All Roses Have Thorns

Erin XVIII

Her horse was white with gray spots, and was appropriately named Cookies n Cream. She was leading the group to the hill, although they probably should have had a guide. The horses knew where they were going, though.

"Hey, Erin." Maggie's voice came from behind her. "How's the whole soulmate gig going?"

She whipped around, actually she just turned her head so the horse kept going straight. "Excuse me?"

Maggie laughed. "You didn't think I wouldn't catch on did you?" She sighed, "Also, I'm really sorry about that time at Fiya's house. It wasn't directly related to soulmates, but I know you're still sensitive about love and stuff. I just... I missed having you around."

"I suppose I could forgive you," Erin turned back to the front as the horses kept moving.

"Please, Er!"

"Maybe."

"Please!"

"Maybe."

"Yes?"

"Maybe."

Zach rolled his eyes from his spot behind Maggie. "Would you two stop already?"

"Sorry," Maggie sighed.

A few more minutes passed in silence. "We're here." The sun shone brightly over the hill, illuminating the trees around it. Erin took out her phone from her pocket and turned on the camera, throwing up a peace sign. Maggie smiled, and the three boys were just staring into the distance. "C'mon, look at the camera, guys!"

"You should have probably told us you were taking a picture," Zach said, but he smiled anyway.

Once she'd taken a couple of pictures of the five of them, she took a few panoramas of the area surrounding them. "Are you guys ready to go back?"

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"Sounds good."

Erin nudged her horse, who started moving toward the second part of the path. "So Maggie..."

"Yeah?"

"How'd you figure it out?"

"Well, I knew you were being weird for a reason. Also, I'd recognize your art style anywhere, knucklehead. I've known you for almost a decade."

"Ah."

The horses kept moving, and they drifted into more natural, random conversation. Erin found herself laughing more on the ride down than she had in the past few months. Oh, how nice it was to smile for a reason, without forcing herself to do so.