Cowboys and Mustangs

WTF- Chayni

Jesse and I look at each other with competitive laughs as we race towards the barn. I give Jade, my red appaloosa as much head as I can but Jesse does the same to his horse, tied neck to neck with each other. I know I have the advantage in the race since I'm the one lined up to the opened gate as there isn't room for two of us to get through on flying horses.

But Jesse starts to direct his horse towards mine, pressuring us to the gate. I see Jade's eyes cautiously look around, noticing the barbed wire inches from her skin. However, Jesse continues to pressure us more. When I know my foot is inches away from getting tangled in the fence, I pulled back on the reins. In a matter of seconds, Jesse flies past me and crosses the gate line first.

Ahead of me, Jesse drops his hands from the reins and waves his hands in the air in victory, but it was a dirty victory. "Jesse 4, Chayni 3." He says as he turns his horse towards mine as I walk Jade.

"That does not count!" I shout at him with a glare. How does he think that cheap trick will get him a counted win? "My stirrup could have taken my foot clean off my leg!" I say now as we're side by side, Jesse looking in the opposite direction.

"Psh, that's a little dramatic don't ya think?" Jesse says with a squished expression, but I knew it was all in good humor.

"Is crying after A Star is Born dramatic?" Remembering how I caught two tears fall from Jesse's eyes after the movie ended as we lied in my bed that night.

Jesse points at me defensively, "Hey man, I only cried because they put the damn dog outside the garage!!" I was only teasing him because that part in the movie also hit me in the feels, why did the directors have to involve the dog in the already sad scene?!

"Whatever, the score is still tied." I reason with him as I walk Jade around our fenced arena to cool her down, Jesse follows me.

After we cool down the horses, we walk them back to the post to put away the tack. I put my saddle and blanket on my usual mount, and Jesse puts his on the makeshift one we made once he first moved in with Lilly. That whole situation as declined once Jesse finally talked some sense into his mother leaving their father, who know is now in rehab. Jesse and Lilly are still living with us because Rosaleen needed time away to clear her head, and we didn't argue with her. Plus, I wasn't ready for my boyfriend to move out just yet.

Jesse and I swap brushes as we continue to relax our horses after our casual pasture ride after church this morning. Church was lovely as always and Jesse and I wanted to reflect the homily with each other and riding was the perfect way.

After I close the door to the barn, from the corner of my eye I see Jesse bolt off in a sprint, "Race you!" In less than a second I was in a dead sprint after him, trying to contain my laughter so it didn't slow me down.

Just as Jesse is feet away from the steps he slows down and slightly crouches down and holds his hands behind him. Knowing what to do, I gently jump onto his back. He easily catches me as we both laugh, "Loser." He teases me, leaning back to kiss my cheek.

"Shut up." I say getting off his back to walk up the porch steps. "You're not being nice today." I joke with him as I nudge his stomach with my elbow.

"Sorry." He says with a sympathetic look, but as we continue to stare at each other Jesse breaks out into a smile.

"No you're not." I say honestly, knowing how much Jesse enjoyed winning against me.

Jesse shakes his head with his gorgeous big smile, "Yeah you're right." I shove him again before I open the front screen door. We enter the house with dying laughs, but once I see who's sitting at my kitchen island but laugh completely stops.