I'm The Alpha's Challenge

16

I had never ridden a horse before.

Not even on a little pony ride. I don't think I had ever even petted a horse before. Obviously, my parents had never let me get a pet. But of course when Destiny brought home a kitten she had gotten from one of her friends, they let her keep it. I had complained and, of course, got beaten for it. Needless to say, we never saw it get to adulthood. That was the first animal I had ever really met.

Poor thing. Hopefully, Josh's horses would be better taken care of.

Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. I would avoid Josh this entire day until I actually forgave him. Until I knew I could forgive him. But I wasn't in love with him. That was just me trying to believe that someone could actually love me, and in the mist of all the hurt I was feeling and the fact that he was holding me and comforting me when no one else had. And he got a point for that, but he had lost that when he left me. He would just have to make me forgive him and maybe, just maybe, make me fall for him.

Iya's voice brought me out of my thoughts, making me whip my head around to her lightly kissing his cheek. "Bye, Levi! Have a great day!"

He smiled, but his face flushed when he glanced at me. "Thanks. Will Danny be at the house when I get home?" he asked timidly.

Josh sighed, smiling and shaking his head. His eyes seemed bright now and he seemed...happier. "Yea, Levi, she might."

He turned around with his backpack slung over his shoulder and a smile on his face, and dashed into the small building where I went to school. We all smiled after him as Josh shifted it out of park and into drive. Iya suddenly laid her head on the table, staring at me, making Josh move his hand with a confused glance at her. "Iya!" he scolded.

She merely glanced at him and then turned back to me. "He's such a kill joy sometimes, isn't he?"

"Iya! Sit up!" Josh scolded again, trying to glance from the road to Iya and back again.

"Why? This is so much more comfortable!" she smiled, chuckling to herself. "Hey! Can I drive home?" she asked suddenly.

The car lurked forward. "What?!" Josh shrieked. "No! A thousand times no! You haven't even gotten your license yet!"

She shrugged. How she managed to do that, I had no idea. "So? I need practice for my test!"

"You have to drive with a parent, Iya. I'm your cousin!"

"Oh, please, please, please, pa-leeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassssssss eeee!" she begged.

Josh made a noise somewhere in between a scoff and a sigh. "Fine. As long as you don't kill us."

"Well, then you wouldn't be alive to notice, now would you?"

"Just say thank you."

"Thank you!" Iya shrieked in her most girly, excited voice.

Josh sighed. "I am so gonna regret this," he murmured to himself.

"No you're not." Iya said sarcastically.

Josh leaned back and relaxed in his seat. "I already am," I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at the two of them. Josh's hand returned to the table, except this time on Iya's face.

She screeched, flinging her arms everywhere and actually punching Josh in the arm. He didn't flinch. "Josh!" she whined. "Get off me! Joshua!"

Finally, he took his hand off her face and she huffed. "You're such a butt-face!" she exclaimed childishly.

"Oh, I'm sorry; did you want that, too?" Josh said, threatening to get up and sit on her. She screamed, sitting up and into the back seat. This time I couldn't help but laugh along with them.