Chapter 1
Third Person P.O.V.
''Um.. maybe six months after my parents got divorced,'' Amy said, her voice shaky and quiet, tears streaming down her cheeks.
''Oh, alright,'' said Ms McCarthney, the school counselor and qualified psychiatrst, as she took down some notes in her notebook. ''Hey, hey, it's going to be fine,'' she soothed, ''do you want me to get Ty?''
''Please,'' Amy whispered.
Ms McCarthney got up and quickly walked over to the door, she stepped into the hall and looked around to find Ty.
''Amy needs you,Ty,'' she notified. A worried look appeared on Ty's face and he ran into the office. When he got to Amy's side he wrapped his arms around her.
''It's okay, everything's fine, everything will be fine, I'm here, shh,'' Ty murmured, pulling Amy close to his side. ''They can't hurt you anymore, Ames. Shh.''
Jesse Stanton, Benjamin Wallice and Caleb Greene were the three kids that had bullied Amy. They had been expelled from Hudson High, and were sent to boarding schools in British Columbia and Manitoba. CCTV evidence prooved that they had been bullying Amy, and other kids, for years. Theirs families had apologized, and Amy and her best friend Soraya had become great friends with Ashley Stanton, Jesse's fraternal twin.
Amy, Ty and Soraya had become close very quickly, even with Ashley, and even though the four of them are very close, Ty is the one to whom Amy will go to first.
Amy's family trust Ty,even her father, Tim, half-brother, Shane, and step-mother Miranda. Jack was the hardest to get passed. He was always very protective of Amy and her older sister Lou.
''I'm sorry Ms McCarthney,'' Amy sniffled.
''You have nothing to apologise for Amy. I know exactly how you feel,'' Ms McCarthney insisted, ''and please call me Layla, both of you,'' she added, smiling lightly.
''Okay,'' Ty said softly, not taking his eyes from Amy.
''Alright,'' Amy murmured, smiling soflty at Layla.
''Do you want to talk some more or go home?'' Layla asked softly, ''Ty can stay here.''
''I'd like to talk some more, actually,'' Amy confessed, ''and this might be extremelly personal for you, but what did you mean when you said that you exactly what I feel like?''
''I used to get bullied when I was your age, in Middle School and High School,'' Layla said smiling sadly, Amy and Ty gasped. ''I told my older brothers sister-in-law and she helped me. Amanda's a psychiatrist, she lives in Vancouver. She's the person who inspired me to do what I do today. I didn't want to see people hurting and not have help,'' she continued, the memories flooding back into her mind, yet, there was a happier tone in her voice.
''How did you get over it?'' Amy asked curiously.
''Talking about it,'' Layla replied, smiling when she saw Ty stroke Amy's hair softly.
''Really?''
''Yes,'' Layla answered, ''I know it may sound strange, but it helps. Not just with bullying, it helps with other problems people might have, like, losing a child or a loved one, celebrities or known youtubers that have a hard time dealing with the hatefull comments or rumours, the list is pretty much endless.''
Amy gave Layla an appreciative smile, and then turned to Ty.
''We should get home soon,''Amy said.
''We should,'' Ty agreed quietly.
''I'll call Lou to let her know,'' Amy murmured as she took out her phone.
''Wait,'' Layla exclaimed, ''you live at Heartland right?''
''Yeah, why?'' Amy asked, surprised, sure, she knew that her address was on Layla's file, but she didn't know why in was relevant at that particular moment.
''I can drop you home, if you like, I live out past Heartland so it wouldn't be any trouble,'' Layla insisted. Amy looked at Ty, and he nodded his head in conformation.
''Okay,'' Amy agreed, ''thank you.''
''No need to thank me, I'm happy to do it.''
They all climbed into Layla's black Dodge Ram and Layla drove to Heartland.
''Why the name?'' Layla asked suddenly, ''Heartland, I mean, why is it called that?''
''Well, we help problematic horses, mainly my mom does it. The horses she helps have problems, I guess you could call them that, such as being neglected or abused in the past, having fears, missbehaving, things like that, but some of them are sent to Heartland simply to be rehomed,'' Amy began, ''I guess we're almost like a rehab for horses. It's been in the family for a while now. My mom always says 'Home is where the heart is' and my grandmother from my moms side used to say 'The heart of home' I guess all the females always had their own quote, something involving the word 'heart' and there is alot of land to go to the ranch, so I'd say whoever came up with the name put the words 'heart' and 'land' together in order to get Heartland. I'm not really sure on the specifics.''
Layla didn't take her eyes off the road while Amy spoke, but she smiled warmly.
''It sounds like an amazing place to live,'' Layla said softly.
''It is, I would like to think so anyway,'' Amy replied laughing lightly.
Amy and Ty thanked Layla again as the got out of the truck when they reached Heartland.
(x)
''Morning Mom. Hey Lou,'' Amy greeted her mother, Marion, and older sister the following morning. ''Lou do you want to go on a hack with Soraya, Ty and me later?'' she added.
''Morning Sweetie,'' Marion said as she kissed Amy's forehead before she sat down at the kitchen table to have her breakfast and morning coffee.
