The Torn (Open and accepting)

[vega.]

"Obviously, you weren't trying hard enough. If you want to get away from them, my father is gone for the month you can stay at my place but really, if you want something to happen, you have to do it right." I replied, resting my head on my palm. He had a good reason to be upset, and why was I criticizing him? Most likely because I am not exactly modest and I have fallen and had been broken and rebuilt and broken and rebuilt so many times I had lost the heart of be so easy on everyone. I picked at the corner of the page with my finger in thought.

[Snapel]

Steven
"No thank you, I wouldn't even consider living with someone who only wants to criticise me, your no better then my parents" he replied then put the book on the table. He turned to the door and left without another word.

[vega.]

I only turned when I heard the door shut, and sighed. I just always had to mess up. I knew I should've gone with my father to Canada. Why didn't I just do that? I spent a few more minutes inside the silent room, then I realized that I should stop thinking about what I could've done, and begin to think about what I could do now. I packed everything in my back-pack and raced towards the door, ramming my foot in the leg of the desk. I hopped on foot or a small while until the pain got dull, and whipped the door open, trying no to fall over my feet with the heavy bag on my back. I didn't see Steven in the library, and looking around the corner of one shelf, I could see the main doors just closing. "He walks really fast." I thought, jogging down to the entrance I tossed the key in front of Reed, catching him by surprise. I breathed a quick farewell and opened the door, looking back each way of the street. Did he go left, or right? I stopped at the foot of the stairs, trying to peer over the crowds of people.

[Snapel]

Steven shook his head slightly to clear his mind as he walked away from the library and down an alley out of sight. Since he was now done with the library he decided to go to his next favourite place. It wouldn't take him long to get there despite it being at the edge of town. Steven didn't mind having to walk either because it would give him time to calm down and think about what just happened.

[LoliNeko]

When Terra finally reached the edge of town, she sighed. "only about another mile to the agency...." she mumbled to herself, tossing a large boulder that had rolled onto the road in the woods beside her.

[vega.]

- this is just a little filler. If you don't want to read it, Jodie is planning on going to a party on the outskirts of town with her friends by horse back.



I spotted Steven's head and rushed after him, squeezing through the crowds. As I crossed the street, a group of people were crossing it as well, heading the opposite direction. After I reemerged, he was gone, just…poof. I panted silently and ran my fingers through my thick, platinum hair to clear my view. I took a deep breath, and rested my hands to my side. I would never find him in the city. I walk across the street, heading down the block with my head hanging in though to Cafe Diem, A local coffee shop favorite. Spotting a familiar face I grin kindly, "Hey Payge. What are you doing here?" I asked her. She shrugged, her poofy red hair blowing in the breeze, "I'm waiting for Clara and Westly, we're heading out of tows this evening. Well, out skirts of town. There, we're meeting up with Our entire class to celebrate the holidays." She said excitedly. She was always the hyper, and I wondered how she managed to keep her freckled face to pale this fall. "Do you want to come? It's till nine." She suggested. I gave a light shrug and pulled out my phone. Perhaps a little party could help me take my mind off my mistakes for the little while. I texted my mother, asking if I could go with Payge to that party, and paused mid-text, "Where is it?" I glanced up at Payge, "Oh, it's at BriarWood, near the lake." She replied. I smiled before finishing my test, "Hey, I know a trail all the way down there. It's like three miles out, right? We could take our horses there." I said. I practically began to bounce as my mother agreed. Payge was leaning over my shoulder an clapped her hands quietly, "Yes! That's brilliant. You're taking Freedom, I'm taking Charity, Clara can ride Avril and I'll make sure Westly takes Poseidon." She said, and we both laughed. Freedom was my Irish Sport, Payge road at my stables with her Mustang, Charity. Avril was a sweet Pony of the America's while Poseidon was a New Forest Pony with loads of attitude. Westly and Clara also rode at Winter Raven, it's what let us become close friends. After a little while, Payge couldn't stand the silence and poked my shoulder, "Let's get something to drink while we wait." She said. I nodded, Alright." We both stood and entered the cafe, and while we waited in line thoughts about her research and Steven flooded my head again. I wished I could call him and apologize, but s I gave him my number, he never gave me his. I stared at my phone cover with unreadable expressions.

