Chapter 21

"Brunooo! Please I feel like I'm being no fun." "Nope." "Bruno, I swear if you don't go I'll...." "You'll what?" I grabbed the hose and aimed it at him. His hands flew into the air. He started backing up and I cornered him. "I'll spray." "Well guess what..." He grabbed another hose and aimed it at me. "...two can play that game." He squirted it at me feet. "Oh geez!" I jumped into the air. I sprayed his shirt and as soon as I did I dropped my hose and threw my hands in the air. "I surrender! Don't spray! I'll be good I swear!" He started busting out laughing. "I don't find anything funny here!" He dropped his hose and walked over to me. "You were all bad then you sprayed, and you were all innocent." I laughed. "Help me take Farah's saddle off please." He kisses me and we walk over and he try's to help but he can't figure how to undo the straps and we end up doubled over laughing with tears in our eyes. "Oh my god Bruno, this is sad. Watch." I take it off and he started laughing harder. "I was doing it backwards!" We finally take Farah's saddle off and put her back into the field. "You wanna ride?" "Can I?" "Take your pick." I grab a saddle and he walks around and picks a white and tan paint horse named Charley. I saddle him up and walk him out to the field. "Alright come here Bruno." He walks around to the stallions left side. "Always mount a horse on the left. Put your foot his loop and swing your other foot around." He does and once he gets on top he smiles. "Awesome." "Okay so now, put the balls of your feet on the center of the stirrup. Good, now grab the reins, hold them loosely." He fiddled with them but he can't seem to get it. "Here let me help you." I swing myself over and put my hands over his. "Like this." He looked over his shoulder at me and smiled. "Ok, good now, squeeze your legs." He does and the horse starts trotting. "Oh wow!" "Watch this." I grabbed the reins tighter and squeeze his sides again. "Hiya!" Charley starts galloping, the wind whipping in our faces. "Woohoo!" I giggle. We keep running until we get to my special spot. "Whoa boy." I pull the reins back and he stops. I get off and Bruno follows. "Wow, that was amazing!" I look around and my spot hasn't changed since I left. The waterfall and stream is still crystal clear. The sitting rocks are still there and the wild mustangs still roam around. "Wow." "I know right it's amazing." "No, I was talking about you." I smiled. He kissed me long and hard.

*

"Do you have a plan or are you just going to sit there and drool over him all day Kat?" "Mom! Really! I think I know what I'm going to do." "Well?" "She's crazy about him and would do anything to protect him. Take him out of the picture on race day, then boom. She goes to find him and doesn't race, we win and go on." "Nice, how do you plan on that?" "Simple. Get him drunk and hide him somewhere or....." "Or what Kat?!" "Get someone into an accident." "Kat, just don't get caught or hurt. But don't miss either. Understood?" "Yes mother."

*

As the last 2 weeks went by everything seemed perfect for the race. We finally got Farah comfortable in the gates. Kenji spent most of his time with Jessica. Melody and Phil some became like me and Bruno, inseparable. Kat was still all over Bruno and I felt so bad for him. Claire still hated me, and tomorrow was the race. I started thinking about the training differences between Farah and Pride. Pride was born to run, he was a thoroughbred. He was being trained in a top notch facility with fancy training areas and equipment. Farah was a Quarter horse who was going blind. We never touched any part of the facility. We used an old training gate Frankie built, our race track was a mowed down circle in a crop field. We were all over the news as the people who were racing the blind horse. Me and Bruno were at a tack store. He was helping find a jockey outfit. We looked through all of them until I finally found the one. I was a light blue with yellow rings. I got the shirt and white pants that matched. "Are you excited for tomorrow?" Bruno asked as we waited to cross the road to go to Jessie's shop. "Yeah, a little nervous, but I have faith." He smiled and gave me a peck on the cheek. The crossing light turned green and he put his arm around me and we started crossing. We got about half way when we heard tires screeching. Bruno was walking to my left so I couldn't see the road. "Move!" Before I could even react Bruno shoved me forward and I hit the corner of a brick wall, my arm gave out with a painful snap and my face slammed into the corner, slicing my cheek. I look over at Bruno and he jumped out of the way of a car and his ankle twisted and he skittered across the pavement. I looked at the driver and I couldn't believe it. "Kat Mako!" I stumbled over to her car and hit the back of it. "Well hi! You know it looks like your going to be in the hospital and you won't be able to race." She gave me a snobby smile. "Bitch lets go right here, right now." I sized her up and knew I had the advantage. I was about 3 inches taller than her and I had about 20 pounds of muscle on me. "Brooke, don't." Bruno says limping over. His chin is busted and his arm is scratched up. "We gotta get you to the hospital." We both said at the same time. I glared at Kat. "You screwed up big time." I walked over to Bruno and he put his arm around my neck. I sat him down on a bench and took his shoe off. His ankle was swollen but not to bad. "I think it's just sprained." "We need to go to the hospital, your cheek is busted open." I put my hand to my cheek and pulled it away, it was covered in blood. "Let's go." I drove to the hospital and we didn't have to wait. I had to get 20 stitches in my cheek, I had to wear a brace on my elbow, Bruno had to wear an ankle brace and had to get 10 stitches in his chin. We walked out and I looked at us. "Wow, were a sight for sore eyes huh?" "Yeah." We drove back to the cabin and climbed into bed around 11 that night. "Bruno?" "Yeah." "I love you." I wrapped my arm around him. "I love you to Brookie. Always remember that." "I will."

