Chapter Three

He couldn't believe it Sophie had managed to get herself covered in horse manure just by picking up the shovel.

"Mr. Davis!" She whined and dropped the shovel to the ground.

Andy burst into a hysterical laugh.

"Andy that's enough! You should know better not the laugh at one's mistakes?" He warned with a serious tone. Then moved to Sophie's side.

"Your, alright a long shower will help?" He reassured her and led her out of the barn and when they passed by Andy she muttered something to herself that was inaudible for him to understand. Whatever it might have been he was likely to deserve it after laughing at her.

Entering the house and just about past the living room, his mom made a loud oh.

"Davis, what had happened?" His mom asked.

"Nothing to worry about just another accident." He told her and took her to the bathroom. "Okay everything you'll be needing is already out and towels and rags are in that middle cabinet. I'll get you a new pair of clothes and put them on your bed for you."

She nodded in silence with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" He asked feeling concerned for her.

She shook her head. "Mmm, that boy laughed at me?"

"Don't let him get to you he's always been like that?"

"Why does he act so immature he has to at least be around my age?" She told wiping away the single fallen tear.

"I'll have to agree he is immature for a seventeen-year-old?"

"At least you agree with me? I'm fifteen and way more mature than he is."

So she was only fifteen? She was too young to be crossing the state all by herself where were her parents why wasn't she with them?

"Well I'll let you get your shower I'll be outside so if you need anything, my mom may help you with whatever but I can't be one hundred percent that she would."

She nodded in response with a soft smile. He shut the door behind him then went to his room to get new clothes for her to wear and put them on her bed then headed back outside to clean out the rest of the stall. Then after hours of cleaning the barn and fixing up his truck some more and having to listen to Andy constantly nagging about having nothing to do at the same time. He had taken the bridle saddle and pad from the barn and set it outside and just when he set the stuff on the wooden fence his mare horse came cantering up to him. He patted her neck and brushed her down then tacked her up.

"Mr. Davis, what are you doing?" Sophie asked stepping up on the bottom poll of the fence.

"I'm getting ready to go for a ride around the farm and maybe down the road as well."

"Can I come along?" She asked with a smile but he could hear the fear behind her voice and he wasn't sure why.

"Umm-"

"Please!" She pleaded. "I'm sorry to say this but I don't want to be around your family alone...they don't even like me?" She frowned.

"And what am I getting out of it giving you a ride?" He questioned.

"Uh...oh, I'll do the cooking from now on I can cook very well." She told with confidence.

"Oh really?"

"I can do the cleaning around the house including the dishes."

"Ok."

"I can even help out with the farm work."

"Do you think you can do all that especially that last one I mean you did cover yourself in horse manure?" He told feeling a bit doubtful.

"Yes, everything comes with mistakes in the beginning and hardly ever happens again because we humans learn from them."

He nodded. "Alright then." He got onto his horse and then held out his hand for hers. She had the biggest smile that made her cheeks puff out. He tried to hold back the urging smile from forming.

Sophie took his hand and then pulled her up behind him.

"What do I hold onto?" She suddenly asked.

"You can either hold onto me or the cantle?"

"What is a cantle?"

He twisted in the saddle. "It's this thing on the back of the seat." He pointed and she hummed in response and held onto the cantle.

"You ready?"

"Yep!" She nodded slightly hitting his back. He nudged each side of the mare to get her going into a walk then a trot until he had gotten to the field. He had missed riding out with his horse but was busy with his truck that needed to be worked on and planning out what he wanted to plant and prepare the field for the year had stopped him from doing so. But he's back riding and feeling great as ever though it was a bit different since Sophie was with him now and before he went into a gallop he warned Sophie to hold on tight and put her arms around him when he couldn't risk her getting hurt.

He still didn't know the story behind her leaving her state at fifteen years old with no parents that were so far not mentioned or seen. He wasn't even completely sure if to trust her even though she seemed to be thoughtful and well-mannered. When he had his horse move into a gallop he had just then remembered how much he missed the feeling of the wind blowing through his hair and just hearing Sophie scream with happiness made him laugh after what felt like a long time.

"This feels amazing! Had I mentioned that this is the first time I'd ridden a horse?" She yelled loud enough and then laughed no ordinary laugh which made him burst into laughter.

