Choice // n.h.

Chapter 2

Choice

Chapter 2

•Lindsey's POV•

I walk down the barn aisle until I get to Flare's stall, searching for Niall. We haven't talked for a few days, and whenever we see or are near each other, it's just awkward. It needs to be fixed.

I hear some rustling up in the loft and look up. At the same time, a hay bale is thrown down and just misses my shoulder. Niall's hair may blend in to the golden hay, but the bright red shirt gives up his position. I walk over to the ladder an climb up.

"Hey, Ir-" I stop myself. "Niall." He jumps a bit and then nods, acknowledging that he heard me. "You should watch where you throw those bales! Almost took me down with it!" I laugh.

God, what am I saying?!

"Right. My bad." Niall slides down onto one of the hay bales and brushes the dirt off his knees.

"Look. I'm really sorry, about how I snapped the other day. You were just trying to help, and I should have respected that... Sorry."

It takes a minute before Niall decides to turn his oceanic-

His blue eyes on me. "You're really good at apologies, Lindsey."

I unnoticeably sigh. "So, we're good now?"

"I don't know," he tells me in a sarcastic tone, "you might have to buy me food to make it better."

And he's back.

"One step ahead of you, Ni." I set a bag of nandos down beside him.

"No! My weakness!" Niall jokingly falls to his knees.

I roll my eyes and laugh. "Better?"

He nods and I start back towards the ladder. "Where are you going?"

"Luke needs a ride, and I have a couple chores to do in order to pay off his last vet bill, so.." I trail off and then spin back around.

I feel two hands placed on either side of my waist, pulling me back. I whip around and glare at him. "Eat your food, I've got to go." I once again turn around but feel something itchy going down my back. I shake my shirt around and finally a few pieces of hay fall out the end.

"Wrong move, Irish."

He just looks at me and laughs. He thinks it's funny?

I stand up on a bucket to make myself taller than Niall, then grab a pile of hay and place it over his head, letting it fall all over him. Hay gets tossed and stuck in our hair, clothes, and even shoes. My screaming and Niall's laughing is probably much louder than it should be.

It goes on like this for awhile until we discover that Brooke is staring at the both of us.

You could say that Brooke is the 'barn brat'. We used to be good friends, but things just, fell apart I guess. She has this hypothesis that she's much better than everyone else because her mum helps keep the majority of this barn running and she has one of the most expensive horses here. But really, she doesn't know the first thing about riding.

We dust ourselves off and climb out of the loft, one at a time. "Brooke." I mumble and look down at the floor. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her force one of the most fake smiles I've ever seen on her. But she's not smiling at me.

She's smiling at Niall.

Brooke thinks she has a golden chance of her and Niall being a couple. If only that poor boy knew what he has coming for him.

Not that I care.

"I'm taking Prince out, you should come with me." Brooke twists side to side.

"Erm, maybe another time. I'm not quite up for a ride."

"You could at least watch me. Please." She grabs Niall's hand.

"I'll see you around, Niall." I start cracking my knuckles and walk away. It's a habit. Some people bite fingernails or twirl their hair, but whenever it's awkward, I just pop my knuckles.

----

"Lindsey!"

I cue Luke to come to a halt and turn my head around. I see Niall jogging down the driveway with a tan and white Tennessee Walking horse.

"Mind if I tag along?" He flashes a sweet smile as he stops next to me.

"I thought you were with Brooke."

"I rather ride the trails with you than hear about handbags and nail polish."

He gets a laugh out of me. "What are you doing with Sandbar? Where's Flare?" I run my hand down Sandbar's nose and wait for Niall to answer.

"I think there's something wrong with Flare's leg, so Shannon told me I could ride this big guy." He pats Sandbar's neck as he flips the reins over his head.

"Really? Flare looked fine this morning when I-"

"It's a simple yes or no question, Lindz." Niall tells me as he mounts Sandbar.

I hesitate at first. "Well, yeah, I don't mind."