between you && I [Gabe]

[Ridley Hastings,]

your with me in my heart. your with me in my head.
your with me in my veins. your with me, every time
i hear your name.
_________________________

Ridley Hastings has been missing in action for sometime now. She really couldn't tell you why she wasn't around for a long time but she wasn't and thankfully that was over. Ever since the day in the park where Gabe kissed her and she finally told him what she wanted to for the longest time, there was a constant and irreplaceable smile on her face. It just wasn't leaving, she couldn't help but keep smiling, she was happy, and shockingly she might have even been in love, of course that could never be, no way no how. She was hurt once before and she closed off her heart to anyone and everyone that came around. Then why in the world did her heart stop every time she heard his name, and every time that she thought about him? Did Ridley Hastings actually fall in love all over again. If she did, as much as she wanted to, no one would ever hear her admit it. She remembered the last time that she fell in love and she didn't want to get hurt again.

Speaking of the guy that had stolen her heart, she's been missing him ever since the last time that they hung out, which was just a week after the park, of course school and friends got in the way, but today she didn't have any homework and none of her friends had called her so of course she was going to see if Gabe wanted to hang out, and frankly if he didn't want to, she was going to make him, she missed him and just wanted to hang out. Grabbing her cellphone she started to text Gabe. 'Hey, i miss you, meet me at the stables? please.. thank you :]]' She smiled as she closed the phone, now she just had to change her clothes and make her way to the stables. Why did she pick the stables? She had no clue she just wanted to do something different and something fun and something that she has never done before, with the guy that she was trusting her heart with.

Making her way over to her closest she looked around she grabbed a white shirt and reached down and grabbed her sneakers and then she made her way to the drawer where she picked out a nice pair of black jeans. Next she walked over to her jewelry stand and put on a matching necklace . As she finished changing she smiled and made her way over to her door quickly grabbing her sunglasses and her waistpack that now held her cellphone and everything that she needed, including her car keys. She made her way out of the beta sigma pi house and to her car where she started it and made her way to the stables. She showed to the stables just a couple minutes later noticing that Gabe wasn't there yet, so she got out and made her way out of the car and into the stables looking around at the horses waiting for Gabe to show up.

[Gabe Welling]

Horses were nothing foreign to Gabe Lupin Welling. Two of his sisters rode, and before long they managed to acquire a horse all their own. He was a feisty one, a Welsh/Thoroughbred cross standing just tall enough to seat both girls without much complaint. He was a pleasure horse, not meant for hard riding or solid competition. Gabe was only a young child when the horse came into the Wellings' lives, but he remembers him clear as day.

Riding had not sparked Gabe's interest until he was nearly eleven years old. One of his sisters began competing regularly, taking out barn mounts instead of the family gelding. She competed in hunters, a precise sport involving delicate postures and perfect knees. It wasn't about time - it was about the look. It didn't entertain Gabe, much, but the horses seemed to like him and he picked up a few things. He knew how to groom and tack a horse, but he never found solace in riding English. He loved western saddles - he enjoyed trail riding and watching rodeos. Western might as well have been foreign, even if horses in general were not.

He was surprised, however, when he received a text message from his girlfriend wanting to go to the stables. Gabe had never taken Ridley for much of an equestrian, but he could be wrong. Nevertheless, the idea was intriguing and Gabe sent her a positive response, saying he would meet her there in about an hour.

Slipping off his bed and walking to the closet, Gabe thumbed through his clothes to find something he didn't mind getting dirty. It was hot, so picking long sleeves wasn't exactly a great option. He ended up in jeans and a black shirt, not the best for an autumn afternoon but it would suffice. His silver ring was still on his finger but he was otherwise plain.

Once he arrived at Valley Stables, Gabe climbed out of the driver's seat and made his way to the trunk. He switched his tennis shoes with regular boots - it was a miracle in itself that he still had the old things. He hadn't actually been on a horse in three years, so it was a wonder the boots didn't get discarded when he moved out of his parent's house two years earlier.

It didn't take long to find Ridley. Gabe spotted her just inside the slender corridor, peering in at the horses in the stalls. A small smile grew on his lips, and he walked quietly across the dirt pathway until he was just behind her. Very carefully he slipped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a small hug with her back against his chest. "Since when do you ride?" he asked, his lips close to her ear before kissing the top of her head.

