Save Me

Nine

The sun slapped me on the back and I could feel the sweat beading all over my body. I wiped away the sweat on my forehead with the towel on my back pocket. I was helping Roland with all the hay and then I had to go to the horses to wash them and feed them before the kids arrive at the two. I lifted the hay on my shoulder and went out of the barn, feeling the sun’s scorching hit on my skin.

I grunted and placed the hay on the field and closed my eyes for a moment. The heat was seriously getting to me. My eyes snapped open when I heard a laugh, “You should’ve known that when you signed up for this, the sun would be our best friend.”

I rolled my eyes at Roland who had just placed hay beside mine. He was dripping with sweat too and both of us had already taken our shirts off because the sun was just too hot. I ran a hand through my shaggy blonde hair, irritated that because of its length, it felt hotter to me than to Roland whose hair was short and clean-cut.

“Well, nothing seems to be better with the sun glamming our body and making our sweat glisten for the ladies,” I said, c*****g my head to the side where there were girls who were standing outside the Rivers gate, basically swooning over Roland and mine’s muscles.

Roland laugh, “Ignore them dude. They’re always there everyday to see a good show. Normally Edwin gives them one but I’m not really one too. Maybe you?”

I chuckled and flexed my muscles and the girls gushed to my delight. I grinned but then I felt my eyes widened when I saw a guy gushing with the girls, crap, “Nah. Not my thing.”

Roland turned to look at what made me reconsider and laughed, “That’s Dewey. He’s the town’s most gayest gay. He actually runs after the hot guys if he wanted them.”

I made a disgusted face, “He once ran after you?”

Roland nodded, shuddering, “Trust me, man. It was horrible. He only stopped once I got a girlfriend. That’s actually the only thing that makes him stop. When the guy’s already committed. He’s running after Edwin now.”

I laughed, “Poor Esh.”

“Maybe you won’t be so sorry for him for long,” Roland said, grinning as he stared at Dewey.

I looked back at Dewey and saw him gush and bat his lashes at me, “Oh shit.”

Roland laughed loudly, “And he also stops running after a guy when he sees another prey.”

“You know any other single ladies ‘round here?” I asked Roland who just laughed louder.

“Cam’s always free,” he replied suggestively, “And it might be a fine sight to see those two fighting over each other again.”

“Huh?”

“That’s a story for another day,” he said chuckling, “Let’s go wash the horses.”

I nodded and followed him to the stables. After washing all the eight horses, I decided to be the one to feed them. Once I was done, Roland offered to be the one to brush them and such. I was actually pretty beat and if I had to teach kids later today, I need all the energy I can muster because I am truly not a patient man to actually begin with.

I headed back to the field, wiping my body off with sweat and then deciding to just lie down on the itchy hay. I closed my eyes, trying to block off the sun’s brightness when a soft voice startled me, “On your first day and already slacking off.”

“I’m just closing my eyes for a moment,” I replied, not opening my eyes to see who it was. I already knew who it was. It was funny how I can already recognize her voice.

“I sure as hell know my Dad doesn’t pay you to do that,” she said haughtily.

I opened my left eye to take a peak at her. Her black hair was tied in a very messy bun, “Don’t you have a café to run?”

I didn’t want to seem harsh. I didn’t even want to be rude or blunt to her like I really am with other girls. But ever since the whole aquarium thing, we never really had a conversation that didn’t consist of snapping at each other or insults thrown back to back. She just scoffed at me and rolled her eyes and I know for sure that I had somewhat hit the spot.

“Sorry,” I mumbled sheepishly and sat up.

“Wear a shirt,” she said quickly and shut her eyes tight.

I laughed, “Nah. The girls don’t mind.”

She opened her eyes and looked at the girls who were drooling at me. She turned back to me with a smirk, “Yea, especially Dewey.”

“Yea, can you help me with that?” I asked her calmly.

She raised a brow, “How?”

“Pretend that you’re going out with me?” I said, “Or you can scratch out the pretend part of the deal.”

“I’m not really up for throwing insults with Dewey,” she said shaking her head, “I’m sure you can swim.”

I shook my head, “C’mon, just help me out, D. Aren’t friends supposed to do that?”

She scoffed, “Why? Are we friends? And how would I know if you’re just using that to fool me and then play me? I know how you players roll, Rose.”

“Rivers,” I spat, “I’m not playing you. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Her eyes narrowed and gone was the playful Danielle and the angry and snappy one just made a comeback, “And don’t flatter yourself too, Rose. It’s not like I would want to be caught dead being your girlfriend.”

“Mommy!”

Our attention turned to the voice who called out. I saw Daniel running to his mother in a hurry. When he was in front of us, it was then that I saw him crying. I saw Gerry running after him, he panted in front of us, resting both his hands on his knees as he tried to even his breathing.

“What happened Dad?” Danielle asked, picking up her son who was still crying.

“I was trying to teach him how to ride a bike without the training wheels,” Gerry explained, “He was doing really well until he realized I wasn’t holding him anymore. He panicked and hit a tree.”

