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{COLTON JACK.}

» Hands were shoved into the pockets of well worn jeans that covered the legs of a petite blonde that walked down the aisleway of the barn. No one at Parson Academy would have guessed that the blonde, better known as Lisi, worked anywhere, they all thought she had money coming out of her ears. Truth was, she did, with a lawyer and a real estate agent for her parents, there was no way she didn't have money. Part of the reason she was working here was to make herself feel better, like she could take care of herself, and she wouldn't need to rely on her parents money to solve her problems. The other part of it was her goal to become an equine veteranarian, and she knew that working as something as simple as a stablehand, would look good to a college that only wanted the best. Both of which were good reasons for her to be wandering around on a relaxed afternoon, when she really could have been doing something else.

» Well, something other than writing her article for the school paper, or captaining the soccer team. Hey, she was a busy girl, it was like she found comfort in being busy and not having all the time to slow down. Soccer was from two to four every day except saturday and sunday, she had an article for the paper due every friday, and she worked from four 'till six thirty on mondays, wednesdays, thursdays and saturdays. But that always left her sunday and saturday night to go out and have some fun, which might have been how she kept up her queen bee status. The girl was good at pretending, covering up her insecurities by finding ways to occupy her life and make her feel important. Almost no one saw the bullshit that it was, except for James, Taylor and Colton, three of the more popular kids at Parson Academy.

» The girl stopped, smiling to herself as she thought about her ex-boyfriend. Hands grasped the lead rope and halter of a black lippizaner in the stall next to where she was. She stepped into the stall, slipping the halter onto the gelding and leading him out into the cross ties, brushing him down before she lunged him. As she brushed him, she thought about how things had been with her and Colton. It sounded silly, but things had seemed too perfect for her, like things weren't meant to be like that or something. She'd always figured teen relationships to have ups and downs, but the one with Colton never did. They understood each other perfectly and knew the other back to front. He was even the first boy that Lisi told about her brother's death. She hadn't elaborated on the subject, for fear of making things awkward. The more she thought about it, the more she realised that maybe she still felt something for him.

» She was brought back to the real world with a soft nudge from the gelding, laughing as she patted his neck, walking into the tack room to retrieve his bell boots and splint boots. Once they were secure, she grabbed one of the longe lines and a lunge whip, leading the lippizaner in one hand, holding the longe whip and rope in the other. Once they reached the round pen, she maneuvered herself carefully to hold the gate open and lead the black horse in. Once the gate was locked, she took off his lead rope, exchanging it for the lunge line and standing in the middle, clucking softly and asking the horse to walk. He was still a baby, so it took a couple of clucks before he moved, making her laugh a little. Eyes were narrowed on the moving creature, finally asking him to trot, smiling as she watched the beautiful creature move, oblivious to everything else.

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» Her attention was completely foccused on the black gelding as he moved, churning up dirt as he trotted. Kissing sound escaped the blonde's lips as she asked him to canter. The reaction was explosive and the gelding short forward with a few bucks and strange reactions. Her face displayed her unfazed look, rolling her eyes at the silly five year old, letting him get all of his antics out before she checked him softly, letting him know that it was time for him to behave and act like a normal horse. She had a soft spot for the lippizzaner, and she couldn't figure out why, she just did.

» Finally she asked him to slow down, letting him walk out what was left of his energy, knowing that he tired easily. That was the only problem with the big horse, he got tired so easily because his owners only liked the look of him. No one had even broken the horse to the saddle, which happened to be Lisi's next goal. She had to talk to the owners the next time they came out, and run it by them. She knew that if she made them believe that the horse would look better trained, they'd pretty much give her permission to do whatever she needed to. Which is what Lisi was hoping for. She wanted to train him as an english pleasure horse.

» Her thoughts were interupted by the sound of someone approaching the round pen. She figured that it was one of the other girls, telling her she needed to get out of the round pen. God she hated all those girls. They acted like they were the shitt simply because they had a horse and she didn't. But what they ceased to notice was that Lisi was probably more skilled than pretty much all of them, but she'd never tell them that, considering they'd just tell her that she was wasting her time and that she was kidding herself if she thought that. Little did they know that she'd been a national competitor as a younger kid.