It had been a few weeks since their official "together" moment, but Gabe was already fond of having Ridley as his own. The two had been friends for a while, so it wasn't necessarily odd to have her around even more. Of course, with the busy school schedule for this year, it had been a little difficult getting up the time to hang out and relax together. This was a nice change, especially since the weather wasn't too smoldering and they would get some quality time together.

[Ridley Hastings,]

Each moment we're together
I just never want to end
'Cause I could never feel this way again
_________________________

The truth is Ridley really has never been riding in her entire life, and why she wanted to go riding out of the blue was weird yes but she had a completely legit reason for wanting to go riding. How good of a girlfriend would she be if she didn't know what her boyfriend liked to do? Not a good one, so of course she went a little hunt to figure out what it is that Gabe liked to do, and finding out that it was something that he hadn't done in a long time made it even more obvious of what she wanted to do the next time that she hung out with Gabe.

Also it wasn't like she was doing something that she really didn't want to do, in fact ever since she was a little girl Ridley has loved animals and wanted to learn how to ride, the right way. So she found this as a great oppurtunity to not just hang out with Gabe, but also to do something that she has wanted to ever since she was a little girl. She was going to do something that she has always wanted to do, and there was no better person that she could do it with, than the person that showed her that not every guy is the same, there were some that actually cared and wanted her to be happy.

Hearing another car come to the sables a smile came across her face but she continued to look at the horses. She looked in amazement at their beauty and their grace. For such big animals they had a graceful but strong look to them that she couldn't help but smile and watch in amazement. If acting or dancing didn't go as good as she hoped, than she would certianly want to do something with animals. She loved and wanted the best for them so if she didn't get an acting or a dancing job, she would love to work for the well being and safety of animals.

Being taken by surprise was something that Ridley never really liked, but she would let it go this time. As she felt Gabe's arms around her her smiled widened. She heard his question and laughed. As she turned around she gave him a small kiss on his cheek before she started to answer his question. "Actually to tell you the truth, i have never been riding before, so i was hoping that you would be the one that i would share my first riding experience with" she said with a small sweet smile. Besides that she really just wanted to spend an entire day with Gabe.

Turning back around she let her hand down and grabbed Gabe's hand in hers and started walking along the horse's stalls. Turning her heard toward him she smiled. "So what do you say, will you join me on my first riding experience, i know I'm a loser for riding a horse for the first time at age nineteen, but better late than never right?" she questioned toward him. It wasn't just that she wanted to spend her first time riding with Gabe, it was that the weather was great, the scenery in the fall was amazing, and she hasn't spent the entire day with Gabe in such a long time that it was the perfect time to do both.

[Gabe Welling]

Gabe raised his eyebrows at Ridley when she turned around to look at him. She was grinning from ear to ear - a rather typical expression for her lately. He knew that she was smiling more because of him and he didn't hold back the occasional comment on it. It was his playful arrogance peaking out every now and then. He couldn't imagine she really minded much. Besides, that was part of his personality. It always had been and probably wouldn't change any time soon.

Her lips brushed his cheek, making his muscles quickly tighten and relax. Grinning down at her, he gave her shoulders a small squeeze, as though it was a more proper hug than simply wrapping his arms around her. "Never been riding, huh?" he asked, leaning his head to the side and flashing her a sweet, playful grin. "And today was the day to start?" He was playfully giving her a hard time, but his eyes confessed the humour in the situation. Gabe loved when people decided to try new things. New adventures were around every corner but it was rare for someone to actually step out and make the most of those opportunities. He admired Ridley for taking this chance.

Locking his palm with her own and interlacing their fingers, Gabe walked down the corridor with her. The cold metal of his ring was set right up against her own skin, but he moved his finger around so it wouldn't bother her. A cheeky smile grew on his lips when she asked her question. Slowing his pace and turning to look down at her, Gabe said, "You've always been a loser, sweetie." He held his smile back for a second before tightening his grip on her hand and stealing a kiss from her lips. "But that's why I adore you."

