I sighed, leaning my head against the car window. We’d be there soon. Shifting my head to the
head rest, I sighed again.

“Honey,” Momma began.

“Don’t Momma, I don’t want to hear it,” I cut her off. She continued anyway.

“I know you’ll like it there. There are lots of wide open spaces, and we even have a few horses you
can ride. Oh, and you’ll love the staff. Especially the youngest, he’s about a year older than you, he’s a
real heart breaker,” she said winking at me. I rolled my eyes. If he was anything like the clothes she
usually thinks are cute and buys for me, then he’s probably not cute in any sense of the word.

“Whatever, Mother,” she hated it when I called her that. Shaking her head, the car fell silent, and I
eventually nodded off to sleep.


















***
“Hey there missy, you might want to get up, unless you want us to carry you in with the rest of the
stuff,” a rough male voice sounded in my ear waking me from my doze. I popped one eye open. A tall
man with a slight beer belly greeted my vision as he stared down at me with bright green eyes. He had a
long nose that looked like it had been broken well over its fair share of times. He smoothed his
mustache and eyed me expectantly.

I took off my seat belt and slid out of the car. The air was fresh, and everything was slightly damp,
like liquid heaven had been poured over the earth. I stretched and turned, a gigantic plantation style
house stretched out over the sea of deep green grass that was the lawn. Big tall oaks dotted the
landscape as far as the eye could see. I took off running up the side walk as a smile was quickly etching
its way onto my face.



















***
I had just finished unpacking the many boxes of junk that wouldn’t quite fill up the huge room, when a
knock sounded on my door.

“I thought I could help you make the bed,” Momma said. I nodded, refusing to talk to her. “So
what do you think of the house? Isn’t it lovely?” She breathed. I almost smiled, almost.

“It’s…” I paused, formulating my words, “big.” I finished. She sighed, smoothing out the comforter,
shooting me a knowing look before walking out of the room. Down the hallway I heard her call,

“It was our dream you know. Yours, your Daddy’s, Mine.” My eyes filled with tears before I angrily
wiped them away. It was just like her to bring him up. I heard the door bell chime and rushed down the
stairs to answer it.

Peeping through the window, my eyebrows rose. A couple in matching red flannel shirts, blue
jeans, and cowboy boots were standing the door. The woman looked like she was holding some type of
cookies. I plastered on a bright smile and answered the door.

“How may I help you ma’am, sir?” I asked, trying to be polite, nodding to each of them. The
woman smiled, I thought I saw the corner of the man’s mouth twitch up, but it was gone before I could
decipher it.

“We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. We live about three miles on down the
road.” She gestured to her left. “Thought we’d bring by some of my grandmothers famous butter pecan
cookies.” I saw the man roll his eyes at the word famous, causing my smile to widen.

“We can’t thank you enough.” My mother chimed in from behind me. “We’re having a barbeque
tomorrow evening. Why don’t you swing by, and invite anyone you know.”
"That sounds like a good idea. What do you think, Dan?" She said asking the man, "Oh by the way,
I'm Alice, and this is Dan," Alice said.

"I suppose." He mumbled, not really caring either way. Alice handed us the cookies, a bright smile
tugging at the corners of her mouth, and crinkling the skin around her eyes.

"We'll be there," Alice told us, "and with kids around her age too." I smiled, showing my
appreciation. Maybe living here won't be so bad after all.


















***

I observed the Chinese style lanterns that had been artistically hung about the yard in an array of

interesting chaos. It was the first time I had been out here. Tall oaks ate up chunks of the yard, bunching

together in miniature forests. I had been out here for hours, but it seemed as if I could stare at the for

years. It made me glad my mother was running to and fro like a mad woman, snapping photos of

anything, and everything. I turned my attention back to Micah.


"So anyways, he was about to blow up this dude with a Rasengan when," She paused. "hey, you

didn't tell me Mason was the guy that worked for you . Oh, my, gosh. He's so... gorgeous, and he's

coming this way! I'll see you later," she dashed off, the last thing I saw of her was her short red

blonde hair melting into the crowd. Mason approached me, wringing his hands. I was finding it hard to

breath as I looked into his cerulean blue eyes. I pulled it together just as he began speaking.


"So uhh... Adrian. I was thinking about going riding tomorrow morning, would you be up to

coming with me? I could teach you." He said, smiling hesitantly.


"So, you just assume I can't ride because I'm not from around here?" I asked, raising one eyebrow.

He laughed.


"All right, do you want to come or not?" He asked with a sideways grin. I shrugged.



"If you see me... you'll see me." He looked confused. I tried to leave him like that, the adorable

befuddled expression adorning his face, but alas, he called out to me.


“Wait! What does that mean?” He called. I smiled, and without turning to look at him I called,


“It means yes!” I smiled and bounded off, thinking about the near future, and just how lovely it
It was going to be.