Tamed and Free

Chapter 1: Gatlin

Gatlin's alarm woke her up. She pulled the tribal designed blanket off her and went straight into her bathroom. Beau, her blue tick hound, was stretching his hind legs off the bed when she finished and came back into the room. "Good morning Beau Bear." She sleepishly smiled.

Gatlin had long, brownish blonde hair, and blue eyes. Her body was hourglass and firm with long legs, standing at almost six feet. Her face showed signs of Native American heritage with her high cheek bones and her small, almond shaped eyes. Even her straight hair gave it away.

She would never be caught in hot pink and fake nails. She was as redneck as redneck came. She lived in a four room apartment she built herself in the barn behind her family's home. Living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. All she needed. Her family also used the barn as storage and as coverage for her ex stepdad's toys. Basically she had like a small corner. Which was fine because Gatlin had a small place to put her teal Jeep Wrangler under her apartment.

She was the oddball out of her family. Her mom and sister wore designers, mall everyday, nails done. Gatlin wore t-shirts she got from things went to do or see or concerts or restaurants, her jeans were always bought at Walmart. She spent most her time hiking or practicing her archery skills. Her mall was the local farmers market.

Every Saturday morning she took her allowance, check from work, and the check her mom got from her biological dad and went to pick her supplies up: food for Beau, food for herself, if she needed any school supplies, gas for her Wrangler. She also paid off her bills, which besides her car insurance, she paid her mom for rent and she still owed the small lumber company that lent her the supplies to build and finish the apartment she now lives in.

This morning would take a turn a little differently. Gatlin was up at seven in the morning, as usual. She did her routine: Shower, quick breakfast for her and Beau, setting up and getting in the teal Wrangler and headed out. She turned on her Blake Shelton playlist and pulled her sunglasses over her face. The main house was a good ways from the barn but a short distance. She pulled in front of the house and walked inside, Beau right behind her.

"Morning Sara, where's mama?" she asked her sister. Sara's real name was Sara Beth, but she didn't like the Beth part. She was a little shorter than Gatlin, had a little more in the trunk, and nothing on top. She was the older of the two. Sara and Gatlin were as different as night and day. While Gatlin wore brands like Dixie Outfitters and Big Dogs, Sara wore American Eagle and Old Navy. Gatlin also had her hair pulled back while Sara's was always straightened and fixed. Gatlin always had dirt under her natural nails while Sara always had acrylics.

Sara was sitting on the living room couch after the foyer, flipping through apps on her phone. "Probably in her room. Why?"

"Yeah." Gatlin passed through the foyer and into the hall. She passed bathrooms, Sara's room, the now guest room, and got to her mama's room. "Morning mama." She said quietly as she opened the door.

Now, Gatlin never hated her family. She was just different. She didn't care for the superficial life and wanted more of the simple life. When she made the decision to build the apartment, they refused to help her with anything, so after school, she planned and made her own apartment. Now, Sara usually has a house full of teens hanging around the house.

Gatlin's mama was sitting up in her bed, watching TV. "Hey baby." She said with a smile on her tired face. Her mama, Evelyn, was an older version of Gatlin. She had the same hair now gray, the same blue eyes. She couldn't deny Gatlin, even if she wanted to.

Gatlin got in her mama's bed with her, "How you doin'?" Beau jumping up on the bed, laying beside Evelyn's black terrier mix, Sadie.

"I'm good. Just woke up." Evelyn smiled while petting Beau. "He's gotten bigger since y'all moved out into the barn."

"He has." Gatlin answered.

They continued to talk about life and plans for the day for an hour before anyone else came in the room.

It was Gatlin's old best friend, Ashley. Ashley stopped for a brief second before handing Evelyn the mail. "Sara told me to bring the mail." She said with an attitude.

Gatlin scoffed. "Mama, I will see later. I love you." She kissed her mama's forehead. "Come on Beau, we have things we need to do." She climbed out the bed and walked past Ashley.

Ashley gave the mail to Evelyn and walked out, "Gatlin." She called over her. "Gatlin!"

They got to the guest room which was close to the front door. "Stop yelling my name. Mama will hear you and unless you want to find somewhere else that lets you party and what ever else you want, I suggest talking quietly here. Now what?"

Ashley was Gatlin's best friend growing up. They always played in mud puddles and acted like they were in a rodeo. They were cowgirls together. When middle school started, they both strayed from that life style and tried the more city life. Gatlin hated it, so when middle school ended and high school began, Ashley left Gatlin. She decided to fall under the acrylics and name brands. But what she did to Gatlin, spilling all her secrets at a party Sara was hosting and then giggling about it, while telling Gatlin she could never be her real friend, hurt her more than if she just said she didn't want to hang out with her. Now, They are both sixteen and have went their separate ways.

Ashley looked over at Evelyn's door and then back and Gatlin, "I just wanted to apologize for that night."

Gatlin rolled her eyes, "Ashley, I forgave you two years ago, when it happened."

"Oh good." Ashley threw her strawberry hair over her shoulder, "So what you got planned for the day?"

"I'm going to get my groceries, and supplies for my house. Why?" Gatlin asked.

Ashley smiled, "I figured we could hang out, like back in the days."

Gatlin walked away, "No thanks." She walked into the kitchen. There were three other girls that Gatlin used to hang out with. She opened the fridge without a word and pulled out a glass bottle of coke. She shut it and walked out with them whispering about how bad her split ends were and how dirty she must be.

She walked into the living room, "Sara I'm gone."

Sara looked up from her phone with friends doing the same thing, "Did you steal your check from mama?"

Gatlin walked out the door with Beau right behind her. She didn't have the energy to fight with her sister. She climbed into her Wrangler and drove out the driveway, turning her radio way up to drown out the constant thoughts in her head.