Two weeks have passed, and I couldn't help but be proud of the boys that worked at the barn. I had not had to make them run the whole one hundred miles, nor did I make them run any. However, they've been showing up around four in the morning and ran with me around the barns, houses, Mess Hall, and dorms. I didn't question it. I was just glad that they were doing what they were supposed to do.

It made my life easier.

Marisol was doing good at her activities. She had been following Emily and Addy around and doing the activities that they were doing. I could see that she was getting confident with going places by herself some, but she wasn't confident in riding her horse, not even when I tried to persuade her into riding Liberty.

José looked to have a crush on her, but he didn't say anything about it. He did ask me most of the questions, some of which he should just ask her. However, that boy was just too damn shy. He didn't know what to do with those feelings.

Mine and Bellie's relationship was a little rocky. I think I had embarrassed her, though she didn't know that I really wanted to ask her. She had been through almost everything with me, and I loved her with all my heart and soul.

Emily said that she felt the same way, but she was waiting for me to make the first move. She claimed that her mother had said that I was a cocky son of a gun when I was younger and would flirt with all the females.

I couldn't help but laugh at that, because I was just being a gentlemen to them, holding the door open or picking up something that they had dropped. I, only, ever flirted with Bellie, getting a black eye from her "boyfriends" that she dated at the time.

I shook my head and sighed, breaking myself from thoughts when Lib took off my Stetson and flung it onto the ground. "Really?" I asked, glaring at her teasingly. I patted her neck before grabbing the hard brush. "You just love to make me suffer, don't you?" I teased, causing her to snort and bob her head up and down.

I shook my head, smiling. "As long as you don't do that to the other riders, then I'll be fine," I said, causing to her whicker.

Lib was doing nicely with the special needs kids. She was patient and got everyone to love her. Sure, she did test some of the riders, but she knew that they would be able to handle it and didn't do it often.

The only person that she picked on often was with me. She would sometimes buck with me, but I made sure to hold on and ride it out. She would take off my Stetson and throw it in the dirt or play with it.

When I first wore the hat around her, Lib fell in love with it and tried to eat it countless of times.

I sneezed when she whacked me with her tail. "I know, I know," I grumbled. "'Get your head out of the clouds and start working.'" I rolled my eyes, teasingly. "Mares." I finished brushing her up before picking up my Stetson and placing it on my head.

Lib snorted and rolled her eyes before looking away. She whickered when she saw someone, causing me to look where she was looking.

I noticed a blonde headed boy with glazed blue eyes coming in. He looked to be around five years old, and he was holding one of those tools that helped blind people. "Hey, Kid. You lost?" I asked, moving to the front of Lib.

The little boy stopped walking and looked towards my voice. He made a gasping sound before starting to back up.

"Watch out," I warned, seeing that he was about to trip over the step. "You're about to be going over that step, and I don't want you to fall."

He paused and stayed still.

"You lost?"

The kid shook his head.

"Patrick right? Your mentor is James Fredricks?" I snorted when he nodded. "Figures," I grumbled. "I have the old man, the man my age, and the kid who hates my guts." I moved a hand through my hair and glared at Lib, who had taken my hat again. "Really?" I asked. "Taking my hat again?"

Lib snorted and bobbed her head up and down. She tried to chew it, but I quickly grabbed it out of her mouth.

"Yes, give me the death glare that you are known for," I grumbled. "I know where you sleep, and you aren't eating my hat."

The boy let out a small giggle, causing me to smirk.

"So, I see that you have a funny bone," I teased, causing the male to shake his head. "Un huh. Do you want to pet her?"

The boy hesitated before nodding his head. He shuffled forward before stopping.

"Just follow my voice, Little Cowboy," I said, causing him to walk tentatively forward. I kneeled down and held out my hand. "Hold out your hand," I said, taking hold of it. "There you go." I moved him forward until he was right in front of Lib. "I am going to move your hand to touch her nose. Is that alright?"

Patrick nodded his head, and I placed his hand on her nose. He grinned when Lib nudged his hand and started to lick it. He scrunched up his face, causing me to laugh.

"She is kissing it. Do you want to feed her?"

Patrick nodded his head, moving his hand up and down her face.

I took out a treat from my pocket, causing Lib to whicker. "Wait," I said, causing Lib to snort and shake her head. "Hold out your hand." I placed the treat in Patrick's hand before putting it the way it was supposed to look. "There you go," I said, watching as Lib tentatively took the treat out of his hand. "Fun right?"

Patrick nodded his head before making a signal for more.

"All right." I handed him another treat and watched as he fed it to her by himself. "You are a natural. Would you like to get on?"

Patrick hesitated but nodded his head.

"Relax. Lib will not hurt you. I am going to pick you up. Is that alright?"

Patrick nodded his head still hesitant about the whole situation.

I nodded and went to his side before bending down and placing my arm around him. "I am thinking that you all ready know how to sit on a horse? Ok, then on three, I want you to get into that position and get ready to hold onto her mane," I said, after he nodded. "One. Two. Three." I lifted him up and sat him on Lib, making her only flick her tail. "There you go. You are now on a horse."

Patrick grabbed hold of the mane in front of him and looked around. There was an awe expression on his face, probably surprised on how she felt.

"All right, I am going to pick up the lead rope and then we'll walk for a few steps. Don't worry, Lib will not try to run or anything. She only picks on me and no one else." I spotted the fear in Partick's eyes while he looked down at me. "I will be right beside you, so I am going to need you to hang onto the lead rope, with one hand. Ok?"

