just because [pin hawthorne] 𝐢

chapter eleven

Olivia squinted her eyes as the harsh light of the sun let it by her open curtains filtered into her room. A week ago she'd woken up the same way in a hospital room where her aunt had been waiting by her side. A nurse walked in and explained her the injuries she'd sustained. Her head was alright apart from the concussion, but she'd lightly sprained the ankle the thief had grabbed, and her left rib cage had been bruised but not broken.

She sat up in bed and tested her ankle. The cast had been removed the day prior, and Olivia was now free to go back to the stables as long as she did not engage in any strenuous physical activities, which meant no riding. Thanks to text messages from Zoe, Becky, and Jade, Olivia had learned that Zoe's mother had finally allowed her back to the stables and that she had started training with Marcus. Olivia put on some casual clothes, knowing she wouldn't be riding anyways. Her aunt offered to drive her to the stables, and Olivia reluctantly agreed, knowing the walk to the stables would only injure her ankle further.

When Olivia reached the stables, she was greeted by Zoe, who seemed to be arriving as well.

"Hey, Liv! It's good to see you here again," her friend said.

"Hi Zoe," Olivia answered cheerfully. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed the stables. She'd been incredibly bored in her week of confinement, especially since she couldn't seem to find her writing journal anywhere. The two girls chatted and caught up as they walked through the stables, happy to get to talk to each other face to face again.

"Well, I have a lesson with Marcus, so I'd better get going," eventually said Zoe.

"Righ, of course. Congrats on making reserve by the way!" Olivia congratulated her friend. Olivia had missed tryouts due to her injuries, but she wasn't too disappointed, she'd heard Jade had made the team as well and she was very happy for her friends. She knew she'd enjoy accompanying them to encourage them just as much. "And have fun with Marcus," Olivia said with a wink. Zoe rolled her eyes playfully before joining Marcus in the paddock.

Olivia aimlessly walked through the stables. Becky was working and Jade was helping Sam with some paperwork, which left Olivia alone, and with absolutely nothing to do as she wasn't allowed to ride yet. As Olivia was considering looking for Sam to ask her if there was anything she could help with, she heard a call of her name behind her.

"Olivia?" The voice Olivia recognized as Pin's asked. Olivia's face split into a grin and she quickly turned around to greet the boy, only to be suddenly engulfed in a hug. Pin's arms pressed her close to his body, and him being a good deal taller than Olivia, Pin rested his head on top of hers. Olivia was surprised by this very uncharacteristic move from Pin, but hugged him back nonetheless. When he pulled back, Olivia wanted to ask him if he was alright but he immediately started bombarding her with questions.

"Are you okay? Where were you? What happened?" He frantically asked.

"Woah, calm down Pin, I'm alright, I was home, my aunt wouldn't let me out while my cast was still on," she explained, but Pin still seemed worried.

"Your cast?" He asked, perplexed.

"For my ankle," she stated simply. When Pin didn't seem any less confused, Olivia finally understood.

"Did nobody tell you what happened?" She asked in shock. Pin simply shook his head. Olivia recounted the story of how she'd hurt her head and sprained her ankle trying to ward off the horse thieves. She watched his expression turn to one of horror when she told him about her injuries and how she wouldn't be able to ride for the following month.

"Well I'm glad you're alright now," he simply said. Olivia smiled looking down and blushed. "It's a shame you won't be able to ride for the county show," he added. Olivia shrugged.

"I don't mind, I'm just glad Raven is safe. I heard Zoe tried to ride him? How's that going?" She said.

"About as well as you'd expect it too," Pin laughed. "He ran off with her at first, I think it scared her, but they seem to be making good progress now," he explained.

"That's good," Olivia answered.

"Were you— are you busy right now?" Pin asked Olivia.

"Not really, everyone is busy and I can't do anything that puts strain on my ankle so I don't have much to do, why?" Olivia explained.

"Wanna get out of here?" Pin asked. Olivia smiled and nodded eagerly. Pin led her to his horse Elvis and helped her on, making sure she didn't put any pressure on her ankle, something she appreciated immensely. Olivia's aunt would probably freak out if she saw her on a horse so soon after taking off her cast, but technically if Pin was the one riding, Olivia wasn't disobeying the rules. Wind whipped through Olivia's hair, and she smiled at the familiar feeling that came with riding. Pin rode out to the beach and stopped Elvis there. He dismounted his horse and offered Olivia his hand to help her down. Olivia took it shyly and blushed when Pin rested his hand on the bare skin of her waist to help her down. Why did such a simple touch have such an effect on her? Pin then led her towards a flat rock where they sat, and where they realized they'd still been holding hands, and quickly, but reluctantly on Olivia's part, let go of each other's hand.

Olivia and Pin sat in silence for a bit, the same type of silences they'd shared as children. The calming lull of the waves drew Olivia into some kind of trance, launching her into a never-ending spiral of thoughts she sifted through.

"You were right, you know," she said out of the blue. Olivia felt Pin's gaze shift towards her, but she kept her eyes on the ocean. "About why I wanted you to forgive Zoe," she added. "I didn't know it myself at the time, but now that I've thought about it, it makes sense.

"When I was six, my dad went to prison. I don't know why, my mother never told me. I was young back then, I didn't understand. My mum told me he was on a trip, and that one day he would be back. And he did, two years later. Except by then, my mom had gotten married to somebody else. My father didn't forgive her, and he just, left. I haven't seen or even heard a word of him since." Olivia said. She wasn't sure how much Pin knew about the situation already, and frankly, she didn't know why she was telling him about this right now.

"My mum left too, you know," he said after a while. Olivia had of course noticed that Pin lived only with his father, but she didn't know why. "When I was five she just, took off," he said, then chuckled dryly. "She sends me a postcard every so often as if to make up for her absence." He paused, then smiled as if recalling a memory. "Before she left, she called me Pin, 'cause I couldn't say Peter," he said. Olivia knew Pin's name was technically Peter, she'd heard his father call him so many times, but she'd never know where the name Pin was from, only that Pin didn't like to be called anything else. It made sense now. Olivia finally shifted her gaze to Pin, and smiled warmly. Their comfortable silence resumed.