[Snapel]

Steven thought about what he had said to Jodie as he walked across a quiet street to the edge of town. He looked at his watch then wondered if anyone else would be at the sports centre at this time. He silently hoped that there wouldn't be anyone there so he could practice alone.

(That's fine)

[vega.]

- well, you can obviously tell I was extremely bored. Briar wood is actually near the Sports Center and to the other side a little neighborhood and her horse is just grazing around the lake along with her friend's horses as well.



We both sat down at a table on the oust door patio. I was rarely sipping up my latè as I tried to map out BrairWood. I already knew that my stables were three miles away, but I was interested to learn what was around it. About a mile off, there was a sports center in a small neighborhood and across the lake there was a outdoor camp that was obviously close because it was fall, not summer. I lifted my gaze to see Westly and Clara both walking at a quick pace towards the cafe. Westly's normally combed hair was a wind blown mess. He didn't take any mind, in fact he smiled when he saw me, "You're coming too?" He asked. I gave a nod. They both sat down at the table, and I passed Clara the caramel frappe Payge and I ordered for her. Clara moved her thick, mahogany colored hair out of her face, "I was going to text you, but I know how busy you are. It's crazy how much you work on the weekends." She finished, swirling her straw in her drink. I shrugged "I have to do something with my hands!" I called, lifting both gads off the table. We all chatted for what felt like ages until it was finally three. "Time to go." Clara said. "I'll meet you all down at the stables soon, I'm just going to change into something a bit more presentable." I said. Right now I only wore a striped blue shirt and white denim jeans and my hair was just every where. I also wanted to change into darker jeans because on a horse, white ones get messed up. They nodded "Alright, but be quick about it. Even though I know you're really fast. By the way, are you trying out for the cross country this fall? Or are you going for track in the spring?" Payge asked me. I shrugged, "Like professional swimming and riding isn't enough?" We laughed and we all headed down the road to meadows where my ranch was located. I parted away from them to get into my house and quickly changed into a white shirt and brown leather jacket with dark jeans and soft leather boots. I then put my bright hair into a fishtail braid and ran out the door. When I reached the stables, they already had all the horses out, and Westly gave me my helmet, "Thanks, let's get going." I said, walking towards my Freedom and swung myself over the tall stallion's back. I could already tell tat he was itching with excitement since I have not rode him today yet. I waited until everyone else was on their horse and started off at a walk. The trail was about thirty minutes, and for five minutes we talked, then trot for fifteen, then there was an opposite trail for jumping which Payge and I galloped down at a thundering pace. Charity, her thoroughbred was fast, but oh, could Freedom jump. As we neared the first jim, which was about one meter and forty inches, Freedom leaped over it with a powerful final stride. There were about twelve jumps, and Charity and Payge knocked one down on the sharp turn. "Charity likes the open field." I called to her over the sound of the wind and hoof-beats, "Yea, but she's got speed." Payge replied. The last jump was a combination of three, two verticals at one stride and the final huge oxer at two strides. While Freedom jumped the combination with a grunt, Charity was too long on her second vertical and ended up knocking down the first pole. We made the rest of the way at a canter. "You'll get it next time." I reassured. She's only been riding for five years, while I had been riding for nearly ten now. We took a short cut near the Sports Center and caught made it to BriarWood. There were already a lot of people, and we trotted into a huge field where everyone was talking. They greeted us and fed our horses some fruit they brought along, and then I pulled away and cantered down to the lake. Westly, Payge and Clara followed me down to the shore. "Party's up there, Jo." Payge pointed out. I took my time to answer, and dismounting Freedom and pulling his reins over his head, "Freedom likes a quiet space with water and grass to graze on." I said. After leading her through the wooden gate she threw the reins back over his head and made two sharp clicking noises. He bobbed his head was now free to graze. "This part of the are is fenced in, so I thought why not?" I sighed before taking my helmet off. Clara could obviously see something wrong and walked in next to me. "What's bothering you in such melancholy?" She asked, Payge and Westly both had gone up to joint the others in the socializing. "You know Steven? He's in your homeroom, I think." I said. Clara nodded after a moment, "Yea, why?" She asked me. Are you crushing on him, or something?" she added, amused. I looked up at her with disbelief, "What? Well, no, maybe…shut up." I stutter. clara just laughed. "Anyways, we ran into each other in the library and I…said a few things I shouldn't of. Now he hates me." I took a deep breath. I felt a little better to get that off my shoulders. "Hate's a strong word. You said something about his parents, didn't you?"Clara also grew a bit more emotional. I looked up to her wondrously, "Yea, how'd you know?" She tilted her head, "If you were in Mr.Bartowskie's too, you would understand. Anyways, did you say apologize?" She asked. I shook my head, looking back towards the shimmering lake and the autumn colors dancing in the scenery. "No, he left before I could attempt to do that. He probably wouldn't forgive me, anyways." I breathed. Clara nudged my shoulder, "Come on, you're a strong girl. We'll run into him again, no worries. For now, let's enjoy the little Fall festivities set up there." She urged. I smiled and nodded, "I can never say no." We laughed before heading up and just greeting people and talking about everything that's happened in the year so fa, and it got my mind off of Steven for a while.

