Riding Into Our Hearts **Finished**

Meeting the Soon to Be

Excitement pulsed through the air as everyone got ready for the rodeo ahead. The broncs were running in their pastures, the bulls were either sleeping or eating, the steers were bathing in the morning sun, and the riders and their horses were warming up in the arena. It was only 8:00 am and was already 88 degrees, for Dallas, Texas that was average. A full five days of rodeo, there are so many riders here it takes a day per event. First bronc riding, then bulls, after is tie down and break away roping, the following day come the team ropers, and finally barrels and poles on the last day. Riders were everywhere, thousands of people in the rodeo grounds, but for this story we're gonna focus on a duo of teenage girls, Skylar Jones and Elena Lane(HollywoodRunner7 ).

Earlier that morning 6:00am July 2nd
Skylar got out of bed and fed her horse Honor, her huge bay and white paint thoroughbred. She then started cleaning her show tack. Right as Sky was stepping in the trailer's tack room Elena came out to feed Hollywood and joined Sky. "Hey Sky, there's this party tonight to kick off rodeo week. Can we go please?"
"Ooh that sounds like fun, yea we'll go. But absolutely no drinking. Got it?" "YES Sky I got it. Yay! Music, dancing, and boys!" "Ya boys are not on my list. But dancing with a few sounds good." After cleaning their tack they grabbed their practice tack and headed out to saddle their horses.

Levi and Sawyer
Levi and Sawyer fed their horses and are now tacking up to head for the arena. "Hey Sawyer we're goin to that party tonight right?" "Damn right we are!" "Awesome! Can't wait!" "Me neither." They finished saddling and headed to the arena.

At the arena
Skylar and Elena were warming up their swing while an arena worker got them a steer. When their steer finally arrived they settled into the shoots. Sky was the header and Ele the heeler. The calf was released and Sky took off swingin, she looped the head and pulled him around for Ele, she pulled in both hinds and dallied off. They both looked at their time. Record breaking! "Yea we did it!" Yelled Elena releasing the calf. "That's right Cowgirl! We're the pros!" replied Skylar giving Ele a high five. Then giving Honor a well deserved pat. "Hey nice job girls." Said Levi. Skylar turned around to see a blue eyed, handsome cowboy, on a chestnut mare next to an equally attractive guy on a red roan gelding. "Thanks! You guys a team?" "Yes we are. Best in Dallas!" Replied Sawyer. "Oh really? Can you run a time like that? Cause we're from right here in Dallas!" Yelled Elena from behind Sky. "Well...um...I didn't mean it like that."Sawyer said regaining his authoritative voice from before. "Sawyer just shut up. Stop trying to show off." Replied Levi. "Well we best be goin. I gotta start prepping for today's event."Sky said as she walked away. "Ok bye it was nice meeting you! Wait we never caught your names!" Yelled Levi "oh my name is Skylar. And that's Elena. How bout you? I know Sawyer." "My name is Levi. Yep that's Sawyer. The idiot." "I'm not that bad." "Ha sure." "Nice meetin y'all. We'll see ya round."Elena said sweetly. Ele and Sky rode away and Ele said,"Man were they hot!" "Yea but I doubt they're very nice guys." "Hey give em a chance ya never know. That Levi guy was checkin you out. Woowee it feels like 100 already!" "Yea I know it's 8:30 and we're already dying!" They headed back to their trailer and Sky got her gear ready for bronc riding. Then headed out to get her number and draw her horse, she was gonna meet back up with Ele for them to get breakfast after. The rodeo started at ten so they had plenty of time. "Howdy ma'am what can I do for you?" Drawled the man at the sign up booth. "I'm here to get my number." "Well I'm sorry to inform you barrel racin ain't till Friday ma'am." "I ain't here to sign in for barrels. And I know barrels are on Friday. And ropin is on Wednesday then I'll be with my partner on Thursday but today I ride broncs!" Sky replied a little annoyed. Having to deal with this is gettin really annoyin. She thought. "Oh I'm so sorry ma'am..." "Stop calling me ma'am. You can see I'm only round 17. Names Skylar Jones. Right there on the list. Now can I please have my number and horse so I can meet my friend for breakfast?" "Yea...um here ya go...um...Skylar?" He more asked than stated. Sky looked at her horse's name know all too well who this horse was. It was her daddy's bronc. Skylar's daddy bred broncs and bulls for rodeos. As well as run a very successful meat cattle business. Horse's name was Knightshade, black as night and not a speck of white on him. He was a lengthy thoroughbred with long powerful legs and a very long neck and back. He was a monster of a horse. Good thing I know him better'n my own brain. Thought Skylar on her way to meet Elena at the pancake house. They got seated quickly and ordered their favorites. "I'll take your cheesecake bite pancakes with strawberries on the side please." Ordered Skylar. "And I'd like your famous buttermilk pancakes with honey instead of syrup please." "Alright I'll be right back with those." "Thanks" Skylar smiled at the waitress. "So what horse did you get?" Elena asked Skylar. "Knightshade" Sky replied grimly. "Oh shit! Your dead meat!" "I know. But if I can ride him through I'm sure to win. He has amazing bucks." "And you have amazing form!" Sky blushed and took a drink of her coffee Elena doing the same. "Aright here you ladies go. One short stack of buttermilk pancakes with honey not syrup. And one short stack of cheesecake bite pancakes with strawberries on the side. Enjoy!" "Thank you. It looks really good." Elena and Skylar said together. They ate then walked back to the trailer.
~~~~~~~~~~Rodeo~Starts~~~~~~~~~~
"Ladies and gentlemen! Today is the start of rodeo week here in Dallas. And today we kick it off with our bronc riders!" All the bronc riders rode out on their own horses galloping around the arena. All the guys were looking at Skylar as she rode proudly around the ring. She then dropped her reins on Honor's neck and threw her hands up. What no body knew was that she had a semi trick riding saddle on. Her practice saddle had foot holders.
Random spectator's POV
There was a girl in the group. I watched her as she dropped her reins then started to stand. She slipped her boots into some kind of foot holds. She picked up a long rein attached to her horses bridle and stood up completely. "Hey fellas lookie here! Not only do we have ourselves a girl ridin broncs but she's a trick rider as well! What next she gonna go round them barrels standin?" Everyone laughed. She then leaped out of the foot holds and back into the saddle slipping her boots into her normal stirrups all in one smooth motion. She then sat back and lightly picked up her reins at that cue her horse, which was that last in the line, sat back and slide to a stop. Everyone else stopped their horses next to her and faced the stands.
Back to normal POV
"You got no chance Jones. Not with you ridin Knightshade." "I'll have you know I can ride anything. I trained that horse as a two year old. I know how he works!" Sky replied mercilessly.
I can't believe she rides! Levi thought in his head. "These here are our bronc riders today. Over on the far left we have Logan Ray ridin Gallant Man..." The announcer went through the riders and their horses all the way till he got to Levi. "Levi Erickson with Crown Royal..." Another one of my daddy's. Thought Skylar as they went through the horses. "And finally we have Skylar Jones riding Knightshade!" The crowd went wild at the horses name, everyone round here knows Knightshade. All the riders galloped one last lap before exiting the arena.
The broncs were being gathered and put into their shoots and behind them the riders were suiting up. The first 15 riders went only 6 rode the 8. Next rides Levi and he made the 8 with great form. 12 more went then the guy who teased Sky rode and fell before he even got out the gate. When he went back behind the shoots Skylar laughed and said," Watch and learn!" She then climbed up onto the fence.
Skylar's POV
I climbed up and into the shoot, I sat down on Knightshade and whispered in his ear," Hey buddy! Miss me? That's right I'm back! You remember the one you couldn't throw!" When I used to talk to him like this during training it made him buck better and harder. "You ready yet Sky?" Asked my daddy's gate keeper Ryan. "Yeah yeah Ryan. Hold up." I settled back got myself situated, nodded my head and slapped Knight on the a** before he leaped and twisted out of the shoot. He tried and tried but I never faltered. The buzzer rang and I jumped off him. I ran back to the shoots and over to Elena who was waiting for me.

Narrator POV
They got Knightshade back into the pasture and 15 more riders went. Finally at 2:30 they finished with the riders and were calculating the results. Fifteen minutes later they were ready. "Alright everyone. We have our winners. In third place we have Dalton Young. In second is Levi Erickson. And in first place we have Skylar Jones!" The crowd cheered, whooped, hollered, and whistled. All the winners received their purses and their tickets to the next rodeo. "Theses three riders have qualified for the next qualifying rodeo in Austin. Sky exited the arena and ran to Ele,"You did it Sky!" "I know! I know! I did it!" They walked back to their trailer to got ready for the party.

