My Life As A Cowgirl

An average morning

His hands are warm, they are firmly entwined in my own delicate hands. I look up from my lap and stumble upon his deep blue eyes on the way. I am looking into his eyes taking note of the sparkle and detail of them. it enters my mind that for me to be staring at the detail of his eyes he must be staring at the detail in my own. I am staring at him staring at me. His cheeky smile grasps his face and I convert my eyes to his lips. He chuckles at my awkward glances and softly pulls my head towards his. "This is it." I think to myself. My first kiss is about to happen. I feel his arm around my waist and his nose touches mine...

Beep, Beep, beep, beep!!! What? I look back into his eyes to discover an alarm clock persistently beeping at me. I groan.

"Everyday..." I moan to myself.

I slam my hand down on the snooze button and rub my eyes. I roll out of bed and shove my feet into my slippers.

I open my bedroom door and walk down the hall to the kitchen where my dad is sitting on the couch watching the replay of state of origin.

"Morning dad." I say through a yawn.

"Morning pumpkin. Sleep well?" He answers not looking up from the television.

"Sort of." I reply blushing as I think of the dream. I open the pantry and grab the box of cereal. I pour myself a bowl and add milk then sit at the table checking my messages on my phone.

I have a text from my best friend Meghan.
Meghan- hey Liv, Still up for a run this arvo?
I reply:
Me- sure, walk home with me after school, k cya.

I scroll through my instagram feed then once I finish my cereal I put the bowl in the dishwasher and go back to my room and get changed into my sports uniform.

I brush my tangled blonde hair and tie it in a high messy ponytail. I put a little foundation on and set it with powder, I then put some mascara on my eyelashes and put my favourite lip gloss on. I sit in front of the mirror staring at my reflection. I scrunch my nose up at the sight of my faint freckles then poke my tongue out at myself. I'm such a dork.

"Well, this is about as good as I will get." I sigh and put my socks on then slump to the bathroom to brush my chomps.

Once I have rinsed my mouth out and my phone starts buzzing. I pull it out of my pocket to see a text from Mike.
Mike- Wanna lift to school?
I reply:
Me- Yes please 🙏 meet u out the front at 8?? Still gotta feed the horses
Mike is my closest friend. Things can get awkward as his title changes from time to time. He was my boyfriend, then my ex, then my best friend and now he is basically my brother. My phone buzzes again with his reply.
Mike- Yep see you in 10✌️👽

I shove my phone back in my pocket and rush into the kitchen. I grab my pre-packed lunch and put it in my bag. I shove my homework into the front pocket scrunched up and then open the back door where I put on my gumboots and plop my bag at the door along with my sports shoes. I swiftly walk to the gate and open it.
"C'moonnnn!" I shout.
I smile as my horses whinny in reply. They come trotting playfully over to where I am standing.

I have 2 horses. Lilly is my chestnut Clydesdale cross thoroughbred mare and Kahuna is my dad's Roan Clydesdale cross thoroughbred gelding.

I hold my hand out to pat Lilly as she greets me. She softly nickers as I stroke her blaze. I pat her on the shoulder and grab a chunk of her mane, swiftly swing my leg up and jump onto her bare back.

Lilly turns around and I kick her into a canter towards the feed shed. Kahuna whinnies and gallops after us squealing and pig rooting on the way. I jump off and open the hay shed. I grab a biscuit of hay for each and chuck it to them.
Whilst they munch on their hay I mix their hard feeds in buckets and give that to them too.

"Honk honk!" A car horn beeps at the front of my property.

I look up and Mike gets out of his mums 4-wheel drive and waves at me. I wave back and run to the gate.

I close the gate and chuck my gum boots off and put on my sports shoes. I grab my bag and quickly walk towards him.

"Howdy partner!" Mike says cheerfully as he removes a piece of hay from my hair.

I laugh, "Hey! Thanks heaps for the lift." I say.

"No worries hop in!" He replies cheerfully.

I hop in the back seat and greet his mum.

"Hi Liv how are you?" She says in her sweet tone.

"I'm good, thanks for the Lift I appreciate it." I reply.

"No worries sweetie." She says smiling.

We start driving and Mike starts reading texts on his phone. I look out the window at the trees. I look back and staring back at me is Mike, with a huge smirk on his face.
"What?" I ask him.
He leans in and whispers in a cheeky tone, "how's Chase?"

I smack him playfully on the knee and roll my eyes. Chase goes to the school down the road and I met him a couple of weeks ago. He asked me to go to the movies with him this weekend and Mike has been teasing me about it ever since.

"So have you decided how many kids your having?" He chuckles.

I ignore him and continue looking out the window. Mike starts humming the tune to love is in the air. I groan and death stare him until the car rolls to a stop at the front entrance of the school.

We hop out the car and walk through the gates side by side.

"What subjects do you have today?" I ask him.

"Graphics and core subjects. You?" He replies shortly.

"I have art. I have to finish my self portrait today." I say.

I notice a group of girls in the grade below looking at us and giggling. I look at Mike and he shakes his head at them.

"What's that about?" I say in a hushed voice.

"Oh they think we are dating because they see us together all the time and they think it's funny apparently." He says rolling his eyes and awkwardly rubbing his tan muscular arms.

I laugh because they aren't the only people who think we are dating. We are just best friends. I keep walking straight as Mike goes left to his locker.

"Cya later!" He smiles and waves.

I smile back at him and keep walking.

Once I get to my locker my friend Kiely runs up and gives me a hug I smile and tickle her playfully she laughs hard and I start laughing at her laugh. It sounds like a cross between a school girl and a hyena. I greet my other friends and sit quietly listening to the cheap gossip and tales of parties they attended on the weekend. The bell for first period rings and Meghan and I shuffle off to Geography.