Wild and Free

Chapter 4

"Rebecca! Come on! It's 7:30, you've got chores to do!" Dad yelled as I groaned and rolled out of bed. I sat up and looked out the window at the already busy clearing. I got dressed and grabbed two apples and the note off the fridge. I walked out the door and to where the grey mare was.

"Want an apple?" I asked her, biting into my own. She looked up from her hay and nickered softly. "You've gotta come and get it." I challenged. She raised her head, eyeing me with the apple. I shook the apple gently and she slowly started to walk towards me. When the mare was about 10 feet away she stopped. I smiled and tossed the apple at her. She gratefully ate the sweet treat and walked away. I walked towards barn C. I stopped at the entrance throwing the apple core away and opened the note.

CHORES:

1. clean barn A's stalls
2. Exercise Delilah
3. Get eggs
4. Help with hay for barn B

I folded the note and stuffed it in my pocket, I guess I'm starting with 4 and going up. I walked to the hay barn with a wheelbarrow.

"Hey." A voice said from the top of the hay pile. I stared up to see Drake leaning over the edge staring down at me.

"Hi," I smiled "Are you on hay duty?" I asked. Drake nodded and I smirked.

"It's not that bad, I get to climb all over looking for hay!" He grabbed a handful of hay and tossed it down onto my head.

"Hey!"

"I see what you did there." He smirked

"Fair enough." I brushed off my head and sneezed.

"Gott segne Sie!"

"What?"

"It's German for bless you."

"Oh well thanks" I blushed.

"What's your hay order today?" He asked tossing more hay down on me.

"Stop that!" I snapped stepping out of his reach. "And I need barn B's hay."

"Uh, thats a lot, need some help?" He asked jumping from bale to bale until he landed on the ground.

"Um, sure but I need the hay first."

"Right, there's 12 in that barn right?" He asked fumbling with the hay amount sheet.

"Yes." Drake nods and climbs the hay stack again. Within seconds hay got flung over from the stack into my wheelbarrow. More hay got flung down, different types, different sizes. Drake threw the last bale and climbed down.

"Aren't you supposed to stay at the hay barn?" I giggled as I picked up the wheelbarrow and started to walk.

"Only until all the hay orders are done, and you were the last one." Drake waltzed in front of the wheelbarrow until we reached barn B.

"I'll start on the left, you start on the right. K?" I asked dropping the wheelbarrow at the entrance. Drake nodded and we started.

It was silent until Drake started to talk, "Is your are ok?"

"I guess, I mean it's kinda sore but I'm able to like, carry stuff." I sighed, somewhat showing that my arm was ok. Drake stared at me and nodded. I finished my side of hay before Drake. He flung the last bale into Lucky's stall and walked over to me.

"So."

"Well I gotta get the eggs,then exercise Delilah, and clean barn A. I guess I'll see you later?" I mumbled nervously. Drake nodded and took the wheelbarrow outside, he stopped at the entrance.

"I can help you with barn A if you want."

"Um, thats ok I think I got it." I nodded as I walked out. I finished my chores quickly and went inside the house to get lunch. I came back outside and sat on the porch eating my sandwich.

"You up for a ride today?" Drake walked up to me. I finished my sandwich and nodded. I tacked up Destiny and Drake rode Spree again. We walked out of the clearing and headed for the meadow. We walked for a while until we were far into the valley until Drake stopped.

"I'll race you to that stump!" He challenged.

"Ok, fine. GO!" I squealed as Destiny surged forward. Spree wasn't far behind and soon he passed me. I urged Destiny forward until we were neck in neck. A large branch lay in my path, I looked ahead as Destiny soared over the branch and Drake looked at us in disbelief and I smirked. The stump came into view and I brought Destiny into a gallop. Drake and Spree were right behind us as Destiny rounded the stump and stopped.

"Beat you!" I laughed standing in my stirrups. Drake laughed and patted Spree's sweaty neck.

"How did Destiny jump that?" Drake breathed.

"She used to be a really good jumper." I smiled.

"Oh, well nice race." Drake laughed. We walked around for another hour and an half until the sun started to set. We walked back to the barn and untacked the horses. We walked over to the mare outside and sat down. I leaned back on my hands and stared at her. The mare's coat seemed to glow in the moonlight. Drake's hand shifted over mine and I stared at our hands. The mare stared at us and bobbed her head.

"Oh! Watch this! I got up and grabbed an apple from the barn and ran back. I took a few steps away from Drake and got the mare's attention. She nickered and slowly walked over to me, when the mare was 5 feet away she stopped. I tossed the apple at her and she gladly ate it.

"How did you do that?" Drake asked, astonished.

"I don't know. I mean I watch her every night and I give her apples everyday. I guess she's used to me." I explain sitting next to him again. It was now night and we just sat and watched her.

"I think I'm gonna turn in" I yawned.

"Ok, but first I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"There's this campfire party my friends are hosting, I was wondering if you wanted to come with me." Drake mumbled shyly.

I stared at him for a second and smiled "Sure, I would like that." I smiled and we stood up.

"Bye." Drake called.

"See you tomorrow!" I called back then went inside my house. The lights were off and my dad's door was closed. I went to my room and flopped on my bed. I slowly hummed myself to sleep.