I'm The Alpha's Challenge

20

I pulled on BB's reins to get him to stop as Josh turned to look at me, his mouth parted in surprise. "The branch." I said, pointing urgently at it. He followed my finger and pulled on America's reins, getting her to back up just as the branch fell. The horses startled and backed up further, tossing their heads and snorting. Beany Baby calmed first, but Josh had to stroke America's neck for her to calm down.

He turned in the saddle to look at me. "You talked," he stated in complete surprise.

I smiled, blushing deeply, and shrugged. "I couldn't have you dying on me, now could I?" I said softly, staring at a flip in the horse's mane and trying to fix it, trying to occupy myself so I wouldn't have to look at him and his startling eyes. My heart was thundering in my chest, and I vaguely wondered if he could hear it. And when I finally looked up at him, it did a little flip as I saw him right at home in that saddle. It was almost as if he had been riding before he could walk.

His eyes narrowed in amazement. "No, I guess not." He glanced ahead of us, breaking our eye contact and snapping me out of a trance; I was getting lost in his eyes. The pair began moving again, and we followed as he continued down the trail with America jumping over the branch. "Well? Do you like it? Horse riding, I mean." He asked, glancing at me.

I shrugged. "Yea, I guess." I could hardly get my voice above a whisper, but he heard me all the same.

His gaze lingered on me for a little longer than necessary. "I just can't get over that you're speaking to me."

"Do you not want me to?" my heart constricted, and I stared at my hands on the reins.

"No! It's not that, but just a second ago, you weren't speaking, and now you are, it's just… wow, ya know?"

I shrugged, staring off into the woods. The wind was calming, but not that much. "So if I did go to church with you—which I'm not saying I can, because my father's very…strict," the lie slipped from my mouth with difficultly, "what would happen? What's church like?"

"You've never been to church?" he asked in amazement.

I shook my head. "No, my father doesn't believe in anything like that."

He stared at me in shock. "Well… um… we have sacrament first, which is where the priesthood serves bread and water symbolizing the body and blood of Christ, and where people give talks on certain subjects, and then we have Sunday school where our teacher, Sister Moore, teaches us about the scriptures; kinda like seminary, but it's different. And then we have another class that separates girls and guys. You would go to young women's with Coffeeblue and Iya. You know—if you come."

"I'd like to," I whispered, wondering how he could hear me. "But it's not like I can ask him or anything."

"Yes you can," Josh insisted. "You can talk to him. I'm sure your family'll love for you ta talk again."

I couldn't help but scoff, shaking my head. "Yea, right. It's so much easier not to talk."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I can't get in trouble for talking back, or being sarcastic. And in my house, getting in trouble…it's big thing." I looked away so he could see the hurt in my eyes as I lowered my voice at the end, almost where I couldn't even hear it.

"You can't live your whole life in silence."

If my life keeps going the way it is, then I hardly have any time left. I stayed silent, not sure what to say. I could, and I did, and I could do it again if I wanted.