this is the last chapter. i hope you had as much fun as i did writing it! ley me know if you want a sequel
Chapter 22
That night I rode back in the other car with DJ, Pepper, Wyatt, and Brynna. I had to switch places with Jen. I couldn't bear to face him, to see the pain and betrayal in his eyes. We arrived home before the others. I said thanks but then I quickly got out of the car and went to our bunkhouse. I went in not bothering to look back and plopped down on my bed. I was hoping no one would talk to me. They would wonder what was wrong but I didn't plan on answering.
I could hear the other truck bump across the bridge and I heard our screen door slam. Sam and Jen had just come inside. "Lea, are you alright?"
I took my head out from my pillow. "I'm fine."
All three of them looked skeptical. Jen spoke first, "Are you sure? Ross seemed, well, really down when we were coming back. What happened between you two?"
"Nothing. That's just it. Nothing ever will happen between us." I got up off my bed and went into the bathroom and shut the door. I sat in there for what seemed like forever, trying to hold back tears that were coming.
"Lea, please open up," called Sam through the closed door.
"Yeah please. Whatever happened can't be that bad," agreed DJ.
"No, it can," I said opening the door. "Besides, it's better this way. This way both of us can move on." That was it. They stopped badgering me after that. I was confused on whether I had made the right choice, but it would probably never work out. We were too far apart, in different places in our lives, and we would never see each other after this. Sleep was the only escape that I could find.
…
It was morning and we were leaving today. I had gone on a morning ride with Misty. She had made huge progress and was completely rehabilitated. I felt like I was too but in a different sense. I was cleared of my rebellious side and my fear of others judgment, but I was still broken. There was an ache in my breastbone.
It was our last day together and we were all hugging it out like we would never see each other again, which was evidently true. Darrell was even there to say goodbye.
"You will write me, promise?" I asked all of them.
"Of course."
"Let me know how Misty is doing and ya know, you and Jake," I said with a wink.
They all laughed. I tried to put on a happy face, but they could probably see right through it.
"Of course I'm gonna write to you Darlin'. You're my Darlin'."
"But not your one and only?"
He laughed. " 'Course not. Would I be Darrell if you were?"
"Guess not," I said with one more hug. I turned to Brynna and Wyatt. "Thank you for everything."
"Yes. Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Forster for everything," said DJ.
They both smiled.
"I'm gonna go take one last search of the bunkhouse," I told them.
I slowly walked toward the bunkhouse taking all the sights one last time, looking at the horses in the pasture. Three of them were missing; the hands had ridden out earlier. My last words to him were a goodbye, I guess it seemed fitting.
I walked slowly, taking in everything this last time. Mesmerizing every last detail. I would miss it.
I took a pit stop into the barn. Misty was standing there hanging her head over the stall door. "Bye girl. I see you next summer hopefully," and I hugged her and she slung her head over my back, as if giving me a horse hug.
Inside the bunkhouse, everything looked just how it was before we got here. We had left nothing behind. But before I walked out I noticed a piece of paper on my former bed. The writing on the front of it said, "Read when you are back home." What was it? Maybe it was from him? I took it in my hand and was about to tear it up and leave it here, never to look back again, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. So I placed it in my pocket.
Walking back to the others it was time for final goodbyes.
I turned to Jake, "Come here ya big lug." And I hugged him. He was not pleased and didn't hug back, not like I had even expected him to. I let go and said, "Don't forget, you still owe me." He gave a low chuckle.
Next Darrell took me and lifted me up in a big bear hug. "Uh, cant…breathe."
He laughed, "Stay cool Darlin'."
"Yeah, you keep workin' at it." And everyone laughed.
I hugged Sam and Jen.
"I'll tell him you said goodbye," whispered Sam when I hugged her. I gave her a halfhearted smile.
DJ gave everyone her goodbyes then we got in the car and drove off to the airport. I watched the landscape dance away out my window. The land stretched outside of it, bare but beautiful. . I thought of the sky and the blue of it. It reminded me of a familiar, striking blue I knew.
"Brynna, do you think we could come visit again next summer?" DJ asked.
She deliberated on this, "If you can get your grades up and stay out of trouble, then maybe."
"Cool."
We listened to the radio as we drove along. Country station of course and Don't you wanna stay by Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson was on. How ironic.
I kept thinking of that note that was burning a hole in my pocket and I couldn't resist it any longer. I pulled it out of my pocket and read it. Just then OUR song came on, well now it's OUR song cause that's what it should be. Tim McGraw. She's my kind of rain. (Note will be in quotes.)
She's my kind of rain
Like love in a drunken sky
She's confetti falling
Down all night
She sits quietly there
Like water in a jar
Says, Baby why are you
Trembling like you are
"Broken girl does dream
Does she dream of me at night?
I can only hope."
So I wait
And I try
I confess like a child
She's my kind of rain
Like love from a drunken sky
Confetti falling down all night
She's my kind of rain
She's the sunset shadows
She's like Rembrandt's light
She's the history that's made at night
She's my lost companion
She's my dreaming tree
Together in this brief eternity
Summer days, winter snows
She's all things to behold
"Your hair falls just right
Your voice is just like heaven
Angel, I love you."
She's my kind of rain
Like love from a drunken sky
Confetti falling down all night
She's my kind of rain
So I wait
And I try
I confess all my crimes
She's my kind of rain
Like love from a drunken sky
Confetti falling down all night
She's my kind of rain
"Fly my angel soar
Let your wings carry you high
I will wait for you."
She's my kind of rain
Like love from a drunken sky
Confetti falling down all night
She's my kind of rain
She's my kind of rain
Oh, rain on me
She's my kind of rain
Everything faded into the background then. Ross loves me … He loves me. And I hurt him, but I did it to help him because, because… I love him too. I love Ross. I had to go back and tell him, tell him that I was wrong, oh so wrong and that I am in love with him too. We had to turn around.
"Brynna, I forgot something. We need to go back please."
"Lea, I'm sorry but we will be late for the flight."
"Please Brynna. It's very important."
"Okay, but hurry up please. "
My head was spinning. What if he wasn't back when we got there? She turned around and drove back. Time seemed to drag on so slow. We had barely crossed over the bridge when I leapt out of car and ran to find him. A big horse was standing at the hitching the hitching rail. It was Tank, HIS horse. Jake, Sam, Jen, and Darrell were standing looking out at the pasture. Darrell noticed me first. "Hey Darlin', back so soon? You missed me too much?"
I wasn't in the mood. Sam knew why I was back. "Barn," was all she needed to say.
I yelled a thanks as I ran toward it.
I burst through the door and stood there looking at him. He was in the tack room putting Tank's tack away. I was out of breath. He turned to look at the sound that I was making.
He dropped the tack. "Ross," was all I said as I ran towards him and threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. I held him tight and wouldn't let go. He pulled my closer as he wrapped his arms around me. He put his hand under my chin and this time I didn't pull away. He gently lifted my chin to look at him. His lips crashed down on mine and me kissed.
I slowly pulled away to look into his eyes and I whispered, "I love you."
He smiled and whispered, "I love you too."
It was then that I noticed the real color of his eyes. They were the free blue of the sky.