» Blue eyes looked at the newcomer, smile playing across her lips as she realised that it was actually Colton, her ex boyfriend, and current crush. But he didn't know about the crush part. She held up one finger, letting him know that she'd be right there after she got the lippizanner out of the round pen. She tugged on the lunge line softly, signaling the colt that he was done for the day. Obediently he walked towards her as she rolled up the lunge line, holding it in one hand and grabbing the whip and lead rope in the other hand.

» She exited the round pen, walking towards the brunette male, earning herself some envious glances from girls on the property. She stopped next to him, smile on her lips. "Yah, hanging a lot with taylor or soccer or journalism or working out here. Hey, walk with me. I gotta put this stupid boy away." She said, gesturing to the black horse next to her. She giggled as the colt seemed to respond to her calling him stupid. She pet his shoulder reassuringly before walking into the barn, quickly putting him away and grabbing his grain before walking back to Colton.

» She stopped when she was standing next to him, smile on her lips as she spoke to him. "Sorry. So what'd ya need? I'm assuming that there was something you needed to talk to me about, otherwise you wouldn't come all the way out to the barn." She chuckled, knowing that he'd take it good naturedly, but she knew him well enough to know that he obviously had something that he needed to talk to her about, otherwise he'd be somewhere else, doing something else.

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» As she saw him look away at her smile, it stopped for a moment, only to return, but this time fake. She hated to think he didn't even want to look at her smile. Little did she know it was simply because he still felt drawn by it. In her mind, he simply didn't want to see her thinking about him in that way, and that was painful to her. It was painful to want him back and to think that he wouldn't want her back. She could've had almost anyone on campus, and yet she wanted the one boy who she'd had, and had been stupid enough to let him go. There wasn't a day she didn't regret dumping him.

» She winced as he described his day to her, knowing what it was like to put your whole heart into something and then get it taken away because you were a little tired. She'd done that just last week. She'd rolled her ankle during practice and hadn't told the coach, but she'd mistakenly thought her coach wasn't watching, and had shown the pain she felt. Within about three minutes, her coach was walking her off the field, telling her that if she came back before she was healed, she'd get her captain spot taken away from her. That was the one thing she wouldn't have been able to accept.

» She stood by him, watching him hop down from the fence around one of the paddocks, trying to hide her feelings. She would've openly admitted that he was still gorgeous, and she still wanted him, if only it wouldn't have made things awkward and strange. Sure, they still flirted and all, but se knew what he'd been hearing about her. He'd heard she was sleeping around, getting more and more like Taylor. What a fucking lie that was. She'd only slept with one guy, and that was James, but she had sworn off him now, because of Taylor.

» Smile played across her lips, and in the depths of her eyes as a silly comment came to mind. That was one thing she knew that he loved, the way she always came up with jokes. Hand rested on his arm softly, looking up at him, blue eyes bright. "I'm not sure whether I should be sad that you didn't come to see moi, or happy that you came her in the first place." She said, chuckling softly. She'd always loved the sound of laughter, because it was so hard to fake it. It was nice to hear something genuine.

» She took one step closer to him, her smile softer and gentle as she spoke, her eyes never having left his. "Well, your coach was only doing whats best for you. I mean, your not gonna do anyone any good if you pass out and can't play anymore." Eyes followed his hand as he rubbed a spot on his neck, making Lisi roll her eyes. Even after they'd dated, he still didn't change his silly old habits. He'd never admit when he was in pain, so no one ever knew. But she did.

» She grasped his arm softly, tugging him after her. "Well, if your so bored, than you won't mind taking a walk with me." She laughed, walking forward, making sure he was following her. All of two minutes later, they were in an open field of grass, uncut and fresh grass, soft and bright. She laughed, spinning in circles until she fell, disappearing underneath the grass, the only indication was the resounding giggle from the grass. "Come on, lay down, enjoy the weather."

