𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟐 • 𝐑𝐈𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲

The light breeze blew through Blue’s mane lifting up her snowy white locks and revealing the dark grey roots that lay hidden in the depths of the tangles. A lyrebird flew overhead bellowing out its beautiful song as it went as though it was telling a story from long, long ago to the other creatures that lay in their woodland homes. Blue was drifting off in the warm sunlight that radiated on her flea-bitten rump, her tail swishing in the breeze.

A roar in the distance echoed through the woodland. Blue startled and gave a snort of frustration. The sound of a car approached winding its way down the same dirt road Blue and I drove down. The spluttering engine turned off and a familiar voice rang out through the trees “Fay!” Avery appeared from the enormous forest of green trees. Her auburn-coloured hair blew with the wind, strands of pale brown hair falling into her olive freckled skin. Avery’s smile beamed across her face, as she came at a fast-paced walk toward Blue and me. “Avery! Oh, it’s so good to see you again” I said with a half-grin. Avery gave a huge grin “It’s been so long since my last ride with Blue that I completely forgot what she looked like!” she said with a shocked look on her face. I gave a quiet chuckle that only a mouse ing by could hear. Avery’s crystal blue eyes ran all over Blue looking at her with complete iration. Another voice rang out through the woodland this time it sounded like an older female’s voice “Avery dear, hang on I’m coming” Avery turned her focus to me peeling her eyes off Blue. “That’s mum, I don’t think you two have met? I think you’ve only met my dad” she said quizzingly. Avery’s mum appeared from the depths of the woodland, her expensive-looking clothes shone against the sun, tiny beads dotted her black and white diamond vest a knee cap midnight black skirt wrapped around her spray tanned legs looking like it was holding on for dear life.

I looked up to meet her stare which gazed upon my clothing, pale blue checkered long sleeve dotted with mud stains, my light brown jodhpurs covered in horse slobber, and my Versace mud boots seeping their way into the mud. “Hi there” I said with a jolly tone “I’m Fay, Avery’s riding instructor” I reached out my horse hair covered hand and held onto her immaculate manicured hands and gave it a good, hard shake. She looked at me in disgust as though I had just flung mud right into her perfectly clean skin. “Uh hello. I…It’s nice to meet you Fi” she said in an upper-class accent “Uh mum it’s Fay, not Fi” Avery pointed out. “Oh right uh yes sorry” she said giving the fakest smile I had ever seen “It’s all good Mrs…” I drawled out the last word “Mrs. Fleur” she said with a dignified look “Mrs. Fleur hm too hard to , I’ll call you Mrs. F if that’s all good” I said grinning “Oh uh um” she mumbled looking at me with a frown. “Well alrighty, we better get to it! Avery, as you’ve already seen the tack, is on the fence over there, tack Blue up double-check everything and then we’ll head out. Give me a shout if you need a hand. I’ll be with your mum” Avery practically leaped over to the tack that lay on the light beige fence. Blue’s bronze eyes watched Avery’s every movement as she worked her way tacking her up. The pastel blue and cream saddle pad lay on Blue perfectly, shaping every muscle, she looked like a model in one of those fancy magazines. Avery held her thumb on the shiny silver bit and placed one of her olive hands above Blue’s head. “Oh Avery dear please do be careful to not get horse spit all over your lovely and expensive horse riding clothes” said Mrs. F worryingly. “Oh, mum c’mon it’s just horse spit it’s not gonna kill me!” Mrs. F gave a tut of disappointment. “It’s all good Mrs. F horse spit doesn’t look too bad, it’s a fashion statement if you ask me" my laugh was carried away in the breeze. Mrs. F looked at me not one facial muscle moving at all. “Tough crowd” I said quietly under my breath.

Part 3 is coming soon!