Roots

Chapter 1

Fill's P.O.V.
After a long drive I finally arrive at the college that I had applied for not even five months before.  I pull into the parking lot and find an open spot.  The radio station barely whispers the music to my ears as I hear myself sigh.  This is the first step into adult hood.  A chance for a new life.  You can do this Fill.  I know you can.  I step out of my truck and awe hits me harder than Arlett's hoof on one of her cranky days.  This is nothing like home and nothing at all like the barn.  In fact it's massive!  Holy cow!  Arlett better like the barn.  She'll have more mares and geldings under her spell than ever before.  I walk back to the trailer and stand on my tip toes to see how Arlett is.

"Arlett...  Hey Arlett..." I sing to her.

Immediately she starts to snort back.

"Good to know that we made it here alive."

Arlett paws the matted trailer floor and starts to dance around, shaking the whole trailer.

"Arlett stop.   I'm gonna go get checked in quick and find out where I can park to unload you.  So just chill." I turn to leave and I feel a tug on my shirt.

A dark grey muzzle has latched onto my shirt and is holding me hostage.

"Arlett!" I growl.

Her upper lip puckers as if she is laughing at me.  I turn and walk away before she can pull any more tricks.

I arrive a few moments later and find the check in table for the horse stalling and riders rooms.  What greets me is a redhead chick who seemingly has a smile permanently plastered on her freckled face.

"Hiya there!  My name is Kelisa and I will be your check in guide!  Welcome to Bear Trail Equine College!  We are happy that you chose our college to further your equine knowledge!  What is your name so that I can help you find your merry little way?" She inquires, all the much too cheerfully.

"Filly May Cedarbrook.  My mare's show name is Sheza Freedom's Poem."

"Ah Ha!  Found ya!"  She fills out where my room is and where I can find Arlett's stall.

"You are in room number 709 and your horse's stall is number 94.  You can also turn her out to the little pen behind her stall, just open up the back door to her stall to have her run in and out."  She smiles again.

"Ok."

"Thank you again for choosing BTEC!"

I walk away frowning.  God forbid that they actually get people who are "normal".  With my eyebrows furrowed, I pull out the map "Creepy Kelisa" gave me of the campus.  I walk unaware of what the world is going on around me when I bump into a tall coppery chest.  I fall flat on my butt with a dumbstruck look on my face.

"God, didn't you hear my warning?" Someone spits out as they fling their hand out to help me up.

I grab the hand only to meet a simple but handsome face less than a few inches from my own.

"Actually no.  I was looking at the map to find where to go.  Now excuse me while I go to unload my own horse." I spit back and go to leave... only after noticing every little detail of their face.

Deep, light green eyes, speckled with little flecks of grey, seemed to pierce into every little thing I did.  Taking note of my every movement.  Every blink, every flare of my nostril, noted.  The freckles scattered like seeds in the sowers parable told by Jesus, described the simple dots.  A small nose flared with emminent impatience, also speckled with the seed like freckles.  Pale pink lips lined above his chin were the perfect description of what salmon colored roses look like.  Tousled short red hair was messy, probably from the helmet sitting in the crook of his elbow.

I step to the side, glaring at the face, and continue to walk towards where Arlett impatiently stamps in the trailer.  Passerby'ers walk on the other side of the road with extreme concern lacing their faces.  I grin, knowing only Arlett would put danger into everything that we do.  From a simple trailering to racing around with no purpose, danger.

"Arlett, just a few minutes more and you can be free.  Quit trying to scare the other people.  They are friendly.  Friends, not food."

She immediately stops.  Almost like an epiphany hit her.

I hop into my truck and pull out to go to the stables.

A few minutes across campus, we arrive.  I back into what seems like the last spot and park.  Arlett prances as I begin to undo the trailer.   She nearly jumps out and begins neighing and prancing.  Such a social butterfly she is.  But then again, she is an Arabian.  Everything is dramatic with an Arabian.

Her nostrils flare at the new sights and smells.  I swing up onto her back and ride her bareback and in a halter up to the stable.  We ride into the stable and some riders stop and stare, others continue with their chores or fiddling with their horses, trying to get them settled in.  Even if they were busy, they still stole little looks at Arlett and I.  I rode her all the way to her stall.  I slid off of her back right in front of her stall door.  After a few clicks the door opens to reveal a fresh bed of shavings for Arlett and the top half of the door is open.  A gentle breeze wafts in from outside, creating an aura of peace and calm even with the hustle and bustle outside of the stall.

"Well Arlett, here's your new home for the school year." I say quietly.

She snorts in reply and prances in.  The white leadrope is drug out of my hands and collects the pale yellow shavings.

"What, can't you control your horse now?" The snooty voice from earlier says.

I whip around, with my fist to his face.

He flies back and lands on his butt.  His hands cradle a bruised jaw.  A crowd forms and stares burn at him and me.  I smirk and turn to tend to Arlett, who slowly blinks as if to say it's just another day in paradise.  I pick up her lead and unclip it from her halter that we won at that one Houston rodeo.

**********
Hayes P.O.V.
Ok I deserved that, but why'd the hell did she have to punch so hard.  I rub my jaw where a bruise starts to form.  Good fucking god, what is Brans gonna say?  Oh shit, what is mom and dad gonna say? 

"She really gave you a shiner didn't she." My roommate, Hunter, said grinning.

"Well, honestly she needs to realize that she can't just waltz in there acting like she owns the place.  Especially if she's some nobody." I scoff.

"Hayes, do ya even know her name?  I might know her from the rodeos."

"How the hell would I know Hunter?  We've fought every second our paths crossed."

"Just calm down buddy.  Here have one of these." He hands me a budlight.

I crack it open and chug it.  I crush the can and throw it into the can pile.

"Woah, Hayes.  Slow it down.  You wanna stay a little bit sober for your classes tomorrow.  Even if I'm desperate, I don't drink fast.  I'll get to upchucking."

"Hand me another.  I swear it's the last one tonight."