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"Love you too!"
I ran through the gate leading to the main pasture. I looked around excitedly. He must be in his stall. I ran towards the barn and opened the sliding doors. Light peered into the four-stall barn. Two horses popped their heads over the stall doors they were in. Sugar our flea-bitten gray and Wendy our bay. I walked in slowly, my boots clicking and scraping on the concrete floor as I walked in. I heard a rattle, and Sam popped his head over; he's an old palomino draft. He was crunching on hay. Then I heard a nicker from the last stall and a head pop over.
Roan looked at me, and his ear popped straight up; he started pawing at the stall door. I smiled widely, grabbing his halter and then skipping to his stall. His giant dark blue roan body stepped towards me after I unlocked and swung the stall door open. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him; his long black mane tickled my cheek. He was walking out of his stall when I slid on his halter. I walked him towards his cross ties and hooked him up to them. I uncovered my tack set and brushed some dust off. It's been about three months since I've ridden, and I'm excited to be back in the saddle. I turned around towards Roan, and he threw his head up, nodding it. I smiled. I grabbed his bridle and started putting it on. It's been too long to take the time to saddle him. I got his bridle on and unhooked him from the crossties. I led him out of the barn door. I unlatch the main gate and lead him out into the yard. He started grazing as I was latching the gate.
"Hey" I heard a familiar voice behind me. I sighed and slowly turned around. Ryan…
Chapter 12
"What are you doing here?" I asked, with pain in my tone.
"Your mom told mine you were back," he answered. It's somewhat awkward and unfortunate to have your ex's mom be your mom's best friend.
"Of course she did," I stuttered, fiddling with Roan's reins in my fingers.
"Going for a ride?" He asked, pointing at Roan. I turned and grabbed Roan's mane as he was still grazing.
"Uh yup," I said with an attitude. I turned to face Roan's side, getting ready to leap on. Roan is taller than normal roan horses. He stands at 16 hands.
"Mind if I join? I have Buckley with me; we were heading to Bluebonnet trail," he asked, pointing towards his truck and trailer. I sighed, and I leaped up without a struggle. It's easier to get on when he has the saddle on, but I decided bareback is the way to go because I'm impatient. So, I grabbed the reins and pulled Roan's head up gently. I turned him towards the field that led into the woods.
"If you can catch up, sure," I answered, nudging Roan's sides with the heels of my feet. Roan trotted, then shifted into a canter. The slight breeze waved over my face. I let go of the reins and stretched my arms out. I missed this so much. Being free, not thinking about anything. The sounds of noises thundering behind me interrupted my meditation. Great, he caught up. I dropped my hands back down to the reins and continued.
Ryan galloped past me. I tightened my grip on Roan's reins and held his head back, so he didn't try to pick up speed. I kept him in the canter. Ryan turned Buckley's head and brought him back towards me. He slowed up as he got close, and I slowed Roan down into a walk. Ryan got next to me.
"Didn't want to race?" He asked, looking over at me.
"Nope," I tilted my head towards him. I see he was still riding English. I laughed for a second. "Still riding English, I see." I could hear him sigh.
"Yeah… I stopped riding western again when we broke up," he said, looking at the ground.
"Mm," I hummed. Both horses walked at the same pace, keeping Ryan and me next to each other.
"So I was wondering if you wanted to talk about things," I huffed with laughter.
"You're joking, right?" I laughed, looking at him.
"Del, please hear me out," he begged. I scuffed and nudged Roan's sides to have him pick up the pace. Roan instantly knew and was running. We reached the woods and kept running through the trails. Roan and I know these trails like the back of my hand. We've been over them so many times. So running through it wasn't a problem for us.
I don't need to hear whatever Ryan says. All he did was lie. He broke my heart… Amber was my best friend. We had known each other since we were four or five, and she betrayed me and slept with Ryan because Ryan was tired of waiting for me because I still wasn't ready yet. He wouldn't have done it if I had just given it up. We would probably still be together right now.
Roan slowed down when we got close to the fork in the trail. I took the one that led me back home; it was time to see my parents and catch up on what's been happening around the farm since I've been gone. We reached the edge of the woods and came out on the other side of the barn. I led Roan to the house's front yard so I could hang out with him just a little longer. I rounded the corner and saw Issac and my mom talking on the porch. Issac looked at me and smiled. My mom waved.
"How was your ride, honey?" My mom said with a smile still.
"Eventful," I said, sliding off Roan's back. I took his bridle off and let him graze. He doesn't go far from me when he's not in the barn or one of the pastures.
"He caught up with you?" My mom asked with a frown. I sighed.
"Yup," I answered, running Roan's mane through my fingers, brushing out the tiny knots.
"I didn't think he would go through the trails. He went through those, so we couldn't see him," my mom sighed. Issac looked at me and raised an eyebrow with a slight frown. I walked to the porch stairs to sit on them when I heard hood beats coming close.
"I lost you through the trail," Ryan said, woahing Buckley. I rolled my eyes and turned towards him with my back facing Issac and my mom.
"Sorry, your $5,000 show horse can't keep up with my $600 rodeo horse," I shot out. He huffed.
"Del-" Ryan started to say my name, but before he could finish, Issac spoke up.
