Heartland: My Journey

Chapter #9

Amy and Ty talked non-stop to the arena.  I honestly wished that they just shut up, but at least I didn't have to say anything.  I turned my right blinker on, turned the wheel and pulled into the arena's back entrance.  I put the truck in park and unbuckled my seatbelt, opening the door and hopping out.  I walked around to the back of the trailer.

I unhitched the door and walked in, grabbing Spartan's lead and connecting the clip onto his halter.  "Ty, you wanna grab the saddle and stuff?" I asked him as I took the horse out of the trailer.  I tied his lead to the side of the trailer and waited for Ty and Amy to grab the saddle and blanket to start getting him ready.

When they walked out, I started to head towards the registration booth.  "I'll get you registered, Amy," I said.  I started towards the booth when someone grabbed my hand.

"Hey, beautiful," Caleb whispered into my ear, wrapping his arm around me.

"Caleb, you're supposed to be at Heartland.  What are you doing here?" I asked him, leaning into him, even though I shouldn't.

"I asked Jack if I could come watch Amy," Caleb replied.  "I just wanted to spend more time with you, you know?  We haven't exactly had a lot of time together."

"What do you mean?" I asked him, stopping in my tracks.  "I just spent last night with you and you're staying at Heartland tonight because Ashley stole your place."  I added a little bit of anger to the last bit.

"Are you okay with that...?" Caleb asked, staring at me weirdly.

The fact is, I wasn't okay with it.  It could cause so many problems in our relationship.  But I didn't want to start another fight so I just shrugged.  "I don't know.  It's just kind of weird that another girl asked you if she could stay in your trailer," I said, confused.  "Listen, I have to go get Amy's number for the competition, okay?  I'll see you in the stands.  Or at home.  I don't know."

I turned away from Caleb, hoping he'd get the point and know that I was upset with a random girl staying at his trailer.  The trailer I slept in last night, the trailer that I got drunk in last night.  Where I woke up wondering where I was, then realizing after hearing Caleb's soft snores that I was safe and with him.

Who knows what this girl can do to our relationship?  I sure as hell don't want to see her come crawling to Caleb to fix things for her or to do her favours.  But because Caleb's such a gentleman, he'll do it for free.

I smiled when I got to the desk and I asked for Amy Fleming.  They gave me the number and I waved.  I slowly walked over to Amy and Ty carefully waiting until Caleb left to go inside.

"Hey, are you and Caleb alright?" Ty asked me, taking the number out of my hand and giving it to Amy.  He touched my shoulder lightly.  "He seemed pretty upset just now."

"This girl is staying at his trailer.  I haven't told him that I'm not okay with it, but she seems to be having problems at home, so she asked Caleb if she could bunk at his place," I explained, barely looking Ty in the eyes.  "I think her name is Ashley or something like that."

"Ashley?" Amy asked, almost as confused as I was.  "On the bus to school the other day she was droning on about how hot he was."  Amy fastened the white piece of paper to her jacket.

"Wait, you mean...  She was talking about my Caleb?" I asked.  I looked at Ty.  "What if... Ty, how many things could go wrong?"  I shook my head and hugged my brother, not sobbing, but wheezing into his chest.

"Hey, Cass.  Listen," Ty said, pushing me back so he could look me in the eyes.  "He loves you.  You should've seen how messed up he was trying to figure out why you were being so distant with him just now."