"It's a great day to ride, though. It wouldn't kill to be a little cooler, but if we stick to the shade as much as possible I don't think it will be a problem," he said with a more serious tone and nod. "Did you get reservations or should--"

His voice was cut off by a gruff cough. Turning his head to the left, Gabe saw a tall man in a flannel shirt, dirtied jeans and big, brown cowboy boots. He didn't look intimidating, but he was taller than Gabe. "Can I help you?" His voice was just as rough as his cough, but his eyes were not mean. They might have been serious and to the point, but he didn't seem to be mean.

Gabe nodded and gave Ridley's small palm one final squeeze before breaking their connection and walking over to the man. "Yes, actually. We were wondering if you have an opening for a trail ride this afternoon." Gabe sounded strangely professional - it was a little weird, but fitting enough. Besides, he was working in a department that required tact alongside laughter and humour. Without the ability to discuss and share ideas, he would be hopeless in his field.

The man nodded and let his gaze fall to Ridley for a moment before looking back at Gabe. "Sure do. What's yer experience?" he asked, his eyes flickering back and forth between the two university students. "Intermediate," Gabe responded almost immediately, not hesitating to choose the middle ground between beginner and advanced. He wasn't going to say he could handle the earth splitting in half but he also didn't want to be put on a rinky-dink pony who only followed the leader.

With a solid nod, the man looked at Ridley. "How about you?" he asked. Gabe considered answering for her, but decided against it. Most women would prefer to answer their own questions rather than have their boyfriend or husband do it for them. He couldn't blame them, really. Gabe didn't like having people speak up for him when he obviously had a tongue that was very much intact.

[/blockquote]

[Ridley Hastings,]

Yeah you're like heaven to hold
And you're the flame when I'm cold
Boy I think you should know
I'm not letting you go
_________________________

Ridley has never been one that has gone out of their way to try something different. But she figured that she would try horseback riding. It was something different but it was also something that she has always wanted to do. for a while though she thought that she would never get to riding. All throughout high school she was way to busy with either homework, cheerleading practice, or hanging with friends to actually think about doing anything new. When she found out that there stables close to the college she figured it was the perfect time to go and try something new.

Ridley really had to stop looking a love struck teenager every time that her and Gabe were together, but she just couldn't help it. For once in her life she didn't care about her parents and what they did, she didn't care about her ex boyfriend that cheated on her, for once in her life she didn't care about any of that and it was all because of Gabe and him taking a chance on them, and their relationship. "Hope you don't mind that today was the day i decided to go riding" she said with a half grin. "I mean i may fall off, and your just going to half to save me" she said with playful grin, before she whispered 'again' underneath her breath.

She looked down at their hands and saw the ring that was on Gabe's hand, she wanted to ask about the ring, but she didn't know if it would push some wrong buttons. But then again she was his girlfriend, so she should already know about the ring, but since she didn't, why would Gabe be mad if she just asked about the ring? Great again, her insecurity about everything was coming through. He was the one that kissed her first so everything should be fine. stop, just stop thinking like this and enjoy a great guy riding, with a great guy she finally told herself. Taking a deep breath she walked on.

She laughed as she continued to listen to Gabe. She liked this part of their relationship and friendship. They could joke and play with eachother and both of them would know that it was just that, playing. "well i am a lovable loser, there is no doubt about that" she said with a small laugh and a smile.

She in front of her and out of the stables and saw the peaceful scene. She smiled, she loved days like these in New York. It was one of the reasons why she loved New York so much, it had distinct four seasons and all of them were beautiful in there own way. As she was about to say something she saw the older guy, who obviously worked there come toward them and she decided that it was better if she just stand there and let Gabe do the talking, after all he was the one that had gone riding before.

She listened as he sounded so professional, she smiled. Sure she had heard him talk like this before, but it was always a nice change from how she normally heard him talk. Seeing that the man's eyes gazed toward her, she got a little sick. She knew that there were those kind of men out there, she just hoped to god that he wasn't one on them. Shrugging that thought from her head she turned continued to listen to what him and Gabe was saying.

She almost missed the fact that the conversation had switched to her. Feeling a little embarrassed, after it was obvious that Gabe knew what he was doing she answered with a small smile. "Actually, this will be my first time horseback riding" she said truthfully, she thought about lying to him, and telling him that she too was an intermediate, but she defiantly didn't want to look like a retard out there on the horse, so she just decided it was better to tell the truth. Turning her head to the side she saw one of the most beautiful thoroughbreds that she has ever seen in her entire life. She turned back to the guy who worked there with a small smile. "Is that one ridable?" she wondered nodding toward the horse that she was just looking at. As he nodded yes, she smiled, she knew which horse she wanted to ride for the afternoon.

ooc; eww that was crap, sry.

