To my beloved, Terry

Chapter 8

"Do you not trust me?" The young Terry questioned.

"What are you even saying Terry? Of course I trust you. I'm just r-really petrified. W-what if I fall wh-"

"We are going to be slow. You can hold on to me. Come on now before the sun sets." Terry cuts the older off. Ben was almost biting his nails-a habit of his he noticed when he is scared or feeling distress.

"B-but..." The older stuttered. He cannot say no to his old friend for he had offered his word when they talked about going to the alps using the younger's horse.

"I already gave you my promise. We will be safe. Hope in now!" The younger once again called out.

Ben did not have a choice at all. He desire for so long on riding a horse as they travelled the woods to the peak of the Swiss alps but he did not imagine that it would be this petrifying. If it was not for the young and considerate dear Terry, he had been weeping like a bairn. The younger was true to his commitment on taking slow steps as for him, his hands were gripped tightly on Terry's frame as if the boy is going to be vanished into thin air.

"Do you plan on being this close the whole time? This was your idea at all so why are you not looking at the view?" The younger asked, his soft giggles resonates the entire woods. It was calming yet Ben was still scared to make a single shift, afraid that he might slip out and fall.

"I was not prepare at all Terry. You did not inform me yesterday that we are going to be horse riding. I wish you apprise me the next time." The older answered. The waver in his voice escalated throughout the younger's back for he was concealing his cheeks on it.

"Where is the fun in that?" The younger continues to tease as he moved to caress the older's hand trying to loosen the hold but was a bit startled when the later toughen it instead.

"What are you doing? You are squeezing me to death." He confessed.

"Do not let me loosen my hold or I might get down and walk instead. You will have to wait for me at the peak." Ben replied, his voice insistent but the younger did not like any physical contact from anyone even if it is from his friend.

"I do not like to be touched this much." There was a clear fore-warning on his voice yet the young Ben was not shaken at all.

"If this is going to be like this then we might as well fasten our pace so we'll have more time to spare." He keep on and before the older could assert, they were running along the woods in a rapid motion along with the thumping of his heart. Terry was indeed a fearless boy, Ben assent.

"You seemed to be fancying being this close to me. We have arrived yet you are not still letting me go." The young boy scornfully chuckle but he did not heard a word back from the boy on his back. He remained soundless for a brief moment before he started to realize that his friend seems to be quivering.

"Are you okay? You seem to be shaking bad. Did I went to far? I apologize-"

"Let me get h-hold of myself f-for a bit, p-please." The older replied, there was implied tremble in his voice concerning the young Terry. He slanted his head, taking a glimpse of his friend sideways and felt extremely troubled for being insensitive.

"I wil not move." He announced, contemplating whether he should took hold of his hands to give console or wait until the he calm down.

"D-danke. It's m-my first time to ride a h-horse. You should not be t-the one a-apologizing. My a-apologies for behaving this bad." Ben despite the quivering had manage to make a response.