Heartland: Ty's secret past

Chapter 10

The show was starting.

I sat on Storm near the entrance to the arena. Amy was standing beside me, watching as the rider in the ring flew around the course. It wasn't a big competition, but the other riders were good. Really good.

"Competing get too much for you, Amy?" Ashley Stanton said, riding up next to us on her bay Apollo. "Got your stable hand doing the hard work for you?"

"He's a great jumper, Ashley," Amy said. "He'll easily beat you in this." I glanced at Amy. No pressure or anything.

"Oh really?" Ashley smirked. "I thought he left. When did you come back Ty?"

"I thought you weren't jumping because of your mother," Amy snapped. The smirk dropped from Ashley's face and she looked away.

"I made a deal with my mother," she said. "If I place higher than third I get to keep Apollo."

"Good luck," I said before Amy could say anything.

"You too," Ashley grinned wickedly. "You'll need it."

The rider in the ring had just finished her round and as they came out, Amy turned to me. "You're next," she said, lowering her voice so that Ashley couldn't hear. "You'll do great, I know you will. Remember what we worked on." I nodded and smiled at her, though it was strained. She reached up and squeezed my hand.

I couldn't deny how nervous I was as I rode into the arena and picked up a canter. Last time I had done this... I didn't even want to think about that right now. My hands clenched subconsciously on the reins as I remembered what Wade had done because of my jumping, because of this.

But that wouldn't happen again. I looked over at Amy who smiled reassuringly from the edge of the ring. I took a deep breath, relaxing my hands on the reins. Storm, who had been on edge before, felt the change and relaxed along with me, pricking his ears towards the first jump as the bell rang and I pushed him on.

Just as it always had been when I jumped Storm, I forgot about the crowds of people watching, forgot about the fact that this was a competition and there were people to beat. All that was in my mind was the horse I was on and the jumps in front of us. Storm cleared every jump with room to spare, flying around the course like they were just poles on the ground. I would never get over how amazing this horse was.

It was over before I knew it, and suddenly the crowd was cheering and clapping. I left the ring and Amy ran up to me, grinning widely.

"That was amazing!" She exclaimed. "A perfect clear round, as usual!"

"I can't believe I just did that," I said breathlessly, patting Storm vigorously on his neck. "I can't believe how great he is."

"Not just him, you are too!" Amy said. "There's only a couple of riders left before the jump off will start; are you ready?"

"I don't think it matters if I am, Storm is ready for the Olympics!" I said, laughing.

There were seven riders that made it to the jump off; myself and Ashley included. The first three all got average times and two of them knocked a rail. Ashley was next, and she got a clear round in the best time so far. The next couple of riders had nothing on Ashley, and by the time it was time for me to ride, I had been sitting watching for long enough for my nerves to build up to tipping point.

"Amy," I said as the rider before me was finishing his round. "I don't know if I can do this."

"What are you talking about?" She said, shocked as she turned to me. "You're better than all of them!"

"But this is..." I trailed off, then shook my head. "No. That part of my life is over."

Amy smiled, resting a hand on my leg and another on Storm's neck. "Ty," she murmured. "You can do this. I know you can."

I nodded, and then it was time for me to enter the ring. I picked up a canter around the outside of the ring, trying to control my nerves as I waited for the bell. After what seemed like forever, it rang and I turned Storm towards the first jump. It was a standard vertical and we cleared it easily, turning towards the double on the other side of the arena. Storm flew over the first, put in a couple of strides between and then flew over the second just as easily. The rest of the course went just as well, with Storms agility and talent sending us spinning around corners tighter than anyone else would dare to clear the jumps with room to spare. The last jump was an oxer, the only jump I had ever really had trouble with in the past. I flashed back to a time I had fallen into one when Storm refused; remembered the feeling of triumph and victory when we had flown over the enormous oxer at my last show and won the whole competition.

And then it was right before us and Storm lifted into the air. The just was big, but there was air to spare between Storm and the jump and we soared over it and landed on the other side. I looked up at my time and grinned triumphantly. We had beaten Ashley by four seconds.

We had won.

"That was amazing!" Amy shrieked as I rode out of the ring. I swung out of the saddle and she threw her arms around me, squeezing the air out of me but I didn't care. As she pulled back, I didn't hesitate as I leaned down to kiss her. She wound her arms around my neck and I pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. This time, I hadn't missed the moment. Two wins in one day.

"Ahem." Jack. Why was it always Jack that interrupted us? Did he have some sort of sixth sense that told him when I was near his granddaughter?

We pulled apart, both of us glowing with happiness. To my surprise, Jack and the rest of the family from Heartland were standing with the Max and Annette and their two children.

"Ty, you won!" Annette said proudly, hugging me tightly. Jack clapped me on the back as he gave me his congratulations. As everyone began congratulating me and then were drawn into conversation amongst themselves, I pulled Amy to the side.

"So," She said. "Are you going to keep jumping?"

I took her hand in one of my own, using my other to stroke Storm affectionately on his forehead. "Are you kidding?" I said. "This is just the beginning."