Disguised In Lavender

Part 21

Going round and round with her arms spread out in a 'T' with Ann clicking her tongue to the gelding below her, Lauren huffed in exhaustion. "You okay?" The instructor asked, closing her fist to slow Ducky to a walk as he let his head lol down, sending blows of dirt up. "Yup, his canter is still a little wonky, any ideas?" Lauren called back, rolling her shoulders and cringing at the soreness in her joints, glancing out the high windows to the low hanging sun. They'd been working for hours and Mr. Terence had left again to grab them all food from a nearby restaurant, Ann's abandoned mask hanging around her neck.

"Other than getting his head down and maybe doing more ground work, I'm not really sure, it's definitely the lead shoulder that he trips over though." Ann dropped into a squat and spun the lead closer to her as Lauren dropped her hands and untied her reins. "He's a great jumper but groundwork is just exhausting." She added, catching the metal clasp as the rider tossed it down to her and hopped down, stumbling on wobbling legs. Ann reached out and caught her elbow, Lauren grabbed onto her arm and shook out her feet with a shake of her head. "Tell me about it, I'll put him away if you take down the jumps." Ducky rubbed his head against the purple haired, tipping her slightly as she pressed her palm between his eyes with a smile. Ann watched her with a nostalgic twinge in her chest, she could tell how happy Lauren was here.

There's a story that says what you couldn't do in your past life is what your dream is currently, Lauren thought over the story as she unhooked each jingling ring from Ducky. If that was true, she just needed to find what Ann wanted to do and the story would be complete. She set the heavy tack on the standing peg, setting a bottle of polish in her cubby as a reminder for tomorrow. Ann snuck up behind her as she ran the curry comb in soothing circles along Ducky's tensed neck, flinging her arms around the rider. Lauren jumped slightly but her pursed lips relaxed into a soft smile, craning her free hand around Ann's waist. "You think he's dead or has he just eaten our dinner?" She asked with slurred words from sleep, her eyes blinking closed as she waddled behind Lauren, chin resting on her shoulder. "If he eats my fries I'll kill him either way." Ducky bobbed his head in agreement with his rider and both girls laughed heartily at his antiques, earning a perked ear their way.

Closing the bolt behind his swishing black tail, Lauren plopped down on the tack box and pulled the band out of her hair. "You hungry?" Ann called, trotting back into the stables with two paper bags that had grease stains blotched along the bottom. Lauren glanced up through hooded eyes and straightened up slightly, opening her arms for the long awaited food. "What a dining experience." She chuckled as Ann slid down beside her, setting the warm bag on her lap and leaning her head on Lauren. "This is going to sound odd." Lauren glanced over with her cheeks stuffed full of chicken and bun but her eyes caught Ann's wordlessly. "I feel like I've known you forever." The trainer shifted to look up at Lauren and munched thoughtfully on a curly frie.

Thinking it over, maybe Ann had a point, Lauren could have written a whole essay about what she liked about her trainer. Her fear of horses, the way her laughter brought out her dimples, when she turned so gentle even though her muscular frame showed otherwise. "I've never had a favorite person before." Lauren admitted reminiscently, stretching out her leg and wincing at the shot of pain it sent up to her thigh. Without really thinking, Ann's hand laid gently to the inside of Lauren's thigh, massaging the sore muscle. The sudden contact startled both of them and sent the empty bags toppling to the side, empty food cups keeping them grounded. "I think you're my favorite person." Lauren chuckled, lifting her leg over Ann's lap and swinging her arms around her neck so that her nose pressed against the trainer's neck.

"I think you're delirious." A slam of doors caused both of them to glance up, Lauren untangling herself but Ann didn't lift her hand and only tilted her head to see who it could be. "For the love of God." A particular brunette stormed towards the two, her sugary sweet smile masking absolute fuming rage. "Fancy meeting you here, I was just finalizing some paperwork." Dalla's clenched jaw made her words sound more hurtful and Lauren swallowed at the empty threat. Ann glanced from one rider to the other and slowly lifted her hand, standing up and biting her bottom lip. "We should be getting back." She muttered to Lauren, tapping her shoulder and offering out her hand which Dalla noticed and scoffed loudly. "We? Wouldn't Mr. Terence like to know about this, hm, Laur?" Ducky's head popped out beside Lauren, crunching contentedly on his feed as his warm brown eyes settled on Dalla.

The little gelding stretched open his jaws in a yawn and pushed his neck forward towards the other rider, coughing up a slimy ball of half digested oats. Disgusting splatter foamed on Dalla's boots and the look of total shock was enough to make Lauren crack a smile. "Thanks, bud, see you 'round Dalla!" She grabbed Ann's hand and hobbled as best she could on numb legs out of the stable, barely containing her laughter. "Oh my god, talk about karma." Ann laughed as they pushed the monstrous barn door closed behind them. Lauren clutched her stomach and leaned against the wooden wall, laughing so hard that tears sprung along her eyelashes. "I love that horse!" She exclaimed, clapping excitedly and bouncing up towards Ann who nodded in agreement, still slightly stunned.

Lauren slipped her hand into the rider's, it felt so good, so casual, but she stared down at their locked fingers with a goofy smile. "I think you're my favorite person too." Ann murmured, also going down at their hands, pushing Lauren back against the wall with one hand beside her hand. Lifting her chin with her index finger, both remembered the few days before when Lauren had shoved Ann back into the locker. It was hard to believe but the rider liked staring at Ann in control more than standing over her. "Back to my dorm?" She asked breathily, eyes fluttering shut and her sentence cut short as Ann pressed their lips together, the tang of salt coating Lauren's tongue.