Zella was almost happy all day till Blake came to her in the school hallway the next day.
"Hey you wanna go out tonight?" Blake asked.
"No thanks. I have to help Nashua train the mustang," she answered casually.
"Why not?" Blake said sounding angry.
I just don t," she said surprised.
"What about me?!" Blake asked, showing anger now. She knew now he wasn t in love with her.
"What s wrong with you?" She asked...he was acting like total jerk.
Zella thought she saw Nashua in the crowded hall looking at her.
"It s over," She said, pushing past him to go to the bathroom so she could get a hold of her self.
She heard Darrelle come up behind her, What happened?" Darelle cried out when they went in the bathroom.
"Nothing," she snapped, wiping her eyes.
"Yeah Zella what happened?" said a voice behind her.
Zella turned to see a slender blonde with green eyes, What do you want Carla?"
Carla was Kody's sister who was the same age as Zella.
"Why did you break up with Blake?" she sneered.
"That's none of your business," She said then left.
After school, Nashua and Zella got to work getting the mustang to lead. He was being stubborn.
"Push on his rump," Nashua told her, but it didn t work.
"I'm going to get a whip," Nashua told her.
"What---why?" she asked.
"Relax I m not going to whip him or any thing," he said reassuring, then left for the barn.
"Hey pretty boy!" she called to the horse, walking up to him. She stretched out her hand to rub his nose when a bird flew right under his nose.
He reared knocking Zella under him.
She screamed covering her face as he came down pinning her between his legs. He nicked her shoulder with one of his hooves making her scream again. Zella couldn t move. She was paralyzed in fear.
"Zella!" She heard Nashua gasp in horror as he ran out of the barn hearing her screams.
As soon as the stallion saw him he stepped way from her.
Then Nashua was beside her, "Zella, are you okay?" he asked her softly, helping Zella sit up. He was holding her.
"I--I--" Zella gasped, trembling she turned her face into his chest.
"Your shoulder is bleeding," Nashua said accidentally brushing her shoulder, Zella winced as he did.
"Sorry," he said softly, Let s see if you can walk. It's getting colder out here," he helped her get up. As he let her go she collapsed unable to hold her weight Zella was weak from shock.
Nashua caught her before she fell. He lifted her up in his arms.
Zella almost thought she was dreaming as he carried her to the house. Her head was pressed against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and his breathing. His body heat was so much warmer then hers...She was freezing before he picked her up. Zella wondered what was wrong with her; she had felt butterflies in the corral when Nashua's arms went around her. Suddenly Zella knew why she broke up with Blake---Nashua was why. She wished she knew if Nashua was in love with her. Then she thought about his explosion when Blake kissed her. Nashua had looked jealous.
Nashua opened the door and went into the living room laying Zella down on the couch.
She remembered her mother Belle was off work today.
"Oh, no!" Zella moaned.
"What's wrong?!" he asked alarmed, he had just come back from hanging his coat and hat.
Before she could answer she heard Mom call their names.
Zella hoped Mom hadn t heard her screams. The walls of their house were very thick so she probably hadn t.
Zella and Nashua's eyes met for a few seconds.
"Zella, Nashua I thought you two were training the mustang. I--" she stopped in her tracks seeing Zella on the couch.
"What happened?" she gasped taking her coat off.
"She---" Nashua started.
"The stallion knocked me over accidentally," she interrupted him.
Nashua shot her a look when she interrupted him.
Mom made her take her shirt she had over a tank off so she could see her shoulder. Sliding the strap over her shoulder, Mom examined her wound.
"Nashua, can you go get the first aid kit please?" Mom asked him.
"Yeah," he said and left. When he came back she put peroxide and a band aid on it.
"I think you should stay here for a while," Mom told her.
"But, I-," Zella started.
Nashua interrupted, "No you don t, I can do the rest of the lead training," he said with some thing like authority in his voice.
"In fact I really don t think you should be involved with this dangerous horse, Mom said.
What?! She squawked.
Only if you really think you want to take a chance of getting hurt 10 times worse than you did today, Mom finished.
Nashua was still staring at her as she said, I m going to help with the horse tomorrow, Zella told him meeting his brown eyes.
I m going to get back to the mustang, Nashua said still staring into her eyes then he left.
That night she sneaked outside while everyone was asleep.
Hey pretty boy, She called to the horse. Zella s voice was trembling.
He reared when he saw her.
I m sorry---I m sorry! She yelled at him. She grabbed the rope that was on the fence post and went in the gate. She slapped his rump with it, stepping toward him doing the scarecrow she wasn t going to let him rest until he showed her the signs of joining up.
She did this for 10 minutes when he slowed down lowering his head and started chewing.
She put my arms down and turned around slowly sagging her shoulders. She heard his hooves behind me then felt his hot breath on the back of her neck. She turned slowly turned toward him knowing he could hurt her if she spooked him. Zella held her breath as she touched his nose.
He snorted softly.
There was only one more thing she could try. The Indian way of greeting a horse. She blew into his nostrils and waited for him to blow back.
He did, nodding.
Zella laughed. She had just got him to trust her!