Crossbar Ranch

Dusty:

Dusty shoved at his chest. "I said no!" She smiled slightly, "Plus, I have a group of city people I have to babysit." She walked over to her horse, at least she tried to. Caleb grabbed her around hte waist and pulled her to him.

"Ah come on."

"CAleb, I"m serious, the answer is no. Not now, my first resposibility weather I like it or not is to those people."

Caleb:

I couldn't believe this. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "Sorry..." I was such a jerk. I blushed and shuffled. "I just got carried away." I was such an idiot. I just...it had been so long that I had liked her. I wanted to drink in every bit of her. I wanted to be with her constantly...I sighed and jumped on Magic, urging him out of the cave and heading back to camp. Everyone was eating...one of the girls came over.

"Hungry? I saved you a seat." She smiled brightly.

I got off and took care of my horse then sat down next to the girl. She was pretty...she had blond hair, innocent blue eyes. She kept lightly touching my arm and smiling brightly. I just let her, not having the energy to ward her off.

Dusty:

Dusty let Broc take his time getting back. When she did she got her food from Cook and then walked back towards the edge of camp eating it. She knew she had been right in warding off Caleb, but she still wish she didn't have to. She really liked him, but she had to keep her mind on the task ahead of her. She saw him sitting next to one of the girls who was flirting and talking to him. He didn't do anything and that drove her up the wall. She growled and then walked to where Cook was.

"If anyone asks I"m scouting out ahead. Make sure they do a head check before everyone goes to bed." She said walking to Broc, tacking up, then riding off.

Caleb:

I wasn't particularly hungry. I didn't eat anything. The young girl noticed.

"Your not hungry?" she asked with concern.

"Not really." I said.

She smiled. "Is there anything I can do to cheer you up?" she asked blushing and grinning.

I smiled politely. "I'm sorry miss. But no-"

"Call me Amelia."

"Amelia, I can't-"

"You didn't tell me your name!" she pouted.

"Caleb."

She squealed. "Omg! That is such a good name! I love that name!"

I felt a headache coming on. "I suppose."

I was greatful when someone called out that it was time for bed. Amelia pouted for a minute, then smiled up at me.

"Walk me to my tent?"

I sighed and ddid as she asked. "Night mi-Amelia."

"Goodnight Caleb." She said in a sexy little voice, blowing me a kiss.

I turned away and went back to where I had left my horse. I laid down, but didn't sleep. I wasn't tired. I sighed and waited for the dawn to come.

Dusty:

Dusty slowly rode back into camp and untacked Broc, she laid down next to where he was tied and laid her head down looking up at the sky. She was so tired. She let her mind drift as she fell asleep.


*sorry*

Caleb:

as soon as I saw the sun come up, I gott up and walked into camp. I helped the cook with breakfast and loaded up everything we didn't need. The campers got up when breakfast was ready, and I startd packing up tents. I was ready to do anything. I needed to do something. I felt smeone's hand on my shoulder and I turned to see the cook.

"aren't you going to eat breakfast?"

I shook my head. "I'm not hungry."

"You didn't eat last night either. Caleb, boy, you need to eat!"

"I'm not hungry!" I growled.

He sighed. "Caleb, what's wrong?"

"I'm an idiot."

"Want to expand on that?"

"Not really. I've got work to do." I went about doing all the chores I could find When they were all done, I went over to Magic and started brushing him down.

Dusty:

Dusty got up and helped with chores eating a quick breakfast. She walked over to where the hroses were and let the horses of the boys that were messing with the horses out with the horses that they were herding behidn them.

"Hurry up and finish, we won't be getting to far today, but we still need to get moving." She called.

Caleb:

I watched Dusty help get everything ready, and shook my head. I was such an idiot! Now...now she probably hated me. I quickly saddled my horse as the girl from the other night came riding up.

She smiled. "Goodmorning Ca-leb." She accented the second sylibal in thi annoying tone, then giggled. "Want to ride with me today?" she sked, fluttering her eyelashes.

I sighed. It wasn't like I really had anything else to do. I figured the best thing was to stay away from Dusty. She was probably still mad about last night...I didn't want to do anything else wrong. I had already screwed up...I don't think I could take making another mistake. Besides that, I'd probably so disguisted her that she didn't wat to have anything else to do with me. I sighed and finally nodded to Amelia. She was chattering on about something that I didn't really care about, which left me to my thoughts, unfortunately.

Dusty:

Dusty noticed Caleb riding with the girl he'd been tlalking to the night before. She took a deep breath, she was jealous. It didn't make sense though. She pushed her feelings away and went back to help herd the horses. She did a quick head count and frowned. Two people were missing.

"Caleb! Do a roll call of all the workers, I want everyone from all their groups to get together and tell me if anyone is missing." She said cantering her horse to the front.

Caleb:

I counted all the workers: one was missing. I rode over to Dusty. "Jude's gone...and so is his horse. They were here last night. I saw them!" I ran hand through my hair. Surely he was okay...I mean, he knew the trails. surely he wouldn't do something stupid. I looked at dusty concerned. We both had the same worry looming in our minds.

Dusty:

Dusty clenched her jaw. "One of the girls is gone too." She replied. She readjusted her hat and looked around. "I want them to keep going, me you, and a few of the other hands will go back looking for them. COok will call me if they get back here."


*Tears*

Caleb:

I wasn't feeling up to going with Dusty...even with a friend possibly in danger. I looked at her sadly. "I'll...I'll stay with the campers and notify you if...if they come back." I waited for her anger. I knew she was going to be even madder at me...but I couldn't go with her. I knew Izd just mess up again. " stay here...and contact you if they come back."

Dusty:

DUsty took a deep breath. She didn't want him staying and getting attached to that other girl. "Whatever." She spun Broc around and pushed him in a canter towards their last camp. She wasn't mad, at Jude and the girl at least. She was mad at Caleb for tryin to push her and mad at the girl for getting his attention. She expected several people to go wandering as long as they came back she wouldn't be mad. S he just would've liekd to have known they were leaving.

Caleb:

I growled and rode after her. "We need to talk!"

"I'm busy."

"Now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for whatever it is I did. I'm sorry for distracting you. I'm sorry for getting in the way. What more do I have to do to make you no longer mad at me?" I asked
desperately.

Dusty:

Dusty wheeled Broc around so she was facing him right on. Broc pranced under her wanting to get moving again.

"I have a job I promised I would do. I"m going to do my job. I'm not exactly mad at you. Now you can go back to your little city gal. I have people to find." She spun Broc back around and let the reins down a little giving him his head. He took of at full speed Dusty fighting angry tears.