felt.
“Nice, Shasta. You’ve won her heart. Now tell me how you did it?” He moved the horse’s mouth near his ear. “That’s not fair. That’s what they all say that it’s ‘their best kept secret’. I guess I’ll never know.” He shook his head in mock disappointment as he brushed his horse.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek and gripped the stall door. “What time do you compete today?”
“Early, one of the first. I think it’s twelve.”
“I think I can come. I’ll bring Cessie too.”
“That’ll be nice. My family can’t come for any of the competitions. They work.” He paused with the brush in the air and looked at me. “If you’re trying to make me feel better by coming, you don’t have to.”
“I really want to. I like watching horses a lot, from a great distance. I can handle it fine when I’m safely in the center of the bleachers. I want to.” I nodded emphatically. I could be overdoing it.
“Okay. I compete against Bree and Rachel. It should be uneventful in the bleachers today. Kelly and Noah compete a little later so they’ll be busy too. Noah has one event that Kelly isn’t in so hopefully that one will be a given for him. A good day to watch.”
“I’ll come over during our breaks for sure.” I checked the time on my phone. “I have to go before Cessie finds out where I’ve been. Will you walk me out?”
“Sure.” Josh tossed the brush in a bucket. Horses were coming and going all around us. I did my best to walk without hanging on Josh on the way out. However, one of the horses was unruly, prancing in a wide circle, pulling against the girl that was holding the lead rope.
Noah darted out of his stall to help. Josh grabbed me by the waist and pulled me out of the way. I hung on his arm and held it tight the rest of the way out. I couldn’t help watching over my shoulder as Noah reprimanded the horse. It took no time for him to regain control and lead the horse easily back to a stall.
Safely out of the barn, I was about to let go of Josh’s arm when I spotted the creepy carnie from the night before leaning against a building as if he was waiting for me. I knew Josh needed to leave to get ready when the carnie looked right at me.
My hand went to Josh’s, holding it tight not wanting to let go or say see you later.
“What is it?”
“Umm … I was just wondering if you’d walk me back.” I slowed until I barely shuffled on the gravel path.
“There are no horses over here.”
“I know.” I made sure I was a little behind his shoulder.
Puzzled, Josh looked at me before looking in the direction where my gaze was fixated. “Is there a reason that guy is making you uncomfortable?”
I didn’t say a word as I squeezed his hand and arm tighter. He covered my hand with his as he walked me home.
“As soon as we pass him, I’ll be fine. Just make sure he doesn’t follow me,” I whispered in his ear.
“Okay.”
When we passed the carnie, he hollered, “New boyfriend today? So will it be my turn tomorrow?”
I turned my head against Josh’s shoulder.
“I should hit him.” He took an assertive step towards the carnie. I wouldn’t let him leave my side.
“They’re just words. They only matter when you let them mean something. I didn’t hear anything.” I smiled the best I could. It was a pathetic effort, though. “Thank you.”
I hugged him when we finally reached the Caravan. He held onto me and inhaled next to my neck. I squeezed my eyelids shut. I did the same thing to Noah whenever we said goodbye.
“I will see you soon. Do well today. I will be whispering cheers for you in the bleachers.” I let him go and backed away, checking for the carnie. He was gone.
I stayed in the doorway as Josh slowly walked away. When he turned, I waved. He waved back before slouching with his hands in his pockets on his way back to the horse barn.
Sitting in the doorway and hugging my knees, I pressed my cheek against my kneecap and wondered what I
“Nice, Shasta. You’ve won her heart. Now tell me how you did it?” He moved the horse’s mouth near his ear. “That’s not fair. That’s what they all say that it’s ‘their best kept secret’. I guess I’ll never know.” He shook his head in mock disappointment as he brushed his horse.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek and gripped the stall door. “What time do you compete today?”
“Early, one of the first. I think it’s twelve.”
“I think I can come. I’ll bring Cessie too.”
“That’ll be nice. My family can’t come for any of the competitions. They work.” He paused with the brush in the air and looked at me. “If you’re trying to make me feel better by coming, you don’t have to.”
“I really want to. I like watching horses a lot, from a great distance. I can handle it fine when I’m safely in the center of the bleachers. I want to.” I nodded emphatically. I could be overdoing it.
“Okay. I compete against Bree and Rachel. It should be uneventful in the bleachers today. Kelly and Noah compete a little later so they’ll be busy too. Noah has one event that Kelly isn’t in so hopefully that one will be a given for him. A good day to watch.”
“I’ll come over during our breaks for sure.” I checked the time on my phone. “I have to go before Cessie finds out where I’ve been. Will you walk me out?”
“Sure.” Josh tossed the brush in a bucket. Horses were coming and going all around us. I did my best to walk without hanging on Josh on the way out. However, one of the horses was unruly, prancing in a wide circle, pulling against the girl that was holding the lead rope.
Noah darted out of his stall to help. Josh grabbed me by the waist and pulled me out of the way. I hung on his arm and held it tight the rest of the way out. I couldn’t help watching over my shoulder as Noah reprimanded the horse. It took no time for him to regain control and lead the horse easily back to a stall.
Safely out of the barn, I was about to let go of Josh’s arm when I spotted the creepy carnie from the night before leaning against a building as if he was waiting for me. I knew Josh needed to leave to get ready when the carnie looked right at me.
My hand went to Josh’s, holding it tight not wanting to let go or say see you later.
“What is it?”
“Umm … I was just wondering if you’d walk me back.” I slowed until I barely shuffled on the gravel path.
“There are no horses over here.”
“I know.” I made sure I was a little behind his shoulder.
Puzzled, Josh looked at me before looking in the direction where my gaze was fixated. “Is there a reason that guy is making you uncomfortable?”
I didn’t say a word as I squeezed his hand and arm tighter. He covered my hand with his as he walked me home.
“As soon as we pass him, I’ll be fine. Just make sure he doesn’t follow me,” I whispered in his ear.
“Okay.”
When we passed the carnie, he hollered, “New boyfriend today? So will it be my turn tomorrow?”
I turned my head against Josh’s shoulder.
“I should hit him.” He took an assertive step towards the carnie. I wouldn’t let him leave my side.
“They’re just words. They only matter when you let them mean something. I didn’t hear anything.” I smiled the best I could. It was a pathetic effort, though. “Thank you.”
I hugged him when we finally reached the Caravan. He held onto me and inhaled next to my neck. I squeezed my eyelids shut. I did the same thing to Noah whenever we said goodbye.
“I will see you soon. Do well today. I will be whispering cheers for you in the bleachers.” I let him go and backed away, checking for the carnie. He was gone.
I stayed in the doorway as Josh slowly walked away. When he turned, I waved. He waved back before slouching with his hands in his pockets on his way back to the horse barn.
Sitting in the doorway and hugging my knees, I pressed my cheek against my kneecap and wondered what I
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