~ Blind Desires ~

~ Chapter Four ~

"Hey." Said Carson, nervously scratching the back of his neck. He could tell by the disapproval plastered on my face that I wasn't interested in dealing with his crap. I didn't say anything and continued grabbing my things, leaving the door open. I felt his eyes trailing me as I gathered my belongings.  "I can uh-- give you a ride home if you'd like?" He said stepping through the trailer door. I shook my head, letting him know I wasn't interested. 

He grabbed my upper arm and turned me so that I was facing him now. I flinched under the tight grip he had on my arm. My eyes were glued to the floor, avoiding eye contact with him. Carson noticed me flinch and loosened his grip. 

"She's not my girlfriend." Carson said. 

"Good for you, I don't care." I said ignoring the sliver of jealousy creeping up. I then proceeded to rip my arm from his grasp and step back. I folded my arms across my chest and held my head high. "Now, if you'd excuse me, I need to head home." I mumbled and grabbed my things, pushing past Carson. 

"Skylar...please!" He said as I was walking towards the parking lot. I heard his footsteps trailing behind me. I sped up while making my way to where my aunt was parked. Weaving through the vehicles, eventually losing Carson behind me. I hopped in the truck and slammed the door behind me.

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"Let's go boy!" I said, lightly nudging Cash's side. I decided to go for a ride. After what happened yesterday at fair I needed to get my mind off things. 'Things' meaning Carson. I don't know why I felt so jealous after seeing him with that girl. I barely know the guy. I cannot fall in love. I refuse. 

2 years ago I fell in love. His name was Barrett. We dated for a year and things were great. Or at least they seemed great. It was the most blissful year of my life. Until the truth revealed itself to me. He had been cheating on me the entire time. It broke me. I fell into a state of depression. I stopped barrel racing and barely came out of my room. The only time I would come out was either to eat or feed the horses. It stayed that way for almost 6 months. Until my Aunt Lydia came out to visit. She heard what had happened from my dad. Dad never took care of me after mom died. So I was forced to deal with this on my own until my aunt came out. He said I was being dramatic and that I was the reason my boyfriend cheated. Those words hurt almost as bad as the break up. My aunt pulled me out of that dark place. She started helping with my daily chores, exercising the horses and started training me for barrels again. 

Lydia and I are pretty close in age. She is twenty two years old, mom's younger sister. She helped mom raise me when I was younger, when dad would go away for business. Lydia has always been a second mom in my eyes. It was clear she loved me like her own as well. I have to admit, it's hard sometimes, she looks almost identical to mom. 

"Sky! How was your ride this morning?" Asked Lydia, with a warm smile plastered on her face. "It was great! He's getting pretty antsy just sitting in his stall." I said patting the length of Cash's neck. "Yeah I felt ya there! River is getting pretty antsy as well." She said, holding Cash while I hopped off of him. I looked at her and smiled. "Maybe you should sign up for barrels tonight." I said with a smirk. 

"I don't know about that, I haven't ridden barrels in years. Did you enter the rodeo?" Lydia asked, following me into the barn. I nodded slightly and began un-tacking Cash. "Great! Me and Bear will come watch you!" Lydia said. 

Bear is my gray Lab puppy that she had bought for me when I moved here.

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The rodeo starts in a couple hours. I am sitting on my bed with Bear scrolling on my phone. My gaze travels to a box in the corner of my room.  This wasn't one of the boxes I brought from home. It wasn't here this morning either. I looked at the label on the side, and it read "Cassandra, Nakoma." Cassandra was my mom's name.