Extra: Abel’s summer

This chapter won’t have many pictures but there are a few, picturing the most important lesson Abel learnt. Some pictures are also re-used since earlier on in this generation because I wanted to fill the chapter out a bit. I hope you enjoy this summary of Abel’s summer!

Thanks for being so supportive and awesome.

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I totally deserved to spend my summer all alone doing household work, I did! Still, that does not mean I enjoyed it. In fact, it wouldn’t have been a great punishment if I did, would it?

The vacuum cleaner and a duster became my closest friends during the first weeks of the summer and while I hated every minute of it, I knew I had put myself in to that position. It disgusted me to think about the things I forced my sister to go through and the thought of her being happy at a riding school made my own punishment seem even more fair.

The second week I promised myself to never hurt her again.

I quickly realized that being grounded was boring, boring, boring and I actually found myself grateful for the chores I had at home. Nathan called a couple of times trying to convince me to sneak out during the nights but I always turned him down because I wanted my punishment to be precisely a punishment. I needed it to feel better about myself. And I think he understood. He had actually changed along with me and we rarely ever made fun of people anymore.

It was the tuesday afternoon, during the third week of the summer that there was a light knock on the door. When I opened a girl of my age was standing on the porch and she looked a bit uncomfortable by the sight of me. I briefly recognized her but I couldn’t quite place her. I understood that she must go to our school but it was clear that she wasn’t exactly one of the girls I used to hang out with, or even bothered learning the names of.

“Hi” she said nervously. “Is this Sam Bell’s house?”

“Yup, I’ll go call on him, just a sec.”

“No, no. No need. I just came to drop this off, could you give it to him?” The girl gave me a strange white device and turned on her heel to walk away. I weighed the item in my hands, trying to figure out what it was but I had no clue.

“Sam” I said and walked in to our study. He was always mixing liquids by that chemistry table if he wasn’t working by the science facility. He just couldn’t not work.

“There was a girl by the door who gave me this.” I gave him the strange white device and stood put to watch him. I don’t know why, but for some reason I was curious to what it was for. I should have known he wouldn’t enlighten me, though. He never did. Probably because he thought I wasn’t interested. And so had usually been the case.

“That was Emily, she works for me this summer” Sam said and turned around again, back to his chemistry table. I left him alone and went to my room.

‘Emily’ I thought to myself. It was a pretty name and I wasn’t even capable of understanding why we never bothered to learn the names of the swots or geeks. What harm would that have made?

The next day she was back at our door to hand me a new device to give to Sam.

“Hey Emily” I said when I saw her and her jaw dropped to the floor as though she couldn’t understand that I talked to her in a friendly tone.

“What happened to ‘walrus’?” she wondered and raised her eyebrow. That was when I realized why I had recognized her the other day. She was one of our victime. The walrus girl. I blushed and looked down, I needed no reminder of my former actions. I regretted them enough already.

“I think Emily sounds nicer” I said and smiled.

“Oh yea? I always thought so too, but that never stopped you before.”

And like that she was gone, again.

‘Emily’ I thought to myself as I fell asleep that night. Pretty name and a nice smile.

It kept on like that, she came to our house several afternoons every week to drop off some new things for Sam and I kept being friendly. On her seventh visit I even apologized and she gave me a suspicious look. I understood that she had trouble trusting me after everything, but I was determined to change.

“Why are you being nice to me?” she wondered.

“Why not?” I replied.

“Because you are Abel Lord and he’s a douche.”

Touché. 

The thing was that Emily was nothing like the girls I normally looked at. She was nothing like the girls I normally hung out with. And yet she was the most interesting girl I had met in a long time, possibly ever. I felt a strong urge to get her to like me.

She wasn’t popular. She wasn’t hot. She wasn’t slim. She wasn’t cool. And yet she made me feel something I only ever dreamed of feeling. I was falling for her. And I was falling hard. The problem was that she didn’t seem to feel the same way.

I kept spending my days doing chores at home and just hating on my former actions, trying to come up with a way of making up for at least some of the things I had done. And the entire days I waited for Emily to come to our door and she kept coming, and walking away from me.

And so one day, she just stopped coming. I thought maybe she’ll come tomorrow but that day also passed without her visit, and the next, and the next. And I knew she wouldn’t come back any more.

Instead of thinking of Emily, I started spending more time coming up with a way of paying Luna back. A way of making a true apology. I got the idea when I recycled an old newspaper and saw an ad. I teared it out and threw the rest of the paper away.

“Look at this” I said later that evening and gave dad the paper clip. He looked at it and then raised an eyebrow, looking rather confused.

“What’s this?”

“I thought, for Luna. I think she would like that.”

“Why would Luna want a dog?” Dad wondered and put the paper clip in his pocket. I thought he had already decided it was a no, but I needed to give it another shot:

“Because she loves animals. And she has the greatest heart and she deserves it!”

“We’ll see” dad said and I could go to sleep happy that day because I knew I had just done my sister a great favour, even if she would never know.

I don’t know if it was the feeling of doing something good or if I had wanted to do it all along, but the day after I asked Sam for Emily’s adress and then I went to her house. I pushed their door bell without knowing what I would say if she did in fact open the door.

“Abel?” she said confused once she did and I replies with an equally surprised “Emily?”

“What are you doing here?” she wondered and closed the door behind her.

“I… Uhm… Wanted to see you” I stammered.

“Why?”

“Because I think I need to do this.” I slowly moved my face closer to her and when she didn’t back off I placed my lips on hers. It was magnificent. When I pulled away I smiled and Emily looked mighty confused.

“You came here to give me a kiss?”

“I think I’m a bit in love with you” I admitted and scratched my arm.

“You are a bit in love with me?” she wondered again. “In a walrus?”

“Hey! I said I was sorry about that. I was a douche, I was. But I’ve changed!”

Emily rolled her eyes and sighed. She probably had trouble deciding whether she should believe me or not. I felt more nervous than I had felt at the latest derby.

“Fudge” Emily suddenly muttered and pulled me close to kiss me.

It is safe to say that the summer changed my life quite drastically. Not only did I get a girlfriend (who Nathan thought was fat), I was also the reason behind the little Freya who moved in a while after Luna came back home. That was an increase of two cute girls in my life in a very short time.

I liked it.

Gen 5: Luna – Chapter 13: Freya

Several weeks had passed since I came back home to Twinbrook and so far nothing had been able to fill the hole in my heart. I knew I needed Brick for that, and that was way out of my reach.

I was walking around with a hole in my heart and a lump in my chest. It was hard to breathe sometimes. So far, I hadn’t managed to come up with any idea on how I would survive this. I missed him badly.

Being back home in Twinbrook, with dad and Abel, felt like a curse. The air was foggy and smelled bad. The lack of sunshine resembled my lack of joy.

“Sis?” Abel stood in front of me, trying to get my attention. The pure sight of him made a knot in my belly. Even though he had been quite kind to me since my return I was still afraid that he would start pushing me towards the dark hole where I had lived my life. I hated him as much as he hated me.

