"Mind giving me a little help here?" I whined with a sarcastic hiss in my tone but it was mostly to hide the stormy sea of nerves churning my stomach in more of a frenzy than the tides. Of course as usual, it went unnoticed by the dark toned boy as he jumped to my request, reaching a hand to grab Cheyenne's headstall where the throat latch wasn't clipped.
Cheyenne caught a glimpse of his hand and threw his head and body back suddenly, full force, catching us both off guard once again. I stretched out her arms to grab handfuls of the smutty palomino's mane to keep myself on top of him. Straightening myself in the saddle, the crowd's boots and hollers became distinctly loud again as the loud speaker came across with the latest time, 14.96 and the time to beat, 14.43. Then, through the chaos meant to swallow it whole, I could make out my name being broadcasted. "Okay, hurry and but his bridle back on." I said looking down to Del who was successfully attempting to grab hold of the gelding gentler this time and fix the latch. Distracted with a sudden flush of nervousness in my belly I blindly glanced down at him one loser time before assuming the simple task was completed and readied us both for the run.

Tapping Cheyenne's belly to go, the buckskin excitedly began to push himself forward. I attempted to rein Cheyenne back into control but he fought against my hand and he leapt into the alley way with about all his might. A cowboy stepped beside the towering horse and reached out for his reins to slowly being him in. Again, the buckskin snatched his head spookishly from the stranger and before I could do anything, he had knocked his head into the right side of the gate. My stomach dropped immediately as I registered what he had done. The poll strap, behind his ears had been ripped until only a fine piece of leather held the entire bridle together. My movements stiffened and confused the poor horse as he hesitated for a split second but then lunged into a gallop into the arena. I knew I was in trouble but it was too late to stop now. I had never prayed so hard as I did that night in that moment. I had no confidence that Cheyenne would finish this run. I thought he would go straight up past the first barrel or he would buck me off in the process of completing one of the turns. I was numb. I trembled so hard but I pressed on, I couldn't back down, not after I had worked so hard and made it this far. If I was to literally die during this run tonight, then I was going to make it count. The lord could take me but not without a fight.

"Okay, just act like nothings wrong." I continuously told myself. It was the only thought on my mind. The buckskins ears fell back on me. I assume he was trying to figure out what I was doing ... So was I. We went into the first turn and everything was still looking good with the strained leather but as we passed the barrel, the bridle finally snapped. All he had now was the bit that I managed to keep it in place as he rocketed towards the second barrel. I completely paused for what seemed like seconds at the realization that I no longer had control of the 1200 lb animal. The shift in energy and lack of cues threw the poor horse into a mental state of confusion as well and he hesitated before sliding into the final can. The turn was knife sharp and I watched helplessly as Cheyenne dropped his shoulder and rolled around the turn, nearly loosing his footing. Miraculously, I managed to stay rooted into my seat without completely throwing the gelding off his balance. I tried to get my leg up over the height of the barrel but our speed was too great and immediately I could feel the contact made by the barrel and my boot as we finished the turn, leaving the uncertainty of our run behind us.
I could hear the crowd begin to die in the stands. Some cried out and others encouraged me on. I tried to act like nothing had happened and maybe no one would notice but when the people around me got an eerie quiet, I knew they had seen it and we're just as scared as I was. As we approached the third barrel, both of my hands reached for his mane and held tight. Instinctively, he sloped into the can and strided back into the alley way. We passed all the barrels good! We made it! I eased up a little with my hands, putting slack in the reins and Cheyenne spit the bit out his mouth. I pulled the reins against his neck to slow him but my cues were ignored.

