Chapter 6

Reed

       From now on for the rest of the road trip, I promised myself I wasn't going to say a single word to Jonah, Ezra, and Madison, and I was just going to do my own thing. I helped Jonah get his minivan back from the impound and how does he thank me?

      He didn't. 

      I didn't have to suggest that they should busk to make money. I didn't have to give them the money I made from busking. I didn't even have to busk, but I did to help them out and the only thank you I got was from Linnea.

       I really should have kept that money to myself.

      I was feeling really bored laying in my motel room, even though I didn't want to be around anyone. Maybe going for a walk would do me some good, and I could even find a trail to walk on that not too many people were on.

       As soon as I got out of my motel room and locked the door behind me, Linnea walked over to me. "Hey," she said. "We're all about to go out for lunch. Want to come?"

      "No thanks," I said. "Look, I appreciate that you're trying to make me feel included, but it's just not going to happen. I'd rather spend my time away from the others. And don't bother trying to change their mind about me. They hate me and obviously nothing is going to change that."

       I walked away before Linnea could say anything else. I really did appreciate her trying to make me feel included but unless at least one other person tried, it wasn't going to work.

       I kind of got Jonah's frustration with me. He had been an only child for so long, and his parents had never fostered a kid before. He didn't like how I just came out of nowhere and joined his family.

       Ezra and Madison, on the other hand, were just jerks.

       I didn't even know where I wanted to walk in the town. I just walked around, not even paying attention to the scenery around me. Well, until I came across a trail. Not too many people were walking on it, which definitely gave me the relief I needed. The town seemed to be quite crowded during the day and night, and the only break I got from all those people was staying in my motel room.

       To my left was a large, enclosed field. A huge part of me was hoping the field was for the one thing I used to do to make me feel better.

       Until my dad had to ruin that to. 

       Like he ruined everything else.

       For once in my life, I was right to hope of something. Far in the distance, I heard a horse's neigh, and I looked in the field to see a beautiful black horse running in the field.

       I stopped to watch it, and it wasn't long before I realized that it wasn't just running. Something spooked it.

       I climbed onto the fence, wondering if I should try calming it down. When I realized it wasn't going to stop, I hopped off of the fence and onto the field. The horse was running in my direction and when it got close enough, I tried getting its attention by holding out my arms towards it. "Whoa," I said and it slowed its pace before coming to a complete stop. It was, however, still a bit out of control as it reared for a few moments. "Hey, it's okay. Everything's okay."

       The horse stopped rearing, but still seemed a bit frightened so I carefully walked towards it, and my heart almost leaped out of my chest.

       No.

       Way.

       It couldn't be.

       It was.

       "Fate?" I asked. "Hey, it's me. It's Reed." 

      I held out my arm out to touch him and as soon as my finger brushed against his neck, I couldn't help but smile. I thought I'd never see him again.

       I definitely couldn't help but hug him before petting the side of his neck, and he definitely seemed as happy as I felt.

       I heard another horse galloping, and the sound was getting closer. I looked over to see a girl riding a horse and as she got closer, I recognized her as Lyric.

       When she was close, but not too close, she stopped her horse and hopped off. "How'd you do that?" she asked me. "Get him under control, I mean. He's a devil. He doesn't like to listen to anyone, and it takes him hours just to get him in his stall back at the stable."

       "When did you get him?" I asked.

       "About six months ago," Lyric asked. "Why?"

       "He used to be my horse, until he got sold," I said. "I guessed he remembered me. He's a complete sweetheart."

       "Sweetheart?" Lyric asked. "Are you sure? Because he's a devil. Literally. I wanted to name him Devil, but my abuelita refused to name him that. She named him Diablo instead."

       "Doesn't that mean devil in Spanish?" I asked.

       "It does, but apparently it sounds nicer than just calling him Devil," Lyric said. "Now I feel bad for calling him that when you're getting along with him."

       "Don't worry about it," I said. "I mean, it's weird that he got a name change, but I see where you're coming from. It took me a long time to get him trained, and he never liked anyone else going near him. It had to be me."

       "Well, since it has to be you, do you think you can help me bring him back to the stables?" Lyric asked.

       "Sure," I said. "Do you have a rope I can use to lead him?"

       Lyric nodded before taking off the bag she was wearing a pulling a rope out. "I'm just happy I didn't have to sedate him," she said as she handed me the rope.

       "I don't see why you would have had to," I said, taking the rope from her. "He's in a closed field, isn't he?"

