***
I waited patiently for Heather. After about ten minutes, she appeared behind me.
"Stand up. Let's go stroll," she said happily. I smiled and stood up.
We walked together, exploring the ranch. We went to parts of the ranch where we used to play.
"Hey, Heather?"
"Yes?"
"Remember that little lake not far from the ranch where we used to go to play?"
"Oh yes, I remember."
"Should we go?"
Her smile faded.
"No, we can't. Well, I can't."
"Why?"
"Mom would scold us. She says it's dangerous. Especially because it's out of the ranch. Anything can happen to us there."
"But we used to play there."
"I know. But I really don't want mom screaming at me."
"She's still so strict?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, I see," I changed topic. "Sawyer said she doesn't like me. Do you know why?"
"She said that??"
"Yeah."
"I don't know. Maybe it's because she doesn't know you well. Give her time. Sawyer is very stubborn you know."
"I noticed. Nothing to do with you."
We went into the stable where horses were kept. We greeted the employees and offered to help feed the horses.
As we fed them, I noticed a beautiful white horse. It looked a lot like strike, my own horse. I ran to it.
"Wow! This horse is beautiful!"
Heather joined me.
"Really?" she asked, giving it a carrot.
"Yeah!"
"Dad gave me this one. He said when I'll be ten I could learn to ride it. I called her Dove."
"Wow. She looks a lot like my own horse. As white too. But mine is a stallion. Strike."
"Oh, that's nice," she caressed her horse.
"Maybe when we'll grow older we'll ride our horses together. Right?"
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea."
I smiled at her and she smiled back, her cheeks reddening. Heather was my first crush.
"Heather??" Sawyer called, coming into the barn.
"Yes?"
"We were supposed to play together." she grumbled, pouting her lips.
"Sure. We will play. But with Sheridan too."
Sawyer turned to me.
"I don't want to play with him!"
"Why?" Heather asked.
"It was supposed to be only the both of us, Heather!" she cried.
I got it. Sawyer didn't like me because she felt that with me around, her sister would not play with her anymore or spend more time with her.
"Cmon, Sawyer. It'll be fun. Let's play hide and seek. I'll count," I proposed in a friendly manner.
She looked doubtful.
"Don't worry, Sawyer. He's right. It'll be fun. We'll hide while he looks for us. We'll give him a hard time," Heather giggled.
Sawyer smiled. Finally.
"Okay. The last person found wins!" she screamed happily.
"Fine," I replied and went to the wall. "One...two...three..."
I heard them giggle and run to go hide.
-
I reached fifty and started my search.
"Where are you??" I shouted while I looked around.
I searched for quite a while to no avail. I went into the barn and that was when I spotted Sawyer hiding behind a stock of hay. I pretended not to see her. I believed that if I made her win, she'd stop being cold.
"Where are you??" I shouted again and left the barn. I strolled around the ranch when suddenly someone tapped me on the back. I turned and it was Heather.
"Let's suppose you found me first. Sawyer would be happy," she whispered with a giggle.
I smiled.
"That's what I thought."
We both returned to the barn.
"Oh, nooooo! Sawyer, Sheridan caught me!" Heather said as we entered the barn.
A joyful Sawyer hopped out of her hiding place.
"Yes! Ha! I win!" she said happily.
"Yup, I guess," I smiled.
"That means I have the right to ask you what I want now," she said, folding her arms.
"Um, okay," I shrugged.
"Good," she held Heather's hand. "I want you to leave my sister and I to play together in peace!"
Oh.
"Oh..."
Guess she didn't want to be friends. I decided to give up. I wasn't going to beg.
"Sawyer, you shouldn't say that," Heather said.
"Heather, if you refuse to play with me, I'll tell mom."
Wow.
Heather looked at me.
"You can go, Heather. Don't want aunt Christina scolding."
"Um, okay. Sorry," she allowed her sister to drag her out of the barn.