chapter two

 

CHAPTER T W O.

 

– ♥ –

 

“Say hi and give your dad a big hug for me.” Ryleigh said as Krisalyn undid her seatbelt and opened the car door.

 

“Will do! And say hi to Ellsy for me. I haven’t seen her in a while.” Krisalyn said as she got out of the car.

 

“Sure thing, give me a call on my cell when you’re ready to go home.” Ryleigh said as Krisalyn shut the car door.

 

Krisalyn nodded and smiled and then headed into the building. Once Ryleigh knew she was safe inside, she put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking spot so she could continue on her way to the stables. It would be like any other day she’s there: show up, Ellsy would already be there getting Howie – her horse – ready for their lesson while Ryleigh would start getting Moe – her horse – ready for their trail ride afterwards. Then they’d get back and cool the horses down, then put them out in the grass pasture and call it a day.

 

Ryleigh pulled onto the dirt road and parked in her usual spot. She walked down the hill towards the barn where Ellsy would be brushing Howie, getting him ready for the lesson.

 

“Ohh! I’m soo psychic!” Ryleigh said as she stepped onto the cement inside the stable doors. Ellsy looked up and smiled. Her real name is Allysin, but Ryleigh ended up giving her the nickname Ellsy. How she got Ellsy out of Allysin, we’ll never know, though that’s what Ryleigh calls her.

 

“Hi Ryleigh! And what do you mean by you’re psychic?” Ellsy asked with curiosity as she continued to brush Howie.

 

“I knew you’d be in here brushing Howie,” Ryleigh said as she walked past Ellsy and Howie down towards Moe’s stall. “You could’ve been picking his feet, or putting his blanket, saddle, and bridle on, or giving him treats. But no! You’re brushing him!”

 

“Kudos for you,” Ellsy laughed as she put her brush back in her grooming box. Ryleigh smiled as she grabbed Moe’s halter and slipped into his stall to put it on.

 

--

 

“Keep your heels down!” Ryleigh called out to Ellsy as she trotted along the fence in a circle.

 

“They are down!” She called back.

 

“Well they are now because I said something,” Ryleigh laughed. The lesson seemed to be going well, though Howie was acting like a butthead. He would randomly decide to cut corners even though Ellsy was doing everything in her power so he wouldn’t. Howie even took off on her when they were changing from a trot to a canter, though Ellsy stayed on.

 

“Howie’s being a butthead!” Ellsy called just as Howie cut another corner.

 

“Bring ‘em over here and let me on him for a minute.” Ryleigh called out and Ellsy did as she was told and brought Howie to the center of the arena. Ellsy got off and Ryleigh got on.

 

“Who’s that?” Ryleigh asked as she looked up the hill as a car pulled up next to hers. “Is that your mom? I mean, it’s the same color, though it doesn’t look like the same kind of car, but is it hers?”

 

“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s her car and as far as I know, we haven’t gotten a new one. And I told her when we got here that we’re going on the trails today so she didn’t have to come at the normal time.” Ellsy informed Ryleigh. That’s when a guy stepped out of the car and just stood there looking around, finally spotting the girls in the arena down below.

 

“Ok, I know for a fact that’s not your mom,” Ryleigh said. “And it can’t be your dad because they’re divorced, right? And you don’t know where he is?”

 

“Right...” Ellsy trailed off. Howie was starting to get antsy because he was started to walk away. “And besides, he looks too young to be a dad anyway. I’ll go stand by the gate so you can work with Howie.”

 

“Alright,” Ryleigh said to Ellsy, and then to Howie, “C’mon Howie, let’s get these ants out of your pants.”

 

Ryleigh steered Howie towards the fence and asked him to pick up a trot. Everything was going good: Ryleigh was trotting Howie along the fence real nicely until the guy at the top of the hill shut his car door which startled Howie and he took off. Though when he took off, Ryleigh stayed where she was and fell on her butt. It was like something or someone was holding Ryleigh in place while Howie just went without her. Ellsy ran towards Ryleigh from the gate while the guy standing at the top of the hill ran down to see if she was alright.