       "Trust me, he would have found a way to escape."

       I was about to attach the rope to the halter Fate had on, but he flinched again and starting panicking, so I calmed him down again. "Hey, it's okay," I said softly, carefully petting the side of his neck. "It's only me, and it won't be on for long. Trust me."

       Fate let me attach the rope to its halter, thankfully. He never liked to be led.

       Lyric got back on her horse started leading me to the stables. As soon as we got there, Lyric got off of her horse and led it, as well as me and Fate, to where the stalls were. She got her horse in its stall and I tried getting Fate in his, but he clearly didn't want to go in.

       I took the rope and the halter off of him, knowing that would calm him down a bit more. Afterwards, it didn't take long for me to get him into his stall.

       "Thanks for your help," Lyric said. "I don't think I would have been able to get him here without you. None of us would. What's your name, by the way?"

       "Reed," I said.

       "Nice to meet you, Reed," Lyric said. "Even though we kind of met at the diner when you were enjoying your food while those people were glaring at you. Like I said then, I do like long stories. You said you were forced to go on a road trip with them?"

       "Yeah," I said. "I'm being fostered, and my foster parents forced me to go on a road trip with their son, his girlfriend, and two friends. He, along with his two friends, aren't happy about it. Neither am I. They hate my guts."

       "I'm sure that's not true," Lyric said.

       "No, it's true," I said. "His girlfriend is the only one trying to get along with me, and that probably makes him hate me even more."

       "So, why were they just watching you eat yesterday?" Lyric asked.

       "Oh, that's the best part," I said. "He stupidly got his car towed for parking in a no parking space when we went to the beach. I was the only one who noticed and I tried telling him, but he told me not to talk to him. After it got towed, all four of them realized they left their wallets in the minivan. I didn't, so I enjoyed my lunch while they starved. But it's okay. They got the minivan back."

      "Hey, if I were in your situation, I probably would have done the same thing," Lyric said. "You did try to warn him."

       "Try telling him that," I said. "He keeps blaming me, even though he was the one who told me not to talk to him."

       "Well, aside from all of that, why did you sell your horse?" Lyric asked. "It's clear that you still love him, and he obviously doesn't want to go near anyone else but you."

       I sighed. "It's a long story. One that I don't want to get into."

       But of course, talking about selling my horse only brought back the memories I was trying to hard to push away.

       "You sold his horse?!" Mom asked. "How could you?!"

       "I'm sorry!" Dad said. "I didn't have a choice."

       "Yes, you did have a choice," Mom said. "You have a choice not to gamble. We keep telling you that you're only going to make us lose anything, and obviously you're starting to. You know how much Fate meant to Reed. It's the only thing that keeps Reed sane."

       "Kept," I corrected. "Kept me sane because apparently, I don't have my horse anymore!"

       "Reed, don't you raise your voice," Dad said sternly.

       "Are... are you serious?" I asked. "What, you expect me to act calmly?! You sold my horse, Dad! You sold the one thing I care about all because of your stupid gambling addiction! You're killing us here!"

       "I'm not going to ask you again," Dad said. "Do not raise your voice at me. Just calm down!"

       "I don't condone anyone raising their voice at their parents, but do not tell Reed to calm down," Mom said. "He has every right to be angry with you."

       Dad crossed his arms over his chest. "You're only feeding into his disorder."

       "You're feeding into my disorder by telling me to calm down after you sold my horse!" I said. "You can't expect me to just be okay with this because right now, it feels like I have nothing!"

       "That's not true," Dad said. "You have me and your mother."

       "And how long is that going to last when you're making us lose money every single day?" I asked.

       I shook the memory from my mind because there was on thing I was certain of from that memory.

       It didn't last long.

       "What was his name?" Lyric asked. "Before you sold him?" 

       "Fate," I said.

      Lyric smiled. "That name actually suits him more than Diablo does. It seemed like fate brought you two together again."

       "Not for long," I said. "We head back out on the road tomorrow."

       "You can't stay longer?" Lyric asked.

       "Oh, trust me, I want to," I said. "But if I ask them, there's no way they're going to agree."

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This chapter took me so long to write lol. I wanted to update the Protector Circle but I can't because it's past midnight. :/ Normally I would do it anyway, but because of the stupid internet blocker, my dad will get mad at me if I keep writing.

Oh well, I'll make sure to update it first thing and I MIGHT get a Dedrick update as well. It all depends if I end up doing yet another chapter of this (which i probably will lol) and how much I get distracted.

OOPS.