Sorrel Hill: Dancing In Rome (BK3) |COMPLETED|

Chapter Seventeen

"The magic thing about home is that it feels so good to leave and even better to come back."
- Wendy Wunder
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~One Final Show~

     The tips of my fingers just barely tapped Justice's withers.  He reared up, kicking out his front legs, holding his composure well.  My arms wrapped around his neck to help hold myself on him.  He stayed standing for several seconds before I asked him to go back down which he did with complete perfection.  His mane laid smoothly along the right side of his neck much to my appreciation.  He looked like he was born to show.  A spotlight shone on Justice and I.  The show had just started.  I cantered Justice around the arena.  His floaty trot covered by light fog, making the illusion that he was flying seem all the more real.  He glided in a perfect circle.  I used my leg pressure and directed him to the center of the arena.  I ordered him to a halt to which he complied.  Tasha came out riding a dapple gray Arabian- Joy.  The mare's gait was elegant, her strides even, her legs kicked up high.  She looked amazing.  They made an impeccable lap around the arena before standing beside Justice and I.
     Next was Maria loping on a black Arabian- Magic.  The delicate Arabian's lengthy mane concealed Maria's slim body.  Her knees rose high, her dished head tucked beautifully.  She strutted around the arena, stopping beside Joy.  All at once the Arabians reared up, earning "ohhs" and "ahhhs" around the audience.  Tonya tapped Joy's tendon with her foot, the mare instantly laid down.  Justice and I took off.  We followed the arena's wall careful not to go too fast and skim it.  Once we finished a lap, Magic joined us.  It was a beautiful presentation of a solid black Arabian loping peacefully next to a gray Arabian with a white coat.  They were so in sync, it felt amazing to be able to be involved with this entire experience.  It was my last night preforming and just in time as everything seemed to be falling apart back home.
     I forced the bitter thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand.  We did lead change after lead change before Tasha joined us on Joy.  We were a graceful trio.  The Arabians were in complete sync.  Their strides timed together, their breath exhaled together, their every move together.  It was an act of purity.  Heaven could only pull more of an elegant and peaceful sight.  We ended the performance with joined hands.  It had been one to remember.  After the performance, I gave everyone a hug.  "Kiley, I want to thank you so much for being apart of this.  You've changed Justice for the better and for that you should be incredibly proud.  He's become a remarkable stallion.  We promise to take good care of him while you're back in your home town," Maria smiled, she wrapped me in a tight hug.  I would miss her.  She's been one of the best people I've ever worked with.
     "Congrats to you girl, you've gotta come back to Rome and visit us sometime.  Let me know when your next showjumping competition is and we'll try to make it!"  Tasha smiled. I gave her a hug. She felt like a mentor to me. She taught me how to preform liberty. I'd forever be in her debt. "Thank you all so much for this amazing opportunity. It's been unreal," I said, giving everyone hugs and wishing them well. After about thirty minutes of goodbyes and gathering my stuff, I was off to the airport. Jack and Promise were being hauled by someone called Ryan Loop. I waited in the airport for hours until my plane landed. I was swiftly loaded in the plane and enjoyed the next hours of my life watching The Hunger Games it was such a good movie series! I landed and exited the plane to see my friends casually chatting against a wall. I stood there for a moment, waiting for them to spot me. Hannah rolled her eyes from something Luke said, she glanced around and froze.
"KILEY!!!!!!!!!!" She yelled for every neighboring country. She dropped her Starbucks drank which Will barely managed to catch, before she sprinted over towards me. I dropped my bags and collided with her. We nearly tumbled to the ground upon impact. "I miss you so much!!!!!!" She whispered. "I did too," I said back, squeezing her. We didn't hug long before more people wrapped their arms around us. I glanced up to see Xavier, Luke, Will, Emily, Ben and Samantha. "My gosh I've missed you all," I murmured, taking in all their scents. I stepped back and frowned, "where's my boyfriend and his boyfriend?" No one made eye contact with me. "D-did something happen?" My voice nearly broke at all the possibilities. Neither held my gaze, tears began to fill my eyes.
"So emotional, Tyler, how do I even converse with you?" A very annoyed voice ran from behind me. I zipped around to see Nathan and Jessie with smiles. I leaped and hugged them both, now crying from relief. "Why are you crying?" Xavier asked, alarmed. I pulled away from the boys, "it's been a long day and that freaking scared me." Jessie chucked, he took me by my waist, "I'm never leaving you Kiley." With that he pressed his lips against mine and I melted into his arms. It had been so long, so painfully long since the last time we kissed. He tasted like chocolate, no doubt from a candy bar I'm sure he had devoured before hand. Ben cleared his throat, "excuse me, hello, Kessie?" We jerked apart, "Kessie?" We both scolded. Ben sheepishly smiled, shrugging his shoulders innocently. "I'm going to go home and sleep, tomorrow I'll get the horses, and then call to see where Promise and Jack are," I planned out. "Girl, we can all crash at my place. I'm not too far from here," Emily said. We all agreed and followed her to her house.
It wasn't but five minutes before her driveway was filled with nine cars and her living room floor filled with nine dead asleep bodies. It felt good to be home.

A/N: I did it! Another update, go me! Not a month late, thank you. This took over two hours to write simply because I wasn't feeling it😂 I think I may have writers block... especially with this story. It's coming to a close soon and I'll be taking a little break from the series until I start indulging into the next book!