[Snapel]

Steven gave a small wave to the receptionist as he entered the sports centre. She said hello and told him that there was only two other people in today which suited him fine. He quickly asked if the training track was free so he could set up the hurdles, she said it was, he thanked her then exited through a door that led to the tracks.

(Can you tell I'm not in a creative mood today?)

[vega.]

- I had one of those days where I'm sick, nothing goes right, and I just failed today and so:

After a long while of socializing, we all decided to have a few races before we hit the snacks. So we set up a corse through the forest that was half the way around the lake. The first one it was just a race, and there were six people in each turn. There was only about twelve people who wanted to try, so it went by fast. I took second in my heat, because Jake, who sat in front of me was a runner. They pulled the top two from each heat for a final race. This time, they added ninety centimeter make-shift hurdles out of balance logs. They didn't' bounce back up again for the next person, so the eight of us had to go one by one. I went last, which was good because I knew I everyone's times I had to beat to me the 'awesome one' as Payge called it. There were ten of them, stretched out along the course. Everyone could do it in five minutes average. Jake had the best time, but had one fault. I took my jacket off and waited for the starting signal. the friendly little cheers echoed in my head. Then the whistle went off and I was gone, making sure I didn't slip on the leaves. I was happy my boots were light, because each jump was ninety centimeters. I cleared it with a few centimeters to spare. The last one was where every one failed. It was a double jump, basically. The first jump eighty centimeters, like a normal hurdle, but after two strides you had to make a hundred centimeter jump. I remembered when I was thirteen, I'd go and play around in the riding arena with Payge and Clara and we'd jump the poles. I could make a hundred, I knew I could. I was actually 'practicing' for a one-o-ten jump at the moment on my free time. All clears. I approached the final two jumps with my last bit of power and hopped over the eighty then shortly after words leapt over the hundred, stretching out so I didn't hit it. When I landed the pole was untouched and I sprinted the last five meters. Every one was cheering, and I was red faced and panting. Jake walked over and we gave each other high-fives. "You're like a real horse." Westly joked behind me. I tilted my head, "Maybe I am. Perhaps that's why I'm going into the cross country championships with Freedom." I breathed. The walk back to the main building cooled me off, and I tied my jacket around my waist. Payge hopped up next to me "You can do anything! She exclaimed. I shook my head, No, I can't. She rolled her eyes, "Are you kidding? you can run, jump, ride, swim, do combat, draw, and you're clever! You're talented in pretty much every way."She pointed out. I chuckled to myself. That's what friend say all the time, but even people who I hardly knew would say the same. "But remember, I can't dance or sing. I suck at geography too." I said. I could read map and mark directions, but I just was much slower than most of the other students at it. "Part-true. Oh, lord, I remember the last time you tried to sing." wetly said in a dramatic tone. I punched him square in the shoulder, "Rude." and her rubbed the spot where I pounded him. He knew I was only playing around. We joined all the others in the building and played more games like, spin the bottle, truth or dare, karaoke, (Which Westly had to carry me onto the stage- and just random things. After that was over, I took my free time to relax next to Freedom. He was laying down next to me, his neck against my legs and I ran my fingers through his main was watching the sun lower underneath the clouds.