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I felt at peace here. I had forgotten how good the country air felt. How much I missed it. Why the hell did I run to the city?
Because I was an idiot wanting to leave behind a past.
To leave behind a broken-hearted boy, because the broken-hearted girl wanted someone else.
It was messy and complicated, so it was easier to run. And that’s what I did.
I studied English literature and took a creative writing class which really, in hindsight, was a waste of time.
And now I was back. And I was petrified of seeing Riggs, Tripp and Pacey.
They hold grudges and I’m sure they weren’t as happy to see me as my family was.
Thirteen Years Old
This wasthe first time I really noticed Riggs Rivera.
It was spring, the air smelt sweet, the sun was shining and life was good.
Me and Austin made plans to meet the Rivera brothers on their fence line at one p.m. I was excited and nervous. It was the first time I was ‘invited’ out with the boys. I didn’t want to be the annoying little sister, even though Austin was only three years older than me, I was still considered the ‘baby’.
“Bye mom!” Austin called out as he pushed through the front door, me following, eyes wide and all starry.
“Be back at dusk and not a minute later Austin Warren and don’t go past the river bend!”
“I won’t!” he calls back as he jumps the three steps off the wrap around porch and I follow, but I don’t jump. Just in case I tumble and fall. We climb the first fence of our front paddock and we run and run into the distance until we make it to our neighboring fence.
They were already there, standing tall and proud.
Riggs was the oldest, he was five years older than me and I felt embarrassed for having a crush on someone that much older than me but there was something about him. His chocolate brown hair sat in curls on the top of his head, you would think he had it permed. But it was all natural. The only one out of the boys with their mom’s curly brown hair. Tripp was more a dirty blond and Pacey had light brown hair. Riggs’ eyes were a light sage, like the clear summer ocean that you see in the movies, where his brothers had dark brown eyes.
“So, you brought her with you then,” Riggs smirks and I place my hand on my hips.
“’Her,’” I quote, “has a name, thank you,” I tap my foot on the dirt at the edge of the grass.
“I know that Dinks,” he gives me a smile and my heart flutters. He has a perfect smile. He is so beautiful.
“Okay, so, shall we head down to the river creek?” Austin leans over the fence, we’re still on our land, the boys on theirs.
“Shall we race?” Tripp says playfully.
“Foot or horse?” Pacey asks.
“Horse,” Riggs scoffs.
“Lazy boy,” I hum as I put my foot on the bottom of the fence.
“Hardly lazy; come, let’s get saddled up.”
Me and Austin climb over the fence and jump onto the ground, the dust flying up round our ankles from the dirt path that runs alongside the grass.
We pass Jorge and Orla as we head into the stables. The cowboys are out so the ranch is deadly quiet. We always go for the same horses.
Riggs goes for the American Paint horse, Rhodes.
Tripp goes for the Arabian, Casper.
Pacey goes for the second Arabian, Zayn.