“Hm?”

“Wanna play a game?” He tossed a game controller at me, which I instantly put back in its drawer. I didn’t feel like playing anything with my brother. Especially not now.

As I walked off I heard him muttering behind my back before the sound from the game filled the room. I knew that my twin brother would soon be completely absorbed by the video game and I didn’t even try to fool myself into thinking he would actually care about me.

“I still can’t stop thinking about him. You think it will ever go away?” I had stopped counting the number of texts with similar contents that I had sent to Laila in the past weeks. As always the reply came instantly: “You need to do stuff. Try keep yourself occupied. It will pass eventually. Miss you!”

I read her text and responded with a simple heart. She was probably right, but what could I do? There wasn’t much to do in this town. I was lonely and hated and the only friends I had here, I had neglected during the summer. I had pushed Calum away and there was no way I could possibly crawl back to his side now. We had spoken quite a few times since I returned home, but I hadn’t yet managed to tell him anything about Brick. There was something lost between us and I’m quite sure we both felt it. That sparkling friendship that had once been had in fact been killed by the kiss, which I had now learnt was never a kiss. It had been nothing but the final blow to our friendship.

There was explosions, gun shots and painful screams coming from Abel’s video game. It was that kind of sound that is hard to shut out, that somehow manages to sneak in to your head and occupy every possible little corner of it. I sighed and went upstairs, I needed to be able to think.

“Luna?” Dad said and had that worried tone to his voice that it seemed everyone had nowadays. I had only been alone for a few mintues.

“Mhm?” I answered and tried to make it clear that I wanted to be alone. I didn’t have the heart to tell him, though, and my father wasn’t the best at guessing such things, even though he was a loner just like me. So he stayed put and looked at me. It was all silent for a moment and I almost thought he had forgotten why he came to me in the first place.

After a little while he asked the question he came for, though. “Would you want a dog?”

“A dog?”

“I don’t know. I thought maybe it would make you happy? You can’t be all by yourself, you know. Everyone needs a friend. A close friend, I mean and I don’t know what happened between you and Calum but it’s something and I don’t want you to be alone. So, a dog, maybe? I mean, you like animals…”

He was talking fast and I knew it was hard for him to talk about difficult subjects. I could tell he was nervous. But the words he said, they made a lot of sense. I had never wished for a dog but since I couldn’t really have a horse in this house, a dog could actually be the perfect stand-in.

“Think about it” dad said and turned on his heel and walked away.

A dog. I started dreaming about what it could be like and it didn’t take long until it felt like I could never survive without a dog. A little puppy who I could train and teach everything I wanted to. Someone who put its head in my lap whenever I was feeling down and someone who would chase butterflies with me in the park. Yes, I definitely needed a dog.

Mom and dad both went with me when it was time to meet the puppies dad had read about when he first got the idea. It felt good to go on a tour all three of us, almost as though we were a real family. A real family, on their way to pick up their first pet. It was a thrilling thought, even though it would only last until we came back home and parted ways again. But once there, I would have a dog. My own little dog.

There were three of them, two little girls and a little boy. Freya, Chloe and Niels. Three small adorable little pieces of fur. As I laid my eyes on them I felt my heart melt a little.

It should have been impossible to choose one, but it wasn’t. I fell in love with one of them instantly. In fact, how couldn’t I? Freya was very careful at first and she kept a safe distance from us. Every little sound had her jumping and instantly running away in another direction. And then another sound came and she needed to get away from it and in her escape she stumbled on her own paws and fell over in to a hurricane of fur.

She was entertaining and cute and for the first time in many weeks I smiled genuinely. “You want her, right?” Mom asked and nodded towards the little puppy. I nodded eagerly.

I took the braided toy out to play with my new little friend and I was so delighted to see that she picked up on the game straight away. She bit a firm grip of the toy and shook her head back and forth while making the sweetest growling sound. GRRGH! GRRGH!

I bent down a bit to get to her level and growled myself while pulling carefully in the toy’s other end. Freya jumped after the toy and was determined to not let go. It was a funny game and I don’t know whether it was me or her that was the most amused.

Once we were back home and Freya was settled in my room, there was a calm feeling spreading in my body. I picked my little girl up and she licked my nose and I just knew that we were going to be the best friends ever. It surprised me, that such a little creature could make me forget about the troubles I had and make me smile.

What confused me the most about her, was something completely different, though. As she was running in a circle on my floor and I stood smilling at her sillyness, it struck me that I had a strong need to tell Calum about this creature. I wanted him to meet her, so I called him and asked him to come over. And he agreed.

We stood close and just watched Freya entertain us. “I’ve missed you” Calum whispered and I pretended like I didn’t hear him because I couldn’t say the same. I hadn’t missed him, not even a little bit. Still, I was glad that he was back.

It just happens to be so, that a tiny little creature with fur, who kisses your nose and chases its own tail can be the one to fix a broken friendship.

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Freya is from yimiki’s story Until Death do us Part. You should check it out, it’s a lovely story and what strikes me the most is how talented yimiki is at describing the impact of animals in our lifes. 

Gen 5: Luna – Chapter 12: Saying goodbye

Yay, I managed to get the save to work! I don’t have Supernatural on my laptop, though, so Brick hade to get a new outfit. But yay, update! ❤

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I had never dreamed about experiencing love. Not until I met Brick. And now, I couldn’t imagine I would leave it behind. How would it even be possible to tell him goodbye?

Brick pulled me closer and I took a deep breathe to get a taste for his lovely smell. How it would be possible to live without it, I couldn’t understand.

“I-I l-love you” I stammered. Three short words, so important, so full of meaning. I felt proud for daring to utter them. It was true, my heart was truly wrapped up in him. There was nothing I wanted more than to be with him. Just him.

“I know Luna” he whispered back with a soft voice while pulling me even closer. My heart skipped a beat. Being this close to him, the one I truly and madly had fallen in love with.

Eventually, we pulled away from the hug but took each other’s hands instead. This whole summer felt like a dream. I had learned to ride, found love and been happy. It was surreal and I knew there had to be a catch because this was not my life. It was too good to be true.

“Two weeks” he whispered and his voice winced.

“We can still make it work, right?” I must have sounded desperate but there was no way I could go back to my old life. Not now, not after experiencing this.

Brick didn’t reply but I knew that he knew. It wouldn’t work, even if we really tried. This was the catch. I had been blessed with a happy summer, a lovely experience and it would be something to look back to. But it would end. Two more weeks, that was all I had.

“It’ll be okay” I said and kissed his cheek. I don’t know if I tried to comfort him or me.

Brick looked down and I thought I caught a glimpse of a tear on his cheek. He was hurting too, I knew that. But it wasn’t fair. He would stay here, in this dreamy, lovely place while I had to go back home. Back to being bullied. Back to being lonely.

“We’ll make the best of them two weeks” he whispered after a while and I nodded.

How does one go through two weeks of happiness while knowing there’s an end to it? I didn’t know the answer for it, but I knew I would do my best. I was going to bring a happy, colorful and worthy memory of Appaloosa with me home.

