Chapter 13

Monday came faster then ever. I ran out of the house when I heard Jake pull up outside of the house. I slid into the passenger seat and quickly leaned over and gave him a kiss. I settled into his arms as we drove to school. When we got there we headed to my locker gathered the few things I had in there and moved them to his locker. Not only was it more convenient than going to two lockers every passing period, but it was also in the middle of all of our classes unlike mine which was totally out of the way. The morning passed in a blur. Before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I walked out of my history room and couldn't believe my eyes. There was Jake leaning against the lockers like he usually was when class got out but this time he was locking lips with non-other then Rachel Slocum. I reacted with out thinking. I grabbed Rachel by her hair and pulled her away from Jake.

"HOW COULD YOU? I HATE YOU JACOB ELY! I HATE YOU! I SWEAR TO GOD I HATE!" I screamed tears rolling down my cheeks. In that moment though I realized that I loved him more then words could say. I spun on my heels and ran down the hall way ignoring his pleas for me to come back. I ran to my next class, the only class where I was a star pupil. Journalism. I ran straight to the dark room, but ran into some one coming out. I looked up to find a startled RJay. I pushed past him and into the calming red light of the closet sized room.

"Sam what's wrong?" I heard the chief editor ask.

"I can't believe him." I muttered, my hands in my head.

"who what happened?"

"that filthy asshole Jake he was fucking making out with the school tramp!" I spit out.

"Sam he's not worth it." He said putting his arms around me.

"oh RJay what in the world am I going to do? He's always been there for me. He was my best friend. I just don't know what to do."

"no offence but who is the school tramp may I ask?"

"Rachel Slocum." I spat the name out like the poison it was.

"oh, well I was just on my way out for an after school interview do you want to come I could always use an extra set of eyes." he said trying to cheer me up.

"if it'll get me out of class sure." I said as I felt every thing in me die slowly inch-by-inch.

"I'll go talk to Mr. Blain." (I think that's the teachers name I don't have the books currently to refer to borrowed them out to a friend.)

I felt my phone go off and was to surprise to see my house number showing during school hours.

"Hello?"

"Sam we need you to come straight home after school."

"Why dad what's wrong?"

"Well honey I'm sorry but a coyote got into the pasture while we where out on the range, oh honey I'm sorry but we have to put Ace down."

"Wh-what? I'll be there in a couple minutes. Please just wait till I get there." I hung up before he could answer mw. When RJay came in I explained the situation to him and he agreed to drive me straight home.

When we got there I jumped out of the truck and ran to where my baby was laying I could see the pain in his eyes and could here how labored his breathing was. I looked up when I saw my dad coming toward me. He held in his hand a small pistol. I cried harder when I saw him lay the gun to my horse's head. I could see the regret in my dad's eyes as he pulled the trigger. I felt Ace's head jerk back as the force hit. I lay there for a while before I felt a pair of arms pull me into a solid chest. I glanced up and saw RJay was the one holding me. Slowly I pushed my way out of his arms and stood up. I walked him to his truck and thanked him for every thing he had down for me that day.

When I walked into the house I collapsed onto the couch.

How could I stay here when the man I loved had betrayed me, and the horse I loved more then the man was dead? I couldn't. I decided that I would go back and start again in San Francisco.

I stood up and went to my find my dad. I found him watching as the stable hands buried the body of my beloved horse.

"Dad I need to talk to you."

"Lets go in the barn." He said putting his arm around me and gently guiding me there. "What is it hon? And just curious but where's Jake?"

"One I would appreciate it if you never mention that back stabbing cheater to me again, and I want to move back to San Francisco." I said taking a breath before the last.

"I'll talk to you about the boy latter but honey why on the world do you want to go back to the city? I had to make you leave last time and you wear 11 then." He said worried.

"Because I don't want to be here any more. Dad the guy I loved cheated on me and the horse that I loved more then anything is dead. If this is what its like to be a ranch girl then I don't want to be one."

"Well if that's what you want we'll talk to your aunt and see if it's ok with her." He said giving me a hug.