The Ranch

Chapter 4: Off-limits

"RISE AND SHINE!!!" was all Johnny heard before he was soaked with cold water, he shot up out of bed to see Noah standing there with a bucket and a big smile on his face. "Are you seriou-" Noah splashed the last bit of water in Johnny's face and quickly ran out of the room for he knew his uncle would be furious.

~~~

Noah was sitting and eating breakfast when his uncle came up behind him picking up the glass of water and dunking it out over Noah's head. "Oh COME ON!!" Noah said in disapproval. Ellie gave Johnny a stern look "Your cleaning that up..." Noah burst out laughing "But you didn't make him clean up the bed!" Whined Johnny while pointing at Noah. Emily had a confused look on her face "Am I missing something?" Alex was first to answer "Dad woke Noah up yesterday by pouring water onto him and this morning Noah did the same with Dad..." Emily looks at Noah with raised eyebrows while Noah just flashed her one of his best smiles.

Emily's pov:
Seeing him smile at me gave me butterflies. How can one person be this beautiful. I couldn't help but ster at him. He's gorgeous hazel brown eyes and curly brown hair. I was brought back to reality by Johnny talking to me "EM?... EMILY?" "Ye-Yeah" "Are you ready to go?" I tried to think about what he was saying. "Go where?" "To training?!" I realized I had training and tried to play it cool. "Of course!" I grabbed my back and rushed out the door.

Third person pov:
Johnny walked up to Emily while she was saddling up her horse. "You have to stay focused." She could see Johnny was serious. "What are you talking about I am focused." Johnny took the saddle from her helping her set up. "We both know that's not true. I can see your brain stopping every time you're near him."

Emily got frustrated. "I'm not some school girl who gets flattered by every guy who gives attention to her." She took over again saddling up her horse. "That's not what I'm saying. I'm just trying to warn you. He's a football player and can sleep with every girl he wants to!" Emily jumped up onto the horse. "How can you say something like that about your own nephew?" Johnny looked at her "I love him, I really do but I also know him too well to trust him around you. Please promise me you will be careful?" Emily rolled her eyes. "Promise me?!" "Ok I promise! You don't have to treat me like a little girl!" Emily rode away leaving a worried Johnny behind.

~~~

Johnny was standing next to the racing track with a stopwatch in his hand, watching Emily and her horse warmup. Noah walk up to his uncle resting his arms over the fence of the track "So what are you guys up to?" Johnny looked at Noah and remembered the argument that Emily and him had a couple of minutes ago. "Emily is getting her and her horse, Beethoven warmed up." Noah let out a small chuckle "Beethoven?... That's the horses name?" Johnny gave Noah a stern look "Yes the horses name is Beethoven, do you have a problem with that?"

Noah backed up a little not really understanding why his uncle is acting like this "Yeez... Uncle, calm down..." Johnny took a step closer towards him and put his hands on Noah's shoulders "Listen Kiddo, you know I care about you but Emily is OFF-LIMITS..." Noah was really surprised and before he could say anything his uncle continued "... I can see the way you look at her and I don't want her to get hurt."

"Oh yeah because all I want to do is sleep with her right?" Noah frowned feeling a little hurt and offended by his uncle. "You know what I can't talk to you when you're this dramatic." Now Noah was really pissed.

"What's your problem with me lately?!" Johnny looked at his nephew. "I don't have a problem with you but I do have a problem with this attitude of yours. I only asked you to not mess around with Emily and you immediatley got upset. You need to change your attitude this isn't the city!" Noah couldn't believe his uncle. "You think my only hobby is chasing around girls but if only you took some time to know me lately you'll know that that's not true at all but no all you care about is this fucking ranch and these damn horses!" Johnny looked at Noah coldly "Well I'm sorry I can't just wake up every morning, run around on a field, start fist fights at night and do it all again tomorrow!" Johnny was yelling at his newphew.

Noah turned and started walking back to the house before he says something he'll regret. Johnny was angry, cursing under his breath. "What just happend?" Emily rode up to him looking concerend. "Nothing. Your time isn't good enough. Go around again and you'll keep going until your time improves!" He was unreasonable but Emily decided not to fight him right now.

"Okay what's going on?" The atmosphere was as stale as old bread. Aunt Ellie waited for an awnser and when she didn't get one she looked at her husband. Don't worry about it." Was all Johnny said. "Fine." Aunt Ellie brushed it off for now. "Did I tell you Kyle hurt his shoulder yesterday when he fell off that mustang he was traing?" Johnny looked at his wife concerned. "No, I told him that horse was bad news."

"Noah didn't you hurt your shoulder badly a couple weeks ago?" Aunt Ellie looked at Noah. "Yeah but thats bound to happen seeing as we run around on a field the entire day." Noah shot Johnny a look. "It's actually a really dangerous sport to play." "Not nearly as dangerous as horseback riding.

Emily interrupted. "Are you serious?" Noah couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Yeah I am serious!" Emily frowend at him. Noah laughed. "Yeah right! I mean who have you ever heard off who died because of it? I personally know people who have died because of football!" Noah looked at Emily challenging.

Emily stood up pushing her plate away from herself and quickly running upstairs. Ellie could see Johnny was getting furious. "Alex I think it's time for you to get to bed." Alex wanted to protest but his mom gave him a look that could kill a person. They both left the table and went upstairs. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Johnny was  completely dispirited. "What the Fuck did I do now?" Noah threw his fork onto his plate as Johnny jumped up from the table.

"Follow me!" He said sternly. Noah reluctantly got up and walked behind his uncle to the living room.
Johnny started playing a video on the TV. It was people falling from horses some not even getting up again. "Ehy are we watching this?" Noah felt uneasy seeing it. "That horse was going about 46 mph. Fall from that, there's no guarantee you'll ever walk again and that's if you're lucky. Fall the wrong wat and you won't see your family again." The video was horrific.

"Ok I understand it's really dangerous." Noah really did understand it was dangerous. "The last one was Emily's father. He died right infront of her." Noah felt like shit. "You need to think before you talk." Johnny left Noah downstairs and went to bed. Noah continued sitting for about 20 mins replaying the conversations and just felt worse and worse. How could he be this insensitive he thought to himself.