Its Always The Quiet Ones

Chapter 1

So that's how I ended up here. In Allendale North Carolina.

I'm Annaleis Morganns and this is my story.

*Months later*

"That's good Anna! You can come back to the center now!" My riding instructor and new guardian praised me as I flew over the jumps with ease. "Great work darling!"

I nodded and jumped off my tall Appaloosa mare that she had given me when I came here. Over the past few months Sundance had became my one and only friend so far.

"Cool her down and then we need to get going!" yelled Soraya from the center of the ring.

"Oh great." I thought to myself, we were going school shopping for the beginning of my senior year at the Allendale coastal high school.

The school was situated on the beach not to far from the riding school that my guardian, Soraya owned.

Since the death of my mother I had been put in an orphanage with no next of kin and my father put away in jail for life. He was put in for one count of murder and a count of attempted murder. Because he had shot me while I ran away.

But since him ending up in jail Soraya and Sundance had been the best thing that happened to me. She had taken me in and cared for me while I still grieved.

Though I had never spoken a word to her we somehow managed a closely bonded relationship.

"Almost done?" She jumped me from my deep thoughts.

I nodded quickly as I turned off the hose that rinsed the sweat and dust from my mare.

Quickly I shucked the water off her and turned her loose in the green paddock watching her roll with delight.

"Come on Anna, change your clothes and lets go, I have a lesson with the Brady's at 6."

In the car we sat quietly with the country music playing and me deep in thought.

"Hey Anna what do ya call a penguin in the dessert?" asked Soraya.

I shrugged.

"Lost." she smirked.

I burst out laughing way to hard for the stupid joke. Soraya laughed and did her snorting thing which made me laugh harder.

Suddenly it was back to a serious kind of quiet. Soraya was in deep thought as she drove along the bumpy dirt road.

"You wanna know why I adopted you?" she said after a few minutes.

I shook my head yes.

"Before you came here, I was a sad excuse for a person. I rode and taught lessons, I took care of horses, I did a lot of things down at the barn. When I would get done at 9 or 10 at night. I would sit in my recliner and fall asleep. Sometimes I didn't make myself dinner. Before you came here, I was depressed. Because I had no one who cared about me an no one to be with me." She paused, wiping tears from her eyes. "I know you haven't been here long, but I feel like I've known you a long time and I'm glad I chose you to come live with me. I'm so happy to have you here with me to experience things that I do and I'm not sad or depressed anymore. All thanks to you Anna." Soraya smiled with tears streaming down her face.

I grinned back at her, silently thanking her for saying what she had. I leaned over the center console and kissed her on the cheek as a thank you.

"I don't even care if you don't talk. I'm just happy you're here." She laughed trying to get rid of her tears.

I was so happy that it was Soraya who had adopted me, even though I've never said a word I her, I still was happy to be around her and make her happy. I knew she desperately still wanted me to talk.