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» Chuckle escaped pink lips as she heard him speak about the ticks in the grass. She rolled her eyes, laughing slightly. She could see what he was talking about, but why couldn't he just enjoy everything as it was? She giggled again as he sat down, moving herself so she was laying in the grass next to him, blue eyes watching him softly. He was still as gorgeous as ever, and it was taking every ounce of her self control to keep herself from sitting up and kissing him right there and then. Well, self control and the knowledge that he probably didn't even like her anymore. It was a little painful to know thats how he saw her, but she was dealing with it ... right?

» She looked back up into the sky, watching the clouds roll by, soft and beautiful, as if you could just pluck one from the sky and fall asleep on it. Thats how she'd always thought about clouds and she had never really broken the habit. There were so many things that involved clouds, most notably, 'being on cloud nine.' That was a lovely feeling, atleast it was for Lisi, although she hadn't had that feeling in a while, considering the only boy she was doing anythign with, was her friend, and they just didn't have the right connection.

» The only boy here who she'd felt she'd connected with, that was Colton, which was why she considered him one of her best friends. Well, he was her best guy friend. Only Taylor really knew about what had happened to her four years ago. Taylor wouldn't have even known if she hadn't been so close to her when they were little. Taylor was the one who had been welcoming her back, excited to see if she'd won anything. Lisi hadn't even ended up competing, due to what had happened.

» She sat up a little, looking back at him, punching his shoulder playfully as she spoke. "Awww, don't be such a party pooper. They aint gonna kill you. Live a little." She chuckled, leaning against him. Her head rested on his shoulder, just like things had used to be. The only difference was, that if they were dating right now, she'd probably have been in his lap, and his arms would have been around her. Oh god .. how she missed that feeling of comfort.

» Blue eyes closed for a bit, breathes slow and steady as she sat there, leaning against the only guy she wanted, wishing that he felt the same way. Finally she spoke, lips parting so she could, "Seriously though, what'd you need to talk about? I know you don't just take walks to the barn when your bored. No ones here, theres nothing you cant tell me. You know that ..."

ooc _____ xx Ew, my muse died at the end.

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» Giggle escaped her lips as he told her she talked too much. She knew that she did, and had been told so on many a numerous occasions. But it was just a little different when it came from him. It didn't feel a little snarky like it did when others said it. It felt cute, like it was something that made her ... Lisi, something that he really liked about her, although that wasn't something she really thought about. She shook her head as he asked if it was a crime, it was really nice for him to come see her. She loved his company ... and tended to feel best with him around.

» As her blue eyes met with his, smile played across his lips, eyes moving over the features of his face, remembering how they were the day they'd split. There had been no traces of happiness in his features then, they hadn't glinted with laughter and smiles when he was looking at her. Really, all she'd seen in his face that day was a look of sadness and disappointment. She'd really been disappointed too, but she'd been good at hiding it from him. She really had thought it was for the best.

» But now she was thinking differently. Now ... she was willing to do almost anything to win him back. Whenever she saw a girl talking to her, it took all of her self control to stop herself from walking over and wrapping her arms around Colton, making sure the other girl knew he was hers. Because he wasn't, not anymore. She remembered the way the other girls had looked at her in the halls, envious of her to a larger degree. She didn't miss that ... just everything else.

» As she blinked, suddenly she felt something pressed against her lips, taking no time to recognise that it was Colton's lips. She returned the kiss, trying to tell him that she missed him, that she wanted him back, all with that one kiss. She could feel something in the way his lips moved with hers, something that felt as if he'd been holding back. As if he still felt something for her too. But she wasn't sure and she wouldn't push it.

» Finally she felt his lips pull away from hers, making a frown play on her lips, hearing him mutter the word sorry, over and over again. She could hear him moving away from her, making her whisper the word no several times. Left hand was lifted to his cheek, turning his face to look at her so she could speak to him. "No, don't be sorry. I miss you Colton .. I really do." Her words were soft as she moved back to his side.

» She looked at him, trying to see anything in his eyes before she pressed her lips against his again, wrapping her arms around his neck softly, sitting in his lap now, trying to let him know with her kiss, just how much she missed having him all to herself.