WHAT IF! cole walter

CHAPTER SEVEN, girls day

The next day Hollyn went through her usual morning routine, getting dressed, doing her hair, putting on makeup, and eating breakfast. It was the weekend, so she wasn't going to school. Instead, she was currently working on the chores. She usually did her chores in the morning so she had the rest of the afternoon free. Hollyn had been in the stables, finishing with brushing the horses. She was working on Apollo and he was the last one to brush. She glances over her shoulder when she heard footsteps walk into the barn and smiles at seeing Jackie standing there. "Jackie! Hey, what's up?" She asked curiously, continuing to brush Apollo's fur.

"Hey, I'm not bothering you am I?" Jackie inquires, looking and sounding nervous. "'Cause I can always come back later." She added. She didn't want to intrude.

"Nope. Not at all. I just gotta finish brushing Apollo and then I'll be done with chores for the day. Is something wrong?" She questioned, sounding concerned. She wondered why Jackie was here. She wasn't used to her coming by. But she didn't mind Jackie's company.

"I was wondering if you would want to hang out? I could use some girl time." Jackie admitted. She enjoyed being with the Walter's, and she liked hanging out with Grace, but it would be nice to hang out with another girl her age. And Hollyn lived nearby, so it wouldn't be a problem.

"Oh. Sure. I would love to." Hollyn replies, her eyes lighting up as she smiles. "Give me a minute to finish this, then we can hang out." She added.

"Take your time. No rush." Jackie tells her, giving her a smile. She looks around the stables curiously, noticing all the different horses. They had a lot of horses and they were all beautiful. "So, which one's your horse?"

"This is Apollo." Hollyn introduces, smiling at her. "He's my horse."

"He's a beauty." Jackie says with a smile, walking over to stand next to Hollyn. "How long have you had him?"

"Well, I actually found him when he was a colt. He was a feral horse, he was so skittish. He was afraid of everyone. I was the only one he let near him. My parents allowed me to have him thankfully and I raised him myself." Hollyn explained, a fond smile forming on her face as she talked about Apollo. She rubbed Apollo's neck affectionately and Apollo neighed, seeming to enjoy the attention. He nudged her gently, his way of showing her affection.

"He's so sweet." Jackie commented with a soft smile.

"You can pet him if you want to. He is shy with new people, but he loves attention and affection. So, as long as you are gentle, you'll be fine. Right, Apollo?" Hollyn cooed, turning to her horse and kissing his nose. Apollo snorted, bumping his head against hers. She chuckled and rubbed his head.

"If you're sure it's okay..." Jackie hesitated, looking at her. She didn't want to upset the horse or Hollyn. She was afraid the horse would get angry.

"It's fine. I promise. It's okay." Hollyn assures her, giving her a smile. Jackie nods and slowly reaches out, placing her hand on his side. Apollo stiffens, his ears flicking back and his eyes narrowing slightly. He huffs, stepping away from her, closer to Hollyn. "It's okay, Apollo." Hollyn murmured soothingly, stroking his neck. Apollo relaxed and looked at Jackie, who was keeping her hand where it was and looked worried.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare him." Jackie apologized, looking guilty.

"It's okay. It just takes time for him to warm up to strangers. It even took him awhile to warm up to my parents and they've known him since he was a colt. But he will get used to you. Give him time." Hollyn reassures her, gently stroking Apollo's fur. "Just be gentle and patient and you'll be okay." She added.

"Okay." Jackie nods and slowly pulls her hand away, resting it by her side. Apollo huffs and moves forward, bumping his head against hers and sniffing her hair. Jackie couldn't stop the small laugh that left her mouth. She was a little nervous, but Hollyn was right there and she trusted Hollyn. "Awe, hi. You're so sweet. I won't hurt you, I promise." Jackie cooed, reaching her hand up again. This time, Apollo didn't move away and he allowed her to pet him. A relieved smile formed on her face and she rubbed his head, a soft chuckle escaping her.