[Gabe Welling]

say what you want
say what you mean
girl all i need is for you
to be the one that i believe
can i believe you?

Gabe's lips parted when he smiled at Ridley, showing his teeth and a playful gleam in his dark hazel eyes. "Oh, I mind," he said tauntingly, narrowing his eyes at her and appearing disappointed, all in mock. His hand was still holding hers, his own palm engulfing her own - small in comparison.

Her words reached his ears, though not her final 'again' that was murmured beneath her breath. "You won't fall off," he said reassuringly, using his thumb to stroke the skin between her thumb and index finger. "But if you do, I'll catch you. Don't worry," he said with a smile. "Just don't let them know you are nervous. They can sense that."

Horses had a keen sense for human emotions. It was easy for them to interpret how a person was feeling, particularly if they were anxious or afraid. Once, when Gabe was about eleven years old, he was thrown from one of the riding school horses. Apparently they sensed the butterflies in his stomach and chose to depart him long before he was even ready. He ended up with scraped knees and a few bruises, but otherwise got away clean. After that, he made it a point not to show fear around the large animals.

"Yes, you are," he agreed with her, planting another kiss on her head. His eyes flickered from stall to stall, eyeing each horse and wondering their age and experience. His sisters had been able to judge a horse from a single glance, but Gabe didn't have that talent. Then again, he wasn't the rider of the family. Sure, he could tack up, mount and head out for a trail ride, but he wasn't horse savvy. Not like his sisters.

The older man nodded when Ridley said it was her first time to ride. The stable held about fifteen horses, and was surprisingly slow for a beautiful afternoon like this. Normally they could be packed and pressing for time, knowing that there was another group with reservations only a few hours behind. However, today wasn't as busy. There were four horses out on the trails, leaving eleven in the stable for anyone who wanted to stop by and go out.

"Sure is," he said when Ridley nodded at one of the tall bays in the closest stall. "He's probably a good match. You gotta good eye. His name is [youpickthename]." The older man didn't smile, but he obviously approved of Ridley's choice.

Turning to look at Gabe, he seemed to contemplate before pointing to the last stall in the row. "You can take that chestnut at the end. She's got a little spunk but knows what she's doing. She won't try and kill ya or nothin'. She's Sultry." Gabe nodded, his hazel eyes turning to glance at the mare in the furthest stall.

"You'll need to sign a liability release form before you get them out. Do you know enough to help this little lady get her gelding tacked?" The older man, who still hadn't introduced himself, raised an eyebrow at Gabe. "I do," Gabe said with a nod. "Ok. I'll go get the release forms and then you can tack 'em up." With that, the man turned and walked toward the office.

Gabe turned back to Ridley and grinned at her. "This was a good idea. I haven't ridden in forever."

OOC the end of that kinda sucked, sorry. o.o

[/blockquote]

[Ridley Hastings,]

Let’s just take our time.
There’s nothing else to do.
What better way to spend the day.
Then to waste it with you.
_________________________

As the time when they actually go out and on trail got closer she got more and more nervous. How could she not get nervous? Taking a deep breath she figured that she was in good hands and she took Gabe's advice. She didn't want to be nervous and she really didn't want to let the horses know that she was nervous, she was around animals and if horses were anything like the dogs and the cats that she had, she knew that if they sensed anything wrong, they would either help, or they would make it worse. She didn't want to take that chance.

She was happy that she picked a good one to ride, at least she did something right on her first day of riding. She smiled toward the horse that she picked out. She wanted to get a bit closer before they started their day of riding. Leaning over she gave a small kiss on Gabe's forehead and made her way over to the stall where the horse that she picked out was standing. As she looked down at the nameplate she found that he was named Nutmeg. Even though she was nervous she didn't let it show, she reached her hand up and smiled as she started to stroke the main and neck of the large house. "We're going to be best friends by the end of day, aren't we Nutmeg?" she said with a smile toward the horse.

