A girl who hides sad secrets behind her loud personality and a boy who hides a brilliant mind and clever hands behind his shy persona. He is oblivious and she watches and learns. An American and an Italian.
Can they fall in love?
(PLEASE READ: an extra trigger warning for this chapter, it's a small mention of self harm and suicidal thoughts as a result of grief. And mentions of Tony's ED.)
ANTONIA (TONY) SMITH
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I wake up as my alarm starts to ring relentlessly. I groan as I lean over to stab at my phone to turn it off. Gabby offered me and V the horses for today as long as we muck out and make sure they're groomed, fed, exercised etc.
That's why I said I'd pick him up. It's 6 in the morning but I need to get ready and pick V up. I'm still shattered from yesterday but it's alright. I roll out of bed and pull my riding clothes from the drawer.
I've always loved horses but I didn't have regular lessons until I was in recovery and I met Gabs. Yanking on my brown jodhpurs and hoodie, I put my phone into the side pocket of my jodhpurs and grab my hat from the shelf. I leave a note on the kitchen side as I eat some breakfast, just to remind mum where I've gone and let them know that I did eat some breakfast.
Sipping on the coffee I made I get my keys from the hook where they rest and a carrot from the fridge. I hop into my car and drive over to V's home. I remember the way pretty well now because of our revision sessions.
I send him a snap of the front door and he opens it. He must wear his outfit to the gym or something because it's ... something.
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He gives me one of his slightly lopsided grins and runs an appreciative eye over my outfit. These jodhpurs fit me very nicely.
I turn around and beckon him to the car. He slides into my passenger seat and does his belt up and looks at me with a curious look.
'Horses?' He takes a sip of his drink from the cup before raising an eyebrow.
'You betcha. Gabs said as long as we look after them we can have them for the day. I'm gonna teach you how to ride unless you have any objections?'
'I know how to ride a little but not enough. You look like you know how to ride, you and those gorgeous legs.'
I can feel the blush crawling up my cheeks and burning my ears. I nod and put the car into reverse as I roll my car out the parking space and drive to the stables. I have a soft playlist playing in the background, the same as when V agreed to tutor me and vice versa.
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V is doubled over in laughter as I swing my legs from sitting in my boot with a smile on my face. I pulled my wellies out from the car and as I threw them on the floor mud and horse shit literally fell of in clumps. I don't mind - they usually are caked in mud - but it's early spring and I'm a messy person and apparently that is hysterical, I also might've kicked a clump towards him and overshot, so he has an amazingly placed brown splodge at his crotch.
