Young Writers Society

Colt looked at Pippa's mom. "I hope its not my fault?" I said. "I didn't mean-"

"Zip it," she snapped. "Pippa."

"I better go," she whispered and walked away from him. He stood there for a minute, and looked around, he hoped that she would come back, she still had to do her chores. All he knew how to do was to feed the horses and brush them.

He needed to do something to occupy himself, so he started brushing. He wasn't sure what their feeding schedule was so he didn't want to mess it up.

"Hi Colt," Pippa's step sister said, "what are you doing here?"

Pippa growled as she looked at her step mother. "What do you want?"

"Why were you kissing your sister's boyfriend?" Her step mom demanded.

"They aren't dating." Pippa hissed.

"OH, they will be once she stops talking to him." Pippa shook her head and walked outside.

Colt couldn't believe what he was hearing, he knew he was about to start a family war, but he wasn't about to turn his back on Pippa...or the bet. "Sorry Claire," he said, "but really, I like Pippa."

She laughed, "nobody likes Pippa. Only Cole."

"Cole's the only sane one around."

She came over and twined her arms around his neck, "oh come on Colt," she said in what was supposed to be a teasing manner, "you don't care for me at all?"

"Not the way you want" He grabbed her hands and pulled them away, "sorry Claire."

She glared at him for a minute, before she raised her hand and slapped him so hard across the face that his head snapped to the side. Then she stormed off. At the door of the barn he heard her say, "he's all yours, I hope you're happy." But her tone said the complete oppsite.

Then Pippa entered the barn and his smile returned.

Pippa bit her lower lip and smiled. "That looks like it hurts." She said motioning to his cheek. He touched it and shrugged.

"A little." He simled.

"I have chores to do." She said walking towards the first stall in the barn.

Colt chuckled, "We've already established that, and the fact that I am here to help."

She smiled shyly, "well then...um...uh..." Colt could tell that she definatly didn't know what do say, or do, and he doubted her ability to know what to think. I think she likes me! As much as he wanted to deny it the look on her face proved it.

"How about you tell me how to feed them?" Colt said coming to her rescue.

She grinned, "okay its feeding time that will be good."

Colt listened intently while she told him what to do, but once he got started his mind drifted back to her liking him. And the kiss.

The kiss.

He couldn't get the kiss out of his head, how much he enjoyed it, how much he could tell that she enjoyed it. He turned his head to look at her as she tossed what looked like a decently heavy bag up onto the landing.

I love her.

Colt stopped himself at that. Love? Love?! Love wasn't part of the deal.

Pippa grabbed another bag of feed and tossed it inot the tack room then filled up the bins and finished feeding the rest of the horses. SHe climbed up into the hay loft and smiled when she saw Colt below her. She dropped some hay down on him and laughed.

"HEY!" He yelled/laughed. "What was that four?"

"NO reason, other then you were a perfect target." She smileed as she tossed two bales of hay down onto the flour and then climbed otu of the loft.

"That's just plain unfair." He laughed walking over. She cut the twine and then started passing out the hay to the horses.

"How is it unfair?" She smiled.

"I have nothing to drop on you that wouldn't hurt." he smiled. He grabbed some hay and then set it on her head. "WEll, maybe I do."

"Right."

Colt's self control was wearing thin. He wanted to kiss her again. he did his best to keep himself busy until finally she announced that they were done.

He leaned against the wall next to her, "done?"

She nodded, "It usually takes hours."

"And we tackled it in...twenty minutes."

She grinned and turned to face him, "you're a fast learner."

Colt leaned closer to her, "I always have been. Thats how I've got those straight A's."

Her eyes widened, she knew what he was going to do. But she still asked, "what are you doing?"

"I want to kiss you again." It wasn't a request, but a simple statement.

And when her lips parted and a soft "oh" came out he took that as agreement.

He pressed his lips to hers.

Pippa was surprised at how willing she was to kiss him again. She enjoyed it too. She let her arms snake around his neck and nearly shivered when his arms wrapped around her torso. It was like floating on a cloud, his lips moving softly yet amazingly over her's. She felt a tad nervous sense she still didn't know what the hell she was doing when it came to kissing. When he pulled away and smiled down at her she could've sworn her legs were about to give out.

"Wow." She whispered softly. He chuckled and kissed her again, this one more definite. When they pulled apart she bit her lower lip a little.

"Pippa!" She heard Cale outside the barn, but she could barely move as it was.

"Someone wants you." He whispered.

"I heard." She replied as she looked up at him.

"Aren't you going to go see what they want?" He smiled. She blinkned and then nodded.

"I should."

Colt knew it was Cale when he called to Pippa again. "It's Cale. You really should."

She made a face at the name, "why?"

"Because I'm fairly confident he could do some damage if we got into a fight."

"Why would he fight you?"

"He doesn't trust me."

Pippa sighed and pulled away and then ran to the entrance of the barn.

"What's the rush?" She smiled leaning against the door.

"What were you up to?" Cale smiled walking over. His face dropped a little and Pippa heard COlt behind her.

"Feeding and cleaning stalls. Colt helped." She said pointing to Colt who smiled a little.

"Course. So we still going to go riding?" Cale asked ignoring Colt.

"Sure, Colt you wanna come?"She asked looking at Colt ignoring Cale's groan.

Colt looked at Pippa then at Cale. Cale, he knew, wouldn't let the oppertunity to be alone with Pippa. Colt, really didn't like that idea.

"Well..." he said, "alright."

Cole glared at him which he responded with a nice smile.

Pippa looked back and forth between the two, "ya know..." she said, "I don't think this is a good idea."

Colt looked at her innocently, "why not?"

"I don't know..." she was denying what she was seeing.

Something was going on between the two. She knew for a fact that there was something, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"So who gets left behind?" Cale asked crossing his arms.

"Maybe no one." She shrugged. "Maybe you two need to get along and go on a ride together." She smiled.

"We'd get lost." Cale said flatly.

"Maybe not." She replied shrugging. "DO you have another idea?"

Colt thought for a moment, "how about we go to my house and chill there?"

"Nah," Pippa said flashing a smile, "I need to go riding anyways."

"Well, I'm willing to try to get along with him," Colt said, "are you willing to get along with me?"

"I'll give it a try. No promises though."

"Same here."

Pippa grinned, "thanks guys."

Pippa got two horses out and made sure they got saddled right then she jumped on Mercy, one of the mares she'd just got, and mounted up bare back with a halter. She loved riding Mercy cause she was such a good hrose.

"WHere to?" Cale asked riding on one side of ehr. Colt came up on her other side.

"We'll see." She pushed Mercy into a torot and they started off.

Colt struggled a bit trying to keep up, he hadn't quite gotten the hang of this yet. Cole laughed.

"Getting it there?"

"I'll manage," he said, "somehow."

(all I got tiem for! sorry)