I spurred Burly and she started walking. She seemed to understand my pain, she was sad too. I pated her affectionately and she nickers in response.
“I Know girl… mama is sad today”
She neighed and walked across the vast meadow as i sat on her back in silence, swaying in motion of her movement. I looked around the landscape hoping all my pain disappears with the wind.
The universe doesn’t seem to align with me. Bay was right, I am such a bad luck. It’s been Ten years since my mom left, and there have not been any sign of her, not even a word.
When I was a child, my parents fights could suck the oxygen out of a room. My mother verbally lashed my father, broke jam jars, and made outlandish threats. Her outbursts froze me in my tracks. When my father fled to work, the garage, or the woods, I felt unprotected. There was no safe spot for me at home. I would often go somewhere else… either to Emily’s or work my ass off in the ranch to help clear my head.
Lately, Emily seem distanced. She has become very much occupied in her new relationship that she enjoyed spending time with Ted instead of me. Somehow I felt betrayed by my most trusted person. My love triangle was between us… I trusted her with that secret and she told it to Ted.
I adjusted in my saddle as Burly perked up her ears and walked quicker, almost throwing me off…“wow! Girl, what was that for?”… I said. Brushing her mane.
We reached the wooden gate framing a long driveway. There is a hanging sign that reads “SCHUYLER RANCH”. Burly leads out a grand entrance lined with wooden three rail-fence. On either side is a green pastureland dotted with cows. To the left is the huge red barn, where I spent my first night with Bay. Ahead on the left also, is a one story building rambler.
I sighted Emily scratching a little calf’s shaggy ears. I guided Burly up to the front of the rambler… Emily hurried to help me climb down. I could see guilt written all over her face. Anger clouded my vision and I hop down before she could reach me and start to wade towards the woods.
She was calling out to me, her voice growing increasingly urgent as she ran after me. I forced myself to keep going, blinking back tears.“Hailey please wait… I am so sorry!” she kept apologizing as she runs after me.
She was closing up at me before I made it to a shore behind the woods. I climbed into a small wooden bolt and she jumped in too… pulling me into a tight hug, I shrugged to break free but her grip was so tight.
“ I am so sorry Hailey”… she said snuggling her face on my neck. I pulled away from her, jabbing her chest.
"Stay away from me"...The suffocating feeling I had been suppressing the past few days transformed into a burning rage.“what are you sorry about? Is it the part you weren’t there when I needed you, or that you now put your boyfriend first before me, or that you no longer make time for me, or that you now leave my hand in the crowd to take his, or the part you told my darkest secret to him? Emily, I trusted you!" I jabbed her on the shoulder again.
“for everything! I am sorry for everything. Please Hailey, I can’t bear seeing you mad at me… please forgive me”… she pleaded pulling me into a tighter hug. I leaned into her touch sniffling as I fought to button my cracked emotions.
She pulled away slowly and cleaned the tears trailing my cheek With her thumb. She cupped my face and pinned her forehead against mine…"I'm truly, truly.... Truly sorry"
"Why did you tell him?" I asked pulling away from her. "It was suppose to be between us, why did you tell him?
"There is no justification for what I did... No reason at all. It just leaked out. I promise, i will never repeat it again. Ever! Since I was gone all summer, Ted and I hung out alot. He was visiting his mother in Olivelane during the weekends. I am not trading you for him... Never!... I'd never do that to you Hailey. You are my bestfriend in the whole world and I hate to see you sad"
I drew a deep breath and reluctantly hugged her.
“you look beautiful. Even more beautiful when you cry ” she teases
I burst into a slow lingering laughter, still sniffling.“why are you so silly”?
“Hailey… you are my best friend in the whole world, and you mean so much to me. I hate to see you cry… even though you're prettier when you do”
We both laughed. Laughing into each other face as she cupped my face again. …. She gazed into my eyes as we both fell silent. Her gaze settled on my lips and I could swear that she'd kiss me. She leaned in closer and closer... My brain tried to send word to my mouth, but all that came out is… “bird”… I said breaking away.
“what bird?”… she asked as she jostled
Emily ran a hand over her face and laced her fingers on her hair to nervously brush it down. A glint of embarrassment rippled on her face.
We sat down on the ground, under a tree. I leaned my head on Emily’s shoulder snuggling close. A strong gust of wind rips through the woods spraying us with a light mist of leafs. For a moment, I forgot all my problems. Silence settled over the woods except the chirping sound of rodents, and the clapping of tree branches.
“you know… I think you should talk to him” Emily said. Breaking the awkward silence!
“who?”…
“Bay! Tell him how you truly feel about him…you never know, he might be feeling same”
I gave a small smile and smirked. I haven't told her yet what happened between Bay and I and I wasn't going to, I'd keep that a secret for now until I'm certain she'd never go bluffing to Ted again… “I can’t” I muttered under my breath
“why not?”
“because, it’s not that easy. Moreover, he has a girlfriend"
Emily scoffs “ what girlfriend?... That peacock? Oh, please”
There is a loud rumbling noise behind us and we jolted up, frantically looking around for whatever it is.
“what was that?” Emily asked.
“I don’t know, but I think someone else is here”…
We saw a figure hiding behind a tree before racing off with speed to a farther end. I couldn't figure if it is a human or an animal but something was definitely there and I'm more than determined to find it out.
“what is that thing?” I asked… my body shivering.
“I don’t know. We need to run”…
Emily and I started running towards the ranch beating bushes aside.
