Behind Her Eyes

9

I wiped off the steam on the mirror with the towel after I was done drying my body. Today we were going to Helena. It was around four in the morning, just enough time to get Nickel and myself ready. The rodeo doesn't start until eight so I wasn't in too big of a hurry.

I cringed at what I saw once the mirror cleared. Scars, bruises and scratches covered my torso and backside. I received them the night before I left. He came home one night drunk. He kept telling me how beautiful I am and how I should proceed with my career with rodeo.

That was until he saw that there was no food on the table and the kitchen was still a mess. That's when things started going sideways. He started to tell me how useless I was to him and that he couldn't believe that I was his girlfriend.

I shook my head to get rid of the memories that came barreling in and quickly got dressed. Once I brushed my teeth and threw my hair into a low braid, I went back to my room to put on my socks and Ariat's.

I went downstairs, grabbed my duffel bag that was already prepared and waiting on the chair, and grabbed an apple from the fridge. Once the duffel bag was in the back seat of the truck and the apple in the front cup holder, I went to feed Nickel.

It didn't take me long to feed him and to make sure that he had enough water. When he was fed I went back to the truck so I could hook up the trailer. Before going to get Nickel, I made sure that his gear was still in the trailer. There was a tack shed on the property, but the only thing I put in there was the alfalfa hay.

I grabbed the blue halter and black lead rope and went back to Nickel, who was just finishing his breakfast.

"Nickel." I called out, just outside the gate. He looked up and pricked his ears forward. "Come here, buddy."

He nickered and made his way towards me.

"Good boy." I smiled and scratched his nose before slipping the halter on. I opened the gate and led him towards the back of the trailer.

Once he was loaded in, I tied the lead rope around his neck. Making sure that the divider was latched, I made my way towards the back of the trailer.

***

A couple hours later we arrived on the rodeo grounds. I looked at the time on the dash once I found a parking spot. I had two events today and one tomorrow.

It was currently seven and I still had to register. I got out of the truck and went to grab Nickel. I parked further from the entrance so that I wasn't crowded. I knew that it was going to be filled up as the day went on.

I tied Nickel to the trailer once he was outside and gave him some hay in a bag to munch on. I looked at the time on my watch and took a breath. If I'm going to register for my events I'm going to have to do it now.

I grabbed Nickel's bridle and walked to him, taking off the halter, letting it hang on the trailer, and slipping the bridle over his ears. I knew that he was going to be faster at getting to the trailer where I needed to register instead of me walking over there, plus it gives him time to warm up a little. I put the split reins over his neck and hopped on him bareback. I leaned forward a bit and he started to walk off.

When I was training him, I never kicked or nudged him to make him go, I made sure to use my body language. I never yanked on the reins for him to turn barrels or go around poles, nor did I yank on them if he did something bad.

After getting registered for today and tomorrow, they gave me my numbers and told me good luck. Nickel and I rode back to the trailer, passing people with their mounts. Some riding and others walking and leading their horses.

I looked at my watch and took another breath.

It's time.