Chapter 25: Friends

Zella opened her eyes. Everything was dark.
"Nashua?" she called. No answer. She finally realized she was in her room not a car. She must of fell asleep in the car, but how'd she get in her room?
She got up and went down stairs.
Belle and Matlock were at the table.
"Good morning," Matlock said as she sat down by them.
"Where's Nashua?" Zella asked, looking around.
"He went back home," Belle said.
"When?" Zella asked.
"Last night when you two got back. He packed up and left," Matlock said.
Zella got up, "Got to go," She ran outside to the barn.
"Zella Charli! Come back here."
Zella didn't hear them. She already was on Cupid heading toward Blue Rock. Nashua's ranch. She had never been to Blue Rock before. Nashua had always told her not to come there because of his dad.
Zella wanted to be Nashua again. Now that Roy was in jail there was no reason why they couldn't be. She missed Nashua even though they were still friends. She missed the way his eyes twinkled when he looked at her, his minty smell, his smile, his--. Zella was distracted from her thoughts when she saw the Blue Rock entrance.
The place was bigger than her ranch but not as well kept up.
A few minutes later she tied Cupid to the hitching post.
"Who goes there?" a man asked, coming out of the barn.
"I'm Zella. I came to see Nashua," She said, looking the harsh looking man straight into the eyes.
"Oh, you're the girlfriend," he said, motioning her to follow him.
"Friend," She corrected sadly.
"Same thing," he said, as they walked in the barn.
"Not really," She said as she saw Nashua brushing Sunbeam.
"Hey Nashua," Zella said, walking up to him.
He looked up at her surprised."Hey," he said softly. Nashua nodded to the foreman.
The foreman left.
"Zella, what are you doing here?" Nashua asked, putting the brush down then walked up to her.
"I couldn't let you leave without--," Zella stopped, looking into his chocolate colored eyes.
"Without?" he asked.
She knew he probably already knew what she was going to tell him. She decided to say something instead.
"I miss you.....I miss us." She said to him. She wanted to tell him, 'I miss the way your eyes sparkle when you see me, I miss the way it feels to have your arms around me'
Ever since they broke up his eyes were dull. He wasn't lively like he used to be when they were together.
"I miss us too," He said, fighting the urge to close the space between them. He missed her more then he let her know. When he broke up with her all his happiness and life went with Zella. He felt drained of it all without her.
"I wish we could be together again," she whispered, hopefully. When she looked into his eyes she knew he was thinking the same.
"I don't know if it's safe," Nashua said, sounding sad.
"Your Dad was the only problem, Nashua," Zella told him.
"You forgot your parents don't want you to date til you're 16," Nashua said.
"I'm closer to 16 then I am 15," she pointed out.
"I know," Nashua sighed.
"I want to be with you again. I miss you so much," Zella said, sounding like she was about to cry.
"Zella, maybe we should get back together but keep it a secret til you're 16," he said, watching a tear fall from her face. He wanted so badly to wipe her tears away.
Suddenly she held her head and swayed slightly.
"Zella, are you okay? What's wrong?" Nashua grabbed her before she fell. She landed against him, "I think I had a dizzy spell," Zella said, weakly.
"I'd say," Nashua chuckled.
"And I don't think I want to move," she whispered.
Nashua didn't say nothing neither did he move for minutes. Finally he said, "Will you be my girlfriend again?"
"Yes," she smiled, looking into his eyes.
He smiled, feeling happy for the first time in months. He finally closed the space between them and hugged her.
Somebody cleared their throat.
Nashua and Zella looked around to see who was there.
The foreman stood by the door.
"What do you want Andy?" Nashua asked, looking slightly annoyed.
"Your dad's on the phone. He wants to talk to you," Andy told him.
Nashua's face went from annoyed to extremely sober.
"I guess I should go home," Zella said as Nashua was about to go in the house to answer the phone.
"Okay, see ya," Nashua said as she went out the barn with him.
~C~S~ "Zella, where did you go?" Matlock asked her as she got back into the house.
"I went to see Nashua," Zella said, pulling her coat off.
"Just wondering," Matlock said, going into the living room.
Just then the phone rang.
Zella dashed to get it, "Hello?" she asked.
"Hello, this is Wilson Mills from Arrow Heart Rodeo. I think you have our mustang stallion, Roger," the man replied.
"Oh," Zella said, slightly shocked.
"Can you give me a discription of the horse, miss?" Wilson Mills asked.
"Light grey almost albino, has a brand mark that looks like an arrow pierced heart, and he's 16.7 hands," She told him, playing around with the phone cord.
"That's hime alright. Can you bring him up here, tommorrow afternoon?" he asked her.
"Yeah, I will," She said in a daze.
"Thanks," Wilson gave her the address.
She hung up.
"Who just called?" Belle asked, walking in the kitchen.
"Wilson Mills from Arrow Heart Rodeo. He claims we have his horse Roger and he wants me to bring Cupid up there tommorrow," Zella answered, "I'm going to see if Nashua will come with me."
"That's a good idea," Belle said, going into the living where Matlock was.
Zella dialed Nashua.
"Hello?" Nashua answered, sounding sad.
"Nashua, there's a guy from Arrow Heart Rodeo that called. He said Cupid is Roger his horse," Zella sighed.
"Oh, what else he say?" Nashua said.
"They want me to bring him to the rodeo tommorrow afternoon," she said, now sounding sad herself.
"Do you want me to drive there with you?" Nashua asked, picking up on her sadness in her voice.
"That would be nice," Zella said, a little happier.
"I miss you," he said.
"I miss you too," she said back.
"I'm gonna have to go. Andy is getting impatient with me. I'm supposed to be working since i'm in charge of everything now," Nashua laughed, "Bye, love you."
"Love you too. Bye," Zella said.
"See you at twelve tommorrow," Nashua said softly then hung up.