****
Emily and I laughed our way into the ranch from the woods like the good old times. We enjoyed our little race so much that we forgot we were running from something. I crouched to scratch the ear of a calf snuggling on my leg. It hummed in appreciation as I kept on scratching its head. Emily touched my shoulder trying to draw my attention. “Girl you don’t wanna miss this, trust me”… I looked up and followed her gaze to Bay and Claire seated on the front step of the porch. Bay is seated on the top while Claire is at a lower step seated in-between his legs. Her head against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. Claire was showing him something in her phone and they are convulsing with laughter. I wonder what could be so funny in Claire's phone that'd make Bay laugh so much. C'mon he rarely even smile. A flash of pain Pierced through my heart and I was battling to control my heavy breathing. “are you okay?” Emily asked. Squeezing a com
After the dinner at Schuyler’s, Jake dropped Emily off at her place before we headed towards my street. Jake kept his face stiff and expressionless throughout the drive, but there is still a glint of softness in his eyes.How a dinner that started off with a flowing conversation got sour just when I thought I could not get enough of the delicious meal still baffles me. I don’t know what is going on between Jake and Bay but its visible there is animosity between them. Jake casted me a look and snorted, the corner of his mouth curl up in a smirk.I pointed at my house and he pulled up. “I am very sorry about what happened tonight. I'm embarrassed that you had to see that . The dinner didn’t go as well as I had planned but I'd do better next time" he throws me an apologetic look.  
I came back from school with a wielded mind to get even. My phone was buzzing with text messages and calls from Jake but I was not in the mode to talk to anyone. Bay stood and watched me bullied by his circle without standing to my defense, and Claire ridiculed me in front of many student. Too much trouble for one day. I didn’t want anyone adding to my already lined up of problems I made my way to the basement to look for my mum’s old guitar. I haven’t stringed in a long time, and I do not have much time to practice. Tomorrow, is either I get a standing ovation or get booed. I was prepared for either of them. I didn’t want Claire thinking that her threats was the reason I withdrew from the audition. I have to be there, no matter what. It took a few try for me to open the basement door, it rusted hinged screeching with every shove. I can’t remember when last anyone entered the basement. Some of my mum’s old things were there. Cobwebs tickled my fac
…Jake crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. I stood in shock for a moment. He stared, towering my face. Between the two brothers, i can’t tell which is more weird. One just jumped out through my bedroom window and the other is staring right at me in the front door. “why do you look so shocked? Are you going to let me in or not! He asked. I stepped back to let him in. He stalked into the living room and plopped on the couch like he’d been here many times. I closed the door and braced myself to knock him off of his effrontery. I hurried to where he was seated forcibly trying to keep a straight face. “What are you doing here Jake?” I tightened my vocal as much as possible. “I was worried about you. You didn’t pick my calls and you probably left my messages unread" he said, raising his eyebrow with a smirk. “Jake you should leave” I said meanly.&n
…Everything Mr. Gab was saying in the classroom was breezing behind me. My attention and senses was on the moving hands of the wall clock, waiting for it to hit at12 o’clock on the dot. My audition starts in 9 minutes and uncertainties was lurking around the edge of my subconscious mind. My chin rested in my hand as I drool to the wall clock counting out the seconds left in my head… 5,4,3,2, and before the bell chimed I was already on my feet. I heard Emily call out to me and without looking back at her i grabbed my guitar and breezed through the hallway into the audition room. A little queue of hopeful singers winds around the room. My nerve ramped when I caught glimpse of Claire and her click, Tammy and Diana on the judges table. She was definitely up to sabotage me. Our eyes met and she gave me a tight-lipped smile. She lowered her head and started whispering with the girls. Ya! They are definitely up to no good.
The next morning, Jake led me into the barn to help milk the cows. Bay led a tan cow down the center aisle past us. He shakes his head when he saw Jake and I, and walked down the aisle to cool off. Throughout the process of milking the cow he could not get his eyes off of me. I’ve been spending so much time with Jake the past few days and Bay hated it. After sometime he huffed and stormed off.Jake is an interesting guy, one that knows how to treat a woman and I loved that about him. I enjoyed spending time with him and I think I might just be falling for him too? I found myself admiring all he does… As he milked the cow, I couldn’t resist gulping to his flexed biceps, his strong jawline, his red lips, his thick blonde hair and his sparkling eyes. He glanced up at me and my heart skipped. “did you hear what I said?” he askedI barely registered what he was saying as my memory was flooded with an illicit thoughts of we
There is a lot of debate and stigma that surrounds teen love. Many adults brush teen relationships off, believing that they are unable to stand the test of time. However, this believe is not entirely valid. Call it puppy love or lust there are many popular people who married their High School love, like Lebron James and Savannah Bronson. The only problem on my part is that I love three and do not want to lose either of them. I cannot choose between them because I love different things about them.High School wasn’t a smooth ride for me. I was seen as a freak, a farm girl, a nerd and nobody wants to be linked or associated with me. My self esteem got crushed in our first year when Emily and I auditioned for Cheer. I got booed out of stage when I fell flat on my ass. Emily followed me, even though she got in. She is this friend that’d give up her dreams to see you happy. She’d never be in something I wasn’t in on. Emily was always there f
…My Dad is running for Mayor? I could not place my finger on his sudden interest in politics. He maintained a very strict a-politicism, and would often narrow politics as a dirty game. This sudden declaration doesn’t sit well with me. He’d be running against very influential men. The likes of Mayor Gustavo, who’s end goal is to win even if it meant tramping on his opponents.I walked across a field and towards a groove of trees. I made my way through the trees to a clearing with a rearing fire pit. It’s my favorite part of the ranch, a spot where I’d often hide anytime I need alone time to think. I lost connection with my Dad the very day my mum left, and politics is definitely going to keep us farther apart. I’m just a young girl who wants a simple life, I wasn’t asking for too much.I sat by the fire gathering my thoughts when the trees rustled on the far side of the fire pit and Jake burst into the clearing. I start