Most people would think that she was crazy for talking to an animal and thinking that they could actually understand her. But on the other hand any other animal lover would completely understand what she was doing and knew that animals understood what people were saying. She was a girl that believed that animals knew what people were saying, and if that made her weird, than she was proud of being weird. Giving one last smile toward the horse and another couple of strokes she made her back over toward Gabe and once again took his hand in hers. A big grin was on her face, this was going to be a good day and she couldn't wait to get it started.

As she got back they were just finishing up their talk and the older guy that worked that never really did introduce himself was walking away to get the release papers. Which she was going to admit did make her a bit scared, but she was in good hands and today was all about having fun anyway. Ridley took one last look toward the horse and then toward the end of stable where she could see how peaceful and calm the weather was. She smiled, they couldn't have picked a better day even if they tried.

Turning a bit more towards Gabe she smiled. She was happy that he was excited for this day just as much as she was. As he finished she smiled and gave him a small kiss on the lips. "Yea, it was a good idea, even though i half to admit i'm nervous as hell, but me and nutmeg are on the same page, so i think i should be fine" she said with a smile.

Just as she finished talking she noticed the man coming back with the release papers. Now the butterflies in her stomach were feeling like they were in a mile long race they were so fast. As he reached over toward her with the release papers and a pen she took them both and started to read the papers. She wanted to make sure exactly what the paper's said so in case something did go wrong, she at least knew what the paper's said. Better be safe than sorry. After she finished reading the paper's she took the pen and signed the paper's. This was it the time had come. She was nervous but completely excited at the same time.

[Gabe Welling]

you were the only face i'd ever known
i was the light from the lamp on the floor
and only as bright as you wanted me to be

Gabe was not much of an animal enthusiast. He had his fair share of pets growing up - mostly fish and little, fuzzy rodents that made his sisters quiver. As a family, they had three dogs in the period of years Gabe had lived in the house. He always preferred dogs to the small aquatic life in the aquarium, and even to the gerbils. After a while, it got old watching a grey rat of a thing run in the same circle over and over again. He was easily bored.

Cats, however, were a different story. He hated cats. Passionately. Two had lived in the house where he grew up (he refused to call them pets) and he could tell horror story after horror story about the terror and havoc those damn animals wrecked. Ginger, an adopted stray from the animal shelter, was the worst. She was already five years old when she came into the Welling house and she had her mind set on keeping her independence. She might have been older, but she was a fucking mess. Gabe could never pick her up without getting scratched to pieces. The other nasty little feline, Snap, was equally evil. He was black with but a single white paw, and his favorite pastime was to hiss and claw up the furniture. Needless to say, Gabe assumed this to be the general personality of all cats. He still hates them to this day.

Gabe followed Ridley with his eyes as she walked over to the stall and stroked the horse on the nose. He knew she loved animals, much more than he would ever care for them. Not to say he didn't enjoy the companionship of a dog or horse, but he wasn't pining to get one once he moved out to his own apartment or house.

He locked his fingers with hers when she found her way back to him. "You look excited," he murmured, glancing down at her with a raised eyebrow. He watched her grin, and when she raised up to kiss him, he leaned down to meet her halfway. His thumb stroked her skin again, his fingers slightly rough against her smooth skin. Gabe wasn't sure how he managed to get rough fingertips but it didn't bother him much.

Laughter escaped his lips when she spoke of the horse like they were the best of friends. "Just keeping breathing," he jested with a sparkle in his hazel eyes. "These guys wouldn't put you on a horse that could throw you out of balance or anything. This is their job, you know? If they did anything stupid or reckless like that, they wouldn't still be in business." It was true, and hopefully reassuring. It wasn't to say the horse couldn't spook - they did have their own mind, after all. But, seeing as the owners of the Valley Stables had been in business for at least two decades, he couldn't imagine them ill-matching a horse and rider.

Gabe and Ridley both took care to read over the release papers before signing their names. Grooming and tacking did not take long at all - for the past few days, the majority of the horses had been kept inside. The heat had been pretty miserable up until this afternoon. Rather than take the chance of the horses suffering from sunburns and heat issues, the owners chose to keep them in and only take them out for exercising. All in all, it kept their coats clean and free of stray dirt.