"Did a demon just possess your body?"

"If one did it sure is a very happy one?" She tightened her arms around him and relaxed her head against his back. He wasn't sure why or how she was comfortable with him when last night he was going to leave her outside in the cold rain.

She only knew his name and nothing else. He thought it wouldn't even be necessary for him to even speak about himself to her it wasn't like she was staying forever.

When the ride was getting close to the end he cut through a wide opening of trees that led to the road and had his horse trot almost all the way home.

He stepped down first and then helped Sophie get down. Before he could go inside to wash up he took the bridle and saddle off and stored them back inside the barn and lead the horse back into its stall and gave her a bucket of water and treat. When he walked out Sophie was waiting for him instead of going inside the house without him. His mom must have heard them walk in when she came hurrying to them in seconds.

"Where have you been it's been two hours I've tried to call but you didn't answer?" His mom asked.

"I was out riding so I didn't have my ringer on I'm sorry if I worried you?"

"Well, it's alright just tell me next time."

He nodded in response and they all went to the living room to relax on the couch and spend some family time together. And while he was having a good conversation with his parents about what Chicago was like Andy started picking on Sophie and making her upset. He couldn't understand why his brother couldn't be nice to her when together in the same area, what was he getting out of being rude to her? Sophie made a squealing sound about ready to cry and huddled up by him as if she knew he was going to protect her from his brother. And she was right he was, his brother didn't have a right to smack her with the pillow that was sitting on the couch he wouldn't be happy if she had decided to do that to him. He stopped the pillow in mid-air from hitting her and threw a hard glare at Andy.

"What...you going to protect your girlfriend now?" Andy scoffed. He couldn't believe what he had heard didn't his brother use his brain? It has only been the first day and already Andy is bothered by being here.

"Watch your mouth." He told with a stern voice.

"Andy!" Both his parents said.

"We were only messing around?"

"Is that why she's crying and clinging to your brother?" His mom had noticed. "It's obvious she doesn't want anything to do with you, you need to leave her alone?"

"Sure she's no fun anyway." Andy went and sat back down on the other side of the living room next to his parents. That was when he noticed Sophie being silent he moved a few strands of hair that fell over her eyes and put them behind her ear and saw she was sound asleep. He could understand, she was exhausted and needed the rest but he could only think for a second. Why did it have to be him who she fell asleep on, he wasn't comfortable with this and wanted her to move but at the same time he didn't want to wake her up she finally looked relaxed around his family and didn't want to ruin it. He watched her sleep a little more when he suddenly thought about her parents. Wouldn't they be worried that their daughter went missing? Why wasn't there any amber alert for a missing child or any news to find her? He had to ask Sophie about what was going on with her and why she had chosen to run away from home tomorrow morning for sure. He couldn't let it all slide that easily he needed information to get her out of his house. His dad looked at him with confusion about why he wasn't doing anything about Sophie resting her head on his leg and snuggled up against the back couch cushion. And without wanting to wake her up he hardly made a sound and mouthed a few words to his dad that she was sleeping. When he had gotten a response from his dad to take her to bed he nodded in response and then tried to carefully lift her head slightly off his leg to stand up. He gently picked her up off the couch by her legs and shoulders then Sophie wrapped her arms around his neck and he carried her to her room and placed her on the bed. He took a hold of her arms from his neck and put them on either side of her body and slipped both her shoes off her feet and put them on the floor at the side of the bed and covered her up with the blanket. And for a split second his mind went the complete opposite of what he had been telling himself about Sophie. He pinched himself in hopes the thoughts would turn but it didn't help he quickly left her room and went to the bathroom to splash himself with cold water. Why was he thinking it would be ok for her to stay in his home what has changed his mind so quickly?

Like she had told him she could help around the farm? And whatever the reason was for her to run away from home there had to be a reason for her to do so. He couldn't just let a fifteen-year-old girl wander around the world by herself without the proper direction of where she was heading it wasn't safe. And what would happen if she got severely ill and wouldn't be able to get treatment because of no money? He dunked his head into the cold water to drown his thoughts until he couldn't breathe and needed a gasp of air. He was frustrated with himself at this point why couldn't he change his mind why couldn't he just kick her out of his home he had the right to do so?