~~~~~~~~later~that~evening~~~~~~~
After taking showers Sky and Ele went out to feed the horses. Next they went back into the "house" and did their hair, makeup, and got dressed. They were both ready by 5:30 and decided to go to dinner. They went to the party and got some drinks, root beer for both. They then went to the dance floor and danced together waiting until someone asked them. Levi walked up to Skylar but stopped behind her and watched her dance for a second. Then asked,"Hey...um...Skylar?..." Sky turned around and smiled when she saw the blue eyed cowboy. "Hey Levi!" "Hey. I was wondering if you..." "Yes I'd love to dance with you!" "Really?" Levi asked. "Yea let's go!" Levi and Skylar danced the night away. And when the party was over Levi said,"Hey Skylar maybe we can go out to dinner sometime?" "I'm sorry Levi, I'm not looking for a relationship right now." "Oh...well then I guess I'll...see you around..." "Hey I don't mean never. Just not right now. I'd like to be friends though." Skylar quickly replied. "Alright. We'll be friends." He forced a smile to cover the disappointment.
(Earlier; focused on Elena)
Elena was dancing with Skylar when Levi came and took Sky to dance. Just after Sawyer came over and asked Ele to dance. They danced for hours then headed out to the bonfire. After an hour there they said their goodbyes, exchanged numbers and Elena went off to find Skylar. Then they both headed back to their trailer.

Alright y'all what ya think? Vote please. So I just wanna say my main inspiration for writin another romance is SierraBennett7 she is a real good friend of mine (even if she live hundreds of miles away) and a really good writer. Check her and her books out! Well another chapter is coming soon! But I want one more vote! Remember next chapter is done, but I'm NOT posting until I get another vote!! I don't mean that in a rude way. I'm just not in a big hurry to get this book up. I'm working on my other romance. This Chapter is edited.