Patrick hesitated but nodded his head. He held out his hand and grabbed hold of the lead rope when I gave it to him.

I placed my hand on his back. "I will be right here," I promised, causing him to nod. "Lib, walk to the left."

Lib snorted and did as what I had said. She kept her ear back, waiting for me to say something else.

"See? You are a natural rider, Lil Cowboy," I praised, earning a small grin from him. We walked to the end of the barn and back to the cross ties, where James was waiting for us. "Whoa," I called, causing her to stop. "What is it, James?" I asked, raising eyebrow when he just glared at us.

"What are you doing with my person?" he asked, his voice clipped.

"You were supposed to watch him, but you didn't," I replied, causing him to narrow his eyes. "He came into the barn, and I got him to feed Lib as well as ride her. He is a natural born rider, so he should get lessons with Annabella."

"He is blind," James said. "He can't ride."

"And I have one arm, but I still ride," I replied. "He can ride if he wants to. I thought you were supposed to make it so that he could work by himself."

James snorted and rolled his eyes. "Marisol isn't riding," he said. "I think you should just leave and never come back."

I gritted my teeth, trying to hold onto my anger. "Has your father ever told you that the only reason why he hates me is because I beat his butt when he hurt Annabella?" I asked. "And the only reason why your grandfather hates me is because I would not let him take my sister away from me, even though he thought I would turn out like that drunk we lived with! Your grandfather even kicked out your aunt because she was seen talking with me and would not stop, so she had to move into a friend's house. You don't know my side of the story, so I suggest that you shut up and do not talk to me unless it is an apology or you need help." I moved forward, only to be stopped by Patrick holding onto my shirt. "If I ever hear you tell someone that I am a creep who is supposed to be in jail, I will kick your butt back to your grandfather and let him arrest me." I nodded my head to Patrick. "He is smart. The kid doesn't need to see or talk to show it."

Patrick tugged on my shirt, causing me to look at him. He signaled for me to pick him up, and I did just as he said and sat him on the ground. Patrick hugged me, causing me to smile a little before he moved over to James.

"Heed my warning, James. I do not say them twice." I grabbed the lead rope and lead Lib to the ring, wanting to get rid of all this anger that he had given me.

***

"Wow," José said, spying me from where he was fixing up a post at the ring. "What got up your fondo (bottom) and died?"

"James," I all but growled out. "Can you grab Lib's bridle and saddle while I get some of this anger out?" I asked, giving him a look that should just do it.

José nodded but opened the gate to the ring. "Be careful, Señor," he said. "I think she's gonna test you, 'cause of tus (your) anger."

I flicked the lead rope onto her back before climbing on. "That's what I want her to do," I said, digging my heels into her side, causing her to run into the ring and start to canter, buck, and rear with me on her.

I stayed on and by the time she started to get tired, my anger diminished until I was able to 'woah' her at the gate. "Good girl," I muttered, patting her sweaty neck. "Thank you."

Lib snorted and shook out her body before she nudged my foot with her nose. She whickered and bobbed her head before walking to where a group had gathered.

"Hey, Cowboy," Emily said, going into the ring and walking over to Lib and I. "Are you sure that she is safe for others to ride?" she teased, handing me my hat.

I snorted and placed it on her head. "Says the one who has been on her for almost twenty-four hours and didn't get off until I almost pulled you off."

Emily rolled her eyes and moved the hat on top of her head. "What can I say? She is a good horse, though she does like to tease me." She glared at Lib when she pulled the hat off her head and bob her head up and down.

I chuckled and looked at the fence to see Marisol, Addy, and Bellie leaning against it. I knew that José was on the other side, having the saddle, bridle, and saddle pad in his hands. "Are you sure that you don't want to try, Marisol?" I asked, causing her to frown and shake her head. I slid off and placed the lead rope on the ground. "All right. I am hungry, so I am going to get something to eat. I think Lib will be fine here." I glanced at Bellie to see that she nodded to say that it was all right.

"What-"

"I am going to get something to eat, Emily," I said, narrowing my eyes to tell her to be quiet. I grabbed hold of my hat and started to walk to the gate. "Come on." I ignored her calling my name and walked out of the gate before walking up the hill before stopping.

José, Emily, Addy, and Bellie joined me at the hill and stopped when I stopped. Marisol was still by the ring, but she was going in.

"What are you doing?" Emily hissed. "Why did you leave Lib in there and not make Marisol go with us?"

I sat down and rubbed my knee, a bit in pain. "I am making it seem that she is alone," I replied.

"Why?"

"So that she will go on Lib by herself and make it so that she wouldn't get into trouble," Bellie said. "It's how Ry got Melia on a Shire." She playfully glared at me, causing me to shrug my shoulder.

I stayed silent and watched as Marisol grabbed the lead rope and patted Lib. "Easy, Lib," I muttered when I saw her lift her head and take a couple of steps backward.

Marisol said something to Lib before leading her over to the fence. She felt around for a place to put her feet and climbed up the fence. She said something else to Lib, getting Lib to get in front of her before climbing on.

A proud smile appeared on her face while she started to walk Lib around.

"And, that is my cue to get on down before she hurts herself," I said, proud that Marisol finally climbed onto a horse. I walked down the path, glad that I knew she would be able to ride by herself, as long as she placed her mind to it.