Heartland: My Journey

Chapter #10

I opened my eyes to Lou shaking me awake. I immediately jumped out of bed, standing up with my hands on my head, scared out of my mind.

"What the hell, Lou?" I shouted at her with wild eyes. "I was sleeping!"

Lou stared at me with shock. "Look, I'm sorry, Chick. But things need to get moving around here if we're going to be ready for the ladies today," she said. I noticed that she was holding a clipboard in her right arm, pointing at it. "Let's see... You're going to be bringing three horses up to the round pen this morning and brush them out."

"Wait, whoa. Hold it," I said, putting my hand up to stop her. I looked down at my shorts and tank top. "Let me get changed first, then I can do my chores and whatever else you want me to do, okay?"

Lou nodded, putting her hands up. "Fine. I'll go track down Caleb, then." Lou walked out with an exasperated look.

I looked in the bed. It was a mess, but there was no Caleb in it. I remember last night vaguely. I remember that I was upset. It was Amy's Fall Finale jumping show. I didn't make it. I fought with Ty. I stormed out of the arena. And for what? Why did I leave the arena? What did that make me?

I left because I thought Ty was being too pushy, he was making me go fix things with Caleb. Caleb and I were fine now, but after last night, I don't know how Ty will ever forgive me for acting the way I did.

I put on a fluffy grey sweater along with a pair of jeans. I left my hair curly, however I combed out all the knots. I slipped my feet into my brown cowboy boots and headed out of Marion's room.

Marion was the daughter of Jack and mother of Amy and Lou. However, she passed away in a car accident two years ago. Amy was with her and she managed to survive the car accident.

I saw Lou in the kitchen with Jack and Amy. Jack was pouring himself a cup of coffee and Amy was reading the paper as per usual.

It was a Saturday in the middle of summer. I was about to leave the house when Lou started talking to Jack and Amy about Oprah and some other person. This person was supposed to teach some sort of team building exercises to the three girls who are coming from New York today.

"Honestly, I think her book's a bunch of crap," Amy said to Lou. Amy had her hair in two braids that ran down the back of her scalp. She was wearing a beige, white and brown plaid shirt along with a pair of light blue jeans.

Lou wore a red tank top with a gold necklace that went down her front. She also wore a pair of light blue jeans with a brown belt.

"How can you say that?" Lou asked. She rambled about how she was a voice of something and whatnot. To be honest, I didn't really care what they were talking about, but I decided to weigh in my opinion.

"I actually agree with Amy, Lou," I said. I stood beside Lou. "You're taking information from a woman who probably has never ridden a horse before."

Jack started to read the back of the book Lou was holding in her hand. " 'How can anyone claim that leading a horse around a pen makes you 'one with your authentic self?''"

"See?" Amy said, "Crap."

I nodded in agreement. "Look, Lou. If you need someone to help you in team building exercises, why don't you let Amy and I take care of it?" I asked.

Amy looked at me with wide eyes. "Chick, I can't. I have too much on my plate to begin with. I have to work with my client horses. And besides, I never signed up to be trail boss either."

"Well, neither did I, Amy," I said upset. I sighed, letting the cool air wash away that feeling of anger. "Alright, what about Mallory?" Mallory was the next door neighbour who spent almost all of her time here at Heartland all summer long.