just because [pin hawthorne] 𝐢

chapter three

"You came back!" Olivia heard Jade exclaim behind her. She turned around to find Zoe being dragged along by Jade.

"Zoe! There's so much to tell you," said Becky.

"Speculative, made-up gossip she means," said Olivia, joining the three girls walking towards Bob.

"It's not made up!" Said Becky defensively "Horse thieves are real," she said mysteriously. As her friends rambled on about something she had already heard fifty times from Becky already, Olivia looked around, her eyes stopping on Pin who was exiting Raven's stables. She'd noticed him earlier in the field trying to tame Raven. Olivia despised the idea of using a whip, but she supposed that wasn't her call to make. Without meaning to, Olivia had approached Pin. When she realized, it was already too late and Pin had noticed her.

"Hello," he said simply.

"Hi, is uh, is your hand okay?" Olivia asked the first thing that popped into her head.

"My hand?" Pin inquired.

"Yes, well, you're holding it weirdly, like you're trying to protect a gash in the palm or something," she explained, now feeling silly for having noticed it. Pin brought his hand up and opened his palm, where an angry red line was blooming, though it was not bleeding.

"Maybe you should get it patched up, it could get infected." Pin looked at her strangely, and Olivia felt embarrassed. "Or not, I won't tell you what to do," she added shamefully.

"No it's not that, I just— thank's, I'll go patch it up," he said hastily before leaving. Olivia mentally scolded herself. Why did you have to be weird again? The girl made her way back to her three friends just in time to hear as Sam spoke up.

"Pony People Magazine are visiting the yard today," she announced, as everyone around clapped. "This is our chance to let the stables shine, to spread the word about Bright Fields and bring lots and lots of new riders our way."

"Well, hopefully anyway," added Marcus.

"Speaking of which, this is Zoe," said Sam gesturing towards Zoe. "She found Raven, so we owe her big time, let's make her really welcome." People clapped once more, Becky, Jade and Olivia the loudest this time as they welcomed their new friend.

"If you can't find a chore that needs doing, just cone and find Marcus or me," said Sam as she walked away, Marcus following.

"Marcus is Sam's cousin," explained Jade.

"He's the best rider in the yard," added Becky. "And he's talented and he's handsome and—"

"Totally right behind you," finished Olivia as a warning for Becky to stop talking.

"Hey," Marcus told Zoe as he passed by.

"Hi," she replied. Jade and Becky both looked at Zoe in bewilderment.

"I gotta go," said Zoe before Becky could start freaking out again.

"Wait, where are you going?" Asked Jade.

"I'm supposed to meet up with my mom."

"But you can't leave, you just got here!" Said Becky. "Plus I can't carry the hay bales on my own."

"I really have to get going though," said Zoe, conflicted.

"No problem, go have fun with your family, I'll help you with the hay bales, Becky," said Olivia. Zoe looked at her thankfully.

"Bye! I'll see you guys around!" She called out before leaving.

Becky and Olivia bid Jade farewell as they headed towards the hay bale stack. They made small talk as they moved them inside Bob's stables one by one.