 

Ryleigh was lying flat on her back when both Ellsy and the guy arrived at the same time.

 

“Ryleigh! Are yo-” Ellsy asked but immediately stopped and looked at the guy and her eyes widened. “Oh my god...” That’s when the guy finally looked at Ellsy. His reaction was the same.

 

“Allysin?” He asked. She nodded.

 

“Zac?” Ellsy said, though Ryleigh didn’t hear what she said because her head was spinning a tiny bit. Apparently the guy nodded and Ellsy gasped and jumped into his arms but immediately pulled away and kneeled down by Ryleigh’s head. “Are you ok Ryleigh?”

 

“I’m fine...now Ellsy...go get your horse...” Ellsy did as she was told and ran off to grab Howie. “And dude, you are going to help me up, but slowly please, my head is still spinning a little bit.” Ryleigh said as she lifted up her arms and he grabbed them and slowly helped her to her feet. And as soon as Ellsy returned with Howie, Ryleigh said,

 

“Hey Ells, I think we’ll skip the trail ride today, if you don’t mind, and maybe go tomorrow?” Ryleigh asked as she dusted off her butt.

 

“Yeah, that’s fine...” Ellsy said with a smile on her face, looking at the guy. “Oh Ryleigh, this is Zac Callahan, my older brother. Zac this is my riding instructor and friend Ryleigh Jameson.”

 

“Hi,” Zac said, holding out his hand.

 

“Hi,” Ryleigh said, taking his hand and shaking it.

 

“I’ll go untack now.” Ellsy said and started to lead Howie towards the gate.

 

“Ok, I’m coming,” Ryleigh said and followed. “You coming too?” she said referring to Zac.

 

“What? Oh yeah, sure.” Zac said and walked next to Ryleigh.

 

“So Ellsy...since when do you have an older brother?”

 

“Since always...it just never came up.” Zac looked at Ryleigh with confusion. All she did was shrug her shoulders.

 

“So what do you do Zac? You into horses?” Ryleigh asked Zac.

 

“I’m not a huge horse freak like Allysin is, but I do enjoy them. They’re fun to ride.” Zac said. “I actually live in LA...I’m just here to visit for a couple weeks.”

 

“Cool, cool. So back to my original question...” Ryleigh said as she hooked Howie up to the other cross tie.

 

“Oh right, yeah, I’m an actor and an artist in the works.” Zac said. Ryleigh looked at him and cocked her head to the right, then to the left.

 

“Like a painter?” Ryleigh asked, moving her hand like she was painting a picture.

 

Zac laughed. “Haha, no, a musician. I’m currently working on an album.”

 

“Cool,” Ryleigh said. She looked at him for a minute or two and then said, “Hey, you do look familiar...you’re Troy Bolton in the High School Musical movies!” Ryleigh smiled hugely. Zac turned away a little smiling and blushing a little bit. Ryleigh continued on, “Don’t worry, I won’t scream and chase after you or beg for a picture and autograph. I’m not that kind a girl.”

 

“Then what kind of girl are you?” Zac asked, still smiling.

 

“I don’t know...you’ll have to find that out for yourself.” Ryleigh smiled as she rested her arms on Howie’s back after Ellsy took off his saddle and blanket.

 

“Ok then...lemme see your phone.” Zac said holding his hand out. Ryleigh did as he said and handed over her phone. Zac opened it up and asked, “So who’s that in the background, you and?”

 

“Krisalyn, my adopted sister.” Ryleigh answered as Zac typed on the key pad.

 

“Oh, you’re saying she’s adopted because she’s the oddball sister who doesn’t really belong?” Zac asked, not looking up from the screen.

 

“No, I’m saying she’s adopted because she’s really adopted.” Ryleigh smiled. Zac started turning a shade of bright red. Ellsy laughed and Ryleigh looked up at her and smiled. “So what did you do to my phone and how much of it is gonna show on my bill?” Ryleigh asked as Zac handed it back.

