Broken Trot, a horseland fanfic

Disclaimer – I don't own Horseland. This is for the first April 2014 Challenge for Horseland Dreams Forever! forum
Prompt: Write a one-shot where someone feels betrayed.

Note: Contrary to what an anonymous review said, Will and Sarah aren't dating in the series. Not only is Will her teacher, but he's also three years older than her, something revealed in the official novelizations for the series. That's two relationship taboos a children's show like Horseland would not cover.

Dancing Trot

The sound of the pitch fork scraping across the stall floor was heard as Bailey heaved the dirty straw into the wheelbarrow. The boy looked up to see his brother brushing Jimber out. Will hummed as he continued to brush the horses coat out before turning to his young cousin. "Are you excited about going to high school this year?"

"The high school has a good agricultural program. The junior high didn't have one."

The blond haired male let out a laugh. "That's not what I meant."

Bailey stopped what he was doing and leaned on the pitchfork, looking at his cousin as the corners of his mouth twisted up. "Do you mean am I looking forward to the classes I'll be taking? Kind of. I like being able to pick the classes and even the basics sound more interesting then they did for junior high. That's what you meant, right?"

"No..."

The dark haired cousin blinked a couple of times. "No? I honestly can't think of what you're trying to get at."

"The summer hoedown is coming up."

Bailey stared at his cousin, silence coming over him. He then took a deep breath. "That's the dance that the girls ask the guys isn't it? I'm honestly not sure why you changed the subject there."

Will let out a sigh this time. "Bailey... you're going to be fourteen this year. Aunt and uncle are sure to allow you to date."

"It's the girls who invite the guys to the dance."

"Yes, but maybe a girl will ask you. What do you think of that?"

Bailey looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do!" Will began laughing again. "She's been here, what... two years now. You've had a crush on her since then."

"Who, Sarah?" The dark haired cousin suddenly winced and began to push the wheelbarrow out of the room. "You don't know what you're talking about."

His cousin stopped him by grabbing the back of the shirt. "Why are you trying to avoid me now?"

Bailey let the wheelbarrow drop and then turned to his cousin, frowning as he did so. He pushed the older boy's hand away. For awhile Bailey glared at his cousin, watching the boy smirk at him. "Fine. I do like her. Fat chance she'd be interested in me. And don't you dare tease me about this Will."

"Oh come on!" Will's voice was filled with the laughter as he followed his cousin out of the barn.

Chili snorted through his nose before stomping his foot into the ground in irritation. "Bailey can't like Sarah. He only said that because Will was pestering him about it."

"That's right. He actually likes Zoey." Pepper pipped up, her head nodding as she pawed the ground leave a streak with her foot in the straw and dust.

"No! It's Chloe that he likes. She's planning on going to the dance with Bailey. She's been talking about it non-stop."

"Yes. When Bailey isn't around." Aztec let out a whining laughter. "I don't think that he would go with her."

"The plan is that the older twin asks first. Bailey will of course turn her down and go with Zoey."

"No. Chloe has dibs on him."

The bridge over Shep's eye rose up. "Now, now. Bailey isn't some kind of object."

"You can't blame the girls though. It's only natural for one with feminine wiles to compete for a males affections."

"I don't think it is really a competition." Shep shook his head.

Teeny blinked a couple of times. "Really? It sure sounds like it when Chloe and Zoey talk about it."

"Really. It isn't a contest." Jimber let out a laughing whiny.

Will stood at the fence watching some of the younger riders remembering when his cousin and his cousin's friends were that age. Alma was the one teaching this particular group much like he had at her age. She had taken to teaching naturally, but Bailey had problems speaking with the younger children without someone else being there.

As he stood there the sound of a limo was heard driving up. Will turned his head to see Sarah get out. "Hey... Will. Is there time for me to talk to you privately in the barn?"

Will frowned, his arms folded across his chest. "Please tell me she isn't going to ask me instead. I was quite sure that she had a crush on Bailey too... or was it me being the big brother to him that made me think that. I'll of course turn her down if she asks." Reaching up to scratch his head, the smile came back to his face. "Sure. Let's go talk in the barn." He stopped just inside the door. "So... what is it?"

"Well... it's about the summer hoedown."

"Please tell me she isn't going to ask me." Despite this thought Will continued to smile. "What about it?"

