BPOV
I have a week until the competition starts and I'm so nervous. We arrived in Arizona yesterday so we could get ready and set up but I don't think I can do it anymore. Edward and I have been working on my dressage routine for the last few weeks and now I'm starting to get scared again. The Arizona Tracks where the race is held is a large horse ranch with a race track and competition arena built into it. There are three large stables where our horses are being kept and I am riding Matrix. She's been good for me so far and I'll be riding her in all three events before she is officially up for the market buyers who will be searching for a new horse at one of these competitions as Carlisle said.
The riders aren't staying on the ranch. Edward and I have rented a one bedroom flat at a motel/flat building about two hundred metres down the road from the Arizona Tracks. The rest of the Cullen's are staying in a nice hotel closer to town because Alice wants to shop a little before the competition and also there was only one room left in the place Edward and I are in.
I'm happy that Edward and I are sharing a flat. Out flat has one master bedroom with an ensuit bathroom, a small kitchen, a lounge and a small cut off dining space that hasn't been used once since we got here. Edward and I haven't had a fight in two weeks and we're really happy together. I can't wait till the competition is over and Edward and I have some time to relax.
"Babe, what are you writing about?" Edward asked as he climbed on top of me and rolled me over so he was lying over me with his elbows holding his weight.
"None of your sexy business." I said and closed my journal with the pen inside before kissing Edward. I wrapped my arms up around his neck and he moaned slightly as I grinded my hips into his lightly before he moved his hands to my hips and he gripped them tightly, holding them down to the bed as I moved my lips to his neck and kissed it lightly before moving my lips to his ear.
"Can't you take a little heat?" I breathed before moving back to his lips and kissing him before letting him take over and lying back on the bed as Edward kissed down my neck to where my Pj tank top sat low on my boobs before he kissed all the way back to my lips.
I raked my nails up and down Edward's back lightly and he growled at me before moving his hands to the hem of my shirt and gripping it in his fingers.
I nodded as he looked up at me and Edward started to pull it up before we heard the front door slam open and he stopped groaning before pushing my top back down and sitting back.
"Emmett." We said together before Emmett's head popped around the door jam to our bedroom with his eyes closed.
"Are we decent?" he said like a little kid and I grabbed a pillow and threw it at him before grabbing one of Edward's hoodies and pulling it on, zipping it up before giggling as I saw Edward's little problem had begun.
"Go have a shower, baby. I'll sort out Emmett." I murmured in Edward's ear and he kissed me lightly before walking to the bathroom as I put my hand to Emmett's face and pushed as I walked out the room.
"You are so annoying Emmett, we're not at home so you don't have to get up at 5am and come down here. Hell, it's bloody 7am and you're here? Why Emmett? In the name of all that's holy, why?" I asked and Emmett laughed before handing me back my pillow as I sat down on the couch beside Alice and took a cheerio from her bowl and popped it into my mouth.
"Ok, so why the early morning wake up call? I thought we weren't meeting till 10 at you're hotel." I yawned and I heard the shower turn off before Edward came through in jeans and a tee shirt.
"Nice timing you two." Edward groaned and he pulled me up from the couch before sitting down and pulling me into his lap.
"Hey, not our fault you two were about to get naked. I could hear you moaning when we were outside." Alice said and I groaned and blushed before pushing my face into Edward's chest.
"Please just shoot me now!" I groaned and Emmett laughed before he and Alice both made kissy faces at us.
"Shut up you guys! Now why the hell are you here this early?" Edward said and I yawned slightly before moving my head to his shoulder and looking at Emmett as he sat in the arm chair.
"Carlisle sent us to pick you up. He want's us all to go into town today and pick up a few things. Bella, he said you would need some stuff for when you're competing." Alice said and I sighed before nodding as I got up.
"I'm showering and getting changed and then we can go." I said and Edward stood up and came with my into the bedroom where he made the bed while I got in the shower and showered and shaved my legs.
I dressed in a pair of black boy shorts, a lacy bra, black denim short shorts and a deep blue tank top. I pulled on my black high rise chucks and looked in the mirror before pulling my black Juicy hoody over the top.
I brushed my hair out and walked into the lounge, shoving my cell phone in my pocket before taking Edward's hand and walking with him out to the car where Emmett and Alice were waiting.