They had started to close they alley door but there wasnt enough time; I couldnt stop. Cheyenne seemed to be running faster then he had in the arena and he didn't look to be planning to stop anytime soon, gate or not. "Open the gate!" I yelled gesturing for them to move aside.
The men hesitated and with that there was just enough room for us to squeeze through. However, as we passed, my calf caught a hold on the metal latch and ripped against me. Adrenaline had numbed my nerves but I felt the friction against my flesh and metal, knowing I'd probably have a nasty bruise in the morning “Whoa, Cheyenne!" I spoke to him and pulled his neck again. "Whoa!" I screamed again but the buckskin continued to ignore me. At the end of the barn, Del had seen Cheyenne's get away attempt and was waiting to cut him off. Mounted on his horse, he paced right up beside the gelding and grabbed hold of the tangled mess of leather and nylon around his neck and slowly decreased his speed. Normally, riding that close would have spooked the gelding but for some reason, he didn't and stopped right before his hooves hit pavement of the small road out behind the busy barn. Once I knew I was finally safe from living my nightmare, I collapsed against the buckskin's neck numb, trying to catch my breath. Cheyenne hung his head low, his sides rising and falling rapidly. "Are you okay Leigh!" I heard Delgado ask but I could barely nod at him. That thirty seconds had been the longest seconds of my life. "Leigh! You won the round!" Another familiar voice exclaimed. Then my brother, Gabe came into view with a huge grin on his face. I shook my head, "no, that can't be. My run was a wreck." I protested. "That can't be." Through the whole thing I hadn't even thought about my run once. I was just pleased that Cheyenne and I had made it out of that whole thing unhurt.
"No, no you really won. You won the round!" He stated again. I couldn't help but beam brightly, looking at Cheyenne. He was still huffing and puffing trying to catch his breath. "Thank you for not killing me." I giggled quietly to him. For the first time, he didn't snort or turn away from my affections. I smiled even more, if that was possible and hugged him around his neck tightly. Another round closer to my eighth title.As I swung myself out of the saddle and my right leg hit the dirt a surging pain shot up from my calf and consumed the lower half of my body. Flinching and shifting my weight to the opposite leg, I looked down to find my right jean pants leg was shredded across my calf and dyed in crimson. "What happened?" Gabriel, growled coming to my side to take my weight. "I caught the gate on the way out." I hissed through clenching teeth. I then remembered and looked to my saddle disappointingly to see the leather as well as Cheyenne's whole right side doused in my blood. There was even a few drops from his nose somehow. At that thought, I froze, flashing back to moments before our run. Pushing away from my brother, I grabbed hold of the alarmingly still gelding who didn't even flinch at my trembling hands.
I turned his head towards me and came face to face with his scarlet forehead. The blood wasn't from me. It was his own. A gasp erupted from Lydia, a girl I had known for a year or so who had become a friends along the circuit. Delgado had already registered the situation and stepped away to motion a vet on site for the event. A high pitch ring in my ears muffled the cluster of voices around me making them completely inaudible. The only voice I could hear was the guilt ridden tone of my own asking;
"What have I done?"
-*-*-*-*-*
"Leigh. ... Leigh?" The deep voice of the tanned gent in front of me, grabbing my shoulders had shaking me loose from the nightmarish daydream my subconscious snatched me into. Blue eyes snapped to attention and a saddened smile breeched my lips, clammy fingers reaching for my chest as I began to sign what my nonexistent words had failed to say. "Did you double check the list?" Scratching the back of his neck, Gabe chuckled with a nod. The lists had been double checked, triple checked, and I even had the boy each check it once or twice before I ran through it once more

