Cowgirl Princess

Chapter 1: Coming home and Disagreements

*Payton's POV*

I've always been the shy quiet girl in the back of the room. I just don't particularly like people, so I don't associate with a majority of the people I meet. So as you can tell I'm so popular at school, note the sarcasm. 

Now that I'm in college I rarely have to endure social interactions, except for the occasional group project and class presentation. If I wanted to, I could be social, but why postpone the inevitable, people are ultimately going to hurt you no matter how much you think you matter to them.  

I'm what people would like to call "socially awkward", but that's just a stupid label people like to give others to feel better about themselves. 

I did in fact have a best friend once, until she slept with the guy I had liked since elementary school. Since then crushes and friendships seemed pointless and made me feel empty inside. 

Call me overly dramatic and anything else you want but I couldn't care less. I'm content with me life and how I'm living so far. 

Unfortunately summer break starts today and I have to go home to deal with avoiding my ex-best friend and helping my parent’s potty train my 18-month-old brother. 

My brother is their pride and joy, because I turned out less then satisfactory.  

On my drive home I had a lot of time to think, too much in fact. 

What if Mom and Dad make good on the threats to send me to a therapist? 

What if I forgot how to ride a horse and fall off and embarrass myself? 

What if I have to talk to people? 

Best thing about growing up on a Ranch in the south? Total freedom to ride on the land and go swim in the river that ran by the property. 

The ranch has been in my mothers’ family for more then 5 generations. 

As I pulled up the long driveway, I saw one of our dogs Pogo run out to greet me. I smiled as I got out of the car and scratched his neck and head. 

Next I saw our other two dogs come bounding outside followed by my dad and my mom, who was carrying my baby brother Mason. 

My dad grabbed me into a hug and said, "Welcome home Bud." 

My mom just smiled and said she had missed me. 

It's not that my mom and I hated each other, but we had gotten into a fight right before I left last time I visited and I had avoided coming home for the rest of any of the breaks I had. 

My dad grabbed my two suitcases and I grabbed my purse and duffle bag and headed to my room. After we set everything down my dad gave me space to unpack and get ready for dinner. I slowly unpacked making sure everything went into it's spot in my closet and dresser and put all my toiletries in the on suite bathroom attached to my bedroom. 

When I had finished unpacking I quickly changed to a slightly fancier outfit for dinner than my V-neck and yoga pants. Since my Grandma was the one taking us all out to dinner in celebration of me being home for the first time in months, I knew we would probably be going to some fancy restaurant in town. 

I slowly descended the starts from my room down into the main living area where I found my parents in a deep conversation. As I waited for them to finish I walked into the family room and sat on the couch. I looked out the large window in front of me, which overlooked some of the ranch. I glanced at the driveway and saw two people walking up it. 

It only took me a few seconds to realize who they were. 

Cameron Willis and Jackson Smith.  

Immediately I jumped up from where I was sitting and ran into the kitchen, interrupting my parents’ discussion. 

"WHY ARE CAMERON WILLIS AND JACKSON SMITH WALKING UP OUR DRIVE WAY?" I yelled as I entered the room.

Both of my parents to looked up at me startled. 

"We hired the two of them to work with the horses and round up some of the cattle this summer", my dad replied calmly. 

"Why, you know both of their families are loaded, they don't need this job?" I questioned back exasperated. 

"It's always good for 19 year old boys to get work experience and plus we thought it would be a good thing for you, because their familiar faces that you could befriend them this summer and stop being so recluse", my mom explained. 

From what I had remembered in high school I had never interacted with either or them beside the occasionally group discussions or loaning one of them a pencil. We had no need for interaction due to them being on top of the high school totem pole and me being contently on he bottom of it. The two of them had been best friends since diapers and were both attractive so it wasn’t hard for them to gain popularity and girls.

As I was about to make a remark back my dad jumped in and announced, "We should get going to dinner, your grandma's probably waiting for us at the restaurant". 

I grumbled to myself and stomped out to the garage not bothering to wait for either of my parents. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

When we arrived at the restaurant I immediately walked over to the table my grandma was waiting at and hugged her. 

"I missed you so much Grams", I whispered in her ear. 

"I missed you too Pumpkin", She whispered back. 

I smiled and sat down next to her as my parents entered the restaurant. I had always been very close to my grandma and loved her to bits. She had always been there for me when others, including my parents, weren't and always let me know she loved me unconditionally. 

As my parents sat down you could feel the tension radiating between my mother and I. 

"So Payton, how was your last semester at school?' My dad asked trying to break the ice. 

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A/N: FIRST CHAPTER UP!!! 

NEEDS EDITING, I KNOW.