Romance Shorts

#12 - Horses

You are walking through the forest, and have been for hours. You are terribly lost and can't find your way out of the thick forest. Suddenly the branches on the floor up ahead crack and the leaves crunch. You let out a quiet yelp, but feel suddenly embarrassed as a sleek black horse emerges from the trees. You sigh, but there is something odd about the horse. Then you realise. A young, cute boy is riding him, and looks down glowingly at you. You suddenly feel self conscious, as you have mud down he left half of your body, twigs in your hair and mud streaked across your face and as you look down, you realise that you have rips in your favourite dress.

"You seem to be in a bad situation." he remarks

"Ermm, yeah. I'm kinda lost. I came out for a short walk and couldn't find my way back." You pause and take him in. He is truly beautiful and you fall for him immediately. "I swear I've never seen you before, and in such a small village, that's a large feat."

"I stay out of the way." He says simply. He takes you in, you can feel his eyes on you. He smiles. "you shouldn't be out here if you don't know your way. But I will take you back."

"Thanks!" you sigh in relief. He pulls you up behind him and you hold tight to his waist. You can almost feel him smiling. The horse bolts forth unexpectedly and you yelp. He quickly turns to look at you before looking back at where the horse is going, but that time seems like hours, and not a bad way to spend time.

"Okay we will stop here." he jumps of the horse and he holds your waist to help you down, but you still land in a heap. You are in a large open meadow surrounded by lovely flowers. Now he is not on the horse you can see that he is around your age and rather tall, and unnoticed to you before, he has a little pouch round his waist. "Sit." he commands.

You fall into the grass and he hands you a bottle of water, which you drink gladly, and you share some sandwiches and crisps, in the dying sun.

"I don't have a mobile, and I'm going to hazard a guess that you don't have one either or you would of called for help when you were lost." he says

"Yup" you reply.

"Well it's late now and storm needs his sleep, he won't be able to take us back when he is tiered. So if you grab the blanket off his back you can use it to keep warm - I'm going to get some wood and kindling."

"Okay" you yawn. you grab the blanket and sit on the grass. and fall asleep....

***

When you wake up you feel warm heat and the breathing of another person nearby. You open your eyes, it's still dark. As you sit up the blanket falls of you - which is strange as you just dumped it on the grass. the boy looks up from the fire when he hears you stir.

"You looked cold, so I put the blanket on you." he says

"Oh. thanks" you answer and pause. "but aren't you cold?"

"I've got the fire."

"What's your name?" You ask, realising you didn't have this key information.

"Matthew." he answers quietly, "you?"

"Skye." you say and he smiles.

You start to shiver, so he gets up and comes over. He sits down near you close to the fire and beckons you over. You sidle closer and he wraps the blanket round you. You both stare into the fire. You edge closer and pick up the edge of the blanket and put it round him as well. He helps you and you both go back to looking at the fire.

"Why did you help me?" you ask quietly, looking at him, but he is still looking at the fire.

"Why not?" he replies.

"There is a reason." you push

This time he looks at you. "because you are pretty, you looked scared and I just wanted to."

You smile and you both look at each other. His eyes were a sea-green.

"Why did you go for a walk in the woods?" he asks

"Stuff" you reply self-conciensly. he picks up on it and drops it. The minutes go by, and he turns from the flames and looks you in the eyes

"I don't care why you went into the woods Skye, thats your business, all I know is that I am damn glad that you did. You smile.

"I am very, very glad that you found me, that it was you that found me."

His eyes flick over your face and you both lean in and kiss in the dying embers of the fire.