The lists had been checked, double checked, triple checked and I even had the boy check it once or twice before I ran through it once more, set on not leaving a single thing behind no matter how long it took. And we'll, maybe I was stalling just a little. I hadn't been off of our ranch in nearly a year and I wasn't exactly thrilled when Gabriel tied my hands to force me along on his "guilt riddening charity trip." The trailer was securely hitched to the back of the red dodge truck he was already beginning to load our horses into the five horse, head to head stall trailer. He had loaded his quiet palomino mare, Jazzy into one of the first stalls next to an older grey gelding before closing it off and putting two other horses near the rear in the last two stalls. The middle was opened into a box stall where an anxious black roan stud was put to be less destructive with his antics along the journey. I watched the swaying head of the energized horse pacing in pivoting circles, reminding me of the memory I had just relived. Cheyenne had been just as anxious as the three year old standing before me. But it wasn't the same. That devastating night had been the last I would spend with my beloved gelding. A night I, nor anyone was prepared for. The thought sent shivers over my body as I turned away to place a box sitting on the ground into our small dressing room at the front of the trailer. Most of our belongings had been stuffed into the back seat of the truck as it had more room ironically than the massive trailer we tugged behind. "Alright then, let's head out." Gabe suggested, making a gesture towards the truck cab. “But Del and Cole should be here any minute. Maybe we can wait another minute or so." I challenged, looking out to the driveway of our property. "They can find the way with GPS just like us. Besides, we'll meet up at the first stop." Gabe shrugged, digging in his pocket for the keys. "We have a long way to go and we're loosing daylight." He added, creating a sigh from my lips. Rolling my eyes, I reached for my phone and clicked on the message icon. "Going on ahead. Meet you at CP 1." i slipped it back into the back pocket of my blue jeans just as easily as I had taken it out before trailing after my brother who was already sitting in the truck. Pausing to pat my thigh when I sat down, I waited for just a moment long enough for a light brown border collie to come leaping into my lap before settling down on the pile of blankets shoved into the middle seat on the back row of the cab.

Awe, thank you! I have a boyfriend who’s been bugging to see what I’ve been so secretively writing so I had made some details simpler for his own comprehension when I finally decided to let him read something lol - love him! (plus it flowed much better this way).

I plan to keep writing this story and see where it does :) fingers crossed I keep motivation and inspiration XD

Aww! That's sweet! And you're right, it does flow better.

I can't wait for the next part!

Gabriel hopped out with the dog scurrying off to the bathroom alongside the edge of the parking lot they had drove into the very end of. Their long trailer practically took up the whole back row of the parking spots.

It was Delgado's horn which finally broke the silent spell of Leighs slumber as well as stir up the confined energy of the equines in tow.

She caught the quick hand of Cole landing against the tanned younger driver and groaned in her own resentment as she took her seat belt off to join the rest the party gathering outside.

"Nice going Delgado." Gabe growled as he stepped towards the trailer.
The black stallion inside let out a nasty grunt as he paced in nervousness. Leigh's dog, Finley sat quietly watching the trailer jump, her muscles tense as if expecting and preparing to run down the potiential excapee if he did so manage to bust out. After a few more minutes, the roan settled down and Gabe put Finley in the changing room of the trailer.

"What are we doing here?" Leigh signed, taking a sleepy look around.
The harsh red neon lights illuminated a creepy darkness over the parking lot which made the brunette feel unsafe. A blinking white sign on top caught her attention which read; Four Square Bar and Grill.

"What the hell are we doing at a bar?" Leigh glared in Gabriel's direction; him shrugging a nonchalant smile.

"I'm hungry and this is the only close place." He implies gesturing behind him at the black empty highway only appearing to lead into the nighttime.
Finding her phone, she pulled up her maps app. "Theres literally a Wendys 10 minutes down the road." She signed agitatedly.

"Im sure the food here is much better than any at any ole fast food joint." Delgado chimed in, hooking an arm around her shoulder.

"The food or the liquor?" She growled, shrugging him off.

"Lighten up Leigh, we wont get carried away." Cole grinned trying to be reassuring.

"We wont drink anything hard." Gabe insisted placing a hand on his sibling's shoulder.

A deep death glare emmited from Leigh as she shook her head, her hands almost moving too fast for neither of the boys to catch what she was saying.

Biting his lip, Gabriel remained quiet while Del decided best to try and smooth her over.

"Im not entirely sure what youre saying there but, c'mon girl, have a little fun and stop being our mother." Del laughed and turned to the other boys who showered him in looks of disapproval and a 'you just screwed up' look which left him completely blindsided to the forceful punch colliding with his shoulder.