We drove to The Paradise Hotel where the rest of the Cullen's were before driving into town, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie in one car and Alice, Jasper Edward and me in the other.
It was about 10.30 when we reached the large air-conditioned shopping mall and everyone rushed inside, splitting up into three groups.
Edward smiled down at me as we stood with Carlisle and Esme, Carlisle looking at a map to the mall before turning back to me.
"Ok, Edward, go upstairs to the first floor and take Bella to the Dapple Grey. Get all the gear she needs for competitive riding and take it back to the car, then you can do whatever you like as long as we you meet us back here and 12.30 to have lunch." Carlisle ordered and Edward took my hand and led me up the escalator to a large store called the Dapple Grey that had a horse as the logo.
"Come on, Bella." Edward said and we walked inside, looking around before he led me over to the female side of the store.
"Ok, when you ride you will wear your white blouse, the black helmet Carlisle already has for you, white jodhpurs and a almost Navy Blue jacket with B.S embroyded on the side of it. Carlisle already rung up a week ago and organized for the jacket so it will be ready to pick up now." Edward said as I ran my fingers over a pair of Black jodhpurs. Edward pulled a white pair in my size and handed them to me before picking up a couple of things for Matrix before we walked to the counter and he gave the lady he details.
"Ok, I have that Jacket right here. Cullen Mustang Ranch, right?" the lady asked and Edward nodded before the lady left, coming back with a cool jacket.
I took the jacket and smiled as I looked at the front beast pocket to see the Cullen Mustang Ranch logo on it before I saw a beautiful B.S Embroyded on the back.
"That looks so cool." I smiled and handed the Jacket over before Edward Paid for everything and we left
"Bella, come on sweetie. Wake up." I heard a female voice say and I swatted them away before curling further into Edward's side groaning as he moved before I opened my eyes and glared at him.
"What time is it?" I asked and rolled onto my back, looking up to see my mother standing beside the bed.
"Mom? You're here!" I squealed and jumped out of bed, hugging my mother tightly as she laughed before nodding into my shoulder.
"I came to see you compete. Your father is here too." She said and I frowned before looking back at Edward and seeing him smile at me as he sat up in bed.
"Oh…is Ricky here?" I asked and she nodded, making me smile before I pulled Edward's hoodie over my head and walked into the lounge, smiling and picking Ricky up in a hug before standing him on the couch.
"Hey Ricky, how are you?" I asked and Ricky grinned at me, hugging me again as Charlie stood up from the couch and smiled at me, receiving a frown in return.
"Come on Ricky, I'll get dressed into my riding gear then we can go. Edward and I need to walk the cross-country jump track." I said and turned, walking into the bedroom and closing the door before getting changed quickly into a normal tee shirt, my jodhpurs and my new riding boots before walking into the lounge and smiling at the already dressed Edward.
"Shall we go?" I asked looking at Renee and Ricky, not acknowledging Charlie at all.
"Sure. Edward, why don't you drive Alaric and Renee and I'll drive Bella?" Charlie said and I groaned before looking at Edward who gave me a reassuring smile.
"Ok, see you when we get there." Edward said and I glared at him before following Charlie out to the rental car as Edward told him to just follow his car.
"Edward seems like a nice boy." Charlie said once we were alone and I rolled my eyes as I got in the car and did up my seat belt.
"He is, what problem do you have with it?" I sneered and Charlie glared at me before starting the car, waiting for Edward's to drive ahead of us.
"Nothing. I just hope you don't change him and make him like all the rest. Also that you'll see some light at the end of the tunnel, wont get knocked up and you will change for the best." Charlie said and I gasped before glaring at him.
"Oh my god. You don't have any faith in me! No wonder I have issues. And for your information I won't get 'knocked up' I'm not fucking stupid. I can't believe you, you don't think I can change, do you?" I asked and Charlie scoffed as we followed Edward's car.
"No, I don't think you can change because you've been the same for so long and so far, nothing has changed you. I only agreed to let you have that stupid horse because it would give you something to be responsible for." Charlie snapped back and I felt tears forming in my eyes as we pulled up in a park beside Edward's car.
"For your information, Mystic isn't a stupid horse. I can't believe my own father doesn't have any faith in me. How do you expect me to change when even you can't change?" I said before ripping my seatbelt of and getting out the car before running to the stables to find Matrix.