Every riding lesson, I pushed myself harder and harder. I wanted to be able to at least bring some of the experience from this summer with me home. And since I couldn’t bring Brick, I would bring my newly acquired riding skills. I wasn’t scared anymore, I could sit on Sailing’s back without any fear of falling off. I could even jump. And Brick had (of course) been right, I loved it. The speed and the adrenaline was amazing.

I put more and more effort in to the words I exchanged with Laila. I would miss her too, but we had promised each other to keep contact through phone calls and e-mails. She was the first female friend I ever had.

There was even a part of me that would miss Nyx. It may have been small since the majority of me was still terrified of her. But something about her made me think there was a cure for her. That I could somehow fix her, if I just managed to say the right thing. The problem was, that she didn’t exactly want to be spoken to. And I didn’t dare to cross her lines. So I waited for her to make the first move, and that didn’t seem to happen.

Most important of it all was no doubt Brick. It hurt more than I can possibly describe with words. I didn’t know how I would survive without him now that he had successfully built a nest within my heart.

Every kiss we shared those two weeks was magnificent. Every excursion we went for meant the world to me. Every word he said to me stuck like glue. Every time he touched me his fingers tattooed the surface of my skin. I knew his way of tattooing me was more permanent than ink and only I could see it.

There was no way I could leave him.

“Tomorrow” Brick whispered and his voice was filled with hurt, just like my whole body. We stood close and swung our bodies back and forth. I cried and Brick had his eyes closed.

“We still have the night” I said and tried to sound strong. It was hard, since I was slowly falling apart by the simple thought of losing him.

“It will be alright” I said for the millionth time in the last two weeks. I still hadn’t managed to convince either one of us but I had to keep trying. We had to believe it would be alright, that we would survive.

Brick turned his head away from me and sighed deeply. To see him hurt added even more pain to my own feelings. “I want you to have this” he said and turned around. He handed me a white box, delicately wrapped with a red silken bow.

“What is it?” I whispered and wiped a tear off of my cheek.

“Open it.”

I wanted to tear it open but controlled myself and carefully opened it. Inside the box laid a paper bundle, protecting its real content. He had really worked hard on wrapping it, I thought to myself while I removed the paper to reveal my gift. After a moment I managed to pull out the framed picture and I felt even more feelings rushing in my body.

Within the frame was a picture of him. He was smiling one of those smiles I loved and his eyes were shining with energy. He was gorgeous.

“I wanted you to be able to bring me home” Brick whispered and held me close. He continued to stroke my hair until I had calmed down.

The hours passed by quicker than I wanted them to. We both knew our time together was running out but we kept pretending that such wasn’t the case. I wanted to believe I had a lifetime to spend with Brick.

“I must say goodbye tonight” he suddenly said and I felt a sting in my chest.

“Why?” I wanted to know.

“Because I’m no good at goodbyes. I can’t just be there and see you leave. It’s impossible.”

I knew what he meant. I probably couldn’t see him be left behind as me and mom drove off either.

We still had some minutes and we made the best of them. Kisses, hugs and encouraging words. I wanted to bring some of his taste and some of his smell with me home.

If he was there, then how would I be able to get in the car?

“So, I guess this is goodbye then” I said when we had finally made it back to the house. I couldn’t help but cry. It was so unfair.

“I suppose it is” Brick agreed and kissed me again. He turned around right afterwards to not let me see him cry. “Bye Luna” he said and walked away. I nearly died.

“Are you okay?” Mom worried the next morning. I had cried the entire night and I still cried. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t leave him.

“It’ll be alright, honey” she said to try and comfort me but it was of no use. There was no words that could ever comfort me today.

I packed my things in a blur. Every memory, tucked down to a suitcase. I packed everything but the picture of Brick. I needed to keep that close to my heart. I needed to be able to look at it whenever I felt like it. My Brick, my love.

Mom didn’t say much else that day. She must have understood that I couldn’t be comforted. That she couldn’t heal me. Instead she let me go alone to the stables and kiss the horses goodbye while she loaded the pickup with our belongings.

In the stable only one stall was empty. Magnet’s. I knew that it meant I had said my last words to Brick and that he had fled the scene. There would be no more kisses, no more promises.

As mom started to drive home I begun to cry.

This day would be my death. I couldn’t survive leaving Brick behind. It would kill me.

Possible hiatus

Sorry for all the non-story posts! 😦 I don’t know if I posted here that I killed my finance’s video card. I tried playing the Lord save on my laptop last night to finish the next chapter but it was pretty much a dead end. I will try again today but I want to let you all know that Luna might be on hiatus until we get our new computer. It probably means for at least a couple more weeks.

I’m terribly sorry and I hope you understand. 😦

Twisted Color

Some of you might already know, but anyways… A while ago I started another story, a side project. It’s a random rainbowcy called Twisted Color.

Random Rainbowcy means that I follow a particular color scheme and that I roll for each generation (according to the Random Legacy Challenge rules) as for how that generation shall play out. I started it as a “relax save” but almost immediately grew so attached to my founder that it evolved to something bigger.

If you want to check it out, you find it over here.

 

20k hits!

OH MY, guys and gals! We flew over tge 20k hit mark a while ago. I knew we were getting closer to it and I started working on a treat to release once we hit it but something happened and we passed it a lot faster than I had planned for.

Hang in there though! I have something very special coming up for you all!

Thanks and much love. xx

Gen 5: Luna – Chapter 11: The unicorn

“Tell me everything!” Laila demanded to know the morning after my date with Brick. It was weird because she already felt like a true friend, even though I had only known her for a couple of weeks. I was happy to tell her about the date and I wasn’t even the slightest afraid that she would come to use any of it against me.

I think I secretly wanted to stay here. Freeze the time and live like a 16-year old girl in Appaloosa Plains forever. It would be so much easier.

“He’s so cute! You’re a lucky girl” she sighed with jealousy. I blushed because she inquired that I was dating Brick. And I didn’t know if one date counted, I wasn’t exactly experienced in the area.

“He might just want to be my friend…” I said to calm my own feelings but Laila laughed and made clear that she didn’t think that was the case. I didn’t even dare to wish for anything yet.

It’s weird because mom told me once that love acts in mysterious ways, that it’ll sneak up on you when you’re not expecting it to. She had told me about the first time she saw my father and that she had known that he was the right for her. Their story was rather tragic, I suppose and it didn’t exactly end well. But what I remembered now, was that first feeling of love she talked about. The surprise when you realize that it just hit you. I never thought it would hit me. I didn’t think my life would involve love at all.

But it seemed mom had been right. It was like a collision:

BAM! Luna Lord, you are in love. 

I couldn’t go a moment without thinking about him. About his smile, the lovely sleepy voice with the most charming accent one could imagine. His eyes that looked tired and energetic at the same time. His hands against my shoulders, my back or my hands. The feeling when he touched me, the feeling when he smiled. How he looked in a saddle. How amazing he looked when he did physical work in the stables and the muscles under his shirt stretched.