"Do you know if anyone has asked Bailey to the dance yet?"

Will let out a sigh of relief. "No. No one has asked him, and even if they had he wouldn't have said yes yet."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh... nothing. Go ahead and ask him." Will began to walk away, whistling as he did so.

"So now Sarah's participating in the contest too?" Teeny blinked a couple of times while Shep let out a sigh.

"I told you Teeny, it isn't a contest."

"That's what you think," Angora waved her tail as she jumped up onto a barrel and curled up to take her nap.

"Don't tell me that Sarah is going to go against the order of dibs. That's cheating." Pepper shook her main.

"Don't worry. Chloe will ask him before Sarah can and he'll have to say yes."

"Not if he's going to be going with Zoey." Pepper snorted out of her nose.

"Honestly... that isn't how things work." Shep shook his head at the two horses.

Bailey picked up some of the paperwork at the stall and headed to the house to give them to his mother. He then headed back to the barn, only to stop short upon hearing Will and Sarah talking to each other. His head tilted down and a frown came to his face. Will said, ""So... what is it?"

"Well... it's about the summer hoedown."

Bailey looked at the ground. "No way. She's asking Will instead. I told him that there wasn't a chance she'd be interested in me."

Instead of heading into the barn he walked around to the side and looked over the fence where Alma was working with some of the other Horseland students. When she was finished she came over with Buttons and climbed off of the horse. "Bailey, is something the matter?"

"No... nothing." The boy leaned against the railing.

The Hispanic girl took a deep breath. "You and I've known each other since before either one of us could walk. Something is bothering you. You're in one of those funks of yours." The boy took a deep sigh as she brought Buttons to the side of the barn to let her rest. "Again, I'll ask what is bothering you."

Bailey leaned up against the wall. "Sarah asked Will to the summer dance."

Alma stopped short. "What? There is no way that she did that. I mean, Sarah..."

"Don't. Will's a pretty amazing guy you know, so it is pretty understandable that Sarah would like him."

"You're assuming a lot you know, that she would ask your cousin let along the fact she likes Will." She finished with Buttons. "You should talk to him?"

"Talk to him? He know I like her, and yet..." Baily looked at the ground. "No. I can't. I don't have anything to do this afternoon beyond our lesson so I think I will go for a ride."

"You really shouldn't go riding on your own. It is best to go in pairs."

"I kind of want to be left alone right now."

Buttons followed Alma into the stables where the other horses were. Will was busy with Jimber and Sarah was in the tack room. Once in her stall and once Alma had also gone into the tack room she spoke up. "Bailey definitely is upset. Did Sarah really ask Will to the dance?"

"No." Scarlet whinnied in a laughing manner. "She asked Will if Bailey was taken yet."

"Of course he's taken." Chili glared at the other two.

Aztec shook his head. "Now come on. Chloe and Zoey both haven't asked Bailey yet, so you need to keep in mind that he may not accept. In fact... if he is upset then it shows that he is wanting to go with Sarah, not the other girls."

"Well, he's not going to be going with Sarah because of this. He's even more likely... no, he will say yes to Chloe. There was no way he wouldn't have even with this revelation."

"I'm honestly not understanding how this works." Teeny lay on the ground. "Ah, here comes Bailey. It's too bad we can't ask him."

Will looked up. "Hey, Bailey.."

His younger cousin however ignored him and instead got Aztec and took him out of the barn.

Will watched as his younger cousin avoided him, a frown spreading across his face. He decided to try and wait Bailey out, but even at dinner the boy refused to speak with him, let alone look him in the eye. When they prepared for bed the boy still avoided him and in the morning he left for the bus stop before he did. Since they didn't go to the same school he didn't see him until they got back. Bailey made to leave the place again, only for Will to grab his shoulder. "Come on Bailey... what ever is the matter."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You've been trying to avoid me since yesterday afternoon." The blond haired youth watched as his cousin tensed up. "Bailey..."

The boy looked down, his mouth frowning as he did so. "I over heard you talking to Sarah."

Will blinked a couple of times. "What do you mean you over heard us?"

Bailey tensed up even more. "Knock it off Will. I know that she asked you to the dance."

