𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 || 𝐏. 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞

Chapter 2

Macie stepped out of Raven's stall, feeling a mix of satisfaction and relief after helping Ted check over the horse.

She brushed stray bits of hay off her jeans, her mind still swirling with the events of the day.

As she looked around the stable, her eyes landed on Becky and Jade, who were busy sweeping up hay in a nearby corner.

"Hey!" Macie breathed, quickening her pace to join them.

"Macie!" they both exclaimed in unison.

Before Macie could say anything more, Sam approached them, Zoe following closely behind her. "Girls," Sam greeted.

Just as Sam was about to speak, Zoe suddenly cut in, she bent down to pick up a pair of sparkly pink glasses that had been left on the ground.

"Wait, wait, wait. These are Rosie's!" Zoe exclaimed, her eyes widening as she held up the sparkly pink glasses. "She's not out there. She's in here. Somewhere."

"We'll help you look," Jade chimed in, "we know all the best hiding places around here."

"Thanks, girls," Sam replied, a note of appreciation in her voice as she walked away, leaving them to their search.

As the quartet moved deeper into the stable, Becky couldn't help but share a story. "We were playing hide-and-seek once, and me and Macie got stuck in a Portaloo," she explained

Macie burst out laughing, the memory flooding back to her. "I remember that! We thought we'd never get out!" she said.

"I thought you'd both gone home!" Jade added.

"We were in there for six hours," Macie said incredulously, her laughter mingling with a sense of disbelief. "I swear, I could still smell the disinfectant."

As they continued their search, Macie peered into various stalls, calling out for Rosie. "Rosie! Are you in here?" she called, her voice echoing slightly off the wooden walls.

"I got the best photo of you, Macie, and Raven. Totally posting it!" Macie heard Becky exclaim to Zoe, her voice bubbling with excitement.

"Mysterious Frenchwoman and Best Friend hypnotized crazy horse," Becky continued with a dramatic flair.

"Becky, she's American," Macie called out as she passed by the two girls, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"I didn't hypnotize him." Zoe protested

Macie couldn't help but chuckle as she made her way toward the tack room, the familiar scent of leather and saddle soap filling her nostrils. "Rosie?" she called out.

Macie let out a sigh as she closed the tack room door, realizing that Rosie wasn't hiding in there after all.

"Raven's the wildest horse in the yard," Becky remarked.

"What's his problem?" Zoe questioned, her brow furrowing slightly as she thought about the unpredictable horse.

"No one knows for sure," Becky replied, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "He never lets anyone close enough to find out—well, besides Macie and, apart from you." She glanced at Zoe.

Macie quickly caught up with the other three girls, "Maybe he's your destiny," Becky said.

"Maybe," Zoe replied, Macie offered Zoe a small smile, she followed Jade as they moved toward another stall, "Rosie!" Macie called again, peering into the next stall.

"Rosie, are you—?" Zoe's voice called out, pulling Macie's attention away from the stall she and Jade were inspecting.

She turned to find Zoe standing at Raven's stall, Macie exchanged glances with Jade and Becky before they quickly followed after Zoe.