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

I woke up slowly, my eyelids fluttering open when I felt a warmth beside me. I opened my eyes the entire way and saw Austin, jumped up and let out a scream.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I asked, I thought I had chased him off last night, he must have come back and did something. He lazily turned over, opening his eyes and smiled at me, making my frown deepen.

"Sleeping, you were so kind to offer me a place to stay last night, actually, you almost begged me to stay," He said and a shock ran through my body and I shook my head rapidly.

"No, I would never do that, now get out!" I said and he yawned, taking his time as he stood up and stretched before walking towards the door.

"Nice pajamas by the way," He tossed over his shoulder before he left and I looked down, all I had on was a small tank-top and short shorts, I mentally smacked myself, the medicine for pain reliever must really be strong.
I left the blanket and the pillow and ran out of the barn and to the house, slipping inside quietly and making a dash for my room but someone spoke just as I was about to open the door.

"Where have you been? It's about four in the morning and you weren't here at bedtime," Grandma said and I turned around, my eyes wide, my angled hair draped over my shoulders and down my back with pieces of hay in it.

"I slept in the barn, I wanted to make sure the horses were all right," I informed her quickly "I told Grandpa I was going there," I added.

"Okay," She said sarcastically, as if she didn't believe why I was in there and I rolled my eyes when she turned away and I opened my door, grabbing skinny jeans from my dresser and pulling out a very short sundress-like shirt and a set of underwear.
I walked to the bathroom and put the clothes on the ground, turning on the water and stripping off my clothes, I got in and washed out the hay before using my strawberry scented soaps.
When I was out I pulled my hair into a low, sleek ponytail and slid on my clothes before walking out, I felt fully awake even though school wasn't for a while and it was just starting to get bright out.

I pulled on cowboy boots I found in a closet that were about my size and smiled as I tucked my jeans into the boots,I looked pretty good today.
I pulled on my hat and walked out the door and into the morning light, it was a little cool out but heat was returning to Texas quickly. I smiled brightly and jogged back t the barn and to Sugarcoat who nickered when I pet her side.
I grabbed a brush from a set of supplies in the corner and carefully brushed her off, jumping back from a cloud of dust when I accidentally kicked some hay.
I finished with her coat and brushed her tail and mane until they shined and I smiled, she was so beautiful in my eyes. Carefully, I saddled her and put one foot in a stirrup before swinging my other leg around and slipping the other foot into the other stirrup. I led her out of the barn and into the field, taking off and galloping around until it was time for school.
*
"Here is you schedule, drive careful, and drop your brother off first, don't hit anyone too," My grandpa said, grinning as he handed me the keys to his older truck that he usually never used since he got a newer one.

"I know, I know," I said as I took them along with my schedule, slipping my schedule into a pocket of my jeans.
We were standing beside the truck, Tristan waiting on the inside in the passenger seat as I was lectured for about the twentieth time on how to and not to drive by grandpa, he loved his trucks very much.

"Okay, now you'd better skedaddle, don't wanna be late on your first day," Grandpa said and I nodded, hugging him before climbing into the driver's seat and closed the door, putting the keys in the ignition. It took me a couple of times to get going, but we weren't late.

"Please don't kill me," I heard Tristan beg as I was driving down Clepper Drive, heading for Caroline St.

"I'm not, just don't distract me," I ordered and I could literally hear his mouth snapping shut as I kept my eyes on the road.
I took a left onto Maiden Lane, turning quickly and making Tristan giggle like it was a roller-coaster, he loved them. At The end of the street, I turned right onto Caroline Street and I saw the high-school, it was on one end of the street with the elementary on the other and the elementary school was next to the preschool.

"We're here," I said as I parked at the high-school, as far away from anyone else as I could, I took out the keys and put them in my pocket as I got out, walking around and getting Tristan out, "We're walking across the street to the preschool, hold my hand," and he took it in his small finger as I led him across and into the building.

"This must be the new student Tristan," The principal said as I walked into the office, Tristan beside me.

"Yup, I have to go now, high school," I told him then stooped down to Tristan's level "Have fun, I'll be here after school to take you home," I said softly and he nodded, smiling and I smiled back and kissed his forehead, "Bye Trist," I said, standing and walking for the door.

"Bye Missy," I heard him say before the door shut behind me.
*
As I walked into the hallways of my new school, I felt eyes burning holes in my back as I looked for the office. "Hi, you must be the new girl," A overly preppy blonde said, grabbing my arm with little strength as she led me somewhere but I stopped walking.

"Yeah, but where are you taking me?" I asked, my arm slipping away from her when I stopped.

"To the initiation of course, to see if you are good enough to be a popular," She said in a 'duh' tone and I laughed, shaking my head.

"So not going to happen, miss fake-blonde," I said, she was just like the people at my old school who wanted to be popular, but she looked even more shocked to be turned down.

"I am not a fake blond! I am a natural blond!" She said and I looked at her hair, at the roots to be more precise.

"You should die it again, I can see grey and some red roots showing," I said simply and turned around, walking down the hall with my hat tipped slightly forward to cover my eyes. I was smiling, I had made sure to get the message across to the blonde, or red head I should say.

"That was awesome!" I heard a voice squeak beside me and I jumped, seeing a short spiky red haired girl walking up to me, "Sarah hasn't been put in her place like that since- actually she never has!"

"That's wonderful!" I said, smiling, I had always had a gift for putting people in there place, "What's your name?"

"I'm Natalie, but everyone calls me Nat," She said "I know you're new here because I don't know your name, all I know is that your Mr. Carper's granddaughter," I smiled as did she.

"I'm Marrissa, but you can call me Missy or Marry,"

"Do you need to find the office?" Nat asked and I nodded, she grabbed my arm in a strong bony hand and pulled me towards a room, opening the door and I saw it was the office, and it was air-conditioned. "Here you go,"

"I'm the new girl," I told the Secretary who didn't look interested at all, she handed me a couple of pieces of paper before shooing Nat and I out of the room and I laughed slightly. "She's a happy person," and Natalie laughed along with me.

As I exited third period, someone grabbed my arm and shoved me into a deserted classroom next door, I looked up to see Austin towering over me, his eyes trained on mine.

"Last night never happened, got it?" He snarled and I gulped, nodding immediately at his glare, he hated me now probably, I had made the cool guy feel weak, "And stay out of my way," I smiled slightly, I could play this game well.

"Okay, see ya later sweetheart," I said, kissing his cheek and flinging the door open, running towards my next class before he could get me