun all hanging around together again"
"Friends is good" Ryan emphasised the word. "But are you sure about it being fun all hanging out again?"
Ryan raised his eyebrow and cocked his head in the direction of Seth and Summer.
"I told you not to wear those shoes here Summer!"
"Ew Cohen wipe it off…Ew…. Ew"
Summer was desperately hopping on one leg. The side of her Manalo was covered in a brown slick substance with appeared to be liquid horseshit.
"Cohen Get it off." She petulantly shrieked.
"With what Summer?…"
Ryan turned to Marissa.
"Shall we leave them too it?"
Marissa cast a look at her friend who was doing her best to wipe her shoe on the bottom of Seth's pants; Seth was holding her at arms length. They both looked like they were doing a weird waltz around the stable yard.
"Good idea, lets go find China."
They asked at the office and found their way to China's stall just as a stable hand led her into the yard.
Ryan stepped back as the pony lunged at his arm and gave him a painful nip. Jeez it was worse than he thought. Had China been completely bald she might have looked vaguely exotic…like one of those Chinese crested mutts…but this was bad! China had tufts of hair in places and was completely smooth in others; this just gave her the impression of having a severe case of mange. He had a flashback to one day when he was round at the Coopers house; Caitlin had cornered him and given him a long soliloquy (cause he was sure as hell not listening after the first minute) about how China was the prettiest pony in the world. He gave the pony a look of disgust. China must be picking up his 'fuck off' vibes because she moved her head like greased lightning and nipped him hard on the shoulder this time.
Shit that was it…horses and him obviously didn't mix.
"I'm just going to go for a walkMarissa."
Marissa looked at him apologetically as he rubbed his shoulder.
"O.K, I won't be long... promise."
Ryan strolled around hoping to avoid any more contact with the horses. He pulled down the collar of his tee shirt and peered at the red mark, damn that was going to turn into one hell of a love bite.
"Did China get ya?" he looked up and saw a lithesome blond staring at him with a smile on her face.
"Yeah"
"Do you work out?" She pointedly looked at his muscular arms.
"Some." Ryan felt himself go red.
"Hmmm…. follow me!"
She grabbed his hand and led him into a large barn. He turned around, Marissa was snapping away and Seth was giving Summer a piggyback over to China. Damn these stable girls were forward.
"Where'd Ryan go" Seth looked round bored now after ten minutes of mercilessly making jokes at China's expense.
"He went for a walk, Him and China did not hit it off." Marissa was busy discussing nail varnish and make up tips with the groom.
Summer had bagged a pair of Wellington boots of one of the girls and was a lot happier.
"Let's go find him."
They looked in several of the open stables, nothing. Where the hell had he gone? They stopped outside the barn.
"Chino's probably gone back to the car Cohen... I can't see him with the whole back to nature thing."
Seth moved closer to the open window.
"Shhhh Summer."
"You eavesdropping again…. That is such a bad habit!"
Summer watched as Seth's eyes almost popped out of his head. Summer scurried over and put her head near the window.
"What... what Seth" she whispered, listening.
They both heard a grunt from within that was clearly Ryan's voice.
"You want me to put it there?"
Another grunt, then a girls voice.
"Shove harder."
"Urghhh…"
"Harder Ryan"
"Shit… move your leg" Ryan's voice low and husky with exertion.
"Urghhhh, urghhhhh!"
"Shit Ryan, I can't take it anymore." A girls voice spoke, breathless.
Sounds of heavy breathing, shuffling.
"Jo…Urghhhh."
A crash.
"SHIT…. ARGHHHH…ARGHHHHHH, URGHHHH... OHHH …FUCK ME!"
"Ohhh God Ryan…!"
Seth stood with his mouth open. Summer was bright red. She grabbed his arm and dragged him away. They both ran round the side of the building.
"My God…. what a dog! …Like, we've been herefifteen minutes and he's already banging someone!"
Summer looked stunned.
"I never had Chino down as a loud comer!" She looked shocked.
"I'm awestruck."
They both stood, both red and felling slightly horny.
Ryan entered the barn, not quite sure of what was going on here.
