Young Writers Society

Pippa looked over at the two. "Cale, you've never been one to whisper much, what are you talkin about?" She demanded standing on her tiptoes to look over Fire's back at the two.

"Nothin, Pippa." He replied. "Just layin out lines."

"Alright, you be nice to him. Even if he is Brent Tarver." She smiled to herself. Let him chew on that for a while.

Brent knew instantly she was just teasing. He had enough experience with girls to know what was what. But somehow he got strangely satisfied with the smug smirk she gave at his faux confused face.

"COLE!" a woman shouted.

"I gotta go home." Cole said quickly, leaned over and kissed Pippas cheek before he spurred his hourse to go forward, "I'll bring him home tomorrow morning!"

"He borrows horses?" he asked.

"Sometimes, like when he has to be home very soon."

"Ah."

Pippa nodded, "I don't care, I've known him forever, he's like a brother." She smiled.

"Pippa, what are you doing? Why aren't you exercising Blistz?" One of her stepsisters demanded walkig over. "Oh, hi Brent."

"Blistz is your horse, you need to exercise him, not me. You'll never get better if you never ride him!" Pippa growled.

"Come on, Pippa, I'm the one that is the experianced rider, I know what I'm talking about." Brittney, her step sister, said.

"RIght, Brit, you keep thinking that. I've got horses to work, and not yours!"

Brent watched somewhat disgustedly as the sister turned around and went screaming back into the house. Pippa just rolled her eyes. "The barn is that way," she said, "first coralle, you can leave now."

"I don't want to yet."

She sighed again, "why are you here Brent?"

"I want to know you."

Thats when the rant hit him.

Pippa frowned. "That's exactly what your best bud, COlt said. But you know it doesn't make any sense that before today neither of you even looked at me!" She growled as she stepped towards him her arms moving as she talked. "You know what I think abotu the two of you. Your both low down sunks that only want one thing. Well I'm sorry you've run out of all the girls in the school that you have to come chasing me, but I'll let you knowt his right now. I'M NOT ABOUT TO FALL FOR IT!" She screamed. She turned on her heels and stormed towards the barn tugging FIre behind her.


*sorry it's short*

Brent growled and followed her. "Pippa," he said, "I'm not trying to trick you."

"Then why?"

"You're real. You are who you are, I've never met a girl like that before. I like it. I'd like to know you."

That seemed to crack the defenses a little bit, "I'm boring."

"You're not boring," he assured her, "no other girl has screamed at me all together as you have in the last hour. Trust me Pip, you're not boring."

Pippa frowned and looked him over. "I think you got hit to hard at that football game friday." She said crossing her arms.

"You watched?" He asked seeming surprised.

"Everyone was talking about it!" She laughed, "But yes, I always watch the games."

"No, I wasn't hit to hard on the head, why won't you believe me?" He asked.

"Because two of the most wanted guys in the school don't suddenly start going after the most unwanted girl for no reason." She replied.

Brent sighed, "I don't know what Colt's up to. But I explained my reasons. Won't you at least give me a shot?"

She looked hesitantly between him the barn and the house, then finally shook her head and rushed off to the barn. "Sorry I can't."

He followed her again, "Is it because of Cole?"

Pippa stood up in front of him, her sudden anger and height making him slightly nervous, a rarity. "It's Cale. And no its not because of him." She started closing the barn doors, "riding hours are over."

The doors slammed in his face.

Pippa leaned against the door and sank down to the ground shaking. What were they doing, why were tehy showing her attention now. Why was she saying no! She moaned and ran a hand through her hair.

"Pippa! What is this about you being rude to a boy that Brittney likes?" HEr step mother said walking over.

"Nothing," Pippa replied walking towards the tack room.

"Pippa! You also didn't exercise her horse."

"It's HER horse!" Pippa hissed. "Not mine, I am NOT hired help!"

Pippa shook with anger, "and besides he came to see me, I sent him off to Brittnay but he wouldn't go."

She scoffed.

She stood up and walked away, "I have homework to do."

"Do your chores!"

"They are not my chores! Make your daughters do something for a change. You have no control over me."

She went through the door, slamming it behind her. Colt was on the other side. "What do you want?" she asked through tears.

"I left something here and heard you shouting. Why are you crying?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

"Its a long story."

"It's a long drive to town, and a long time until night?"

Pippa took a deep breath and nodded. "Fine." She said. He wrapped a supporting arm around her shoulders and opened the passenger side door for her. She climbed in and buckled up wiping at her tear stricken face.

"Want to tell me the story?" He asked softly as he started the engine and drove off her property.

"Long as you promise to bring me back here even if you think me weird." She said tears still rolling down her face.

"I promise, and I wont." He said softly.

"My mom died several years back, dad remarried to the witch I was yelling at and she had two daughters. I have to do EVERYTHING for them. Take care of their horses, everything. when dad's here it isn't a problem, but he is rarely here anymore." She said pulling her knees to her chest. She missed her dad.

"You miss him?" Colt guessed.

"Ya, we were all each other had for a long time until he met her." She sobbed. "I don't like sharing him with those witches."

Colt had always thought of her sisters as aimable for putting up with her. But they had never...he didn't know. He didn't quite know what else to say.

"Is it time to cheer you up?" he suggested hopefully. She shrugged.

"What kind of music do you listen to?" she asked probably surveying his impressive stereo system.

"Rock."

"Like Scremo?"

He cringed, she smiled. "I like a lot of UK music. Blue October, Fratellis things like that."

"You listen to the Fratellis?"

"You know them?"

"I love them, I hardly get to listen to them though, I never have enough money to buy a CD or enough internet time to download any."

He reached into the glove compartment and handed her three CD boxes, "I have all three, you can borrow them if you like."

She stared in some horror, "Thank you." Then she was silent.

He looked at the paddle boats on the little river that ran through town, "want to go?"

She paused, "sure."

Pippa knew she probably shouldn't be staying with him, but she wanted to for some reason. He parked the truck then led her down tot eh paddle boats. He just jumped in oen waving to the guy at the dock.

"YOu know him?" She asked.

"Dad owns these." He shrugged as he pushed off the dock.

"Oh cool." She said. S he had forgotten taht the town was run by the Rose's and the Tarvers. "I need to let you know I've never been in one of these before." She admitted.

Colt smiled, "don't worry." HE took her hand, "It's safe."

She hesitantly stepped to the edge, "are you sure? I don't mean to insult you or anything but...I don't like boats."

"It's completely safe. And besides the water is only a few feet deep. You're taller than it."

"Okay. What the hell? You only live once. Its time I started."

With a step that was nearly a leap she stepped on the boat. Almost instantly she sat down in the seat.

He sat down too and off they went.

Pippa steadied herself a little and then smiled as she got comfortable with it. "It's not to bad." SHe smiled.

"See, what did I tell you." He grinned. He paddled quickly and they went around the small lake.

"Why is it shallow?" She asked looking at him as they paddled.

"It's just like a swamp, with out all the gross stuff." He smile.d

"I don't find swamps gross, dangerous at tmies, not gross." She rpelied.

"You really aren't like other girls." He smieled.