*

We woke up in the morning and the house was buzzing with excitement. We ate breakfast and we hustled over to the racetrack. When we got out I saw Claire and decided to talk to her. The guys went and bet on Farah and got seats. Bruno walked with me and Frankie. "Claire! Your daughters a horrible fail at attempted murder!" Her head whipped around and she glared at me. We all busted out laughing. Frankie saddled up Farah and I got changed. I put my hair up in a tight bun and put my helmet on and let my goggles hang around my neck. I walked out and Farah, Frankie and Bruno were all waiting for me, smiling. I hugged both of them and got a kiss from Bruno. "Be careful." "I will." He walked off and sat with the guys. I looked at Farah. "No matter what happens, win or lose your a champion." I kissed her forehead and mounted her. We walked out and I met with my guide horse. Here goes nothing.

*

"Brunz!" Bruno looked around and saw the guys and Frankie standing by the fence. "Hey guys." He watched as they put the horses in the gate. "Well lets see if anything stuck." The tension is the air became thick as everyone waited in anticipation. The buzzer rang and the gates flew open. Farah and Brooke exploded out. Me and Frankie let out huge sighs of relief.

*

Brrinng! We exploded out of the gate and I sighed a huge sigh of relief. The familiar pulse of adrenaline returned and we got in 6th. We were boxed in and we were hugging the rail, not a very good spot but I knew what I was doing. As we rounded the turn, I was able to move us up a little. We rounded the homestrech but then we slowly started falling behind. Now we were right behind 11th place. Maybe I was wrong. "Had enough girl!"

*

"What's happening? Why's she falling behind?" Frankie sighed. "It was too much to ask." My heart sank. She really believed in Farah.

*

We rounded for the homestretch. "You did good girl! You tried!" I felt all the muscles in her body tense. I let the reins loose and she took off. We had a clear shot and we ended up running right beside Trenton's Pride. A trained, champion bred horse, and a free spirited runner, racing side by side, neck to neck.

*

We watched as they rounded for the homestretch. It looked like we were really done, but then she let the reins loose and Farah took off. She ran and ran until she caught up with Pride. Everyone started cheering. "Let her run! Let her run Brooke!" They crossed the finish line. "And Farah is the winner in an amazing photo finish!" We all started screaming. We ran over to the other side of the finish line and I hopped the fence. She slid off Farah and we ran to each other with open arms.

*

I slid off Farah and jumped into Bruno's open arms. He swung me around and when my feet hit the ground he devoured my lips. When we pulled away I had the biggest smile on my face, it kind of hurt though because of my stitches. "That was amazing." "Did ya see her! She was amazing!" I gave Frankie a hug and I was still smiling like a fool. "Daniels." I turned my head and standing there was Kat. "That was amazing. Pride really was good, he's a fast runner." "This isn't over." "Oh, right because I won and shattered your chances of winning once again. Next time when you try to murder someone, try a gun instead of a car." She rolls her eyes and walked off, I couldn't help but laugh. Farah walked over and nuzzled herself under my arm. "Good girl. Good girl." I gave her a kiss and we walked to the winners circle. This is what I ride for. Not the fame, not the money or attention. But for the love of it, the adrenaline rush of riding and then winning. I looked around and was truly amazed by all the people who believed in Farah. This was going to be big, she had a gift that I'd never ever seen in any other horse. Her story was going to touch the nation, I could feel it.