Back in the Saddle

Trying Too Hard

Nick's POV:

We both take off, wind flying through our hair. I duck down behind Cinnamon's head so that there's less wind resistance and easily make ground on Tommy, who is managing to keep up more than normal. Maybe he's eager to prove to Karl that he's cool, but sadly for him, I have that same motivation.

Slowly, Tommy begins to fall further and further behind, and pretty quickly I'm able to get in front of him, making it so that he can't get out from behind us. When Lizzie gets a little too close to Cinnamon, she is forced to slow a bit, making Tommy call out in protest. I chuckle and push Cinnamon forward, urging her to go faster and faster. We just made the turn and are now on our way back to where Karl is cheering, waving my hat around.

I take one daring minute in an attempt to impress him and release my hold on the reins, lifting my hands above my head victoriously. I'm quick to grab them again, but in the second that they were off, my life flashed before my eyes. I can see Karl's wide eyes staring at me, as well as hear Tommy's annoyed shouts from behind.

I glance back at him to see him cautiously letting go so he's only holding on with one hand, but even that is too much and he instantly clutches it again. I laugh loudly, bringing my focus back to the trail in front of me. That's when I notice that I'm much closer to the fence as I would have liked and I pull back harshly on the reins, causing Cinnamon to lurch to the side. We skid to a halt, and I hear Tommy screeching from behind as he and Lizzie veer off to the side, almost sending the young blond soaring into a hay bale.

Both of us dismount the horses, Tommy staggering a bit from the adrenaline and dizziness. He stumbles forward, grabbing my arm to stay up, but I don't help him and he falls. Karl and I both laugh before the brunet comes over and takes hold of one of his arms, tempting me to do the same.

Together we hoist him up and he grumbles something under his breath, most likely directed at me, before angrily grabbing Lizzie's lead and heading away from us. Me and Karl just laugh even harder at this before looking at each other.

"You could've hurt yourself there at the end, you know," Karl says, tone becoming a little serious. "I saw the fear in your eyes. Were you, like, trying to impress me or something?"

"Of course not. Unless it worked."

Karl giggles and my heart warms. "It definitely did. I was impressed simply by the fact that you can ride at all. I mean, I can't do that."

"Well, hopefully that can change soon."

"Yeah, hopefully."

I take Cinnamon back to her stall and pretty much undo everything I did to get her ready. Once she's good, I walk out to where Karl is waiting, and together we head out of the barn. I'm just about to ask what he wants to do when his stomach rumbles and he looks at me, embarrassed.

"To the concession stand?" I laugh and he nods. "Maybe you shoulda gone with Clay and George."

"No, I had more fun watching you guys. Besides, George is a Taco Bueno fan, and I don't support that opinion. Taco Bell any day of the week," he says, giggling at his own joke and making me laugh too.

"Thank you! Clay also likes Bueno, but I think Bell is superior! No one ever sides with me because Clay is a simp for George and would never disagree with him, and then our other friend doesn't like either because he's hispanic. Therefore, it's not authentic enough for him. He says that he can have better at home when his mom makes it."

"Well of course authentic is amazing, but tex-mex just hits different sometimes. And no one can deny that Taco Bell is delicious. Like that nachos del grande on a Friday night when I'm putting off my school work is a feeling unlike any other."