"I hope you don't mind but the stable lad hasn't turned up today and we need these bales lifted. I saw your arms and well…I think I found my perfect candidate! I'm Jo." She held out her hand.
"Ryan" He smiled and shook her hand. "Just tell me where!"
Ryan got stuck in and quickly made short work of most of the bales. They were soon neatly stacked in one corner. Only a few more to go. He grabbed the last one and heaved it to his chest then lifted his arms straining his muscles as he tried to heave it over his head onto the stack.
"You want me to put it there?" His voice pleaded as he tried to move it in place. Hoping that this one could just stay where it was…he was beat.
Jo nodded.
He grunted as he pushed.
"Shove harder." Jo moved over and shoved with him, it was almost in place.
"Urghhh…" Ryan pushed but the damn thing wouldn't budge.
"Harder Ryan"
Jo shoved. She moved to get a better purchase. She ended up sandwiched between Ryan and the stack.
"Shit… move your leg." Ryan responded as she stepped on his foot.
"Urghhhh, urghhhhh!" He tried to give a concerted effort as he heaved with all his might, He was going to get this up there if it was the last thing he'd do.
"Shit Ryan, I can't take it anymore." Jo stepped back. Leaving Ryan holding the bale, half on half off the pile.
"Jo…Urghhhh."
His arms gave out and he felt his body twist as he got out of the way as the heavy straw landed. He felt something tear inside.
"SHIT…. ARGHHHH…ARGHHHHHH, URGHHHH... OHHH …FUCK ME!" Ryan shouted in pain.
He fell to the floor and grabbed the top of his thigh. Ryan rolled around in the dirt."Ohhh God Ryan… I'm sorry are you O.K." Jo kneeled down next to him.
"Shit, shit… Groin strain…Oww!" Ryan hissed.
Ryan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It had happened once before playing soccer and it seriously hurt!
"I'm so sorry…what can I do?"
"It's O.K…I just need to get some ice on it…it'll be fine." Ryan relinquished his grip on his groin and gingerly sat up.
"I'll get some for you." Jo was on her feet.
"No…that's O.K. The others will be wondering where I am, Just help me up." Ryan held out his hand and Jo pulled him up.
"I'm so sorry Ryan, really…I feel dreadful" Jo looked like she was going to cry.
"Hey, it was an accident. Honestly I'll be fine once I get some ice on it." He smiled at Jo hoping that it didn't come across like a grimace. He limped to the door.
The other three were waiting in the car. What the hell were they all grinning at?
He slowly limped his way with Jo's arm around his waist. She very sweetly kissed him on the cheek and made him promise to keep her posted on how he was. She slipped her phone number into his back pocket.
Ryan opened the door and winced as he slid into the seat. He felt three pairs of eyes boring into him.
"What?"
"Have a good time buddy?" Seth smirked.
"Huh?" Ryan grunted, mystified.
"You seem to be limping a bit there… bit out of practice were we? Not as bendy as ya thought?"
Ryan gave him the glare of doom.
"Shut it Seth."
As they drove Ryan joined in with the chatter. Why the fuck were they slipping in every sexual innuendo known to man whenever he said anything?
Marissa pulled up outside a store for a drink and snack stop.
"Can I get you anything Ryan?" Seth asked when it became clear Ryan wasn't leaving the car.
" Can you get me a bag of peas?" Ryan felt his thigh burning. He needed to get ice on there as soon as.
"O.K…. Buddy!" Seth looked at Summer and did the universal sign for loony.
Seth threw the bag at him when they got back.
Ryan unbuckled his belt and shifted his pants down. He didn't want the peas melting on his jeans that would make him look like he'd pissed himself. Marissa looked at him with a shocked expression but it was nothing she hadn't seen before. He still had his boxers on; He checked that they weren't gapping. Nope, he was decent. He slapped the bag on his lap and sighed.
"Err Ryan, What are you doing?" He turned his head and saw Seth and Summer looking perturbed at him.
"I need to cool my groin down…. I strained my groin Seth!"
Jeez, why the hell did they think he'd been limping? Newport people were strange, he wondered if he'd ever get used to them.
"Wow! I guess they must REALLY do it differently in Chino Seth." Summer squeaked as she sat back down. Wonderment on her face.
Fin