 

“Don’t worry; I just put in my cell number.” Zac said. “I was hoping that maybe-“he started saying but he was interrupted when Ryleigh’s phone began to vibrate.

 

“Sorry,” Ryleigh said as she looked to see who was calling her. “Hello?”

 

“Rye...”

 

“Yeah, what’s up Kris?”

 

“Can you please come and get me?” Krisalyn sniffled. It sounded like she was crying.

 

“Of course, is there something wrong? Did something happen with your dad?” Ryleigh asked, completely concerned.

 

“I’ll tell you when you come get me...” Krisalyn sniffed again.

 

“Alright, I’m on my way. Just hold on and don’t go anywhere.” Ryleigh said and snapped her phone shut. “Alright, I have to go, there’s an emergency, per say...”

 

“Is everything ok?” Ellsy asked.

 

“Kris needs me right now, so I need to go. Ells, I trust you’ll be ok with Howie? And Zac you’ll help her if she needs help?”

 

“Yes,” They said at the same time.

 

“Alright, I’m going now. Call if you have any problems.”

 

“Ok, bye Rye. Tell Kris to feel better.” Ellsy said as she took Howie’s brush and started brushing him.

 

“Ok, it was nice meeting you Zac.” Ryleigh said and turned around and headed out of the barn. “Oh and Ellsy,”

 

Ellsy turned around and looked at Ryleigh, “Yeah?”

 

“Give Zac my cell number.”

 

– ♥ –

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hey Kayden, its Ryleigh.”

 

“Oh hey Rye, what’s up?” Kayden asked.

 

“Code Red.”

 

“Oh no, Krisalyn?”

 

“Right on,” Ryleigh said. “How’d you guess so quickly?”

 

“Well I’m ok, you seem to be alright and Caleigh is here at home with me waiting for Jake to get his a*s back over here so we can go to the theater to see Get Smart.” Kayden said. “So that just leaves Krisalyn.”

 

“You really are smart. You should be smart more often.” Ryleigh laughed, but then became serious again. “Alright, so back to Krisalyn.”

 

“Do you know what happened?” Kayden asked with concern in her voice.

 

“I’m not completely sure, she was supposed to be meeting her dad today at Panera so I’m wondering if it has anything to do with that because Krisalyn called me not even five minutes ago crying and I literally just left to go pick her up now.”

 

“Oh yeah, that’s right! She’s meeting her dad today! Do you think he didn’t show up?”

 

“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. So get Caleigh and go to the store and get all sorts of junk food and then go to Hollywood Video and or Blockbuster and get a whole bunch of random movies. Not too random though. It’ll be a girl’s night.”

 

“Alright, we’ll meet you at your house in a little bit.”

 

“Ok, see ya later.”   

 

– ♥ –

 

“I can’t believe he didn’t show up!” Krisalyn cried as she dunked her spoon back into the carton of Chocolate Moose Tracks ice cream. The girls are sitting in the Jameson’s basement eating all sorts of junk food and trying to make Krisalyn feel better because her father never showed up to meet her.

 

“We know hon, we know,” Caleigh said in a sympathetic voice and gave her a side hug. “He should’ve called to-“

 

“No! That...that jerk should’ve called to say that he was blowing me off...AGAIN!” Krisalyn shouted. Caleigh, Kayden and Ryleigh all looked at each other with worried looks. It wasn’t the first time Krisalyn’s dad has blown her off. This is actually the second time in a row that this has happened. They were all tempted to just call him and yell at him and tell him what he was doing to his one and only daughter. “He sucks...he really does suck.”

 

“Maybe he just got caught up with work. They do get pretty busy over there.” Caleigh said as she popped a piece of cookie dough in her mouth.

 

“Caleigh’s right, Kris,” Ryleigh said and took a seat in front of Krisalyn. “He probably didn’t mean it on purpose and like Caleigh said, he probably just got really caught up that he just forgot to call and say that he wouldn’t be able to make it.”

