AN: Ok. I am so sorry you had to wait, but thank you so much for being patient. I hope you enjoy this, and sorry it is so short. I will get more to your when I can. School is just killing me. Anyway thanks again, and enjoy! :)

Isabelle ran up to the stables staring at her watch. It was 3:50 pm. She had ten minutes to saddle up and beat Frank. She jogged into the stables, and found Frank placing the bridle on his black stallion.

He smiled as he saw her, "Ah, there you are, I was wondering if you had chickened out…"

Isabelle stuck out her tongue, "You wish! I was just finishing the last of my homework."

Frank rolled his eyes, "You and your homework."

Isabelle put her hands on her hips, "You and your sports."

Frank raised his hands up in mock surrender, holding the reins in one hand, "Touché."

Isabelle laughed and walked over to the black mare with the white blaze. She stroked the mare's blaze gently.

Frank smiled, "Are you going to saddle up?"

Isabelle nodded, and walked away from her mare and into the tack room.

After a few minutes Isabelle finally pulled the cinch on the saddle, making sure her mare wasn't sucking in. She smiled as she slipped the bit into her horse's mouth and pulled the earpieces gently over the mare's silky, black ears. The horse snorted and stomped her hoof impatiently as Isabelle pulled the reins back to rest on the horn of the saddle.

"You ready?" Frank grinned, walking his horse past the black mare's stall.

Isabelle nodded, examining her mare, "Yup. The question is, are you?"

Frank laughed, "We'll just have to see, but you have two minutes to get to the starting point, or you're late."

Isabelle looked down at her watch, "Well then, let's go."

She took the brown reigns and gently began to lead her horse forward. She and Frank walked quietly side by side out to the white fence post.

"Let's really make this official," Frank challenged, "Are you up for the race track?"

Isabelle flipped back her black hair with pride, "But of course, just tell me where my slot is."

Frank laughed, "Alright then!"

They both walked their horses up to the gate, and Isabelle's horse snorted excitedly.

"Steady, Mindy," Isabelle soothed her mare, as she slipped her foot in the brown, leather, stirrup.

She hosted herself into the saddle and looked over at Frank, "You and Allstar ready?"

Frank laughed, "You bet!" and Allstar snorted.

Isabelle chuckled, "It looks like Allstar agrees with you."

Mindy shook her mane once more and pawed the ground, anxious.

"So does Mindy," Frank remarked.

Isabelle smiled and turned her attention to the starting gate, her horse tensed ready to listen to her command. Mindy always responded well, she and Isabelle were almost connected it seemed. Frank and Allstar seemed to be perfectly in synch too. It was what made the races so much fun.

"You'll be in gate number six, and I'll be in gate number one," Frank stated.

Isabelle nodded, and guided Mindy over to the white gate.

Frank looked over at a man standing outside of the railing and gave a single nod. The man smiled and then beckoned to another person. The gates snapped open and the horses leapt forward.

Mindy pulled against the reins as Isabelle held her back. Frank let his stallion leap forward at full speed. Isabelle watched carefully, making sure he wasn't any more than five lengths ahead of her. Mindy stopped fighting the reins, though she tossed her head a few times, and waited for the cue from Isabelle. The soft dirt sunk as the horses pounded fiercely against it, creating the smallest clouds of dust. As they rounded the last curve, Isabelle let Mindy have her head; with a sharp whiny of excitement Mindy surged forward, easily catching pace with Allstar. Isabelle smiled as she looked over at Frank.

Frank stared at her startled, and then urged Allstar forward, with a sharp kick. Allstar surged forward, startled at the early command.

Isabelle grinned and squeezed her knees ever so gently to Mindy's sides. She bolted forward and passed Allstar. Isabelle let Mindy run free until she was five lengths ahead of Allstar. She looked back at Frank, who was urging Allstar to speed up. However, Allstar was spent, and he could go no faster. Mindy snorted and shook her mane freely as she passed the finish point. Isabelle gently slowed Mindy and trotted her back over to the exhausted black stallion.

"Told you," Isabelle grinned.

Frank frowned, "I have trained him so hard, but yet you still beat me…"

"I've warned you to not let him go all out at the beginning," Isabelle scolded.

