In the comfort of Justin arms he helped me up to my room, when we arrived at my house. We ran-into my mother, who was outside on the front porch sweeping.

"Hi, mom!" I exclaimed. The middle-aged woman looked up.

"Hello Annabelle, who's this?" she pointed to Justin.

"Mom, this is Justin"

"Justin, hmmm..."

"Yes, his father owns these stables"

"This is Thomas' son?"

"Yes, mom this is: Justin Moorland... Justin this is my mother, Karan, Karan Mysteryknight."

"Please to meet you"

"The pleasure is all mine" he replied,

My mother winked in my direction, then whispered as soon as he walked inside, "he's a keeper"

""Mom..." I growled,

"What?"

"Stop, just stop!"

"Okay, okay... " She shushed me,

"Come on Annabelle, let's get you inside; and up to your room"

"Bye, Miss. Mysteryknight"

"Bye, have fun you too! I'll be in, in a sec..."

"Okay mom" I bellowed,

"Okay Miss Mysteryknight" Justin said, then he walked me upstairs to my room. "Wow, You're room's very nice!" he exclaimed, when we finally reach my room,

"Um, thanks" I said, I liked my room and all of the horse posters plastered on every wall, even the ceiling was painted, it had a big, lugubrious, horse family on it which was painted in a big merle-like fashion,

"I like your room," he bellowed again. "It's very... YOU"

"Thanks" I uttered,

He helped me over towards the bed, I felt weak as I struggled with getting the sheets of the bedding back so I should snuggle up under those blankets filled with their waiting warmth.

"Here let me" Justin offered,

"No, no thanks—really, I got it" I said, shrugging him away,

"No, really... I insist" he crept his hands slow up onto the smooth fabric until his hands touched mine.

"What are you doing?" I said, looking up

"Oh! Nothing...I...I just...I just thought I should help"

I shushed him quite, "It's okay..." I said softly, "I like you to..."

"What?" he said, his voice suddenly went all high and squeaky, "You like me?"

"Yes," I admitted, "Do you?"

"Well, I...you see I..." he stammered,

"Do you?" I asked again,

"Ugh, you're not going to stop until I admit it are you?" he sighed, as he helped me climb into bed.

"Nope"

"Well then..." he began,

I watched him as he climbed the bed with me, and whispered "I'll never tell..."

"What?" I said weakly

"You my dear have got yourself a little mystery on your hands" he chuckled,

"How will I know when I've solved it?"

"Hey, how about a story?" he said, changing the subject.

"Oh, sure"

"Okay then, which one?"

"That one" I said, pointing to a weathered book on my white bookshelf.

"This one?" he held up an old torn-up book with a red Arabian horse etched on the front.

I nodded, I knew that book well—it was one of my all-time favorites

"Aww..." he pulled up a chair, "Okay... let see now," he started, "Yes! The Island Stallion" he leaned over and whispered, "A beloved classic, and one of my favorite books if I do say so myself"

He began reading the first few lines

...

I sighed dreamily, that book seemed like poetry to me; and he read it so well, in no time I was fast asleep.

"Huh" he sighed, "look at her, the little angle" he exclaimed softly, as he kissed me on the forehead, "Get well soon, my sweet" he tiptoed out of the room.

"I'd better stay near her, just in case" he told himself, "Maybe her mom knows of a good place to sleep tonight"

He ran down the long hall until he came across my mother' room, knocking on her door he said.

"You ho, Miss Mysteryknight; are you here?"

"Yes, dear?"

Opening the door he said, "Miss Mysteryknight, sorry to bother you; but I was wondering if...um...well...do you have any extra bedding materials?"

"Why yes, whatever for?"

"For me to spend the night"

"Well yes, but..."

"But what?"

"Well, have you checked with your fatter about this?"

"No ma'am, but..."

"If you haven't checked with your father I can't let you"

"Ugh, okay fine" he growled, "where's your nearest phone?"

"Over there" she pointed him to a landline on the kitchen counter,

"Thank you" he said, walking over to it—as he punched in his number.

His father answered, "Yellow"

"Hello, dad?"

"Yes son, what is it?"

"Well, you know Annabelle's mother... Miss Mysteryknight?"

"Yes"

"Well, she—she just wants me to check-in and make sure it's okay for me to spend the night"

"Spend the night?"

"Yes, well... I just thought that if I was going to be taking care of Miss Mysteryknight's daughter, the best to do that is to spend the night over at their house"

"Oh..." he said surprised.

"Is that okay?" Justin asked, then added. "You did say that you wanted me to look after her... I mean, just until she gets back up on her feet"

"Yes..." he said slowly,

"So... Would it be alright with you if I sleep over?"

"Yes!"

"Really I can?"

"Yes, yes you can"

"Oh! Thanks, thank you so...so...so much dad!" he squealed,

"You're welcome... hey, any particular reason way you suddenly got this amazing idea to sleepover?"

"Me? No! Why would you say that?"

"Um, well... for one: you seem really excited"

"Well, it's just that... I found out that this... girl here... she...well, she... " he stammered trying to get the words out.

"She what?"

"She... likes me"

"What?"

"She likes me! Ok?"

"Like, as a friend?"

"I don't think so..."

"Well, do you feel the same way?"

"I...I, don't know"

"Well, I'll see ya sometime tomorrow"

'Okay, dad: Bye... see you then"

"Bye, son... be safe"

"Will do dad!" he exclaimed before setting the phone down into it proper holder. He heard footsteps behind him as he hung-up,

"So, what did your dad say?"

"Oh well... he said yes, yes I can spend the night"

"Oh, good... Annabelle will be excited to hear that"

"Annabelle? Now what makes you so sure this is about Annabelle?"

"Well, from the way you talked about her on the phone... and well, she likes you... doesn't she?"

"Well, yes..." he said slowly,

"Anyway, here's the bedding you wanted... I got it from the top self in our linens closet"

"Thank you" he said, as he took it,

"No prob, I was happy to do it"

"Oh! I almost forgot... " he began, 'is there any place in particular that you would like for me to sleep tonight"

"Yes, I assume you would like to be placed near Annabelle room. Am I correct?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"It's just a... Mother's intuition" she said,

"Wow, you're good"

"Yes well, anyway... let's see: where is a good space for you... " she pondered, "Oh! There's a conch just outside her door... here I'll show you" she led the way to the back; down the long hallway, toward a brownish-tan colored couch just outside and on the right outer wall of my bedroom.

"Thanks, Miss Mysteryknight"

"No problem, now if you need anything at all to make your stray more comfortable... please don't hesitate to ask"

"Okay"

"You need anything right now?"

"I'm good, thank you though"

"Okay, good night"

"Goodnight Miss Mysteryknight"

He slept peacefully awaiting my call,

"Justin?" I stirred, he came racing in "Justin, you there?"

"I'm here" he said softly, as I opened my eyes.

"You're here to stay?" I asked,

"I'm just here spending the night, sweetie"

"Oh, I guess that's better than nothing"

"Yes, now why were you calling out?"

"I...I...horses... I can't... I... nightmare... " I laid there in my bed stammering and shaking.

"Hey, hey, hey: Annabelle, look at me" I obeyed, "it's all right"

I slumped back down under the covers, he turned to leave...

"Wait, don't go please" I shrieked,

"Okay, just shhh... " he put his hand over my mouth to silence me, "Annabelle, would it make you feel better if I slept in here with you?"

"Yes"

"Okay, skooch over" he said, as he hopped in bed with me... I snuggled into his arm,

"At last... " I thought, "At last, I feel... safe" that was it, as I feel back into a deep sleep.

...