Mustang Dreams (COMPLETED)

Chapter Thirteen

     "Misty?" Clay called out into the barn, peeking into the tack room as he searched for her. Walking further into the barn, bright from the sunshine beaming in, Clay called her name again.

     "Over, here, Clay." Misty responded, her voice echoing from across the barn.

     Clay followed Misty's voice, turning right down the other row of stalls. After walking four more steps, Clay heard a giggle, making him stop in his tracks. The giggle subsided and quieted as if the giggling culprit was covering their mouth, attempting to not get caught. Looking around him, Clay still couldn't see Misty.

     Keeping his head down, and his eyes peeled, Clay slowly stalked his way through the barn, keeping his search radius a small circle. "Misty," Clay drew her name out. "Come out, come out wherever you are." Clay saw a flash of something to his right, but instead of catching Misty, he decided to play along with her antics. 

     "Boo!" Misty announced her appearance, ending their little game of hide and seek. 

     Clay spun around, seeing Misty standing up in the stall directly to his right. "There's my favorite ghost." A smile broke out on his face.

     "Aw, it's good to see you, too." Misty smiled, opening the stall door, sulking over next to Clay.

     "I was talkin' about Casper." Clay winked, pointing at the gray grulla in the stall right next to where Misty was hiding. "But, as mad as I am at you, it's still good to see you." Clay said, wrapping an arm around Misty's shoulder and placing a kiss on her forehead. 

     "Why are you mad at me?" Misty pulled away from their hug, turning to look at Clay. 

     "Well, not actually mad at you, but I went into the house to tell you good morning and bring you breakfast, but you weren't in the house. And, you still shouldn't be up working in the barn only a week after your accident." Clay leaned against the open door of the stall that Misty was mucking out.

     Misty slipped her hands into her back pockets. "It's been ten days, and I'm goin' stir crazy just sitting around." 

     "I can see that. Darlene said that you have been out here for two hours. So, what do you say you take a break and I will drive you back to my loft and make you breakfast. It could be a mini-date." Clay smiled at the girl that was about to become his girlfriend. He had plans tonight to talk to Bill, asking him for permission to officially date Misty. 

     "I'm good with that. I just need to finish mucking out this stall, then we can go." Misty replied, turning towards the stall she was mucking out. 

     Clay reached out a hand, softly grabbing Misty's wrist, making her turn around. "You're not goin' to muck out the stall." When Misty gave him a pleading look, he let go of her wrist, turning to grab a chair from down the aisle. "Here, sit. I will finish this stall." Clay pointed to the chair.

     Groaning, Misty said, "Fine." She drew it out as she carefully plopped down in the chair. Misty watched as Clay hummed to himself, cleaning out the remainder of the stall. 

     After a few more minutes had passed, Clay was finished mucking out and bedding the stall. He carried the muck bucket out to the manure pile before coming back into the barn, smiling at Misty. "You ready to head over to the loft?" 

     "Sure." Misty replied, carefully standing up from the plastic chair. 

     Clay opened the passenger side door of his truck, offering Misty a hand up into the cab. Once she was inside, Clay closed the door, walking over to his side, hopping in, and starting his truck. Out of the corner of his eye, Clay saw Misty wiggle some in her seat. Looking to his right just in time, Clay saw Misty wince, her hand going to her right knee. "You okay?"