Hawk's Eye

Chapter 3

"Okay, I'll just go get my gear out of the tack room," Kyndall said unsurely. She turned to go try and find the tack room. She stutter-stepped and looked at the different closed doors down the main aisle confused. This was her first time at the stables and she didn't really know where anything was yet. An idea clicked into Brett's head. She smiled at Kyndall.

"Don't be silly. I'll get it for you. Jasper's tack right?" she asked, walking away. Kyndall nodded. Once Brett was out of view, Kyndall turned to Ryder.

"Why didn't you tell me Brett was riding with you, I would have never agreed to go. She really doesn't like me at all," Kyndall said shaking her head. Ryder smiled and shrugged. Kyndall sighed and crossed her arms. "I don't want her not to like me. She seems... mean. She's already told me off once today because Hawk said I was moving in on you." Kyndall explained. He looked at her confused.

"She told you off today?" he asked. Kyndall looked down the aisle and nodded.

"Yes, she technically told me to back off or I would make an enemy," Kyndall said softly. Ryder frowned and looked down the aisle. He knew Brett could get jealous at times, but he didn't think she would tell off a new girl for accidently running into him. He read the Hawk post when it was published, and he had to admit that Hawk did exaggerate it a bit. He wasn't the one to cheat on his girlfriend, and if he remembered correctly, Brett had been the one who cheated on him last year with a senior named Sam, but after he moved across the country to attend Yale, she had come crawling back to him. Against his better judgment, he took her back, and he was starting to regret that now.

"She just doesn't know you," he said softly back. "And you're my friend, so she'll warm up to you eventually." Ryder used the term friend loosely. Even though he would never cheat, he did have feelings for Kyndall already. He got them almost as instantly as he saw her. She definitely stood out to him. It was one of the reasons that he was determined to hang out with her as much as he could. He didn't know why, but he was hopelessly attracted to her; there was just something about her deeply tan skin against those tropical green eyes, and her naturally wavy hair that seemed to flow and shine flawlessly. It was the way that she was confident yet humble at the same time. Her exotic beauty and stunning smile caught him, and now he was stuck, but he would never admit that to Brett. Footsteps could be heard coming down the aisle as Brett finally came back with Kyndall's saddle. Ryder blinked out of his thoughts and looked at her, taking a step away from Kyndall subconsciously. Brett smiled and handed it to her.

"Here you go," she smiled. "Well, I'm already tacked, so I guess I'll meet you guys out there?" she said before she turned and walked away. Kyndall looked after her curiously before she tacked up and rode out. Ryder and Brett were waiting for her by the trail. They started off on the trail. Ryder got stuck riding right in the middle of the two girls.

"So how was your first day?" Ryder asked Kyndall. Kyndall smiled and looked at Ryder.

"It was good. Everyone was so nice," she answered. Brett rolled her eyes before she smiled.

"Hey, I have an idea; let's race. On three: one... two... three," Brett smiled not giving them a chance to refuse. Kyndall smiled; Brett really seemed to be trying to make an effort to be her friend. Ryder smiled as well, maybe Brett judged her too quickly and she was realizing that and trying to make light of the moment. They all took off. Kyndall easily pulled ahead of them on Jasper, but then something snapped. Kyndall fell off Jasper and landed hard on the ground. Pain shot up her arm and stopped any sound from coming out of her mouth. She struggled to breathe as tears ran down her face. When she got a little of her voice back, she screamed. Jasper stopped and went back to Kyndall. Brett kept riding past her with a victorious smile on her face, but Ryder immediately stopped and kneeled to Kyndall.

"Are you okay?" he asked worried. Kyndall was gasping for air through her tears. She closed her eyes tightly and held her arm close to her chest. Ryder sat her up. Kyndall was finally able to speak. Brett looked at her crying on the ground and laughed softly to herself. Smiling, she looked back to where Kyndall was laying on the ground. Brett couldn't see her face, but she figured that the fall was pretty rough. Maybe it was enough to show her to back off.

"What's the matter; can't stay on your horse?" Brett said in a fake English accent. Ryder glared at Brett. He couldn't believe she would tease Kyndall right now. He looked about ready to chew Brett's head off. Regaining his composer, he turned his attention back to Kyndall.

"Kyndall, take deep breaths. I need you to tell me what happened," Ryder instructed calmly. He gave her a once over and saw her holding her arm. Her hand was obscuring his view of her arm, but he saw that it was red and starting to swell badly.

"The stirrup just broke. I don't understand; that's a brand new saddle," she cried. Ryder left her side for a second to look at the broken stirrup. He picked up the stirrup off the ground and fit it to where it came off on the saddle. He sighed and glared over to where Brett was watching curiously. Ryder went back over to Kyndall and gently tried to remove her hand from her arm. Sobbing, she let go. Ryder didn't see any bones sticking out, so that was a good sign, but he knew it hurt her. He helped Kyndall up and put her back on Jasper.

"Come on, you should get your arm checked out," he said softly. She nodded through her tears as she held her wrist. Ryder grabbed Jasper's reins and the reins of his horse, Henry. He started walking back to the stables.

"Where are you going?" Brett followed after him. Ryder ignored her and kept walking. After sighing and rolling her eyes, Brett rode alongside them. Luckily, they weren't that far from the stables. Ryder got a stable hand to care to Jasper and Henry. Ryder carried a crying Kyndall to his limo that was waiting right in front of the stables. Brett ran after him.

"Where are you going now?" Brett asked irritated. Ryder put Kyndall in the limo before he turned to Brett. He was angry.

"I'm going to take her to the hospital because she's hurt thanks to you!" he yelled at Brett. His cheeks heated in anger. He was beyond mad. She looked at him shocked before her expression turned to one of irritation.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Brett lied crossing her arms over her chest. Ryder looked at her in disbelief.

"I saw the stirrup Brett! It was clearly cut, and the only person who even touched her saddle was you! This was low, and you know it," he yelled. He sighed and tried to calm down before he looked at an emotionless Brett again. "You could've killed her and all because you got jealous. We're done." He said calmly but sternly. Brett dropped her arms and breathed in disbelief.

"Ryder it was just a joke," she tried as she walked towards him. His jaw locked as he went to the other side of the limo.

"Well it wasn't funny," he said as he got in and slammed the door after him. The limo sped off, leaving Brett staring after it. Brett only watched in disbelief as Ryder drove off. That's not what she expected to happen at all. That's exactly what she didn't want to happen, but yet, it was already done.

I spy with my Hawk eye, a single Queen B. She stands alone in front of the stables as her Prince Charming rides off to the hospital with Dark Beauty. Queen B saw Dark Beauty befriend Prince Charming and tried to hurt her. Queen B tried on jealousy for size and ended up being swallowed in it. Poor Queen B, don't you know the prince always goes for the damsel in distress? Will Charming trade his green-with-envy-ex for a green-eyed beauty? Only time will tell, Hawk.