Some People Change (Currently Editing)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ed and I stayed outside for only a few more minutes before we headed back to the barn. I was so tired now. 

Ed got to his feet, and then reached down to help me up. I then took hold of Zaltana’s lead rope in my hand and basically dragged her behind me all the way back. I was exhausted and just wanted to go to sleep. 

When we arrived at Zaltana’s stall, Ed snatched her from me. I tried to regain control of her, telling Ed it was no big deal and I’d take care of her.

“No, Kayla. Just go back to sleep.”

“O-ok.” 

My speech was slurred and I was stuttering from having absolutely no energy. 

“Do you think you can make it up there?” Ed asked, referring to the hayloft.

“Sure.”

Ed, not trusting me, put Zaltana away, and then put an arm around me for support as we climbed the stairs to the hayloft. As if I was going to fall over. But I was too tired to argue with Ed, so I let him guide me back to my sleeping bag as if I was completely wasted and needed help doing the simple task of putting one foot in front of the other.

I fell down onto my sleeping bag after I had kicked my boots off and did a face plant into my pillow, not even bothering to put my blankets over me. Ed did that for me.

“Now, get some rest, sweetie.”

“Good night,” I said.

“It’s morning,” Ed answered.

“Whatever.”

Ed checked on Emma, who was sound asleep, and then left.

It was nine in the morning when I woke back up. I was on the couch in the living room of Jason’s house. A comforter that has horses galloping across a river was thrown over me. 

I sat up slowly and looked around the room, as if I had never seen it before. Really, I was just looking for any other signs of life. The house was completely silent. Where was everybody? Maybe they were all out in the barn.

I noticed a blue Post-It note on the coffee table beside me. I picked up and held it up to read it. 

Kayla,

                             Emma, Ed, and I are over at Wes’s. Taylor is out in the barn.

We’ll be back in about an hour. 

-Jason

My clothes were in a pile on the floor next to the couch. I quickly put them on along with my riding boots, and then I looked into the mirror about the mantel. Surprisingly, my hair was not as bad as I expected it to be. 

I wasn’t sure where my suitcase was, so that meant my brush was unavailable at the moment. And so was my toothbrush. I hoped Taylor didn’t mind morning breath. Right as I thought about that, I spotted my suitcase. It was next the arm chair.

My brush was on the top and my toothbrush was right underneath it. In a hurry, I brushed my teeth and my hair, and then rushed out to the barn. 

I found Taylor feeding the horses. When he saw me, he set the bucket he was holding on the ground and we ran to each other. We embraced. Just like with Zaltana, a day was far too long to go without seeing Taylor.

He was the one who started off our kiss, pressing his lips to mine with so much feeling I thought I might burst. Afterwards, I stayed wrapped up securely in Taylor’s arms, my head buried underneath his chin.