FOREVER IS NOT A EVER AFTER

FORTH WORTH

I wake up early, get my stuff ready and head down stairs, not exited for the long ride. I will be back at school on Tuesday and this trips were so tiring.  I got on the back seat of the pick-up and got the history book out the exams will be soon and I will be missing a lot of classes in the next 4 weeks including the complete week we go to the Nationals in Las Vegas. We like to go either we make it in the competition or not. This year hasn’t been our best we missed some important rodeos because of Pollock’s injuries and our timing hasn’t been the best either way. But we were going to this one and then take a break to start over on January with everything!  As we hit the road I plugged in my headphones and started studying, we were half way and I still had a paper to write on a book, luckily we’ve been doing this for a long time so I could read and work in the truck without getting dizzy. By the time we got to the rodeo I was almost done with the paper. We got the horses to the stalls and fixed the bedding and fed them, then we went to get our numbers for tomorrow’s run. With everything in place we headed to the hotel to have some rest. 

“Hello! Hope you are doing fine, good luck tomorrow!” My cellphone rang with a message from Antony. 

“Thanks! Have a nice weekend!” I just texted a quick reply. On the weekend he never really texted me I knew he was busy with hockey and skiing. I know he said he wasn’t into ball sports but he has a serious addiction to snow sports. Just like I have with Rodeo and Horses. 

I finish writing down the paper and take a quick shower and get ready to sleep. 

I wake up and change into my riding jeans and my dark blue button up shirt, my black belt and my black boots with my black Stetson. I head down to have some breakfast and we head down to the rodeo to feed the horses and start grooming them. We were running in the afternoon lot and we will have to ride back until Monday morning so I was going to miss the best class of all, art. 

I was already in the arena warming up Pollock before we were called out to run, when a cowboy comes up to me. 

“We have to stop finding each other like this” I look at him not really knowing him

“Excuse me?” I ask 

“Well I wanted to invite you out again but this time I’m the one on a hurry, and I think you might still have a boyfriend” he just smiles 

“I don’t have a boyfriend anymore and actually I’m a bit busy right now my number is going to be called soon” I tell him a bit annoyed. 

“Well in that case I guess I can stay a few more minutes to cheer on you, then I’ll be on my way” he smiles again and turns before I can say something. 

A few more minutes pass and the girl after me goes to the tunnel ready for her ride. I can feel Pollock starting to get restless underneath me. I’ve never been good at calming my nerves, and my dad always says it takes a toll on Pollock’s stamina. She comes out of the tunnel and I get ready, my name is called and I let Pollock run, “The devil went down to Georgia, he was lookin' for a soul to steal

He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind

And he was willin' to make a deal...”

We reached the first barrel just nicely made a clean turn and chased after the second one just as nicely we took it made a clean, nice and tight turn and headed for the third... I knew we were good in time, we could push it a bit more... ”Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy

But give the devil his due

I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul...” we came down on the third barrel with too much speed and lost seconds on that turn, it was wide and sloppy, Pollock was pulling on the rains we came out of the barrel and on to the last stretch I let him run and exited the arena with the beep of the timer and the last word of the song “'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia, and the devil deals the cards...” 

I went to cool down my horse and remembered the cowboy I keep on bumping on to him and I don’t even know his name, and he didn’t came back when I was done, he most not have been impressed by that pathetic time. Oh well I’ve seen better days. I was done cooling down Pollock and took him to his stall and got everything ready for tomorrow morning, my sister did get a good time and she got a buckle. We got to the hotel and I took another shower and went to sleep, my phone was buzzing but I was in no mood of answering nothing, I know it was my fault I got overconfident and pushed too far. And went to sleep with my music on. 

We get up early and go pick up the horses and hit the road. I don’t know why but the trip back always seems shorter than the day we leave. We arrive at the ranch with enough time for me to head back to the city and have some rest for tomorrow morning. I take my stuff and head out. 

I get to the apartment and my phone starts buzzing. “Hello?”

“Hey are you home yet?” Antony is on the other side 

“Yes, I’m just getting up to the door”

“How about some burgers, I’ll take them up?”

“Yeah sure how much till you get here?”

“I just need to climb up the stairs” and he just starts laughing. 

I turn around and he is standing right behind me. “Really? Were you following me?”

“No I was just wishing to have luck and find you here, so how was it?”

“Terrible, I don’t want to talk about it”

And we go inside the kitchen 

I take out some plates and glasses and sit down on the counter. 

“How about some music?”

“Ok”

I go and put on some of my country playlists

“Ok but then it’s my turn”

I just shrug my shoulders 

We eat comfortably and when we are done he goes over and changes the list. His list goes from soft rock to pop to hard rock and to some classical music. While we hear the song we seat at the couch and talk about our winter break plans. 

“Well I’ll be going to Denver to see my father’s family and also to make some good snowboarding and ice skating maybe find some of my old team and do some practice. I’ll be back till school starts again.” He sounds so exited! 

“Well I’ll be going back to the ranch to help dad out we have to bring in the mares and foals. And we are going to Vegas before vacation starts, and keep on training maybe next year I’ll make it!”

“Sure you will!” And he gives me a big hug. 

By the time we realize it’s really late and I walk him to the door, “oh and keep my music list, maybe you can open up your horizons” he mocks me. 

“Very funny” I shove him playfully out the door, we say our good byes and I go to the kitchen to finish picking up, I can make out some lyrics on the back ground. 

“...I wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you

But with the beast inside, there's nowhere we can hide...

When you feel my heat, look into my eyes

It's where my demons hide, it's where my demons hide

Don't get too close; it's dark inside... They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate

It's woven in my soul, I need to let you go

Your eyes, they shine so bright, I wanna save that light

I can't escape this now, unless you show me how

When you feel my heat, look into my eyes...”

I come up to the iPod and see it’s from Imagine Dragons “Demons” I turn off the player and the lights and head for a good sleep.