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TWO DAYS LATER, THE TWO were typically only seen side by side. If they were working, they worked together. If they were on their horses, they were beside each other. And Johnny took his bunk just above Abilene.
No one thought to suggest anything between them because of three reasons. One was a known murderer, one was like a feral dog, and they were both branded. The funny thing was that they were the two youngest wranglers in the bunkhouse, but they weren't to be messed with.
Of course, no one was afraid of them. Every man on that ranch was a bad man or had been at one point, but they knew better than to tease them like children.
They were down by the fences once again, but it was just Lloyd, Jimmy, Abilene, and Johnny this time. No one seemed to have a problem, except for Jimmy. Who consistently complained about the wire being too rough on his hands.
Johnny rolled his eyes, chewing his toothpick, "Man up, get cut on it, do something. But this wire ain't gonna be too big of a deal one day." He chuckled, teasing the older man.
Lloyd was laughing along as well, until his horse jumped back, causing a scene. Lloyd yelled, shoving Jimmy back, "Abilene, move out of the way!" He'd yell, pointing at the rattlesnake just by her foot.
Jimmy hid behind the horse at the sight of it, "I fucking hate snakes." He whined amid the drama.
And before Johnny could think to draw his gun, the snake flew toward Abilene, its jaw wide open. But she jumped forward, lifting her foot and slamming it down onto the rattlesnake's head, a small crack could be heard as the snake's skull was pushed into the dirt.
The men stared at her as if she was crazy. They wondered, how could she be so calm before smashing a snake's head in.
"I'm allergic to those fuckers." She scoffed out of anger, pushing her foot deeper into the dirt, which shoved the dead snake's head deeper as well.
"Goddamnit, you could have died." Jimmy took his head off rubbing his hand out of his face stressfully.
"I ain't dying from a snake, I'm not that lucky." Abilene shook her head, taking her foot off of the head of the snake and spitting on it before turning back to the fence.
—
Once they were finished, everyone went their own way. But Abilene and Johnny went together, going down by the barn. As they reached it, they couldn't help but notice Walker. Who was standing way too close to Beth.
Of course, Johnny saw no issue with this, he hadn't seen the way Rip looked at Beth. Or how he had kissed her just a few nights back. But Abilene had, and she wasn't fond of what was happening in her eyes.
She saw it simply. She believed that she was now in Rip's debt, as he had taken her in and given her a job after saving her from the drunken man at the bar.
Rip helped her, and now? She wanted to help Rip. Even if he was never going to find out. What could she say? She was a loyal kid.
As for Johnny? He wasn't aching for a fight, so he stayed put.
Abilene walked away from Johnny after tapping his wrist once, making her way to the fencing around Beth and Walker. She leaned on the fencing, staring straight at the back of Walker's head.
As if both Beth and Walker felt her stare, Beth smirked back at Abilene before saying a few more snarky words to Walker and walking off. Walker turned to stare at Abilene, but he stayed in place.
Johnny watched at his place by the barn, thinking about how Abilene and Walker reminded him of a Western standoff in the old Hollywood movies. As if they were two outlaws in the middle of the old town, having a stare-down.
Abilene was the one to walk forward, jumping over the fencing and walking up to Walker.
Walker was first to pull out his switchblade. Abilene maintained eye contact, slipping her hand into her back pocket, and holding her other hand behind her back. Johnny watched as she opened her old, rusty pocket knife and held it tightly in her fist.
She slowly brought it out into Walker's eyesight, showing him that she was not afraid.
Walker sighed, knowing that Abilene wasn't backing down. Walker had promised himself that he wouldn't get into fights, that he wouldn't kill anymore. He refused to go back to prison, he knew that if he went back, he wasn't never getting his ass out.
Walker then glanced to his old ally, locking eyes with Johnny. Walker now knew that the eighteen-year-old wasn't on his side, not anymore. Johnny clenched his jaw and looked to the ground, silently telling him that he would back Abilene and say he saw nothing if he were asked. Walker let out a bitter chuckle, shutting his blade and shoving it back into his pocket, walking closer to Abilene.
He stood close to the girl, glaring down at her from under his hat, "He won't never care 'bout you. You should know that." Both of them knew who he was talking about. Rip.
"You need a shower." Was all Abilene said before shutting her knife as well. She turned her back on him, her closed knife still in her hand as she climbed over the fence once again. Johnny grabbed her hips and helped her jump down, even if she didn't need help.
Johnny may have been on Walker's side at one point. But now? Johnny was sticking with Abilene, but Walker had serious doubts that it would stay this way.