''Hey Amy, I'd love to,'' Lou beamed. ''Here,'' she said as she handed Amy a glass of orange juice and a plate of scrambled eggs and toast.
''Thanks,'' Amy said taking them and sitting down next to Marion. ''Where's Grandpa?'' she asked all of a sudden.
''He wasn't here when I got here about half an hour ago, there was a note on the table, something about going over to Lisa's,'' Marion replied quietly.
''Mom, are you okay?'' Lou and Amy asked, concerned about their mother.
''Yes, I just have a lot on my mind,'' Marion said, smiling convincingly. Okay? No I am not okay.. I don't want Lisa to replace my mom, she thought. ''You nearly ready?'' she asked when she finished her breakfast and coffee.
''Yeah,'' the two sisters answered stimulously.
Marion, Lou and Amy put their dishes into the dishwasher, put on their boots, and headed out to the barn. Just as Amy opened the back door of the barn, Ty opened the field gate, leading his chestnut Quarter horse, Harley, by his side.
''Morning,'' he said smiling at the three Fleming women.
A mix of 'Hey Ty' and 'Morning Ty' was heard as their reply. Ty led Harley into the barn and untacked him, gave him a quick brush, and then letting him into the field.
''What trail do you want to go on today?'' asked Soraya as she, Amy, Ty and Lou tacked up their horses a couple of hours later.
''How about we go down to the creek? It's pretty hot out today and the horses could have a drink and cool down a little before we head back home,'' Amy suggested.
''That sounds perfect,'' Lou agreed.
''Sound good to me,'' Ty said, as Soraya and Amy shared a look and grinned at each other.
The four of them set off, Amy riding her jet black Quarter horse Spartan, Soraya riding the Palomino pony Sundance, Lou on the chestnut and white Appaloosa Nancy, and Ty riding Harley. The began at an easy walk to warm the horses up, once in the open, they began trotting and cantering in certain areas. They all know the area well as they grew up there, and have been riding the trails since a young age. Amy and Ty were leading the group, making Soraya and Lou be at the back, neither of them minded. They were like sisters.
All of a sudden a shrill whinny could be heard. The four riders looked around - nothing. Then, the gray stallion appeard on the hill ahead, running at a full gallop, his mane and tail flaring out behind him. And just like that, he was gone. It was as if he just disappeared. The last they saw of him was when he was running on top of that hill ahead of them.
They all stared ahead in pure shock,and awe. Then, they all started talking at once.
''Where did he come from?''
''Did somebody in town mention that a stallion is roaming the hills?''
''Did mom or dad say something?''
''Who should we tell?''
''Is he a wildie?''
''Guys!'' Lou exclaimed, quietly enough to not startle the horses. Amy, Ty and Soraya look at her, a sheepish expresion in their faces.
''Sorry,'' they murmured.
''We should do back and tell mom and Grandpa,'' Amy said matter-of-factly. The rest of the group nodded at her as they turned back.
Once they got back to the ranch, they cooled the horses down, untacked them, and quickly brushed them. When that was done, they jogged to the ranch house searching for Marion and Jack.
''Mom,'' Amy called out as soon as she was in the mud room. When there was no reply, she called out again, ''Mom!?''
''Just a second, Amy,'' Marion called out. In the mean time Lou, Ty, Soraya and Amy took off their boots and jackets. They all strolled into the living room to wait for Marion.
''What is it?'' Marion said softly as she descended down the stairs.
''We saw this gray stallion on top of that big hill north-west of the ranch. Have you heard anything about him?'' Lou told her mother.
''No, I haven't,'' Marion cofessed, ''I can ask Scott though.'' Marion laughed as her oldest daughters' face lit up at the mention of the local vet, Scott Cardinal.
''Really?'' Lou asked, a blush covering her neck and cheeks.
''Yes,'' Marion replied. Amy couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing as did Soraya and Ty.
''Sorry Lou, but I wish you could've seen your face,'' Amy apologised when the laughter died down, and the others nodded in agreement. Lou grinned in responce.
(x)
''You think you're amazing just because your mom helps horses that are worthless,'' Jesse screamed in Amy's face as he shoved her into a row of lockers.
''Yeah,'' Benjamin and Caleb agreed, ''Just becuase... Just because your mom is some crazy horse whisperer person doesn't mean that you are,'' Caleb continued.
(x)
''Amy,wake up,'' Lou shook her screaming sister, ''Amy!''
''Huh?''
''You were having a nightmare Ames, you were screaming in your sleep,'' Lou said, a worried look etched on her face.
''Oh. Sorry,'' Amy whispered.
''You have nothing to apologise for, okay? You've been through so much,'' Lou said softly as she pulled her into a hug.
''Can you stay here?'' Amy questioned.
''Sure,'' Lou replied.
Here it is guys! I'm sorry that it took me so long to post. School's out so I don't have to worry about that anymore,but, my grandmother is very sick so I will be spending alot of time with her, but I will write. Updates WILL NOT be regular, and I'm sorry in advance for that. Anyway please review, it means alot, if you're not comfortable putting your thoughts into the review section, you can private message me.
'Till next time Heartlanders!
Elly x