Disguised In Lavender

Part 12

The gelding started off, Lauren kept her head low as Ann's legs swung to touch hers as she wobbled off balance. She reached back with a hand and laid it on the blonde's thigh, steadying her legs and nodding though she couldn't turn. "Now be really quiet until we get off campus." Lauren whispered, feeling Ann nod in agreement, her chin digging into her shoulder as her heels kicked the gelding into a smooth canter. "Keep your heels down, set them on mine and don't let go of me no matter what." Her words were clear even against the stinging wind that blew like ice against her, glad her hair was short enough not to hit Ann.

"Look up there, look at all the stars." Lauren let out a breath and slowed the gelding to a meandering walk as they blew past the campus gates. She looked over her shoulder at Ann who lifted her chin slightly to gaze at the night sky, reflecting gorgeously in her inky blue eyes. It took force to draw Lauren's attention from the galaxy blooming in her trainer's warm eyes, sucking in her breath. "You never get a view like this from the dorms." Ann whispered perhaps more to herself than Lauren but it made the rider laugh all the same, agreeing instantly.

She steered the gelding down the winding path towards the patch of undergrowth that began the outer ring of the forest. "We're here, we can walk about 5 meters that way to get to the lake."Lauren kicked her feet from the stirrups, shifting onto the ground, careful not to knock Ann either which way. Her hands flew to the reins, steadying the gelding as the trainer placed her hands steadying on his neck. "Jump down." Ann's eyes went even wider as she looked down at Lauren, pursing her lips to hide the fear making her stomach wriggle. "I'm going to catch you, now hop off." The laughter in Lauren's tone grew Ann's courage and she turned towards the older girl, gazing pleadingly through her eyes.

"I'll always catch you." She promised again, softer now as she opened her arms and nodded encouragingly. "If you don't, I hope my foot goes right into your stomach." Ann warned, brave enough now to force her mouth to move, throwing her arms around Lauren's neck as she jumped down. Hard ground stopping her boots and the warm shoulder of the rider cushioning her chin. "See, not bad at all." Lauren promised, stepping back and using her free hand to unclip Ann's helmet, shrugging nonchalantly.

Wind whipped through the trees and sent shadows dancing along the undergrowth, the rushing sound of water keeping the sound of boots hitting the ground nearly silent. Slowly, trees turned into scraggly fern and the dirt path became beaten grass that tickled their ankles. The moon illuminated the lake that collected its stars and opened the sky around them. "Wow." Ann breathed, stepping away from Lauren's side and gazing down at the water, dropping to her knees. Lauren smiled as she watched the younger girl cup her hands and let the chilled liquid flow through her fingers.

She spun the reins around a tree, leaving the gelding just enough room to curve his elegant neck and nibble the shrubbery. "You keep this all secret?" Ann asked, turning towards Lauren who pulled her knees up to her chin and breathed in the night air. "I have to, how else would it stay so perfect?" It was mostly true, Tanner knew about it, she squinted past Ann towards the abandoned shed he would meet JK on nights like this month. "It's beautiful, I wish I could just keep it." Ann fell backwards onto her back, spreading her arms into the grass and gazing up at the moon, a small smile on her face. Lauren gazed down at her from where she sat, giggling when Ann caught her and leapt up to push her down next to her.

They laid side by side, the smell of wet grass making their senses sharpen, barely tracing the scent of lavender. Nobody said that the moon should shine so brightly as clouds rolled across its blemished surface so gracefully, yet it did. Lauren took in the beauty that never ceased to amaze her, turning her head to meet Ann's eyes and her heart skipped. Incomparable was the moon when the trainer's face lit up in a smile and she buried her face in Lauren's sweatshirt.

It was that moment when her face fell to somber agreement and then twisted into the widest smile that made her cheeks sore. She was in love, disguised in the sweet smell of lavender bushes and with Ann's hand inches from hers. As Ann sat back up, Lauren lifted her neck to follow her eyes, the eyes that made her realize maybe best friends wasn't enough. If she could just stay right there, let Lauren study her like art, everything would be alright. "Can I stay in your dorm tonight? My roommate would kill me if I go back late." Of course it was a lie, of course Ann had seen the light gleam off of Lauren's pale skin and let herself slip. "Sure, I don't think the secretary is at her desk on the weekends." Propping herself up on her palms, Lauren forced herself to look only in Ann's eyes, not at how her lips curved when she smiled.

Leaning over to the lake, the trainer took a handful of water and glanced back at Lauren mischievously. "Don't even-" The rider sputtered as the frozen water hit her face, opening one eye as it trickled across her cheeks. Ann's gape mouthed horror turned to a smile of childlike glee as she watched Lauren spit the water from her mouth. "You're in for it now." She threatened, shoving herself to her feet and grabbing Lauren around the waist, puffing up her cheeks with air as they hit the water.

It wasn't deep, the rider set her footing but kept her arms around Ann who was spluttering in the freezing depths. "How is that fair?" She shouted through her teeth chattering laughter, hugging Lauren's neck for dear life. "I got thrown in too!" Lauren flapped her arms to splash water over the both of them, drenching their hair so it stuck to their cheeks. "Stop, stop." Ann squealed, lifting her hands to shield her face, dragging herself up onto the bank and letting her feet stay dangling in the water. Her clothes stuck to her skin, outlining the gentle curve of her body and shivering frame of muscle she'd built from training. Lauren crawled up onto the bank beside her, huffing like a far less graceful fish and glanced back at the gelding. Neither wanted to go back, gazing up at the stars as they fell onto their backs, their clothes and hair sticking to their skin but it hardly mattered.