I went to the riding classes without actually focusing very much. I couldn’t remember what we had been taught that day. I just went through the days, waiting for the evening because it meant I could spend time with Brick in the stables.

I loved working in silence with him. Just the knowledge that we were alone with the horses. Just the two of us.

“How’s the ridin’ comin’ along?” My heart did a flip-flop as Brick spoke to me.

“Quite good” I said and tried to stay calm even though I was filled with feelings wanting to explode.

“I watched y’all today. You have a natural talent, y’know? You just don’t trust it yourself yet. But it shines through.”

I looked at him and waited for him to explain what he meant. I should have known him well enough to know that he wouldn’t, though. He rarely went deeper in anything he said. He was more the quiet type and that was what I liked.

Natural talent? I thought about it and remembered how it had felt the first time I had control over Sailing’s back legs. Her body had become an extension of my own body and it felt like it was me who turned to the left and right between the cones lined up in the paddock. She had understood my every moment without me needing to point it out very clearly, just small hints had been enough to get her to move as I wanted her to. After that, my riding had improved rocket fast.

“We’re going to jump tomorrow. I can’t wait for that!”

“It’ll suit you. I think you will enjoy that speed” Brick smiled and took my hands in his. That was a habit he had and I loved it every time I felt his rather dry hands in mine.

“You wanna go for a ride?” he suddenly asked and opened Magnet’s stall. None of us students were riding Magnet so Brick took him out now and then to keep him in shape.

“I think she needs to rest” I replied and looked at Sailing who seemed to have made herself comfortable in the stall.

“I mean with me, on Magnet.”

“Both of us?”

“Aye. Come.” He led Magnet out without even saddling him first. Once we were outside the stable, he helped me to get up on Magnet’s back before he graciously jumped up himself. “Hold on to me” he said before starting Magnet up. I took a firm grip around his body and a warm feeling rushed through my body.

We started riding slow but as soon as we were out on the street Brick gave Magnet a pat on the side and the horse instantly sped up. I could feel the happiness in the horse as he was allowed to stretch his legs and I held on to Brick even tighter.

I had never noticed how nice Brick smells before that. I just had to inhale extra deep to really get a taste for his smell. I knew right away that I would never forget it. The smell of countryside, leather, horse and a little hint of vanilla would from now on always make me think of Brick.

“We’re here” he said and graciously jumped off the horse before helping me off as well. The place was really nothing special. It was nothing but a field of grass with a couple of trees naturally growing and a river flowing by.

Brick sat down on the ground and patted on the spot next to him, motioning for me to follow him. I looked quickly at Magnet but Brick assured me that he wouldn’t go anywhere so I relaxed and went to sit next to him. We were just silent for a good amount of time. I liked that about Brick, the natural silence. It wasn’t the kind that you get nervous or annoyed with, it was the kind of silence I used to share with Calum (although I refused to think about him right now).

“Do you know anything about stars?” I asked after a while and looked towards the sky, where the stars shined bright.

“Not really” he confessed. “How ’bout you?”

I nodded and smiled. “Dad is pretty much obsessed with them. He’s into science, you know?” Brick nodded but knew better than to interrupt me, so I continued speaking, “You see there, that constellation is Monoceros. Or, the unicorn. It’s my favourite.” I pointed at a faint constellation I had learnt to see just because I liked the name.

“The unicorn..?” Brick said slow and thoughtful. “I like it.”

“You’re like a unicorn, Luna” Brick said a while later and I gave him a questioning look. “I mean, if I see them other gals like horses then you’re the unicorn ’cause you’re different. A bit better, y’know?”

He put his hand on top of mine and I wondered if the feeling of his rather dry skin against mine would ever stop getting my heart to make flip-flops. I hoped not.

I don’t exactly know how it happened, but as it got darker around us Brick moved closer and closer. He wasn’t afraid of the dark, so it surely wasn’t that.

Eventually he stood up and pulled me up with him. I didn’t even have a chance to object (not that I would have) before he pulled me in to a long, warming and passionate hug. “I like you so much, Luna the unicorn” he whispered in my ear while his hands played with my hair.

“I like you too” I whispered back and felt a wave of fear running through my body. I put so much at stake by falling for this guy and yet I couldn’t stop myself.

“There’s something I would like to…” Brick paused himself and searched for new words. “Close you eyes and stay put, please?”

The wave of fear made another tour in my body and was accompanied by a wave of panic. I knew what he was about to do and the memory of my first kiss passed before my closed eyes. It wasn’t that I didn’t want him to kiss me. It was just that I was so damaged. I didn’t know if I could do it.

He placed his hands on my arms and squeazed. The panic rushed but was now accompanied by that warm, tingling feeling I always got when he touched me. I couldn’t see him but I could feel his breath getting closer and closer to my face. A part of me wanted to push him away and run off to safety. Another part wanted to stay, longed for tasting those dry lips I had come to love the look of.

I never made the decision, there was no time. His lips closed the gap between us and we were kissing.

It was the most fantastic thing I had ever done! I had been a fool to think that my experience of kissing Calum would even count. That hadn’t been a kiss, it had been physical bullying and nothing else. Kissing Brick, on the other side, was just how I had pictured my first kiss in the first place. I had the butterflies in my stomach, I had the rushing feeling to my head, I felt how my fear ran off me. It felt right.

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I almost floated up the stairs. All the lights were off and I understood that everyone must have gone to sleep already. No wonder, it was way past curfew. With all the feelings speed-rushing in my body it would be impossible to sleep so I sank down in one of the armchairs with a goofy, content sigh.

“Yeesh, keep those thoughts to yourself, fake goth!”

Nyx’s voice almost scared me to death. I had been so certain that the room was empty but as I now looked around I noticed her glowing, piercing eyes staring straight forward next to me. “What?” I wondered, surprised and scared.

“I said, keep those thoughts to yourself!”

“I didn’t say anything…” I whispered. That girl caused my body to tremble.

“That’s why I said thoughts” she sighed and leaned backwards. It was just a moment before she jumped up and stood in front of me. She hissed and opened her mouth just enough to reveal two pointy canines. I curled up against the backseat and felt how my body begun to shake. “Those thoughts are better” she snarled and I felt her breath having a pungent smell of alcohol.

“Are you drunk?” I wondered, not even knowing where I found the courage to ask her anything. I regretted it instantly.

“Yeah, so? What are you gonna do about it, fake?” She sighed and sat down next to me again.

“But… Why?”

I had never met anyone of my age who had been drunk before. I doubt I had met anyone who had ever tried alcohol, to be honest. Not even Abel had ever come home drunk and he was quite the douche. For all I knew, alcohol was the devil in the shape of liquid and it wasn’t anything I even dreamed of trying.

“Why not?” Nyx replied and I noticed that she had let her anger run off her.

“Because it’s dangerous and damages your body and it makes you lose control and…”Nyx caught me off before I managed to finish my little speech, “Exactly my point.”