After helping Ridley tack up and finishing up on his own mare, Gabe tightened the girth one final time and shot Ridley a grin. "Ready?" he asked, tilting his head to the side and watching her with a smile. Sundry snorted, not entirely pleased with having the girth around her barrel but not willing to throw much a fit over it. Gabe absently reached out to stroke her cheekbone while he waited for Ridley's response.

[Ridley Hastings,]

You must have had a map when everyone else didn't,
because you found your way into my heart
when no one else could
_________________________

Truth was Ridley couldn't be more excited or happy about today. She might even go as far as saying that she was as happy or more happy than the day that her and Gabe officially started going out. Really the fact that Ridley has been literally smiling non stop ever since that day in the park has scared to her to some degree. Ridley hasn't been this happy since she dated Jacob all those years ago, and now that she was this happy again, she couldn't help but think that something was going to go terribly wrong again.

She hated to think that something was going to go wrong, but that was who she was. Ridley Hastings was the biggest pessimist when it came to love and relationships. Even though she is in an amazing relationship with a guy that she loves so much and is completely happy she couldn't help but still be scared that something was going to go wrong. Maybe that was why she kept putting off saying those three dreaded words to him. "Guess you could say im a tad happy about today" she said with a small laugh and a smile on her face. Truth was she didn't want to be anywhere but at the stables with Gabe. Even though she was completely scared to go riding for the first time, with Gabe there she knew that nothing could go terribly wrong, which was a feeling she thought she wouldn't feel again

She couldn't help but laugh when Gabe told her to keep breathing. With the mind that Ridley can sometimes have of course she would associate keep breathing with giving birth. "Thanks for the advice, but i'm not giving birth anytime soon" she jokingly said to Gabe. Even though she was joking in her response to Gabe, Ridley started to try and control her breathing and slow down her heart rate so it didn't seem like she had just ran a fifty mile race. "Kidding, thanks for the advice, it does to seem help trying to control my breathing" she said with a small smile. "I sure hope so, and if they do, i can always sue and have all the horses to myself anyway...." she said in a kind of dreamy state. Of course she honestly didn't want that to happen, first she didn't want to get hurt and second she could never be able to take care of all those horses by herself

Watching Gabe get his horse ready for a day of riding and then doing most of the work on her horse she smiled and acted like she was watching what he was doing, but she was too distracted. As he finished she smiled. "Looks good from here" she smiled flirtatiously changing in her glance from the horse to him and then back to the horse.

Taking one last glance at the hugeness of the horse, she took a deep breath and turned to Gabe with a smile. "Ready as i'll ever be" she said with a small smile. "I might need a boost up there though, i am pretty short" she said with a small smile. With a small push Ridley got on top of the horse and turned back to face Gabe before we went over and got onto his horse. Leaning down she planted a small sweet kiss on his forehead. "You know for once im the tall one in this relationship" she said with a small smile and a laugh. Watching and waiting for Gabe to get onto his horse she situated herself on top of the saddle. For someone's first time on a horse saddle was almost like the first time riding a bike. It was a bit uncomfortable to begin with, but she was filled with so much excitement that she completely didn't notice how uncomfortable it was. "So where to first, i'm following you, i might get us lost if i lead" she said with a smile and a small laugh.

[Gabe Welling]

You are a mirage in the distance
That defies the heat of the desert
Should I believe in you?

"A tad?" he repeated, his eyes widening briefly in mock humour. He loved playing with Ridley. She was one of his best friends. She always knew when to take him seriously and when to laugh alongside him. "I think a tad is a bit of an understatement, don't you? That grin hasn't left your face all day," he added, winking at her before kissing her nose.

Gabe realized he made her happy, but he never knew how happy. He might be arrogant, but not so much in relationships. Honestly, he had never attempted to carry through with a relationship that lasted more than a single night. Ridley was pretty much his first girlfriend, if you didn't count one night stands and flings. She did have a pretty major impact on his ego, even if she didn't know it. What she thought of him meant a lot.

He stuck his tongue out at her teasingly when she joked with him about her breathing. "You're such a brat," he said before she said anything about suing the ranch. That made him laugh - a deep laugh from down in his throat. Shaking his head, he said, "Ridley. What am I going to do with you?" She was such a dork - but she was his dork.

