My Wild Flower

Ch.1

Ten seconds have never felt more like ten hours than right now. Blood smearing, glass stabbing in odd places, wind whistles through the shattered front window, and yet I lay in my seat alone. No one around, except me. The pain from before has faded out, and now, now, it's only this actual pain not emotional.
I wouldn't have expected this to end this way, although the beginning of it all should have been a big warning. To understand it all, we need to start at the beginning. And the middle, and get to the end of me and Dallas.

The smell of leather, sweat, fear, and dirt floods my senses. The crowd cheers up in the stands, as I walk out from behind that gate to the line up of single cowboys, Clark who's working up in the announcers booth starts talking to me about the line up. I don't even know why I agreed to this little match maker game, as Jerret, the rodeo clown, waddles over.
"Now ladies and gents, we have a gorgeous lady here in the arena at this very minutes okay, and we're going to be setting up our livestock contractor with one of our fearless riders tonight! Now we're gonna ask her some questions and then her possible suitors! Now if yall agree make some noise!" The crowd cheers even louder before with some whistles and clapping thundering throughout the stadium. "Now Miss Adalida Summerts, how are you doin' on this fine evening? Have these boys been nice so far?"
I have a mic so I just continue the conversation like I would if he were a close friend, "Well Jerret, I'm very happy I get to be here and help out tonight so I'd say I'm pretty well off thank you! And no worries, these ole boys have been very polite the epitome of a southern gent." A bright smile plastered to my face, and I should be beaming right now, I know, but I'm not, and I couldn't give you one reason as to why.
"Good good, if they were misbehaving I'd have to put them all in a head lock" This was quite comical to the crowd, cowboys and I because we all give a curt chuckle to the under average height man doing an imitation of the action. "Now for the important questions, let's start off easy okay, where you from?"
"Well, I was born and raised in Northern California, and no California is not all beaches with dudes that surf." My comment earned me a few chuckles and grins from the riders in front of me along with the crowd.
"Okay then, Miss not all beach, what was your favorite thing to do when you were in high school?" I take a moment to ponder because I was only ever raising show hogs, or I was helping my family out on the ranch.
"That's tricky because I was fascinated with the whole FFA life and the county fair livestock shows and auctions, so I'd have to say it'd be working my show hogs during those few years." I can see this has peaked his interest.
"Ouu, we have an FFA gal. Well, that's rare to see, especially from California!"
"You'd actually be surprised Jerret there are many chapters and members all throughout California." I look at the crowd, and a few cheers come up as I talk about the FFA shockingly because when I'm here, no one really cares that much.
"Interesting, hmmm. Now, very important question. Are you ready?" Not waiting for my answer, he asks anyways, Are you a George Strait fan?"
I smile and nod my head yes. I find that funny because I guess that is a very important question. "Now what are you looking for in a cowboy?" He ask what I'd assume the final question because we have to get this show on the road.
"Well, I'd have to say it'd be someone who isn't intimated by my brother" I give him a wave as he watches from the side railing waiting for his ride. "But other than that, someone who has a passion for livestock, most important I want a man that's loving and I know I can trust." I stop for a second and think, "I also want him to slow dance with me in the kitchen, but that's optional. " I joke and some ladies cheered real loud at that which brought a smile to my face along with the shout of 'I'll slow dance with you' from the crowd.
"Well, boys, that ain't to demanding is it?" Clark asks and some nod while posing. He instructs the crowd to cheer if they think i look good with a rider and whoever gets the most crowd attention gets to have the pleasure of a mock date with me in the arena later for the crowd to watch. The riders go one by one, introducing themselves, some peaking my interest with their answers to the questions thrown at them but it quickly diminishes.
I'm instructed to go stand next to the first in line and if I'm honest I don't know why he's even here. Even better, i don't know why I'm here. I have no interest in love right now even if it is pretend, but this guy, whatever his name is, he is the cowboy version of tall, dark, and handsome. He glances at me before deciding to say, "You look lovely even though we both look like we'd rather be anywhere else." He said it low enough that I might have imagined it.
"Thank you, you're probably going to be the most agreeable one out of this line up." I smile at him and because of my comment I got a grin and shake of a head.
"Why's that? Are you holding a grudge against all of the others?" An innocent question that seemed more like a challenge in some way.
"No, they all look to eager to get a chance." When I look back at the crowd I realize that they are going crazy, and as stuipid as it is, I hoped they didn't like the others as much as they liked him.

I hate that I already knew I was under Dallas' hold, and I really wish he was just the city. A place that never moved on the map, a place I could avoid like the plague.