I walked into the stable a little while later with Ryan following me, hoping that Blue would still be all right and had eaten even without me being there.

"Do you think he has eaten?" Ryan asked and looked at me before he looked forward and toward the way we were going, and I shrugged and grimaced, pressing my lips into a thin line.

"No idea," I said before I cleared my throat and moved a hand through my hair. "I am hoping that he has eaten, but there is a chance that he hasn't done that. I am worried about him, even though he hasn't been here that long."

Ryan nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. Worry filled his eyes and slowly blinked. He cleared his throat and rubbed his hand across his head, clearing his throat. "I hope that he did."

I bit back a small snort and nodded, holding back an eye roll. "So do I," I said. "It would be bad if he didn't."

But not that bad since I was going to help and make sure that he had eaten before I left...

"Why does your dad not want you to work with Blue, but your mom does?" Ryan asked and raised an eyebrow in question while he studied me.

I rolled my eyes and scowled, biting back an annoyed snort while I moved a hand through my hair and across my face. "I don't know," I said, annoyed before I sighed and shook my head, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Didn't you ask me that already?"

Ryan shrugged and looked nonchalant, biting back a small smirk. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," he said. "All I know is that your parents are confusing."

I bit back a small laugh and nodded, silently agreeing with him. "Oh, I know that they are confusing," I said. "I am going to follow what Mom said though, and since she said that I can work with the horse..." I shrugged and grimaced, pressing my lips into a thin line.

Ryan bit back a small snort and nodded in confirmation. "Then I will help you with the horse," he said and nudged my shoulder. He flashed me a small smirk and a wink, and I rolled my eyes and set my jaw. "And I will make sure that your dad doesn't hurt you too badly for disobeying his orders."

I bit back a small snort and nudged Ryan back, and he grinned. "Thanks, Man," I said. "I do appreciate it."

"Anything for you, Deanie Boy," he said and nodded. He cleared his throat and grew serious. "So, how are we going to do what Ella had told you to do?" he asked.

I shrugged and grimaced, pressing my lips into a thin line. "Don't know," I said. "I am g-"

"Uh, no," Ryan said, interrupting me. He smirked and winked when I looked at him and scowled, narrowing my eyes. "It is we, Dean. We are..." He gestured for me to finish my sentence, and I rolled my eyes and scowled.

I sighed and shook my head, moving a hand through my hair before I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Fine," I said, relenting. "We are going to figure it out and see what we can do for the horse until Blue is able to be reunited with Ella."

Ryan slowly nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. He didn't say a word while he moved a hand through his hair and shook his head, biting back a tired sigh.

Horses whickered when we walked past them, and they bobbed their heads up and down before they turned around to go eat the rest of their hay and food.

However, the only one that didn't turn away from us was Blue. His ears were pricked toward us and watched us coming toward him, and he breathed in and then breathed out, whickering ever so slightly.

"That's him, huh?" Ryan asked and raised an eyebrow in question while he glanced at me from the corner of his eye, and I nodded in confirmation.

"Yes," I replied and nodded. "That is Blue. Blue, this is Ryan. He is a friend."

"Hey, Bud," Ryan said nervously while the new horse flicked his ears backward and looked wary of this new person. "How are you?

Blue snorted and shook his head. He backed further into his stall and walked away from us but not toward the food.

"I thought you weren't afraid of horses," I teased and flashed him a small smirk and a wink. "Why are you so nervous about him, Ryan?"

"I am not nervous of him," Ryan said and narrowed his eyes while he scowled, and I grinned, amused. "However, I am nervous of him."

I bit back a small snort and rolled my eyes while I scowled. "And why is that, Ryan?" I asked and opened Blue's stall before I stepped inside, keeping an eye on the horse in front of me.

"I don't know, but I am," he said and shook his head while he closed the stall door behind me. "I don't want you to be mad at me for hurting him."

I gave him a weird look and watched as he closed the gate before I turned my attention back to Blue. "Hey, Blue," I said softly and held out my hand for him. "How are you?"

Blue turned toward me and whickered nervously. He bobbed his head up and down in greeting before he walked over to me with his ears pricked my way.

I breathed a small sigh of relief when he walked over to me and stayed still. I watched as he drew closer to me before he stopped right in front of me.

He reached out and touched me with his nose, taking in my scent while he nuzzled my hand.

I breathed a small sigh of relief and started to pet his nose. "Hello, Bud," I said and started to pet his neck instead of his nose. "Have you eaten?"

Blue snorted and flicked his tail. He moved his ears closer to the side of his head, and I couldn't tell if he had eaten or not.

I bit back a small chuckle and patted his neck. "Come on and let's see if you have eaten, ya?" I asked and started to walk over to his food bowl with him following me, and his nose was touching my hand.

"Well?" Ryan asked when he saw me check the bucket and saw me frown. He frowned and furrowed his brows while he cocked his head to the side. "Is there still food in it?"

"Yes," I said and nodded in confirmation while I bit back a tired sigh and shook my head, pursing my lips in annoyance. "There is still food in his bowl. He hasn't eaten that much."

"Has he eaten any of it?" Ryan asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Not that I can see," I replied and shook my head. "Then again, I do not know how much he was given." I reached into the bowl and pulled some food out and turned toward him. "Here, do you want some more, Bud?" I asked and held it under his nose so that he could eat it.

Blue snorted and started to eat just a tad from my hand. He finished the food in my hand before he nudged my hand for more.

"Then eat it yourself, Blue," I said with a small chuckle while I patted his bowl. "You don't need to eat from my hand."

Blue nudged my hand again, silently asking me to get him more food, and I couldn't help but laugh and nod.

"Ok," I said and stuffed my hand in the bucket and started to feed him that way. "But just this once. Ok? After that you have to eat on your own because I will be starting school here soon, and I will not be able to help you eat."

Blud didn't seem to care and shook his head. He flicked his tail and kept eating from my hand, and that was what we did in silence with me hoping that this would be a one time thing.

If not, then I knew that I would be screwed until I figured out a way to get him to eat on his own.

And maybe, just maybe, Ella would be able to help me with whatever when we were able to see each other again...