Sorrel Hill: Recovery Ranch (BK2) |COMPLETED|

Chapter Twenty-Three

  "If it's real, it will never be over," Unknown

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       ~The Tent Sleepover~

  After dinner that night we got permission to go on the trip, it was just a night though. I was beyond excited! The only problem was we could only take one horse. Which meant me deciding between Angel, Jack, Atlantic Black, Amaya, and Promise. I was going for Promise but then I remembered she's a mother, then Amaya but she's not broke, I came up with the conclusion to take Angel but she went crazy on a practice trail ride... so I took Jack, sorry Atlantic but you deserve a nice break.
  "Ready?" I asked putting a wax wrapped slice of bread in my saddle pack. "Born ready," Luke smirked mounting a buckskin pinto. Hannah gave Athos one last sugar cube before finally bridling her and hopping on. "Always ready," Xavier replied one upping Luke. He pulled himself up onto a piebald pinto. "Never not ready," Ben gave Xavier a smug look while mounting a bay pinto.
  "I just said that," Xavier sighed shaking his head at Ben. Ben shot him a perplexed face, "No you said always ready." Emily face palmed herself. "Hey Ben," Nathan called astride Jenna. Ben turned to Nathan and cocked an eyebrow. "Shut up," with that Nathan rode on. Jessie laughed a few horses away, "Alright let's go."

                             ****

  We were currently riding up a mounting. The sky was clear, the air smelt of fresh pine and grass. The sun shined through the trees, creating a comfortable warmth. "You know this reminds me when we almost died last year," Emily announced looking off at the view of green tree tops below the mountain.
  Jessie gave her a questioning look. "Who even decided to trail ride in the mud?" Will said, his forehead creased with concentration. "Ben or Luke's guaranteed," Nathan spoke without a second thought. "Bet!" Ben shouted. Nathan turned back around in his saddle, "Dude do you really want to lose money right now?" Ben clamped his mouth shut.
  "Well it wasn't Ben, he's afraid of heights," Emily smiled. This time Jessie turned to look at the ebony haired boy, "You're a jumper for crying out loud." Ben shrugged shooting Emily an icy glare. "It wasn't me, I'm not that stupid," Xavier concluded sticking up his hands.
  I nodded, Xavier was quite the cautious guy even if he's friends with Luke. "Well it wasn't my idea, that involved breaking the rules and my mind doesn't think like that," Emily predicted. Come to think of it that wouldn't have never been Emily.
  "I didn't come up with it my plan was to study the pattern for Diesel's cross country session. Samantha wasn't our friend nor was Nathan... hmmm. Wait, why am I even thinking? No Xavier, not Hannah she was with Kiley eating snacks, couldn't be Emily or me, Ben is a scardy cat, so that only leaves one person," Will smirked crossing his arms.
  "And who would that be?" Luke tilted his head with a 'it's not obvious' look. "You, you idiot," Xavier sighed. Nathan grinned, "Haha, I was right. Ben you owe me fifteen bucks." Ben's eyes widened, "What!? You said no bets." Nathan shook his head, "I said do you really want to lose your money. You never answered, therefore it was never announced the bet was off."
  Ben rolled his eyes huffing through his firm lips. I giggled at the arguments whom dispersed moments before. I clicked to Jack quietly as we finally reached over the mountain. A great big waterfall poured in front of us into a calm shallow pond. I looked to my friends then back at the epic swimming spot.
  "Last one in has to clean the tack tonight!" I yelled leaping off of Jack, quickly tying him to a neighboring tree, then raced off plunging into the pond. The cold water soaked my small form, I laughed spreading out my arms. Hannah was quick to follow, right after her was Ben and so on. The last ended up being Luke, I didn't really feel bad... is that a bad thing? Nah, probably just me.
  We relaxed in the cool calm waters for a few hours until night settled over the mountain. We got out and dried off, laid out our tents, and huddled around the small fire. We shared a few ghost stories which meant screaming, shivering, and an invite to nightmares.
  Everyone had just gone in their tents, their lanterns dim. I turned from attending Jack and walked over to my tent. "Hey," Jessie greeted. I turned around my tired frown instantly stretched to a genuine smile. "Hey," I replied. "How was your day?" He asked ever so politely. "Well if you count the saddle sores from last week to now... I'd say I'm in for a long two days," I said gesturing to my wobbly thighs.
  He chuckled, "Yeah, you'll be sore after all this. So, uh, how's- uh, Jack?" I squinted my eyes as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "He's good, all pretty and slick," My hands dug in my pockets, I've never once felt awkward with Jessie and now all the sudden I do.
  "So, I- uh, wanted to ask you something..." he trailed off moving his foot, his eyes focused on the ground. "Okay?" Was all I said trying to read his facial features. His head tilted up, looking me in the eye, "Kiley Tyler, the champion show jumper, awesome best friend to Hannah, lover of hotdogs, will you be my.... girlfriend?"
  My heart sped up, my hands grew sweaty, and my stomach did flips. Did he just say what I think he said? The stars seemed to twinkle more, his eyes seemed to shine more, and our closeness filled my heart with an indescribable warmth. "Girlfriend?" I repeated as if to know if I heard it right.
  "Girlfriend," he reiterated firmly. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!" I squealed jumping into his outstretched arms. "Was that cheesy?" I whispered to him. I pulled apart slightly to reface him. "Just barely past cheddar," he laughed softly. We were so close, the tip of our noses barely rubbed one another.
  "Yessssssss!!!!!" Hannah yelled from inside her tent. "Finally!" Ben's muffled voice shouted. "Thank God, if this question was going to be delayed any longer I would have had to bounce," Luke stuck a thumbs up out of the opening of his tent. "Put a ring on it," Xavier said sleepily.
  "Finally I can sleep without his stupid worries," Nathan cheered. "It's about time," came Will. "Goodnight couple!" Emily grinned sticking her head outside the tent only to disappear back inside. We separated from one another, both of us couldn't stop from smiling.
  "See you tomorrow?" Jessie questioned, as if I was going to run away in the forest from my past experience with Nathan. Heck no! "Course," I said in a sweet tone before vanishing into my tent. I went to sleep that night with butterflies in my stomach and  stars in my eyes.