 

Krisalyn just nodded with her eyes down on the carton of ice cream. Then she said quietly, “Yeah...you guys are probably right...but I still don’t get why he didn’t call...”

 

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I’m sure he’ll call soon to apologize,” Just as Kayden said that, Krisalyn’s phone began to ring.

 

“Speak of the Devil...” Krisalyn said under her breath as she answered, “Hi Daddy...I’m fine...yeah, for at least an hour or two...no, that’s ok, I understand. Yeah...bye Daddy...” she said quietly and closed her phone.

 

“What did he say?” Caleigh asked softly touching Krisalyn’s arm.

 

“That he got caught up at work and forgot to call and say he couldn’t make it.” Krisalyn said through a heavy sigh, looking down at her feet as the rest of the girls stayed quiet. “I’m alright though...I’ll get over it and move on with my life.”

 

“Good girl!” Ryleigh exclaimed. “Hey Cal, was Jake like totally depressed that you and Kayden dumped him tonight?”

 

“Not totally...he was disappointed though.” Caleigh said. It sounded like she was disappointed as well. “But I told him that we’d go to the movies with him tomorrow night.”

 

“Do I have to go?” Kayden complained. Caleigh was about to respond when Krisalyn interrupted by saying,

 

“Now what movies did Caleigh and Kayden get?”

 

“13 Going On 30, 50 First Dates, The Holiday, all the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Dan in Real Life and both High School Musical movies.” Caleigh said naming off each movie she and Kayden had gotten.

 

“Dudes, we don’t have that much time!” Krisalyn laughed for the first time that night.

 

“Kris is right; we don’t have enough time to watch all...nine movies!” Ryleigh sided with Krisalyn. “Although we could make it into a movie marathon weekend! Start tonight, then tomorrow and then finish up Saturday if needed.” Just then Ryleigh’s phone began to vibrate. Kayden picked it up because it was sitting right next to her.

 

“Who’s Zac Callahan?” Kayden asked.

 

Just as Kayden said the name, Ryleigh’s face was washed over with panic. She had forgotten to tell her friends that she had met a famous person earlier that day. I probably slipped her mind because of what happened with Krisalyn earlier that day. “Gimme my phone Kayden!” Ryleigh said and jumped up to grab it from Kayden, but she was too late. Kayden had already answered it.

 

“Hello Zac Callahan who is on the other end of the line.” Kayden said, dodging Ryleigh’s hands.

 

“Hi...person who I don’t know who is on the other end of the line.” Zac said slowly, not knowing how to respond.

 

“You sound nervous more confused really. Do I scare you?” Kayden asked cocking her head to the side moving out of Ryleigh’s reach.

 

“No, um, I’m looking for Ryleigh; do I have the right number?” Zac asked hoping the answer was yes.

 

“Yep, this is Ryleigh’s cell phone number, but no, you’re not speaking to Ryleigh.” Kayden said getting up and walking around the couch away from her friend.

 

“Is Ryleigh there?” Zac asked.

 

“Yes,” Kayden responded simply. Zac was waiting for more of a response but one never came.

 

“Can I please talk to her?” he asked getting tired of playing Kayden’s games.

 

“I don’t know, are you able to talk to her on the phone?”

 

“May I please talk to her?” Zac said trying to keep calm while Kayden was having her fun.

 

“Well...she’s in the bathroom right now and she could be in there a while-“

 

“Kayden Michelle! Give me back my damn phone!” Ryleigh yelled and jumped on Kayden as she screamed as the both fell to the carpeted surface. After watching this scene, Caleigh and Krisalyn were rolling on the floor laughing and they were at the point where they were laughing so much – and so hard - that they couldn’t breathe.

 

“Hello? Anyone still there?” Zac asked, but all he heard on the other line was laughing.

 

Ryleigh finally got a hold of her phone a few couple seconds later. “You are sooo paying for that one later, Kayden!” Ryleigh said huffing and puffing then suddenly realizing that there was still someone on the other end. “Hello?”

 

“Ryleigh?” Zac asked with hope in his voice.