I felt confused and didn’t know what to say. It took a while, but eventually Nyx spoke again, “I need it to escape sometimes. It makes me feel less shitty. I’m not like you, I don’t feel happiness here, I don’t want to be here. I wish it was as easy to be me as it is to be you!”

She knows nothing about me, I thought to myself. If she did, she would know it’s not easy being me.

“I do too” Nyx said and I wondered for a moment if she could read my thoughts. But I knew that was impossible. Not even dad could do it, and he was supernatural and all. “It’s possible. I wish I couldn’t, you can’t believe everything I must listen to!”

“Anyways, I can’t see why I must be here. I don’t like horses or riding and it seems lots of people couldn’t go because I got this spot and it doesn’t seem fair. And it’s not like I will drastically change just by being here for the summer, is it?”

“I don’t know…”

“I wish they could just let me stay Lucky Palms. It’s my home. And I don’t exactly go kill people all over just because, you know…” Nyx seemed to fall asleep before she finished the last sentence and I took my chance to sneak off. She scared me and I didn’t feel like I could really talk to her. There was something about her that just felt off.

Luckily, I didn’t need to think about Nyx and her troubles or why she scared me as I tried to fall asleep. I could focus all my thoughts on the lovely blonde guy who I officially dated, and who thought I was a bit better than the other girls. I focused on love and that made falling asleep a piece of cake.

I had the most lovely dreams that night.

Gen 5: Luna – Chapter 10: The first date

“Horse racin’ is of course ’bout speed and technique. But that’s not all. You need a good bit of luck, too” Brick said as we were walking towards the horse race. The weather was perfect, the sun was shining but it wasn’t too hot. The perfect weather for horse racing, if I should believe Brick and I suppose I better in this case.

He had taken as his mission to teach me as much as possible on our way there and I was like a sponge, just sucking it all in. “There are different kind of races” he tought me. “We’ll see a Handicap race. That means they have measured how good each horse is and decided on their carrying weight according to their supposed skill. The meaning behind it is to make sure the race is even and fair. The supposed better horses will carry heavier weight which will mean a disadvantage against the slower horses.”

“But doesn’t the rider have the weight they have?” I wondered, not quite sure how it worked. I had learned that switching jockeys weren’t something you wished to do, since the jockey learned how the horse functions by experience.

“Ya, you’ll see once we get there what them jockeys have in common” Brick smiled. “If they need more weight they put lead in the saddle blankets. If they need less weight… Well, then that jockey won’t eat for days before the race. It’s not easy bein’ a jockey.”

“For days?!” I couldn’t believe it. How could they push themselves so hard physically if they were riding on empty stomachs?

When we arrived at the arena I quick realized what Brick had referred to when he said the jockeys had something in common. They were tiny! Not midget-tiny, but they were all small. A bit like me and Brick, I had time to think before I pushed the thought away. It was a long journey to become a jockey and even if we were both small it would take a lot more. Besides, I had never thought about actually working with horses.

Brick smiled at me, I must have looked quite funny when I tried to look at everything at the same time. The scene reminded me of a city where residents gathered for the market in the square and jostled to catch a glimpse of the best bargains. There was so much people! In the middle was a big sanded field of oval shape. It was still empty but soon the horses would compete against each other to be the first to cross the finish line and collect the big prize money.

The sound of the place was also something special. A mixture of quiet conversations between people, loud bets, horses snorting and a speaker voice proclaiming that today’s first race was going to be a real thriller.

The horses were nowhere to be seen but Brick said that they were in their stalls, being prepared for their upcoming race. “There’s lots to be done”, he said. “You have to groom them, braid the mane if it’s a female, put the right saddle on and weigh them. At the same time, you have to make sure they stay calm and that your own nervousness doesn’t rub off on them.”

Brick took my hand in his and guided me through the crowd. We were apparently going to place some bets, because that’s the main reason behind the races and he wouldn’t allow me to visit a race without trying it. I didn’t decide much on my own but I trusted Brick’s guidance and placed a small bet on Prince Valiant, who would pay off five times the bet if he would win. “And he will” Brick said confident.

We took place along the outlining rail to wait for the race to start. I wanted to sit at the grand stand first but Brick just snorted and said only the old and not so interested ones sat there.

“Look up there” Brick said and pointed up to the top of a tower. My eyes followed his finger and I saw men and women in fancy clothes and high hats. They didn’t seem to fit very well here. “They’re filthy rich, them people. Owns the horses they do” he said to explain. “One day I’m gonna sit there.”

“Wouldn’t you rather ride?” I asked, thinking of how skilled he was in the saddle. One of the best riders I had ever seen.

“No way! That’s darn too dangerous for me” he laughed. “Might be a trainer, though. That could be somethin’ for me.”

We never dove any deeper in that conversation because just then the jockeys started bringing their horses out on the track. The park went from bustling with noise to almost complete silence and everyone was watching the horses closely. I could feel how Brick stiffened next to me and I understood that I better be quiet now. “That’s him” Brick whispered when a black gelding passed close to the fence where we stood. The jockey who led the horse walked with proud and confident steps.

Prince Valiant was a beautiful horse. He looked slim and strong and I could imagine him running as a speeding bullet. The atmosphere in the park rubbed off on me and I felt nervous and hopeful.

When the race started the park instantly came to life again and people all around me shouted and cheered on their favourite horses. Me and Brick shouted at Prince Valiant and his jockey to ride faster and better as they passed our spot. It seemed to have effect and the gelding sped up just enough to pass the leading horse and conquer the lead.

It was an exciting and close race all the way to the finish but as the horses crossed the finishing line the speaker voice proclaimed that PRINCE VALIANT IS THE WINNER!

Brick jumped up and down and hugged me and I followed his lead. Our horse had won and that meant we had won five times our bets.

After that race followed a short pause until the next race would start and we decided to just rest our legs for a while. “I think Sailin’ could be a good racin’ horse” Brick said. “Molly doesn’t agree. She says Holsteiners are for show jumpin’ or dressage. I say she’s just stuck in old thoughts.”

I didn’t know enough about different breeds or horse’s personal skill to say anything in the matter so I sat silent. “I love this” Brick said after a moment. “The atmosphere, the people, the excitement, the speed. I love all of it.”

“It seems nice” I agreed.

When the next race started we had good spots at the railing again. This time I hadn’t placed any bets because I wanted to focus on all of the horses, not just the one I wanted to win. It was a good thing because when the horses galloped by I could imagine myself on their back’s. I could feel the wind to my face as we almost flew around the track. I realized that it had to be the ultimate kind of freedom.

“How does one become a jockey?” I asked Brick on the way home.

He took my hand in his and it sent tingles through my body. We stopped for a while and he turned me around so that we were facing each other and then he looked at me from top to toe. “What do you weigh?” he asked.

“What?” I was surprised, I didn’t know much of dates or guys but I knew enough to know that it wasn’t a question you asked on the first date.

Brick sighed. “I asked how much you weigh? That’s the first thing to consider if you wanna be a jockey.”

I blushed, “Oh. About 45 kg, I think.”