The older boy stared at his cousin for a few minutes, refusing to let go of the younger boy's shoulder. "Good grief. Aren't you an idiot. She didn't ask me to the dance Bailey. She wanted to know if you had been asked yet and I told her you were still available."

Will let go of his cousin's shoulder and headed over to the stable. The younger boy frowned. "Wait..."

The blond haired teen held up his hand. "No... you've got to deal with it on your own. I find it quite enjoyable when you jump to conclusions and have to figure your way out of a mess. Be thankful that you didn't have a chance to act in a stupid manner in front of Sarah."

'That's mean!"

"Yes... well, it's part of growing up. Deal with it."

Calypso let out a laugh. "You were saying this would make things easier for Chloe and Zoey."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Well, Chloe is going to ask first which means that Bailey will have to do the honorable thing and take her to the dance."

"What do you mean he has to do the honorable thing?" Scarlet stomped her hoof. "As Shep has said this isn't a contest. Don't Chloe and Zoey understand that they're playing with people's personal feelings and that they're not going to get their way all the time?"

Chile shook his head. "You're just saying that because you know Sarah is going to loose."

Shep let out a sigh. "Scarlet is actually right. Bailey is not obligated to say yes to the first person who asks."

Pepper snorted through her nose. "Well, if he doesn't say yes he can't say yes to the second person."

Shep let out a sigh."

Bailey worked away at Aztec's stall. "I can't believe I was that stupid to think that. Why did I get jealous of Will like that. Sheesh. He's got to be laughing at me, or not wanting to be near me right now, because that is just plain stupid."

The sound of someone coming into the barn caused Bailey to suddenly look up only to shake his head. He looked up again when he heard Chloe call his voice. Looking right at the girl he didn't say anything. "Can I ask you something Bailey?"

"Go ahead." The boy rolled his eyes wishing that she would leave him alone. He went back to what he was doing.

"Would you go to the how down with me Bailey?"

The boy suddenly froze. He looked up at the girl. "Say what?"

"So you'll go with me?"

"I didn't say yes."

"But you didn't say no."

"That isn't a yes answer and you know it." Bailey shoved the pitch fork to the side. "I have things I have to do."

"Hey!"

"Well... it looks like Bailey has turned down Chloe." Pepper spoke up in a giddy manner. "Now it is Zoey's turn."

Buttons shook her head. "Seriously... you two need to stop with this whole competition thing."

Chili stomped his foot. "Well, Chloe isn't out of the running because Bailey didn't say no either. He can still say yes."

Shep took a deep sigh. "Things aren't as easy as that. I think the two of you aren't happy with this situation because you both want your human to be happy, but you happen to be not taking into consideration Bailey and Sarah's feelings."

The warmblood let a deep sigh. "But you're saying that Bailey and Sarah aren't going to take into consideration Chloe's feelings?"

"I think you don't realize that this is a situation where someone is going to get their feelings hurt." The dog sat. "I think we should wait to see how things turn out."

Sarah found herself taking a deep breath before heading over to the dark haired boy as he headed out of the barn. The boy was looking at the ground and she couldn't see the flustered look on his face. "Bailey, can I talk to you." The boy looked up, blinking a couple of times. "I was wondering if you would go to the hoe down with me."

The boy blinked a couple of times. "Hold on..."

As if on cue Chloe came out of the barn, a spark of anger in her eyes. "Hold on! Bailey is going to be going with me."

"What..." Sarah's face twisted up on shock.

"I just asked him."

"And he said yes?"

"Of course he..."

"Did not." Bailey's body tensed up. "I have things to do as I told you Chloe."

Sarah turned to watch as Bailey took off, then turned her head back to Chloe. "I..."

Before she could tell Chloe that she felt Bailey should be allowed to make up his mind the other girl went off on her. "How dare you Sarah! You know that I liked Bailey, so why... why did you go behind my back and ask him? I should be the one getting to go with him. I should be the one asking first, and until I get a yes or no answer you can't ask."

"Now hold on..."

"Even if I got a no answer you still have no right asking him."

"Exactly how is that fair?" Sarah crossed her arms, frowning at the other girl.

"Fair? It is completely fair! See, I got dibs and friends don't go stabbing their friends in the back."

"Chloe... we're acquaintances, but not friends. I thought you would know that. Even if we were, you don't have dibs on Bailey. He doesn't belong to you."

"That... that..."

