Country Girl by Hayley Smith (book club recommendations .txt) 📕

side and a badge looking thing on another and in the middle was a flag, as if it was separated in three pieces.

"What is that building?" I asked my grandpa and he glanced at it.

"That's the city hall, police station, and fire department in one, that's why it's larger than every other building, it saves money too, the other building next to it is the vet, but we'll show you everything later." he said.

"Your horse has really been anxious, she won't eat and she has been pacing around her stall for a while," he said and I sighed.

"She won't eat unless I'm there, I hope it ends soon," I said, watching the road.

"Don't worry, you'll be with her a lot so she'll be fine," he reassured me and I smiled.
We turned a road that read Prairie Street, then later one that said Clepper Drive and I smiled, we were there.
Once he parked, I jumped out and woke Tristan up lightly and he went inside, searching for grandma.
I helped grandpa bring in our luggage and put my things in my room. I noticed there was a lock on my door and I smiled, a couple of years ago I had been in my room changing when my dad opened the door and I totally screamed my head off at him for it, then the year after someone walked in when I was getting out of the shower and I did the same, but i9t was worse because it was my dad's friend and he didn't exit immediately, he waited a couple of seconds before going out.
I looked around the room that had used to be my mother's who had been absolutely obsessed with pink. The closet doors where hot pink, the dresser a pale pink, the walls a bubble gum pink and the bedding a plain pink, and the carpet had striped pinks which made me smile.
I unpacked my suitcases, my shoes in the closet along with my dresser I hung up on hangers in there, the most expensive in the back in case anyone looked in there. I put my underwear in another drawer in the dresser, then my short and pants in a different one. I put my folded shirts just below my bottoms and closed them, leaning mback and sitting on the clean, soft carpet.
I stood and took off my dress, putting on jeans and a shirt then my riding boots and walked out, looking for my grandma in the aroma-filled kitchen and saw her baking tons of pies and breads and I smiled, she absolutely adored cooking. I saw Tristan eating some bread that looked like banana bread and smiled, I called him a Monkey sometimes because he absolutely loves bananas.

"Hey grandma, I'm going out to see Sugarcoat," I told her and she nodded at me, smiling before turning back to her cooking.

"You have to get this before you go," I heard my grandpa say behind me and I turned around, he placed a cowboy hat on my head and I smiled up at him.

"Thank you so much," I said but he shushed me and pushed me outside of the kitchen.

"Go get that horse, she must be worried sick," He commanded and I laughed, walking towards the door.
5

My hand was on the doorknob when I heard someone knock and I jumped back, moving my hand away. I peeked through a small window on the door and saw a man that must have been the vet.

"The vet's here I think!" I called to me grandpa and he jogged over to me, opening the door and he nodded. I stood back and carefully tucked all of my hair under my new hat, it bothered me a lot when I was riding.

"Hey Steve, glad you could make it, but it seems you're missing your partner," My grandpa said with me standing behind him, then he turned to me "Steve is here to check on a Stallion I found a little while ago, we don't know his exact age yet," he told me and I nodded.

"I'm going out there," I said quietly, walking past Steve with a quick "Excuse me,"


"That must be Marrissa, am I right?" I heard Steve say.

"Yup, the girl has a horse that was sent here, the horse won't stay still, they're really close," My grandpa replied "So where's the boy?"

"Oh, he'll be here soon, hung out with his friends late at night, damn boy puked on Marie's clean floor, I made him run here while i drove, get him some fresh air," Steve said "We should check the horse out," and I heard their heavy footsteps follow my delicate ones to the barn.
When I spotted Sugarcoat I ran over to her and her head that had been hung instantly shot up and she nickered, brushing her head against me when I reached her and I ran a hand through her long mane, I never liked to cut it. She had a long golden tail and mane.
I opened the stall and saw a saddle on a bar. I picked it up and gently put it on her back, putting it on just right before I looked around and sighed, seeing nothing but the saddle and rolled my eyes, they rode different than I did probably, but I didn't care.
I heard Steve and my Grandpa come in, but I didn't look away from my horse.
I put one fut in a stirrup then swung my leg around, seating myself in the saddle, putting my other foot in a other stirrup and smiled, it felt good to be back in the saddle even if it had been just a day.
I tangle my hands in her hair and nudged her slightly with my foot and she trotted out of her stable, I nudged her a tiny bit more and she moved a little quicker and we passed Steve and my Grandpa.
When we were outside, I nudged her again with my foot and she started cantering across the field.

"Let's go, Sugarcoat," I said near her ear and nudged her harder and she broke into her fast gallop around the field. We were going farther in the field when her ears perked up and I turned towards the road that was far away that had caught her attention, I couldn't see anything so I decided to ride that way.
I arched my back slightly so we could gang more speed as I leaned forward, nudging her with my foot and she galloped that way.
As I came near, I saw a figure in the distance near my driveway

Austin's POV

My breathing was heavy when I reach Nathan Carper's. I had heard he had grandchildren coming over, a older boy and a little girl.
At the moment, my stomach was doing flips and I still didn't feel well after a cold shower and coffee, well, and puking on my mom's floor which I ended up cleaning. Getting drunk so wasn't worth it though.
As I reached his house I saw a horse in the distance, I thought it had gotten out before I saw a thin figure leaning over for speed, must be the grandson.
He reached the fence and asked in a awfully girly voice "You're the puking boy, right?" he asked, his horse had come to a stop a couple of feet away, yet my eyes hurt from the light and I couldn't see him clearly.

"He told everyone about that?" I asked, sighing and smacking myself on the head, now the entire town would know.

"Yup, pretty much, their in the barn checking out the Stallion, I was heading back there myself," He said and added "See ya," and I couldn't help but notice his skinny legs and arms, probably weak and very light weight. I jogged towards the barn, watching as he pet the horse lightly and whispered something in it's ear and it slowed down as they entered the barn. I reached it soon after them and saw him swinging his legs off of the horse at the same time, landing lightly on his feet with grace which made thoughts come to my head, maybe he was gay or something.
I saw my dad with Mr. Carper and walked over, holding out my hand and shook his.

"Good afternoon Mr. Carper," I said and saw him roll his eyes.

"I have told you a million times, and I will tell you once more, call me Nathan," Mr. Carper said and chuckled.
I saw his grandson walk over and glanced at the unsaddled horse, definitely female.

"I've never seen my grandpa let someone call him Nathan, not even my dad, though he may have good reason," He said, taking off his hat with one hand and running his hand through his hair... that reached his waist.

"You're a girl?!?!" I gasped and her eyes went wide in confusion.

6

Marrissa's POV

"Of course! What did you think I was?" I said, still in shock, how could I not be and look like a girl?

"A guy, or a gay guy," He said, and I remembered I didn't know his name but I pushed the thought to the side.

"Well I am most certainly not a guy," I said, venom dripping in my voice as I glared at him, I could hear Steve and my grandpa laughing in the background but I ignored them.

"Well, I can see that now," He said, "I'm Austin," he held out his hand which I ignored.

"And I don't care," I said walking past him and out of the barn, not even stopping when I heard him following me.

"Well, you were a very pretty guy at the time," Austin said and I rolled my eyes, oh great, another big flirt come to annoy me, just like in Brooklyn.

"Well, Mr. Flirt, you must be the gay one to think a guy was pretty," I retorted and he grabbed my arm, I severely hated it when people did that from when I broke my left arm falling off my first horse, and he grabbed my left arm, "Remove. Your. Hand. Now!" I snarled