Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Brooklyn

"Good, Brooklyn! Good!" Lucas says, his voice eager and encouraging.

Aden's trainer couldn't come on short notice, so after watching me from the fence, Lucas is putting me through some exercises.

"You hold onto the reins," Lucas says, smirking at me, "like the handlebars on a bike. Like they're going to keep you from falling off."

I tilt my head at him. "Well..." I hesitate. "Aren't they?"

Lucas laughs, looking up at me from his place on the ground next to Heathcliff.

"No," he says gently. "The best riders barely even use the reins. You've got to learn how to communicate from here.

He shocks me, embarrassing me even, when he smacks his thigh.

Lucas doesn't notice my discomfort, instead moving to Heathcliff's head and unbuckling his bridle,

replacing it with a halter-a head harness that has no reins at all.

Then, he attaches a long, long lead rope.

"Well, some of us aren't as invincible as you are," I say. "Nor do we have your experience."

"You don't, but you will," Lucas says with a smile.

I bounce up and down as Heathcliff trots in circles around Lucas, who stands at the center, the end of the long lead in his hand.

I'm scared at first, not having anything to hold onto.

Lucas even makes me put my arms out to the side like a bird, to make me avoid clinging to Heathcliff's mane for safety.

But then, as I get the hang of it, I start to understand what he meant.

I really had been holding on to the reins for dear life.

about balance and holding on

to how the horse is responding, and reacting

a happy look and he laughs, pleased to see me catching on. "Well done, Brooklyn!" he shouts to me. "Can you kick him into a

sure if

seeing my hesitation, laughs

call me a coward but...well, it's

teeth and screw my courage together, giving Heathcliff a little nudge with

the

of my feet and my heels, standing

a voice inside me thinks. And I try

help myself as I laugh a

put your weight at the back of the saddle

he says, as Heathcliff slows to a trot

laughing with joy as Lucas walks over to us, gathering up the length of the long

me. "You're riding like a real

of my face, tucking it back

him. "You going to teach me

says, coming close to Heathcliff's

like you,

his eyebrow.

how

all

do

BUMS

sees me blush. I'm not used to being

admit, though...I didn't hate

looking guy older than me only by a few years, with sandy brown hair and a light smattering of freckles over his

strong-jawed and, like most of Aden's

think I'm pretty? Or was

realizes that I'm not paying attention to a

"Um, can you

a hand to help me dismount. "Come

and take Lucas's hand, swinging my right leg over Heathcliff's withers and

I think, then the time Aden had

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