Scarlet let out a sigh. "Oh boy. Things have gotten really crazy."

Chili snorted through his nose. "Well... Chloe is right?"

"Unfortunately, despite the fact I would love for Zoey to go with Bailey, Chloe is right." Pepper piped up.

"No she isn't!" Scarlet's words snapped out.

Jimber let out a sigh. "Look... if we went with what Chloe wanted the only person who would possibly be happy in this situation is Chloe. Even then she may not be happy like she thinks she will be."

Chile paused. "What do you mean she may not be happy? She's getting what she wants."

"But at what cost." Shep sat at the front listening to the two girls. "No... seriously... would she be happy knowing that it cost Bailey and Sarah's happiness?"

Alma looked up, seeing Bailey come hurtling around the corner."Hey... what's wrong?"

"Both Sarah and Chloe asked me to the dance." The boy leaned up against the wall, looking up at the sky. "Should I just turn them both down."

"You like Sarah though..." Alma frowned.

"You're just saying that because Sarah and you are good friends."

"No, I'm saying that because you and I are good friends. Chloe is used to always getting her way."

"Yeah... and if I don't go with her, she and her sister may pack up and leave. Horseland needs any business it can get you know. Last thing we need is them going to that school."

"Zoey may put her foot down on that one. Plus... you can explain to your father that is the reason they're wanting to leave and he can explain things to their parents. Things will work out."

"Yeah... but it means having one of the girls mad at me and me having to deal with them."

"Bailey..." Alma shook her head. "You were so worried about Sarah going with Will that you tried avoiding your own cousin. Are you sure that you're not trying to back out because you are nervous to be with your crush? I was that way too you know."

"You're also a girl."

"My boyfriend was also nervous as well."

Bailey let out a sigh, scratching his head. "All right. All right. I'm starting to hear Chloe over here now." The boy stopped. "And exactly how am I supposed to speak with the when I struggled to say no to one and yes to the other before?"

"I'll be there."

Bailey walked around the side of the house and looked at the two. "Could you two stop."

Chloe looked up. Her sister was off to the side, not looking to pleased herself. "So Bailey, who are you going with?"

"I thought at first that I would tell both of you no." Bailey watched as Chloe's face lit up and Sarah's face fell. "But... I really want to go with Sarah."

"What?" Chloe's face began to fall and Sarah bean to cheer up. "How's that fair? I asked you first! I had dibs."

"It's completely fair because I like Sarah."

"No it isn't!" The older twin stomped her food down.

"Yes it is." Zoey suddenly spoke up.

"What..." Chloe blinked a couple of times.

"The only reason I agreed to you going before me was because I knew Bailey liked Sarah. Otherwise I would have been fighting you tooth and nail to ask Bailey myself."

"I'm the oldest!"

"So? It's not some game Chloe. Bailey isn't an object either. He likes us as friends, that is it. I want to stay friends, so don't you dare go throwing a tantrum."

"I wanted to go to the dance with him..."

Alma sighed. "Would you have been happy with that knowing that Bailey preferred Sarah to you. I think you've known for some time that Bailey didn't share you're feelings."

"I guess not." Chloe let out a sigh. "Who can I go with now?" It was then that Will walked around the corner. "Hey! Will!"

Zoey's eyes brightened up and both girls hurried over. Chloe at first asked if he would take her as a friend and then Zoey piped up if it was friends if he could take her too. Will scratched his head. "Sorry... but my girlfriend already asked me."

"Girlfriend?" Bailey blinked a couple of times. "What girlfriend?"

Alma chuckled. "I wonder if I should add to everyone's shock to say that she goes to that school."

Sarah frowned. "Please tell me it isn't that girl."

"No... it's not that girl. It is that girl."

Bailey stopped short. "You mean..."

Sarah shook her head. "What girl?"

The dark haired boy took a deep sigh. "It's not that girl we're always having problems with. Actually... it is her older sister. She's come by Horseland a few times and said she was thinking of transferring. It's because of Will?"

"Nope. She met Will because she was looking for a new horse riding school as she got fed up with that school."

"I like her already." Sarah let out a laugh. "Let's not tell Chloe and Zoey yet though... they're still getting over the shock that Will has a girlfriend."

It was then that Molly came up the dirt path. "Hey... what did I miss?"