Page 2

Chapter two

Where the rubber meets the road

Lorilei

“What do you mean my grant fell through for next year?” I uncross my legs in this uncomfortable chair and lean forward.

Mrs. Harper shifts the piece of paper on her desk so I can read it from my vantage. “I’m sorry, Lori. The requirements have shifted and you’re no longer eligible.” Her puffy brown hair moves like a helmet as she tilts her head. “There are some loans you may qualify for. Let me just check real quick.”

Her thick lashes blink in time with her long fingernails clicking on the keyboard.

The bright red lipstick makes her lips glow as she frowns. “Oh. I’m sorry. Looks like you’ve missed the eligibility window. But—” She smiles broadly.

I’m getting whiplash from her expression changes.

“—there’s still plenty of time to earn some money.” Tugging the printout back into the folder, she deftly drops it into a metal drawer near her feet.

“I’m in my last year. Four hundred level classes are expensive. And I’m in clinicals.” These next two semesters are when I need the extra money the most.

“Well, I’m sure it would be easy to get a job as a personal trainer.” She claps her palms excitedly. “When you come back this fall, be sure to go to accounting to set up your payment options.”

She turns away, and I know I’m done.

“I’m trying to be a physical therapist,” I grumble as I stand. I’d rather help people to heal than pander to some gym jock or run a zumba class.

Maybe I should get tuned up on aerobics.

My low heels echo on the old tiles as I leave the administration hall.

That meeting really could have gone better. Finals are over. I guess I need to find a job, so I can pay my dorm fees.

When my phone dings in my pocket, I know who it is before I pull it out.

Sophia: How’d it go?

Me: Shitty.

Sophia: Damn. The Square in twenty?

Me: Please.

I can pick her smiling face out of the crowd at a hundred yards. Her dark hair is piled high on her head in a messy bun that frames her wide grin.

She jumps off of the rock bench, and her pink jacket flutters as she rushes forward to give me a tight hug.

She might be nineteen, but some days she makes me feel ancient, being three years older than her.

Today, it feels like ten.

“So? What’s the verdict?” she asks, handing me an iced coffee from my favorite place on campus.

I take a long sip, letting the cold caffeine soothe my soul. “You’re the best.” Slumping onto the bricks warmed by the spring sun, I tell her all about my visit.

“A job isn’t that bad. You could work as a barista and drink for free.” Her blue eyes light up.

There’s a round pebble beneath my shoe that I roll in a circle against the asphalt. “It isn’t the work part. Now, I won’t be able to do that internship at the med center like I hoped.” The application is still sitting on my desk in my room.

It’s like some little voice in the back of my head was making me drag my feet on filling it out because I knew something would happen.

No. That was just my own doubts. I was expecting a reason.

Sophia leans back, kicking her legs out in front of her. “Have you tried calling them? See if maybe they have an entry level position? Kill two birds with one stone.”

She’s so practical. Always looking for the solution in a situation.

Sometimes, I just want to feel sorry for myself for a minute.

I remember her telling me it’s because she’s been raised around men on her dad’s ranch. No one there wants to just sit and chat. They find answers to problems.

Leaning against me, her shoulder bumps playfully against mine. “Hey, at least now you’ll be able to make it to my championship ride. I can get you a VIP pass.” Her eyes practically glow. “There are so many hot guys. But, be careful. They’re all assholes.” She sticks out her lower lip.

“Oh, yea. Is Cash going to be there?” I know she’s had an ongoing flirty thing with him.

Her eyes darken. “Not gonna happen. He wouldn’t stop bugging me, but he’s one of the jerks. I finally told him I wouldn’t go out with someone who couldn’t even afford to buy me dinner.” Pursing her lips, she jumps up and holds out her hand, palm up. “Come on, let’s go get ice cream and we can brainstorm who you can enslave yourself to for money.”

Dust chokes the air when the girls carrying signs on their flashy horses make their last round of the arena. They race back to the gates, billows of dirt kicking up off of the flying hooves.

Their bejeweled shirts catch the sun before disappearing behind the facade that blocks the views from the audience.

It’s funny to watch their faces flatten after the beaming smiles they gave to the crowds.

“I’m second to go.” Sophia jumps up and down on her toes, making her dark hair wave as she clings to my hand. “I’m glad you’re here. My dad usually comes, but he had some stuff come up at the ranch.”

My stomach is in knots of nervous excitement for her.

“You’re going to do great! I watched your practice runs!” It’s been such an amazing experience already; I’ve never been to a rodeo before. All of her other competitions have been out of town.

And she was right about all the men in their tight Wranglers. It’s walls of eye candy everywhere.

I might have a thing for cowboys and didn’t know it.

My focus has always been on school. I’ve never taken the time to date.

But, glancing over at the guys perched on the top rail of the fence, their asses hanging over as they watch the arena, I think maybe I’ve been missing out.

“If you want their attention, just bat those green eyes at them. The bull riders are the easiest.” She winks exaggeratedly. “I have to go get ready. Watch the timer for me.” The number card pinned to her shoulders billows as she turns. Her fiery red blouse bobs through the aisle until she disappears.

Why haven’t I made time to watch her before now? We’ve been best friends since the day we met over a year ago.

Who’d have thought our mutual hatred of algebra would bond us so closely?

She might have been the new one on campus, but she’s taught me a whole lot about living.

I never would have considered a movie night, or, like now, a rodeo.

There’s still a twitch in my belly telling me I should be studying.

Or looking for a job.

A little blond girl on a solid black horse trots up. Her hat is pushed low on her ears as she moves into the starting area.

I’m so nervous that I jump when the buzzer sounds.

She’s amazing, running that animal with practiced ease around the three barrels. As she gallops back, it almost seems like I’m going to get run over.

Moving away from the gate, I hurry over to the low set of bleachers that swells above the fences.

I should be able to see more easily from here.

Sophia comes into view. Her bright red top matches the ribbons tied to her saddle.

She once told me that her horse's color is called “roan.” But, seeing it in person and not on a tiny screen, I’d say it looks like cinnamon and sugar sprinkled over toast.

When she leaps into action, I’m mesmerized by how fast she runs. Sophia has a serious look on her face that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.

Rounding the first barrel, I’m torn between watching her or the huge lit clock that sits beneath the announcement booth.

The second teeters as she brushes it with her stirrup, but it stays up.

My ears are nearly deaf from the chattering play by play blaring over the speakers.

“And, here she goes, heading for the third turn on what could be a record breaking run! Sophia Mccullough digging in and—”

Silence.

Every voice stills as the audience takes a collective gasp.

Sophia’s horse cut too tightly, knocking the metal bin up between his front hooves, and it catches on the breast strap running along its chest.

I can just see Sophia’s eyes and mouth widen before the animal's rear legs rise up and over, and its head falls against the loose dirt of the arena into a full somersault.

With Sophia under it.

“No!” I scream with everyone.

Men run in from all sides, but they aren’t there in time to keep the frantic beast from kicking out its sharp hooves in a panicked effort to get up.

Cowboys in a sea of broad hats surge to help Sophia and get her freed.

When the panting horse is pulled away, I watch, frozen in shock, hoping to see Sophia jump up and wave to the crowd like I saw the bull riders do earlier.

But, she doesn’t move.