He turned me around again and started walking. “That would work. You’re pretty much fully grown, I suppose. Hard trainin’, then. And determination.”  We were silent after that. He probably knew that I was thinking about a way to become a jockey. After today, I couldn’t imagine anything I’d rather do than just that.

It wasn’t until we reached the gates to Bloomsville that he said anything again. “I think you should have brown hair again. It looks better on you.”

“I like it black” I said without much confidence and looked down at my shoes.

“Okay, you’re pretty anyway” he answered and I blushed. “I had fun today. We should do it again, sometime.”

“I’d love that” I said and blinked. It was so weird here. It was as though I didn’t exist and the girl who was standing here right now was someone completely different. Someone far from me. And yet I could feel that it was me. The physical reactions from my body were real. I was here and I was dating a cute guy.

Gen 5: Luna – Chapter 9: Efforts

“Why did you make me do it?” I stormed up to Brick as he was spreading the hay for the night and demanded to know. My first day at riding school had been far from successful.

Sailing Light was the devil in the shape of a horse. She had refused to even let me saddle her for almost an hour and by the time our practice for the day was over I had only just managed to get up in the saddle. When I led her back to her stall I had tears in my eyes and I wondered if the others would make fun of me because of my failures. Most likely.

“I didn’t” Brick smiled. “You made your own choice, love.”

“Don’t you dare to ‘love’ me!” I was furious. For some reason this guy caused an inferno of feelings within me.

“Hey hey! Calm done now, will’ya? I ain’t sayin’ it will be easy, alright. But I know you can do it.” He took a firm grip of my arms and looked at me, “None of them others could handle her. But I can feel that you can. Just go slow and steady, okay? Sailin’ likes you, she’s just darn stubborn, like I told ya.”

I relaxed a bit because his hands against my upper arms felt good. It made a calm feeling spread in my body and I sighed, “Okay.”

She liked me, he had said. I never even wondered how he could know such a thing, it just felt good that he had said it. She liked me. And he knew I could handle her. He put trust in me and that was such a rare thing to happen that I found myself with a strong will and determation for success. I didn’t come all the way to Appaloosa for failure. I would learn how to ride and I would manage to tame Sailing. I would!

“Are you alright?” Laila asked me when later that day, when we were sitting in our shared livingroom. Her voice was filled with honest worry. “I can’t believe they let such horses be on a riding school! They should have kind and calm horses!” She was upset for my sake and she felt truly sorry for me.

“It’s alright” I said, and felt surprised when I realized that I actually meant it. “She’ll come around eventually.”

“They should have handed her to someone more experienced. I mean, it’s easier to learn the basics if the horse actually cooperates.” She said comforting.

“Yea… I suppose. But I know I can do it.”

“Oh yea, that’s not what I meant” Laila hurried to explain. “It’s just, you know the first experience and all.”

I liked her. She was kind and friendly. I wonder if she would be that way if she knew what my life was like at home. She reminded me a bit of myself, before I changed my appearance. Ordinary, friendly and somewhat weak and eager to please others.

“Thanks Laila” I said and meant it. Before she managed to say anything else there was a loud sound coming from the stairs. Someone was walking with heavy steps. Judging by the sound of it, the person coming up was doing its best to make as much sound as possible. It didn’ come as much of a surprise to Luna when Nyx’s multi-colored hair came in sight.

Even though I didn’t know why, I was scared of this girl. Perhaps because Brick had warned me about her, perhaps because she had been so negative at the introduction. Whatever reason, the pure presence of Nyx sent shivers through my body and both me and Laila was suddenly unable to speak.

“What?” Nyx hissed when she had finished her noisy trip upstairs. “Flame Head and Fake Goth suddenly lost the ability to speak?”

When neither me or Laila replied, Nyx scowled, “One could at least hope here would have been decent people, but no!” I looked at Laila, who looked about as scared as I felt. We had indeed lost the ability to speak.

Nyx slammed the door to her bedroom and left me alone with Laila in the livingroom again. The three of us were the only students living at the centre this summer since the other two students lived in Appaloosa already. “What’s her problem?” Laila whispered when we were sure Nyx couldn’t hear us anymore and I shrugged, “Who knows?”

Fake Goth. The words echoed in my head as I tried to fall asleep. Fake, fake, fake. How could she possibly have me figured out already? How could it be that Nyx already knew that this wasn’t me? That the black make-up, the short skirt, the broken stockings and the short dark, cocky hair was as far from my personality we could come.

I was fake, but I had to be, right? It was survival instincts, right? Not everyone noticed, right?

---

I haven’t always loved mornings. Every new day used to mean more tormenting, accelerating bullying. But here, in Appaloosa Plains, on Bloomsville Equesterian Centre, a new morning meant more riding and more stuff to learn. And as I opened my eyes this morning, I just knew that this would be the day that I finally managed to reach Saling Light.

I had started going down to the stable early in the morning to help Brick with the morning routines. It basically involved feeding, brushing, clean their hooves and sometimes cleaning the stalls. I thought it was the perfect idea on how to get closer to Sailing and Brick just seemed happy to get some company.

“Here you go, girl. It’s carrots, your favourite” I said and petted her muffle. I was glad that we had come this far. That I was able to pet and hug her. She even let me saddle her without too much fuss.

“See, she’s startin’ to come around. She likes you, I told ya so” Brick’s accent heavy, sleepy voice was like music to my ears. Usually we did the morning feeding in silence but occassionally he said a word or two. Mostly it was about how happy he was that I was the one riding Sailing this summer.

“Yea, I think so. We’re getting there with the riding, too” I said and smiled towards him.

Saling seemed to be in a good mood today and didn’t nibble or stomp at me a single time during the morning routines. I had a good feeling when it was time for the day’s class to begin. “What do you say Sailing, are we actually going to focus on riding today?”

I lowered the stirrups and careully placed my one foot in it. It was still a scary thing to do, since you could never know if Sailing would approve or not. I slowly placed more and more weight on the foot in the stirrup and watched closely for any kind of reaction from my horse but she was standing still and calm. I took a shot and threw my one leg over, straddling her. And it worked! It worked! 

But then, once I was up in the saddle there was another obstacle to conquer: Actually riding her. She didn’t look this big from the ground but it felt like I was an eternity above ground. “Good job there Luna” Molly shouted somewhere in the distance. “Now give her a push with your heels to get her to move.”

And it was just that, getting her to move, that I was terrified of. 

I did start her up though and I held on to the reins so hard that my knuckles turned white. The world around me was nothing but a blur. I couldn’t focus on anything else than staying on Sailing’s back and I realized that I didn’t trust her for one bit. It sways more than you would think on a horse’s back.

She started walking slowly and as the minutes passed by I started to become aware of my surroundings again. I did it, I was riding!

Brick was filling up water in one of the horses vats and as we passed him he waved towards me, while smiling widely. “I knew you could do it! You go, Luna!” he yelled.

I could feel the change in my entire body when the mouth formed a smile and I started to relax a bit in the saddle. I was riding Sailing Light, the darn stubborn mare, and it was going well. I loosened the grip of the reins and decided to use my one hand to wave back to Brick.

