Back in the Saddle

Time to Continue

Karl's POV:

Clay picked us up at the usual time and then we got Alex, like normal. We got to work and all of us went our separate ways, and the day went on as it typically would. Business was steady, as you would expect it to be on a Friday, and Hannah and I got along as we would on any given day.

The only thing that was all that different was the odd feeling I had all day, like I was being watched. It's carried on to the present, and I can't seem to shake it, no matter how much I tell myself I'm just being paranoid.

Hannah and I close the stand at five, the standard time, and I start to make my way over to the stables, where my friends are probably wrapping up their days. No one I see seems out of place and none of them seem disturbed or like they're looking out for something, which means that I must be imagining things. Maybe it was just that dream I had last night messing with me.

No, I was wrong. The person who I run into confirms that I, in fact, am not imagining anything. Felix stops me when I'm only a few yards away from the barn, and I really hope that Nick or Alex or someone will come out and get me out of this conversation with him.

"Hi, Karl," he says in a very flat voice that is unsettling for some reason.

"Oh, hey, Felix."

"I wanted to ask you a question."

"Um, what is it?" I ask, not sure I really want to know.

"Would you like to accompany me to my sister's wedding? Sam will be there as well, but she told me I could bring a plus one, and the first person I thought of was you," he says, a hint of a smile growing on his lips.

"Uh- I'm sorry Felix but I, um-"

"He's busy," Nick says from behind us. I sigh with relief, glad to be saved from having to turn him down yet again. The black-haired male wraps his arm around my waist when he reaches us, pulling me close to him and offering me a comforting smile. "We have plans on the day of the wedding."

"How do you know when the wedding is?"

"Sam told me," he answers blatantly.

"Oh. Well, perhaps I could take you out another time, then?"

"Felix. Our plan is a date. He's not interested because we're dating," Nick says. Felix looks at him, a little taken aback and a little offended, though I can't tell if it's because of Nick's rather rude tone or because the two of us are 'dating.'

"Karl, is this true?"

I can tell Nick is about to answer for me, but I grab his hand, indicating I want to do this one. "It is true, Felix, I'm sorry. That's why I turned you down the first time, but I'm really sorry."

"It's alright. Maybe we can hang out as friends?"

Again, Nick is about to say something, but I stop him. "I will definitely try my best to make that happen!"

This answer seems to satisfy him because he finally starts to leave, though I don't miss the dirty look he gives Nick, a look which Nick happily returns. He still has an arm around me, and he keeps it there until Felix is completely gone and entirely out of sight. Even after he's gone, he lets his hand hover over my arm as he turns to me, probably wanting to be sure I'm alright.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. Did he say anything to you? Did he make you uncomfortable again?" Nick rambles.

"Nick, I'm okay, thank you. I appreciate that a lot. And no, he didn't say anything other than asking me to go to the wedding, and more than anything it was just awkward because I didn't want to say yes."

"Sunshine, you've got to learn how to say no. You're just too nice sometimes."

"I don't want to hurt his feelings, though."

"He's weird. And mean. And a creep. His feelings do not override your own: if you're uncomfortable around him and don't want to go out with him, you need to make that fact known before he presses for it further. But don't worry, I won't let him get you alone to ask again anytime soon."

"Again, thank you, Nick. I probably would've said yes to him if you hadn't stepped in."

"Don't mention it. Now, my mom won't be able to get here for another thirty minutes or so, but I have an idea to help us pass the time. I'd say it's about time we continue those horse-riding lessons."

===

"Nick, I don't think I can do this."

"Don't worry about it, Karl. You're a natural; you got this."

I sigh, hoping he's right, and prepare to start moving. We've spent nearly half an hour working on this, and apparently I'm doing really well because he thinks I'm ready for jumping over low obstacles. I don't know how we went from running to jumping this quickly but I trust him... I guess.

I give Cinnamon a light kick in the side and she begins to move. I lean forward in the saddle to get her to go faster and grip tightly onto the reins, anxiety making my hands shake. Nick removed one of the rungs on the fence, so it's a lot lower than it would usually be, but I'm still terrified to jump it. When Nick demonstrated it it looked easy, but now, racing towards it, it seems a lot more difficult than I originally anticipated.

I can feel my confidence slipping the closer I get to it. Before I know it, the fence is mere yards ahead of me, and I back out, yanking on Cinnamon's reins as hard as I can so she veers off to the side and slows to a stop.

I slide off the saddle, my head dizzy from the drastic change in speed and my legs shaky from the adrenaline. Because of those factors, I stumble and almost fall, but Nick catches me before I can. How he got over here so quickly, I have no clue, but I'm grateful he was because falling would be even more embarrassing than not jumping the fence.

"Are you okay?" he asks worriedly, looking me up and down to ensure that I'm not injured.

Instead of answering like a normal person would, I break down laughing, which seems to scare him a little. Still leaning on him, I let my body go limp for a minute because I'm laughing so hard.

"What... are you alright? Are you okay, like really?"

"Yes, I'm alright," I say once I've calmed down enough to get out a coherent sentence. "I'm sorry, I just can't do it. At least not yet. I think I would've died if I had actually gone through with it."

"Well then it's good you didn't, 'cuz I would've felt real guilty. And I don't think I would be able to get by without seeing your cute face every day." I feel my face get hot, a sense of deja vu creeping over me. He's such a dick: he knows exactly what he said. "All jokes aside, if you didn't feel like you were ready for this yet, you should've told me. If you were genuinely scared I wouldn't have made you go through with it."

"I tried to tell you. You know what you said? 'Don't worry about it, Karl. You're a natural; you got this,'" I say, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Oh yeah, sorry," he chuckles, massaging the back of his neck. His phone dings and he seems happy to have a change in topic, because he quickly pulls it out and reads the notification. "My mom texted me. She said mom surprised her with a surprise date, but if we still want to go out somewhere she'll pay me back."

"That's fine by me, but we don't have a car."

"I know a really good place not too far from here. As long as you're alright with walking, we can go there?"

"Perfect! I love walking," I answer, offering him a kind smile.

I can't ignore the happiness in his eyes and the smile he gives back to me. It's a look I've grown used to: he has it any time I smile or laugh. I wish I could be certain about what it means, but for the time being, I can't be sure. But maybe one day I'll be able to tell him how I feel.

Word Count- 1410

a/n- today was visiting day at my school where some kids from the year below us came to check out our campus. i and one of my friends were tour guides, and we spotted a group of emos and immediately recruited them. it was very fun