"Don't you EVER say that to me again." She hissed, pushing him away and towards Cole and Gabe.

Without saying a word, the four walked towards the building in silence with a whimpering Delgado following behind.
***

"Just take one shot." Del slid the glass with the clear potent to rest at the girl's fingertips.

A snarl curled onto her lips as she again refused his offer. "Someone has to get you three stooges back to the parking lot tonight." She signed quickly.
"Maybe someone needs to take YOU to the parking lot." The boy suggested with wiggly eyebrows to turn and scan the room.

Buckle bunnies were not a scarce breed in the small pub but they never were in the south, especially when there was word of an event taking place near by. Again, she rolled her eyes and took enjoyment to Gabriel thumping the boy's shoulder.

"Dude, no shut up." He growled very uninterested in the topic and downed another shot glass.

The rest of the night seemed to be following the same manner.
Take one, tell a story, choke another down, insult one of the three, next round.

Instead of becoming the loud annoying drunks most become, Delgado and Cole found their hidden talent for comedy. Usually insults fired at one another as they told a few of a million embarrassing fail stories.
Gabriel gave the illusion of a clear head but in reality he was swaying more than a storm ridden ship at sail in the churning tide. His mission was just to remain on his bar stool.

They wouldn't remember the humiliation of their adventure come morning but the piercing, brain splitting hangover inevitable to follow tonight would remind them of their doings. Leigh would be responsible for filling in the time between blackouts and giving them hell for making her the designated chaperone.

Leigh had sat there most of the night with a plate of fries and had just shoved away a smelly Cole trying to get her to join the band with him when a stranger took the stool beside her.

Her blue eyes looked him over and arched a brow, testing his presence. A charming smile met her opposing greeting as he waved down the bartender to pass him a beer.

"Can I offer you a drink?" He asked, his voice plunging to be a deeper tone than it suspectedly must be naturally.

Obviously he must've had success with it in the past but tonight. Leigh was not in the mood for cute games; showing that by blowing him off with a gesture of her sweet tea in a glass right next to her.

He nodded. "I see." he trailed off but the glint in his eyes led the brunette to believe he was far from taking her hint. He probably thought her silence was a technique of playing hard to get.

"Eh, you probably couldn't handle anything stronger anyway." He mumbled into the beer bottle and turned his head to the dance floor.

Childish. The move was childish and Leigh knew better than to respond and give him the reaction he was looking for ... but Leigh was born with a competitiveness in her blood as it was in everyone in her family.
It was stronger than an urge and more than just pride. It was pure instinct and born nature to thrive on top. In the past the young girl had never flinched at a challenge. She went all in and didn't loose.

That was a year ago and since then that part of Leigh had been stolen, swiped, and stripped. There had been no drive but right now in this moment, she could feel her chest heat up and her stomach clench. It was the same feeling she experienced in the alley or more recently playing cards with the boys (on a very small scale of course).

An unnerving desire to prove this stranger wrong and introduce him to the impulsive, wild, and dangerous version of herself within currently clawed at the chance to resurface after its dormancy.

Two small glasses were presented to the table space between them and a middle aged man poured them half way with a bottle whiskey.
Typical choice for a flannel dressed twenty something year old version of young John Wayne.

Leigh rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, looking at the ice slowly melting into the tea glass beside her.

He took one glass and downed it in one go. "Have a problem with whiskey?" He asked, waiting a moment for her to fill the silence with at least a smart comment but shook his head.

"So either you are really stuck up or really don't want company but trust me darlin' this isn't the way I wish to be spending my night." He sighed deeply.
Leigh gave him a confused sideways glance, completely lost to his point. Why the hell was he still here?

As if reading her mind, he started. "Yeah, id much rather be with someone who enjoys my company and taste in drinks instead of fending the dogs off a damsel." He tipped his black cowboy hat in the direction of three guys who had come up to her moments before, the stooges she had been traveling with.

It was Cole he emphasized on specifically, her guessing he saw Cole come over earlier to try and pull her on the stage.