*BAM*

I shouldn’t have done it. Losing the hold of the reins caused me to slip right out of the saddle and I landed with a thud on my bum on the hard ground. Dust swirled up around me and maybe that was what caused tears in my eyes, or maybe it was the pain in my bum  or the shame and humiliation.

“Just get up there again. It was going fine, you can do it Luna” Brick, who had hurried up to me, whispered in my ear as he helped me back on my feet. “Unless you’ve fallen off at least once you haven’t put enough effort in.”

I smiled towards him and pretended to wipe some dust off my face, when it really was tears. I hoped he hadn’t seen.

I was back up in the saddle within no time, even more determined to get the hang of this whole riding thing. I was the only one of the students who had fallen off, and if you should believe Brick (and I did in this matter), that meant I was the only one who had put enough effort in. That must mean something, right?

After my fall everything went smooth that day and Molly said I and Sailing would possibly be ready to trot the next day. It was my biggest success in life this far!

After a nice, warm shower I felt happy and satisfied with the day. I would go down to help Brick with the evenings chores later, but until then I had a few hours to just relax.

I had just fallen asleep on top of the bedspreads when a familiar sound woke me up. It took me a moment to realize it was my phone. I looked at the screen to see a dozen of notifications. 9 missed calls. 15 texts.

Calum. I had totally forgotten about him! We had talked on the day of my arrival but ever since then I hadn’t brought my phone with me at any point and once it was time to go to bed I was usually so exhausted that I fell asleep right away.

All the texts looked quite the same: “Luna! I miss you, I hope you’re fine”, “I hope you not responding means you’re having fun”, “I miss you Luna”, “Luna, it feels like it was forever since I spoke to you. Can’t you at least answer on my texts?”, “Are you mad at me or something? I miss you. Please just write something.”

I sighed. Calum belonged to another life, one wehere I wasn’t allowed to feel happiness or be good at stuff. One where I couldn’t work in a stable all day long. One were Brick couldn’t give me extra tips on how to improve my riding. There was no room for Calum in this life. But, a little part of me did feel sorry for him and that little part decided to answer to one of the texts: “Calum! I’m sorry, it’s so busy here. I barely have any free time. Riding is fantastic and the horses here are beautiful. Not as Silver, but still. See ya in a couple of weeks.”

Once the message was sent away I felt a bit sad. I don’t really know why, but maybe because his name reminded me of that disgusting kiss and the life I had back home. Maybe because I realized I had to go back there at some point. Maybe it was shame for not missing him.

I didn’t have time to dwell in it too long because mom entered the room shortly after. “Luna” she said. “That young guy was looking for you. He wondered if you wanted to help him wash the horses off?”

“Brick?” I asked, all the sad feelings running off me in an instant. “I’ll be back later!”

I was used to the smell in the stables by now, but it made me happy non-the-less. It was a special atmosphere in the stable, different smells mixed with the sounds of the animals. Sailing Light neighed recognicially as I entered. Brick said it was because she was starting to trust me.

We worked in silence next to each other. The heavy physical work with spreading hay in the stalls pretty much demanded silence. The only sound I would be able to get out would have been grunting anyway. But once we were finished, Brick asked me to sit down in the further end for a chat.

“There’s a horse race comin’ up this weekend” he said once we were seated. “You ever been to one?”

I shook my head no.

“I was thinkin’ maybe you’d like to come with me?” he wondered and I looked at him surprised. Let it be that I was a different person here, but a cute guy asking me to go with him for a date? Was it even a date? Who cares, of course I wanted to go!”

“I’d love to!” I said and Brick placed a hand on my leg and smiled once I had agreed. It didn’t feel tense or weird at all. “Great” he said, “I’ll get us some tickets then!”

Gen 5: Luna – Chapter 8: Arriving in Appaloosa Plains

I rolled down the window and let the warm winds gently stroke my cheeks. As we drove through the fertile landscape my short black hair flew backwards and danced with the wind. I noticed that the air outside the car didn’t smell of combustion gases as it did at home. Instead, it smelled of nothing.

Big fields, in colors I didn’t even know existed in the wild, stretched as far as my eyes could see. A house or two and pens with horses, cows and lambs swooshed by my window as we drove by. I took a deep breath and was caught with an urge to scream out loud. I felt happy.

Mom stopped the car outside a big riding centre and I got out with nervous steps. The ground beneath my heavy boots was sunny, warm and dry. It probably hadn’t rained in a while. For the second time in only a couple of hours I took a deep breath and felt the fresh air travel through my lungs. It was as though the air itself fixed something within me that I didn’t even know was broken. It smelled remotely of shit here by the centre but I didn’t mind. The air was still far from as smelly as home anyway. Besides, shit smells a hundred times fresher than combustion.

The sign leading towards the path to the house said Bloomsville Equesterian Centre and the realization about me staying here for several weeks this summer hit me like a truck. Amaaaazing.

The house heaped up like a white castle in front of me. It looked as though it had been recently painted. My eyes hungered for more and greedily devoured their surrounding. A white house with blue corners, apple trees with ripes, a big stable with an attached pen, a dressage ground, a dark haired woman carefully petting a dark bay horse. And a guy of my age with long blonde hair, working with spreading hay in the horses pen. It was all so beautiful.

“Luna?” mom said and I understood that she must have asked a question, which I, for some reason, never heard.

“Huh?” I replied without looking at her. I just couldn’t stop looking at all that other stuff. It was a strange feeling. As if I belonged here.

Mom never asked that question again but still managed to get me to move from that wonderful spot on the yard. We were shown to a room at the second floor where we would stay during the upcoming weeks. “Laila will stay in the room next to you” the woman who showed us to our room said. I had no clue to who Laila was but I figured she must be one of the other riding students.

“Why don’t you go check on the horses?” mom asked once we had finished packing up. It was probably what I longed for the most at this moment so I happily agreed. I couldn’t understand that I was going to be here, at this amazing facility and in this amazing town for my entire summer.

The doors in to the stables were made of strong wood and I had to push harder than I first thought to get them to open. A loud squeak was heard as they swung open.

It was lighter than I had expected it would be in the stable but I quickly realized that the reason was the windows at the back. The front of the stable had lacked windows completely. The smell inside the stables hit me right as I stepped through the door. It was a mix of shit, fur, hay and horses. I instantly loved it.

I took a quick look around, counting to six horses in total. None of them were white as Silver but they were all incredibly beautiful. They are such magnificent creatures, horses. I slowly walked up to one of the stalls to read what the horse’s name was and to take a closer look.

“Cottage Son” I read out loud and slowly traced my finger along the carved wooden sign. Within the stall stood a dark bay Holsteiner. His eyes were dark brown and something about the way he looked at me told me he was an energetic little ruffian.

“Hey there Cottage” I said and stroked his muffle. He nudged against me and I understood that he was not only energetic, but also a social one and that he enjoyed this kind of attention.