When I found Matrix's stall I went in and hugged the large mare, wiping my tears away before grabbing my hair tie off my wrist and pulling my hair up into a ponytail.
"Bella, what's up?" Edward asked as he walked into the stall and I turned and looked at him before hugging him tightly.
"He's a jerk. How can he expect me to change when he can't change himself? When I go home, with the way he is, all this work everyone's done will go down the drain and I'll be right back at square one. You know what he told me in the car? He said that he hopes I won't make you like the rest of the guys I've gone out with and that he hopes I won't get knocked up." I cried and Edward held me tight and rubbed my back as I cried into his shoulder.
"You'll prove him wrong, Bella. Before he leaves he will see that you are changing and he'll never doubt you again." Edward whispered in my ear and kissed my forehead before hugging me tighter.
Once I had wiped my eyes Edward helped me to make myself look normal before we quickly fed Matrix and walked out to where everyone, including the Cullen's were waiting.
"Sorry, I just wanted to check on Matrix." I muttered as an excuse before grinning at Ricky. "Wana piggy back right Ricky?" I asked and Edward helped Ricky onto my back before we walked to the track. Carlisle and Emmett leading the way be heaps and Edward, Ricky and I dragging along at the back.
"Bella, you may want to take this course carefully. There are a few places where the gaps between the jumps will be a little tight. We can work on that tomorrow morning just before your dressage competition as a warm up Matrix." Edward said and I nodded before Ricky tapped my shoulder.
"Can I go see Emmett?" Ricky asked and I smiled before putting him down and kissing his cheek.
"Go on Buddy." I smiled and Ricky ran away before Edward placed his arm around my shoulders and we walked a little slower.
"You know, I used to think Kids were pests. Now I wouldn't mind them." Edward smiled and I giggled before elbowing him lightly. I walked up to a flowerbox looking over before spotting two giant squirrel jumps.
"What are they?" I asked and Edward laughed before running a hand through his hair.
"I can never remember but trust me when I say everything has to be perfect on those jumps. That's the harder but quicker rout that only mad people take. You have to jump in the middle of the Squirrel's tail and correct your horse quickly before taking the next jump followed by the duck marsh." Edward said and I nodded before walking around the Flower box.
Once we were done walking the course Edward set up a small jumps course with Rosalie, Esme and Carlisle while Emmett, Alice, Jasper and I tacked our horses.
Emmett was riding Superman, Alice was riding Wonder Women and Jasper was riding Robin Hood. My brother named those three horses and I laughed so hard when I heard. I was lucky, Carlisle chose Matrix's name before I came to stay with them.
When we got to the arena I groaned as I saw they had set up a makeshift duck marsh and squirrels before I rode up beside Emmett and smirked.
"Hey, how do you think Superman will go on the course?" I asked sheepishly and Emmett laughed before patting my leg lightly.
"We're going to fly through it." Emmett said and we laughed before lining up in a row With Emmett first and me second with Alice then Jasper behind me.
"Ok, Emmett, you set the First course and everyone follow him, once Emmett is done Edward will call out to you and help you with your changes and directions. Ready? Start." Carlisle called from the side of where all the jumps were put in rows and turns and I watched Emmett carefully as he made a figure-8, waiting till he was beside Jasper before I shot forward on Matrix and imitated Emmett's performance.
I stuffed up when it came to the middle of the figure-8 and I forgot which way to go but with a quick shout from Edward I was back in the game and riding swiftly.
We continued our practice like that till around 3pm before stopping and going back to our stalls. Edward and Carlisle joined me and told me tips as Edward and I untacked and groomed Matrix before feeding her and closing and padlocking the stall door, slipping the key onto Edward's set of keys before we met everyone back at the cars.
"What now?" Emmett asked as I looked at my cell to see it was about 4pm. I sighed as I leaned back into Edward's chest and he wrapped his arms around me and put his chin on my shoulder as Charlie gave us a shifty look.
"I want to get Ricky back to our Hotel and get him washed up and ready for supper. Jetlag is still settling in so I might have an early night with him." Renee said and I nodded before looking up at Edward.
"Bella and I are ordering in takeaways and watching a movie." Edward said and I smiled as he kissed the back of my head before everyone else decided to just go back to their hotel.
I drove back with Edward in his car and everyone separated, leaving Edward and I to change into our Pj's and fight over what movie and takeaways we were having.