 

“I’m so, so, so, so, so very, very sorry...that was my retarded friend...she has a very rare case of stupidity!” Ryleigh said her face as red as could be. Then she stuck her tongue out at Kayden who just gave her an angelic smile in return.

 

“Ok, just making sure, this is Ryleigh I’m speaking to, right?”

 

“Yeah, this is she...I’m so very sorry again about that, Zac. My friends have a thing for torturing me.” Ryleigh said as she sat down leaning against the couch.

 

“Haha, that’s alright, and sounds like you put up a pretty good fight,” Zac smiled. “I mean, you did get your phone back.” At this point, Krisalyn, Caleigh and Kayden were all sitting really close around Ryleigh trying to listen in on Ryleigh’s conversation with Zac.

 

“Oh believe me when I said I did,” Ryleigh laughed as she stood up walking away from the others. “So what can I do you for?”

 

“Do you have any plans tomorrow night?” Zac asked but so quickly that Ryleigh couldn’t hear what he said.

 

“I’m sorry, what did you say? I couldn’t understand you.”

 

“I was just wondering if you had any plans for Friday night.” Zac asked again, but slower this time.

 

Ryleigh smiled as she started to chew on her fingernails. “Nope, no plans...”

 

“Awesome! I know a place down the road that’s really good.” Zac said. Ryleigh could tell that he was smiling as well.

 

“Cool,” Even though Ryleigh’s back was facing her friends, she could tell that they were rolling their eyes at her answer.

 

“Great, I’ll pick ya up tomorrow at seven.”

 

“Alright, see ya then! Bye.” Ryleigh said, still smiling.

 

“Haha, ok, bye.” Zac said and hung up. Ryleigh did the same and turned around to face her friends. What she found was that they were staring at her with open mouths.

 

“What?” Ryleigh asked.

 

“Dude, who the freaking hell was that?” Kayden asked.

 

“Zac Callahan...why?” Kayden rolled her eyes because she already knew that, but Ryleigh just ignored her and sat back down in her spot.

 

“And why the freaking hell didn’t you tell us earlier that you met one of thee most famous guys on the planet?” Krisalyn said, exaggerating her emotions.

 

“Why do you think that he’s famous?” Ryleigh said, her face turning red again which hinted to her friends that she was trying to cover something up. Whenever Ryleigh tries to cover something up, she always turns red in the face or she’ll start smiling.

 

“Rye, you don’t understand...that was not just a Zac. That was the Zac.” Caleigh exclaimed, her eyes bugging out.

 

“And besides, he sounds exactly like the Zac Callahan that plays Troy Bolton in High School Musical’s 1, 2 and the upcoming 3.” Kayden said. “Not to mention that they have the exact same first name and last name.”

 

“No you guys, it was just a Zac. He’s Ellsy’s older brother, big whoop. And besides, we’re just going out tomorrow, as friends. I don’t care if he’s famous or not. He’s just a normal guy.” Ryleigh said as she tossed her phone onto the recliner chair next to her and sat down on the ground. Caleigh, Krisalyn and Kayden just shook their heads and rolled their eyes not believing Ryleigh, but just leaving it alone for now.

 

“So when’s your date?” Krisalyn asked. Caleigh and Kayden just looked up at her with a let’s-drop-this-now-before-she-kills-us look.

 

“Why?”

 

“So we can help you get ready, duh!” Krisalyn said with a duh look on her face.

 

“Tomorrow at seven...and it’s not a date.” Ryleigh said nonchalantly looking down as she picked at her nails.

 

“I, Caleigh Donato, propose that we go on a shopping trip in order to prepare thy Ryleigh Jameson for her first official date.” Caleigh said with a smile plastered on her face.

 

“I’ll agree to the shopping, but guys, it’s not a date! We’re just going as friends.” Ryleigh repeated, now getting defensive. Krisalyn was about to respond when Kayden interrupted.

 

“So what movie are we gonna watch first?” Kayden said changing the subject as she looked at the movies she and Caleigh had gotten that day.