Horses, Horses, and more.. Boys?

Chapter 34

Toby's POV

I could tell that Jessie was getting more nervous the closer we got to the house. She tensed up with each step and the look on her face said it all: What the hell am I doing?

Giving her a light squeeze, I open the door and look around. There is some quiet mumbling coming from my fathers study and my mother is in the kitchen. I step inside and pull Jess with me. She begins to shake slightly and looks like she might be sick.

I slip my arm around her waist and pull her into the living room where Amber sits watching Little Shop of Horrors on her laptop. She looks up and she instantly looks shocked. She shoots Jessie a glare and Jess returns it while I pull her to sit on the couch. She tries to sit on the other side of the couch, away from me, and I let go.

Reaching for my hand, she keeps her eyes on the floor while we wait for my parents.

Jessie's POV

"Amber, go get mom and dad please." Toby tells his younger sibling.

Annoyance is clear on her face as she gets up to go find their parents. My entire body is shaking from nerves and I am glad that my hoodie is slightly oversized so it isn't visible. My hair is parted to the right side and my black and teal converse are somewhat clean. I do wish I would have had time to change out of my casual clothes and into something more presentable. After all, I am meeting his parents for the first time.

Amber returns shortly with her mother and father in tow. The three of them sit on the couch opposite us, and I know there is no escape. I can feel myself go pale as they look me over with condescending eyes.

"Mom, dad, this is Jessica. My girlfriend. Jess, this is my mother Wendy, and my step-father, Quinton." Toby introduces.

I feel as though I might throw up as I reach out to shake each of their hands. With their noses up in the air slightly, they begin to ask me about myself and I want to run.

"So, Jessica, do you have one of those filthy animals my son insists on having?" His mother asks. I assume she means a horse.

"Uhm, a horse? Y-yes. She's a b-blue roan Tennessee walking horse." I stutter, my voice small.

"I have no idea what that is. Please elaborate." She replies, voice cold.

"It's the breed of horse that Magnum is, mom. And blue roan is just the color she is." Toby answers for me.

"So... Your horse is blue?" She asks.

Before I can stop myself, a small giggle escapes my lips. "No, no. She's actually a grayish color but it looks sort of blue."

"Interesting. So, what are your plans after school? Do you have any collages picked out?" His father questions.

"Actually, no. I plan to be a riding instructor and horse trainer. They make quite a bit I've been told but I'm not in it for the money. I just want to be around horses for the rest of my life."

After an hour or so of judgmental looks and tight, forced smiles, his parents say goodbye and go back to their activities.

"Well, that was fun." I say, sarcasm evident in my voice.

"Don't worry about them. They will get over it eventually. Come on. I'll take you home." He says, leading me to the barn.

He grabs Magnum and Bullet, outing them in the cross ties while he finds their bridles. Before he can get Bullet's bridle, I have already found a neck strap, put it on him, and taken off his halter. I lead him to the mounting block outside the barn and settle myself onto his back.

"You're going to ride tackless, on a horse you've never ridden before? Are you crazy?" Toby asks.

"No way. And besides. I don't have to have ridden him to know that he has smooth gaits. I watch him when you ride." I laugh.

Still giving me a look of: you're insane, he climbs on Magnum and I nudge Bullet into a canter. My converse are no longer clean from riding a white horse but I don't care. I hold onto the neckstrap and some of his white mane to keep myself steady, and I follow the path Toby has made to the trail behind my house.

I have only ever ridden tackless on Clarity and it was just as exhilarating now as it was then. Sadly, it elnded all too soon when I got back to my house in less than ten minutes.

Sliding off Bullet, I make my way to the barn to find Whisper's old halter that I got with her. Toby stands outside with Bullet and Magnum while I grab the lead that matched.

I handed it to Toby, who then kissed my forehead.

"See you tomorrow." He said.

"Yeah. See you."

With that, I walked inside.

Hey guys. I know it is short, but school starts in just under a week for me so I have been preparing for that as well as my Saturday riding lessons that begin again next week. Also my brother started football again. So I have been very busy. I'm so sorry for the slow updates but I will be a jounior in highschool this year so I may not have time to write because of homework, riding, my brothers football, and once school starts up, choir rehearsals and performances. I will do my best though. I promise.

I hope you all liked the chapter.

Thank you. Love you all.

~Kassie