Gabe stepped carefully around Sultry and made his way to Ridley to give her a leg up. Cupping his hands and locking his fingers together, he made a small pedestal of sorts for her to step into. Then, carefully, he lifted her up and helped her swing her leg over the horse's back. He gave her a solid pat on the leg, just beneath her thigh, before closing his eyes like a child to receive the kiss on his forehead. "Take advantage of it," he responded with a gleam in his eye. "It won't last for long."

It didn't take long for Gabe to double-check his girth before mounting Sultry and getting comfortable. Western saddles were so much better than English ones: he probably would have died if he had to ride English all day. "Mm... I don't really think there is a set path we have to take. But, if I had a guess, I'd imagine there's a dirt trail that we just follow. Ready?"

With a small tap of his heels and a tiny cluck, Gabe directed Sultry away from the barn and across a flat surface. He could already see a dirt path big enough to have three or four horses abreast without much crowding or bumping. "Hey, bring Nutmeg up here," Gabe said, his voice loud enough to carry back to Ridley. "We can ride side by side, slow poke," he teased.

[/size]

[Ridley Hastings,]

you showed me what it’s like to be wanted
& i don’t ever want to lose that feeling
_________________________

The times that she spent with Gabe were times that she wish would never end. This feeling that she had was amazing, even though it scared her to death she never wanted it to end. Hearing Gabe tease her she laughed. "Hey, if you want me to frown all day and be a party pooper i will" she said in a joking tone. Yes, Ridley said party pooper, sure she was nineteen, but she was such a kid at heart. Even though she was joking with Gabe, as she finished talking she turned her smile into a frown and started slouching. For just a split second she was acting as though she would rather be anywhere but there. She couldn't hold that manner anymore letting her smile back to her face she laughed. "Sorry i tried, guess your going to half to deal with the smiling" she said with sweet laugh and smile.

It was no secret that Ridley was a loser, and some even considered her a dork, she was one of those people. In all honesty though Ridley couldn't care less, she was a girl that wanted to have a fun and couldn't care less what other people thought of her. Why should she anyway? She was a college freshman and the only freshman to be accepted as a Beta Sigma sister. She was going to have a good time and if that was acting like what people considered a loser or a dork, well she was going to be a proud dork. Not just that though, now she was someone's dork, she was Gabe's dork, and that always brought yet another smile to her face that once only knew how to frown. "A brat? now that's not nice ... meanie" she said and stuck her tongue out at Gabe. Laughing at what she just did, she heard the second half of what he said. "Well ..... i do have some ideas, but i don't think any of those are appropriate for a horse stable" she said with a little evil and flirtatious grin.

Taking one last deep breath she patted the horse's neck and stroked the hair of her mane and nodded. "Ready as i'll ever be" she said with a smile. It was true, she was still very scared to go out on the horse. Some might call her crazy, there weren't many big accidents or death's because of someone riding a horse. Not only that but Nutmeg seemed like a good horse and one that would take care of her and not throw her from the saddle. Still with all those reassurance's she couldn't help but being a little nervous, the horses were so big, she was so high up that anything could wrong. There she goes, the pessimistic side of Ridley, of course it wasn't about her relationship, it was about dying from a bucking horse, a much better reason to be pessimistic and scared, well at least in Ridley's point of view.

Nervous that she was just about to go out and ride she tried to let some words out, but she could only nod when she heard Gabe. As soon as Gabe started out of the stables she followed his lead. She tapped her feet to the side of the horse and with a jerk the horse started moving. As the horse kept moving she kept breathing in and out, in and out. It was the only way that she was too keep her heart rate down. It was going slowly down as the horse kept moving and she didn't feel like she was going to fall to her death.

As she looked up she noticed that Gabe and Sultry were ahead of her Nutmeg and it seemed as though they had found the path. Next thing she knew she heard Gabe's voice from up ahead. "Alright sure, but i kinda like the view from back here" she said with a smile and a laugh. "Be up in a hour or two" she said with a laugh. As she tapped her horse a bit more Nutmeg went into a trot and before she knew it she caught up with Gabe "Kidding, you know i love to ride side my side, but it was a good view" she said with a smile. She looked up and smiled, it had to be the most gorgeous day in the world. "what a beautiful day" she said out loud. This day couldn't get anymore perfect

[Gabe Welling]

Gabe rolled his eyes at Ridley and shook his head. "I didn't say that. You don't look nearly as sexy when you pout as when you smile. I think I'd prefer the smile, but thanks for the offer," he said with a smirk of his own. Nevertheless, he watched her sulk, or attempt to sulk, and couldn't help but appear bemused. "Nope, not nearly as flattering, I'm afraid."

