Gavin smiled at me from across the table, I smiled back and swept my brown hair over my shoulder tugging at a split end. He shifted forward his eyes settling on my face.
"You did great today, you know that of course," he commented earning a eye roll from me.
"It was all Jessie, she hates Raein more than me," I replied.
"I'm sure."
"It was all Jessie for the last time," I half yelled stamping my foot.
His grin widened, he loved picking at me. Our food arrived and we began to eat away. I hadn't eaten lunch and the pasta was delicious. Gavin was equally hungry and we barely exchanged a sentence during our ravenous eating. After my plate was thoroughly scraped clean I wiped my mouth and watched Gavin finish his meal, after he slurped up his last noodle he offered his glass up in a toast.
"To many more victorious wins," he brandished his glass.
I clinked my glass with his, "Hear, hear."
He laughed and we drained our glasses. I placed my glass back on the table and Gavin mimicked me and seemed to be holding back more than he was letting on.
"Penny for your thought?" I asked.
"I just had a stupid idea, want to sleep in the barn tonight with me? One of dad's mares is going to drop a foal any day and he needs someone with her in case something happens. I was just thinking you might like to tag along." he mumbled.
"That would be awesome," I exclaimed.
"Okay, so when we get home grab some warm clothes and anything else you'll need. Dad has some blankets and pillows so you don't need to take any out."
I nodded and the waiter brought over the bill. Gavin paid the bill and we left. He called a taxi since Ralph and the other jockeys needed to get the horses home and rested up. I drifted off in the back seat hoping I wouldn't start drooling all over Gavin's lap.
What seemed like seconds later we pulled into the drive of Stone Meadow Stables. Gavin nudged me awake and helped me out of the car, my muscles aching and sore. As I trudged towards the barn to get my stuff I remembered that Katie had wanted to talk to me. I pushed open the screen door of the house with Gavin close behind.
"Oh Avery there you are!" Katie called and ran down the stairs at top speed.
"Hi Katie," I responded and gave her a gentle hug attempting not to get horse hair all over her.
"So about the surprise, I went out to the barn today and I moved all your stuff into one of our spare bedrooms. You can stay in here now, its probably a lot more comfortable and dad was okay with it."
I broke out into a grin this was great, I hugged Katie harder not really caring about the horse hair and all.
She led me to the new room and after she left I freshened up and pulled on my warmest clothes. I met Gavin in the hall and we trudged out to the barn, the cold air already biting though my sweater. We headed to the mare barn and the warm air enveloped me as I entered. Ralph was sitting, passed out cold against a stall and Gavin prodded him with the toe of his boot and Ralph jumped.
"You did really well today Avery were super proud of you. I want to make you an offer. If you stay with us for three more years, that horse that's going to be born in that stall over there you can race in the triple crown. I promise you that Avery."
"Deal," I stuck out my hand we shook on it he left the barn headed out to catch up on some well deserved rest.
Gavin and I settled down into the blankets and he propped open the door of the pregnant mares stall. The mare, Winters Promise, was pacing around but paid no attention to the open stall door. I drifted off and nestled down deeper into the soft blankets enjoying the peaceful silence for once.
"Avery, AVERY. Wake up the foals coming." Gavin yelled and I scampered out of the nest of sheets. Winter was lying on her side he chest rising and falling rapidly. I kneeled down next to Gavin and stroked Winter softly.
"What do we do now," I asked.
"We wait, for now there's nothing we can do unless some complications arise." We sat down by Winters head and stroked her neck. After about an hour the head of the foal appeared. Gavin sent me to go get a towel and he urged Winter to keep pushing. The foal slid out and lay in the straw taking deep breaths.
"Avery dry it off while I wait for the after birth." Gavin commanded and stroked Winter.
I approached the tiny foal and began to dry him off. As I cleaned him up I could see it was going to be a chestnut with a white star and stripe. It whickered softly and struggled to stand.
"What is it?" Gavin asked softly.
"Its a boy" I replied watching the foal twist and turn attempting to stand.
After a few minutes Gavin and I left the stall and returned to our make shift bed. I leaned my head against his shoulder and stroked my hair.
"Avery if you and that horse in there win the Triple crown, I'll propose to you right on the finish line. That horse is going to be the best horse we've ever had with you by his side."
"Okay Gavin, but its highly unlikely that ill ever even race in one of those races." I looked at him hoping he was joking but his eyes were dead serious.
"You are going to win it Avery and I promise that ill be there with you every step of the way."
I watched the foal rise unsteadily to its feet. It walked to its mother shakily and began to drink its short tail flicking happily. Right now I couldn't imagine that horse ever crossing the finish line.
"What are you going to name him." I asked
"I'm not sure, it's dad's decision. We'll ask him tomorrow."
I nodded and sometime during the night I drifted off, into a deep well earned sleep.
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Comment below names for the foal because I decided I didn't like the name I originally planned on using. Id really appreciate it if people did!!!
First of all I apologize for not updating in forever!
Second of all the grammar is terrible because my quotation marks aren't working whenever I type and use them is shows up as this È and I can't fix it. I have been freaking out because its going to look terrible and be super confusing when you read it cause half way through the story they stopped working. I apologize again.
Last of all, I would love it if someone could suggest on how to fix my quotation marks because I am about to lose it. he he.
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Teen FictionI had a dream but I was being held back. I had A life I wanted to live. I ran and I never looked back. I don't regret it, not one second of it. It was hard but I kept going. I failed over and over, but never gave up.
