A/N – sorry I would have posted this last Friday but my computer did some weird thing where I couldn't open links and therefore I couldn't log in or do anything (it seems to be working now so here's the next chapter)
"Whoah Julie slow down!" I heard Ryan yell from somewhere behind me.
I tugged on the reins a little to make Thunder slow down. I heard the horse whine just a little to let me know he wasn't very pleased about having to slow down.
Seems like he was enjoying the run as much as I was.
"Can't keep up?" I asked cheekily when he'd caught up to me.
"I could but this guy hasn't been out for a while. He's been neglected while you were gone" Ryan protested.
"You're big enough and ugly enough to take him out on your own, besides you'll have to when I go away to school at the end of the summer"
Oh shit, I think I just let the cat out of the bag, no pun intended.
"Go away to school? Aren't you going to Bangor Grammar?" Ryan asked.
I made my horse halt to a stop. I looked around cautiously to ensure we were alone. Not that I was really expecting anyone to be out here in the scrubs but you never knew.
Ryan pulled Bobby to a stop.
"Can you keep a secret?" I asked softly.
"Julie I've been keeping secrets around here since I started, if you mother knew what I knew she would throw a fit to rival Naomi Campbell" Ryan laughed.
"I'm serious, mother cannot know about this yet" I say seriously.
My plan of attack was to wait until Coach Bombay showed up. He would do all of my negotiating for me.
"I promise I won't say a word to a living soul, but I can't vouch for these two here" Ryan indicated to the two horses with a grin.
"You're such a crack up" I replied dryly.
"I try, so what's this big secret?" Ryan got my mind back on to the task at hand.
"Well Coach Bombay managed to score the entire team a full athletic scholarship to a fancy private school in Minnesota and I really really wanna go"
"Wow, is that all?" Ryan pretended to look bored.
"Yes that's all, as if mother will let me go to a school that's not Bangor Grammar unless I can get Coach Bombay to convince her that the Minnesota school has more bragging rights attached to it than Bangor"
"You think he can do that?" Ryan asked me.
I shrugged "I dunno but Charlie reckons he's very persuasive"
"Charlie says huh?" Ryan raised his eyebrows at me.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked hoping he wasn't thinking what I think he was thinking.
"You and Charlie?" he pressed on.
"Are you insane! No freaking way, that guy is worse than a girl when it comes to mood swings" I replied.
"Okay, that insult was way too real to be a cover up so which Duck is it? Wait no let me guess, Adam Banks"
"What makes you think I'm with any of the Ducks, and no its not Banks, as if"
I think I've just given myself away.
"So its not Banks then, hmmmmm oh of course, Dean Portman. You'd be one to go for the bad boy now wouldn't you" Ryan gave me a smug grin.
I simply shook my head.
"Close but no cigar" I decided to throw him a bone. He really was good at keeping secrets.
"No way, Fulton Reed? I never would have guessed that in a million years" Ryan's face was priceless.
"Neither would I to be honest, it just kinda happened" I admitted starting to feel guilty that I hadn't called Fulton yet.
"So are you gonna become Mrs Reed and have little Fulton Reed babies" Ryan was enjoying teasing the crap out of me.
"NO!" I almost screamed.
"Now I know why you wanna go to that fancy Minnesota school, Mrs Reed" Ryan howled.
"Shut up!" I retorted starting Thunder up again.
"And don't you tell anyone" I called over my shoulder as I eased Thunder into a gallop.
"You're a cheater Gaffney!" Ryan complained trying his hardest to catch up to me.
We had our own little race all the way back to the stables. Because I had such a big headstart, and because my horse was faster, I made it back first.
"Yes I win!" I laughed climbing down and taking my helmet off.
"You cheated, cheater" Ryan pointed his finger at me accusingly.
"Not my fault you couldn't keep up" I laughed.
"Whatever, so Connie Moreau, is she taken?" Ryan asked me.
"I dunno why?" I played coy.
"Cos she's hot" Ryan said with his back to me as he fiddled with the stirrups.
"Apparently you're not the only one that thinks that" I laughed.
"Why was she seeing someone?" Ryan turned around.
This guy was worse than a girl when it came to juicy gossip.
Maybe that's why I liked him so much.
"Well" I began.
"Well?" Ryan prompted me impatiently.
"Well, she was going out with Guy Germaine but they broke up on the camp, Dwayne has a huge crush on her and Portman kissed her at the airport"
Ryan processed this new information.
"Well, Dwayne and Guy I could take out, Portman might be tough though, I'll have to start working out more, what do you think" Ryan jokingly pulled a muscle man pose.
"Well you have two weeks before school starts so get working" I said rolling my eyes.
"JULIETTE!" my mother screamed.
"Damn it she knows I'm back" I rolled my eyes again but this time I meant it.
"I'll fix Thunder up, you go see what she wants before she starts throwing another hissy fit" Ryan offered.
"Thanks" I smiled at him and ran towards the house.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
"Where have you been?" John demanded the second I set foot on the porch.
"None of your business" I replied just as nastily. I didn't have to answer to him.
"Cavorting with the help again I see. Wait til mother hears about this" John turned on his heel and walked inside.
I angrily pushed my sweaty hair out of my eyes.
Who the hell does he think he is?
"Juliette" my mother was still screaming.
"Coming" I replied taking off my riding boots and leaving them by the door.
"Ah there you are, where have you been all this time?" my mother asked in a slightly better tone than my brother.
"I took Thunder for a run, is there a problem?" I ask snidely.
"Don't you take that tone with me Juliette, especially after that stunt you pulled at lunch. It was just as well the Smiths liked your stint on Team USA" my mother continued.
"Sorry" I mumbled realising that I'd have to be nice to her.
Bombay had better show up soon.