“I’ll take it from here, Dad,” Danielle murmured, rubbing her son and he reduced to just hiccups from all his sobbing.

Gerry nodded and walked away, telling us that he had someone to meet up so we were all alone in the house. When he was out of our sight, I turned my attention to Daniel who was just put down by his mother, “Got a scrape buddy?”

He nodded lightly and pointed to his knee that was bleeding. I saw Danielle’s eyes widened and she cursed. She had that panic look on her face which caused me to chuckle. She glared at me, “What’s so funny?”

Amused by her quick change of mood, I shrugged, “You know. You’re like Christian Grey, fifty shades.”

She raised a brow and then brought her head back and laughed, “You’ve seriously read that?”

I rolled my eyes, picking Daniel up, “My sister made me. Haven’t you read it too? Every girl I knew seemed to have been swooning and waiting for their Christian Grey.”

She chuckled, “Sure. I wouldn’t want to have that kind of relationship. But you, I’m sure you’d love it.”

“Oh sure. And I think I’ve already found my own Anastasia Steele,” I said, winking at her before turning to Daniel, “Let’s go fix that scrape buddy.”

I brought Daniel inside the house, placing him on the counter before raiding their medicine cabinet in the kitchen. They did keep one there and Gerry gave me a tour around the house. I grabbed some cotton balls, Betadine and alcohol and a Band-Aid for his wound. His blue eyes and widened and he paled when he saw the alcohol in my hands. Danielle placed both her hands on his shoulder so he remains in place.

“That stings,” he murmured.

I smiled at him apologetically. Danielle ruffled his hair affectionately, “Just a dab, DJ.”

He groaned but shook his head vigorously, “Please no.”

“Tell you what, we’ll give you a prize if you sit still while I apply this.”

Being a kid, my offer got to him in an instant. He grabbed his mother’s hand and closed his eyes tightly as I cleaned his wound. A few minutes later, I placed the Band-Aid on and grinned, “Good boy.”

He opened his teary eyes and said in a whisper, “Where’s my prize?”

Danielle shot me a look and I chuckled, “Ice cream?”

“He already had sweets this morning,” Danielle said, shaking her head and crossing her arms at me.

At the mention of ice cream, Daniel’s eyes widened and he looked at his mother with pleading blue eyes, “Please Mommy.”

“DJ,” Danielle said in a warning voice.

“Oh c’mon, D. He deserved it. Just one scoop,” I said pleading with DJ, “Please?”

We both looked at her with pleading eyes and she sighed, placing both her hands in the air in defeat, “Fine!”

She went to the fridge as Daniel and I high-fived each other. Danielle went back to us, a tub of Ben and Jerry’s in her hands, she placed it on the counter. She then grabbed the scooper and a cup and took one large scoop for Daniel. He grinned and eagerly took the cup from his mother, before stuffing his face in it.

Danielle turned to me, “You want some?”

“Flavor?”

“Chocolate-chipped.”

I shook my head, “I prefer vanilla.”

“No one likes vanilla around here.”

I raised a brow, amused that she didn’t get the double meaning of my words, “I thought you liked vanilla, D.”

“What are you talking abo-. Oh,” she said, remembering our commentaries about fifty shades.

I grinned and winked at her, “But if you’re not a fan of vanilla, we can have Christian’s type of relationship and if you want it the other way around, I can play submissive.”

She glared at me but a playful smile graced her lips, she tried to fight it, “You’re such a pig.”

“I’m just saying,” I said, raising my hands and laughing.

“What’s going on here?”

Our attention turned to the intruder and we both relaxed when it was just Roland. He raised a brow at us and Danielle shrugged, “DJ wanted ice cream.”

Roland nodded, “Falen, the kids have arrived.”

I nodded and followed Roland out, but glanced back at Danielle who just rolled her eyes at me. I chuckled. When we got to the field, there were kids about twelve lining up and their eyes shining brightly on the horses. I thought that this business wasn’t exactly a great one, because well, who wanted to learn horseback riding? But then again, this was the county and I guess it was essential and they did love their horses.

“Smitten with Cam?”

I looked at Roland and laughed, “No way man. I just like joking around with her. And she’s with Myles.”

He looked at me horrified and then laughed, “No way, man. Myles may be really close with Cam but they’ve been best friends since the first grade.”

“I thought he was Daniel’s father.”

He raised a brow, “Just because he has dark hair and blue eyes doesn’t mean he’s the baby daddy. So stop whining and making excuses, bro, you can have her.”

I rolled my eyes at him and focused on the horse and the kid that I had ended up teaching. He seemed to be a fast learner so I didn’t really have to worry about him. I heard a yell and saw Danielle by her car with Daniel. She was waving goodbye at Roland. When she spotted me, she rolled her eyes and giggled, and I was sure she just remembered our exchange of playful banter over ice cream.

When she was about to get in her car, I shouted after her, “Hey D!”

“Yea?” she asked, a questioning look grazing her beautiful tanned face.

“Buy me vanilla ice cream?” I shouted as a sloppy grin made its way on my face.

She rolled her eyes but giggled, “Shut up, Rose!”