Rivals

Heartbroken

The next day Zoe was getting ready to tack up Raven. A couple of days ago, she and Pin had agreed to go on a hack together, and she was so excited. She had decided that this was the day that she would tell Pin how she really felt about him, and she was both nervous and thrilled. Becky and Jade kept her company as she brushed Raven. She had told them about her plan, and they were both hyper and so happy for her.

The whole yard was buzzing with activity, and Mia bossed everyone around, who got in the way of her. Zoe was heading for the tack room to pick up Raven's saddle, when she noticed Pin coming towards her. He wasn't in his Holloway uniform, and he was on foot. She walked over to him, happy to see him, but very confused as to why he was here. He almost never came to Bright Fields, they usually met somewhere else.

"Hi..." she greeted, but noticed immediately that he was tense, hands in his pockets. "You must think I'm really stupid!" he spat at her, and she was taken aback with his harsh tone. "Excuse me?" she asked, not understanding why he was so upset. "Did you have fun?" he then asked and cocked his head to the side. Zoe looked at him bewildered, not getting his point, and becoming very uneasy. "Pin I... I don't understand what you are talking about", she told him, as tears started to form in her eyes.

Everyone in the yard had suddenly become very quiet, as they looked at the two people having a loud argument. "You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Pin continued, not even caring that everyone was staring at them. "No! I don't" Zoe said frustrated, as the first tear rolled down her cheek.

For a second Pin's look softened and he clenched his fists at his sides, to prevent himself from going to her. He looked down, not wanting to gaze at her sad face. "Was I always your second choice?" he asked, his voice starting to tremble. Zoe shook her head, still not understanding what was going on. Where was the sweet guy she fell in love with? What had happened?!

"I don't know what you're talking about", she repeated and tears were now falling freely from her eyes. Pin bit his lip. Apparently she didn't want to fess up, and it made him incredibly angry. "I know you are together with Marcus", he told her, and her whole face became one big question mark. "What?" she asked perplexed, and Pin swallowed hard. "Oh come on, you know what I mean!" he stated, and she once again shook her head.

"Pin no I'm..." she started, but he didn't let her finish. "Forget me, forget what we had, and most of all, forget that I ever cared", he ordered, a finger pointed at her. A look of longing was on his face, as he turned around and left. The only sound heard was Zoe's sobbing, and her heartbroken cry as she slid to the ground. Becky and Jade were beside her in an instant, cradling her like a baby.

Everyone in the yard suddenly seemed to disappear, as they walked away from the awkward scene. Zoe was crying hysterically on the ground, and her two friends were doing their best to calm her. Mia and Susie walked up to them, worry written all across their faces. "What just happened?" Mia asked, not believing the scene she had just witnessed.

Jade and Becky both shook their heads. "We don't know", they said, hugging Zoe tightly. Marcus slowly approached the girls, and Mia turned around to look at him. "What is this all about?" she asked him, and all of them stared at him. He looked just as shocked as the rest. "It was just a prank", he whispered, and couldn't look at the others.

"A prank?!" Jade exclaimed, now starting to put the pieces together. "You did this to her", she told him, and he shrugged his brows furrowed in concentration. "I'm sorry. We just wanted to..." he muttered, and Jade stood up. "We?" she asked and Marcus nodded, putting his hands in his pockets. "Yeah me and... Gaby", he answered, and Jade scoffed loudly. "Of course... She didn't want anyone else to be with Pin. If she can't have him... no one can", she proclaimed and looked up at Marcus.

"I cannot believe that you went along with this", she continued, standing up for her friend. Mia looked both shocked and confused, as she approached him. "Marcus why would you do this?" she asked him softly, and he knew he had to be honest. "I like Zoe", he stated simply, and he noticed Mia swallowing hard. "I see", she said and avoided his gaze.

"I didn't know that she was in love with Pin. I just thought they were..." he started, then Becky looked up at him. "What?! Casually hanging out?!" she shouted at him furiously, and they all took a step back. Marcus stared at her astonished. She had never said two words to him, and now she was screaming her lungs at him. "How could you not know?! Everybody knew!" she continued, and he shrugged apologetically. "I'm sorry", he said again, knowing that his words didn't make it any better.

Zoe was still crying on the ground, and Becky and Jade helped her to stand. They put an arm around her and followed her home, knowing it was the best place for her to be right now. Maggie looked completely shocked as the girls came into the kitchen and helped Zoe sit down on one of the chairs. "What is going on? Did she fall off Raven?"her mom asked her, panic written all across her face.

"No... Zoe's umm... boyfriend broke up", Jade mumbled, and didn't dare to look at the older woman. "Zoe's what?" Maggie asked, and looked confused at the two girls, then her daugther, who was still crying and shaking uncontrollably. "I didn't know she had a boyfriend", Maggie then continued, her body becoming tense. She wasn't exactly pleased with the fact that her daughter had been seeing a guy, that she herself didn't know of.

"He wasn't my boyfriend", Zoe sniffled, and the others turned around to look at her. "We never got the chance", she sobbed, and was still shocked and completely shaken by what had just happened. She couldn't quite process what Pin had told her. Together with Marcus? Why would he ever think that? And especially after all what Pin and her had talked about. //It must be a misunderstanding// she thought and decided to text Pin. But he didn't respond. Not this day. Not the next day. Not at the end of the week.