"Easy for you to say, you don't have to fight him," Frank protested.

Isabelle rolled her eyes, "No, but I had to with Mindy at one time. You have to teach him to listen and to trust you."

Frank laughed, "Ok."

"I've been telling you this for five years," Isabelle giggled.

"Guess I am really a thick head jock," Frank chuckled.

Isabelle shook her head, "A jock only in the sport sense, definitely not in the horse sense."

Frank nodded, "Yes, and sports is where I will always beat you."

Isabelle shook her head, "True, but I will always beat you in horse races and academics. I still have you beat."

Frank sighed, "Indeed you do."

Isabelle beamed, "Come on. Let's do a calm ride now."

Frank raised an eyebrow, "There is such a thing as calm when it comes to you?"

Isabelle stuck out her tongue, "If I had something, I would throw it at you."

Frank chuckled again, "Then let us race up to the peak of the 'mountain'."

Isabelle sighed, "How about we just gallop up side by side. I don't know if you can handle another loss…"

Frank scowled, "Who says I'd lose?"

"The last race result, and your poor worn out stallion," Isabelle reasoned.

Frank sighed in defeat, "Alright, you win… again." He gently kicked his horse and trotted next to Isabelle, "So shall we ride?"

Isabelle responded by urging Mindy forward with a gentle touch of her heel, "Indeed."

They trotted up the hill together, side by side, the horses keeping perfect pace.

They reached the top of the hill, just as the sun was beginning to set on the mountain peaks.

"I've always loved the sunset," Isabelle whispered, "It always makes me calm."

Frank nodded, "I know. That was why I wanted you to go on a ride with me."

Isabelle looked over at Frank startled, "I… how did you know."

Frank laughed, "Izzy! We have been friends for thirteen years, and I see how happy horse rides make you. I know you like to watch the sunset, because we have done it many times. I also know you are very stressed and worried about your future. You don't need to be, everything will fall into line. Sometimes you need to take a step back and see the whole world. Life is not over if you do not get an A in every class, or if you are late to one period."

Isabelle looked down, "That is easy for you to say. You don't have to worry about paying for college, with your Dad's position and your sport experience, you're set."

Frank scowled, "And with your academic status you are already set, you need to stop worrying and start enjoying high school, life in general."

Isabelle sighed, "You sound like my dad."

Frank spoke softly, "Then maybe he is right."

Isabelle snapped, "Look, I have my worries, you have yours. Why don't we just keep them that way?"

Frank looked over at Isabelle startled.

Isabelle gave a long sigh, "Look, I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I have a lot to do. Thanks for the horse ride, but I've got to go. I'll see you at school."

Frank watched in surprise as Isabelle kicked her mare into a gallop down the hill.

He watched her begin to disappear and called out, "Wait! Isabelle! Please, wait!"

Isabelle heard his cry, but ignored it. She urged Mindy down the slope, carefully, "Easy Mindy. You understand don't you? Don't you my girl."

Isabelle paused and laughed bitterly to herself, "My girl, as if you were mine. Frank could never hope to understand, he has never had to worry about money. Meanwhile, my father is always working hard, while mother stays in the pool. She is always sick, and Daddy is trying to find a way to make her better. The pool is the only thing that can soothe her, other than Daddy. How could Frank ever hope to understand? He doesn't have a care in the world…"

Frank groaned as Isabelle disappeared out of sight, he looked down at Allstar, "Well, that went really smooth didn't it boy?"

Allstar snorted and shook his mane.

Frank sighed, "Yeah, I know. I really blew it this time. She is way mad."

AN: Ok, a few things. Yes, the names of the horses mean something, that is why they are spelled certain ways. If you want to know them, message me and I will tell you, or review that works too.

Yes, it is western saddle. I know that an English Saddle would probably be more appropriate, but I know Western the best out of the two, so I chose the one I knew.

I want to say that I DO own the characters Isabelle and Frank (and their horses Mindy and Allstar) , BUT I do NOT own any of the characters: Merlin, Freya, Arthur, or Gwen.

Thank you for your support and patience. More will come when I can give it. PLEASE review! :)