Cowboys & Ghosts

12. Outlaw Love

Registration was made at a motel in Little Rock. Horses remained outside at posts. It was only a temporary amount of time, until the train ride to Hot Spring would be determined. "Before the lynch mob," Rafael said. "It was rare that outlaws like them came to Little Rock, which is where I was born and raised."
"So everyone here knows you?" Asked Daisy. They were on their way to a saloon for dinner, followed by the sun setting. "They were all friends with my father," Rafael said. "When I was born, I was heir to becoming Governor of Arkansas. He was governor when he died." The boy was untied, due to cooperation. The teenagers entered the saloon, with live music playing in the background. They sat at a table, ignoring the fact that they were still children. "I wish becoming governor was much easier than raising money," Daisy replied. "As a matter of fact..." Her voice went quiet, just staring into Rafael's soul. Another human being like himself had a part of him that told her to have second thoughts, to which she was. No matter how long she had been with him, she felt her heart beating twice as fast for this boy. "Daisy?" Rafael's voice echoed through the corridor, snapping the other teenager back to reality. "As a matter of fact; what?"
"Nothing," Daisy said. "It's just..." Some people began to dance in a party area of the saloon. Violins, followed by chorus, guitar, and piano created an entire musical crescendo. Daisy returned her gaze to Rafael, who had his hand held out. "Care to dance?" Slowly and almost hesitantly, the girl extended her own hand and her companion passionately kissed it. He smiled, taking her to the middle of the dance area. A slow song came on, followed by the floor belonging to the two. Daisy had her hand in Rafael's own, with her arm wrapped around his shoulders, and his grip was to her waist. "Ever learned to do this?" Rafael asked. "Not until tonight," Daisy said. "This means you're teaching me something new in this world." Slowly and surely, they danced. The more they did so, the more happy in the outside world Daisy was becoming. She wanted the dance to last forever. Soon enough, the song reached its end and the audience clapped with excellent effort. Rafael had returned Daisy's smile, as she allowed him to take her in his arms. "So much for our first meeting," Rafael said. Daisy chuckled, playfully punching him in the chest. "My words exactly."

It was in the eye of dusk, in a field of quarter horses. Daisy ran out there, her blonde hair blown by the fall wind, in her blue t-shirt dress. She saw that Rafael was galloping on a horse bareback, yelling playfully like an actual rodeo performer. The sight made the girl laugh. Then, despite the horse running, Rafael dismounted and stumbled. He had struggled to stay on his feet, and ended up falling, grabbing Daisy's wrist in the process. She fell on top of him, and they just laughed, unknowingly rolling down a little hill. They stopped at the bottom, with Daisy's body guarding Rafael's. She thought that she had never been so in love. Deep down inside, it was the same feeling for the boy she just met, but loved already. Afterward, as it got dark, both teenagers lay in the grass, their gaze up to the stars. "You see this one here?" Asked Rafael, pointing. "The rider up there is Korte. The son of the ghost riders' lord."
"Where's Dead Skull?" Daisy asked. Rafael pointed from straight ahead to the right. "Close behind Korte. The rest of the riders are history." Daisy breathed deeply, in and out, enjoying the rhythm that was in the Arkansas night sky. One minute she smiled, frowned the next. She went on her side, facing Rafael. "Rafael," she said. "If you had survived the mob, what would you have done differently?" For a moment, it was silent. "I would've saved my father," Rafael finally managed. "And would've ended up as governor." Now, Daisy was hovering above him, almost nose to nose. "You know," she mused. "We have just met, but..." Through the darkness, she heard pounding hooves getting louder at this time of night. "Oh, God," Daisy said. "Rafael, hide." She scrambled to her feet, with no further glance at Rafael, who ran the opposite direction of the field.