“He’s a beauty alright, but come ‘ere” a voice said from further down the stable. It caught me by surprise since I hadn’t seen anyone in here when I first came. “Come on then, I’ll show you who’s the best star of ’em all” the voice continued, a bit more impatient now. I looked towards the sound and saw that the blonde guy I had seen earlier was standing at the furthest stall, petting a mare.

I let Cottage Son sniff my hand quickly before I started moving towards the boy and the mare. My steps echoed against the cold cement and I almost felt as though I was intruding, even though I knew I had every right to be here.

“This is Sailing Light” he said once I was close enough. His voice was a bit trailing and he had the most lovely countryside accent I’ve ever heard. “She’s the best darn mare I ever met” he continued.

“And why is that?” I found myself resisting his words, his charm and his entire personality. There was something about him that dragged me towards him, but I wasn’t going to let myself unshield that easily. Because of this, my words came out rather harsh.

“Well you see, Sailing is…” his voice trailed off again. “She ain’t like them rest. She’s the most promisin’ horse we have but plumb stubborn she is. She have to have it her ways, y’know? Well, I like that.”

“Hm” I mumbled, not really knowing what to answer.

“Who are you, by the way? I don’t recollect you from any of them pictures.”

“Pictures?” I wondered and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re one of them students, aren’t you?” his voice was impatient again. I didn’t like that he talked to me like that, like I had trouble understanding or something.

“Yes” I answered short.

He sighed and asked in an exaggerated slow way and forced himself to avoid the accent, “T-h-e-n w-h-o a-r-e y-o-u-?”

I wanted to dislike him but there was something about him that I liked, even though he had the worst attitude I’ve encountered in a long time. I decided to switch tactic and play it nice and friendly. “I’m Luna Lord and I’m sorry but I don’t know what pictures you’re talking about.”

“There we go. Luna you say, hm? I remember you. Good-lookin’ gal. You had long brown hair, didn’t ya?”

I nearly choked, right there on the spot. This guy just said my name and good-looking in the same sentence. That was certainly a first time. I felt my cheeks turn red and I smiled. Way to go Luna, act like a little school girl. Hopefully, I managed to gather myself before he noticed, “I did. But I grew tired of it and cut it. And colored.”

He mumbled something but I couldn’t hear it so I just stood quiet and looked at Sailing Light in her stall. “You ain’t lookin’ like them other gals now” he stated after a moment.

“Which gals?” I couldn’t help but to make fun of his accent but I immediately regretted doing so.

“Them riding girls comin’ here for the summer. I’ve been ‘ere many years now and I never seen someone look like that.”

I didn’t know what to reply. I wished there was more of the new Luna in me, that it had changed my personality as well. I wanted to be able to talk to people without looking stupid. Why was it that I always felt so shy and nervous around others?

“Oh, that’s right” he said after a while and I looked at him questioning. “There’s another like you comin’ this summer. I didn’t like her from the picture. Looked quite mean actually. You better stay off her back, y’know. Nyx is her name.”

I laughed because if there was something I knew how to do, it was to stay off someone’s back. Practically what I’ve been doing my whole life. “That’s funny?” he wondered.

“Nah. But I remember that, I’ll stay away from Nyx.” I started to walk away from him, feeling like we were done now. I didn’t like this feeling of curiosity and interest growing within me and I needed some space from this guy.

“I’m Brick!” he shouted after me. “And remember to choose Sailin’ tomorrow, will ya? I don’t want any of them others ridin’ her. Okay?”

---

“Welcome to Bloomsville’s Equesterian Centre” the dark haired woman greeted us the next morning. There were five of us girls standing before her. “I’m Molly and I’ll be your teacher during these weeks. You’ll learn to love and hate me, that’s for sure.” She had a joking tone and I thought to myself I would probably love her more than hate her.

“Along with my nephew Brick, who you all will get to meet soon, I’m running this place. We breed Holsteiners. You probably already know that they are known for their jumping capabilities. Although, they can also make very fine dressage horses. Here at Bloomsville, we train them for both. Later on this summer, you will all get to choose a way to go with your individual training, be that jumping or dressage. But first of all, I would like you all to introduce yourself. Tell us your name, your riding experience and why you decided to come to Bloomsville this summer. We’ll start by you on the further right.” Molly pointed at a red haired girl who looked rather nervous. Probably just as I looked to be fair.

“Me? Oh. I’m Laila Issac. I’m from Riverview… I’ve been riding for about two years now. I’ve mostly trained jumping, but I look forward to try dressage as well. I decided to apply here because I felt that I needed a new challenge in my riding.”

“Alright. Hello Laila, I hope we can provide that extra challenge. I’m sure we’ll find a way.” Molly said and then looked at the next girl in turn.

“I’m Emeralda Greenwood. I’ve always loved horses but we could never afford riding lessons before. I worked hard to be able to come here and I really, really look forward to it. I hope that I one day can be a well-known dressage rider.”

“Hello, I’m Tansy Thane. I’m here from Appaloosa. I’ve tried riding once or twice and I really look forward to learning it from scratch. I’ve applied three summers in row and now I finally got in.” The girl next to her, who hadn’t introduced herself yet, snorted before she begun her introduction:

“I’m Nyx Montigo. I’ve never done any riding and I don’t know if I even look forward to it. I’m here because they thought that would be good for me. A way to get me on a new track, they said. We’ll see, I suppose.” The girl, who I understood must be the other one like me, looked angry and irritated. I would indeed do best in avoiding her, I realized.

And suddenly it was my turn. I had no idea what to say and it felt like the others’ eyes burnt holes in me. I blushed and hurried to start speaking, “My name is Luna Lord, I’m from Twinbrook. The first time I saw a horse I knew I liked them. They’re incredible as friends. I’ve never ridden, though. It’ll be fun to learn.”

“Alright, welcome again all of you” Molly said and smiled. “I’m sure we’ll have lots of fun together. Now, I think it’s time for you to meet our horses. Brick will bring them here, one by one, and introduce them a bit. After that, you’ll get the chance to choose the horse you wish to ride this summer. We’ll help of course since we have an eye for seeing which horse will fit which rider.”

Brick led all the horses in one by one and gave them all a short introduction. He didn’t say anything about Sailing Light being the most promising horse or his personal favourite. Instead, he said: “Sailin’ Light here, she’s a stubborn one. She can be a darn good jumper but she needs good handlin’ and can be quite grumpy. She wants things her way, y’know.”

When all the horses had been introduced no one picked Sailing Light as their favourite. Except for me, I mean. I don’t know why I did it. I didn’t intentionally intend to. But then, I felt it as though I already had a connection with her, since I was the only one knowing that she was the most promising of them. That she was the best star of ’em all.

I was handed Sailing Light, of course and the first thing that happened when I tried to close up to her was that she stomped frustrated in the ground and nibbled for me. It scared me and when I looked towards Brick he just smiled widely and winked. Just great, fudging great.

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I’ve had the honor to use some sims from other simmers in this chapter. As follows:

• Laila Issac by Arrowleaf
• Nyx Montigo by TheNay83
• Tansy Thane by ZephyrGirlSim