It was no real secret that Ridley was gorgeous. Several people commented on her appearance regularly. Gabe wasn't really the jealous type, unless he physically saw someone flirting up a storm with her. If he heard about it, he made no mention of it. If someone was flirting with her, it was because she was beautiful and sweet. It was almost a compliment to Gabe, in addition to Ridley. But, if he actually saw it happening, he could get pretty protective.

He smirked at her when she called him a meanie. "You know me. I'm always rude and boisterous. This is what you signed up for, isn't it?" Gabe stuck his tongue out at her, feeling very childish himself for a few seconds before letting his familiar smile take over. He didn't bother to tell her that he was kidding around with her. Ridley knew that about him. Gabe was always joking and playing, unless it came down to school or business. It was one of the few times you could catch him being dead serious.

His eyebrow raised, obviously sparking interest, when she said her ideas were inappropriate for a stable. He narrowed his eyes at her when she grinned at him flirtatiously. "You're a tease. You better be prepared to share with the rest of the class once this ride is over." She had definitely sparked an interest in him, whether that be good or bad, and he made a mental note to remind her once the ride was over. As adorable and entertaining as Gabe might be, he was still a guy.

Gabe enjoyed the peace of riding in the country. It was a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. As much as he loved the fast beat and pace of city life, it was always nice to take a break for a few hours and just breath. Riding always managed to give him that peace.

"A good view, huh?" he asked her, raising his eyebrow and wondering what she meant. He didn't really dig into it, though. Instead, he just let his eyes move back and forth between Sultry, Ridley and her own mount before checking to make sure they were still on the right path. "It is," he said in agreement with her comment on how beautiful the day was. "This was a good idea, Ridley."

[Ridley Hastings,]

If you live to be ONE HUNDRED,
I hope I live to be
one.hundred.minus.one.day
so I never have to live without you.
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It was almost becoming an over used cliche for Ridley, but she honestly could understand, how a girl like her ended up so lucky. How did she end up with the best boyfriend in the world, the best friends a girl could ask for, how in the world did she end up having a life that was worth living? She didn't know how it happened, but she decided not to question it, not even a little bit. For once in her life she didn't want to think too much into anything, she just wanted live life and have some fun and not really care. Another smile came to Ridley's face, college was going to be the best time in her life, and she couldn't wait to ride the ride.

Being carefree and fun was just one thing that she loved about Gabe, another thing was the fact that they could laugh and joke with one another and the two of them knew that the other one was joking. "You just stuck your tongue out at me, ur such a childish dork" she said with a small laugh. "Yea, what the hell was i thinking.." Ridley gave a small smile when she responded when Gabe said that was what she signed up for, She tried to hold in her laughter but she couldn't hold it in much longer. Giving up she let out a laugh.

She laughed when Gabe said that she was a tease, truth was, she never tried to be a tease, she just was. The good thing about being a girl though, was that she was able to be a tease, it was almost expected, at least in Ridley's mind. In her mind she figured that guys enjoyed to be teased, it was their favorite part of foreplay, and if it wasn't, she kinda felt sorry for them, that she might be leading them on, but it really wasn't her fault. She never made her job to go out and tease someone, it just happened. "You know i would, i honestly would, but see i suffer from something called short term memory loss, and in exactly point six seconds i will forget what i was thinking about" she ended and had a small pause before she continued. "Yep, can't seem to remember what i was thinking about...sorry" she said with a straight face, it was so hard for her to keep that straight face but she stuck with it.

She was having an unexpected fun time, so far she hasn't fallen of her horse and which made it even better was that she was spending time with Gabe, her best friend and her boyfriend all wrapped into one. She was glad that he was also having a good time, she would hate if she was the only one that was having fun. "I do seem to have a stroke of brilliance once in awhile..." she said with small laugh. "Honestly though, I'm glad your having a good time, i'm having a wonderful time and would hate it if you weren't having a good time" she said with another smile towards him.

Ridley turned in her saddle and smiled as she Gabe, the light it him perfectly, she almost wanted to blurt out those the words that she has tried desperately to never say again. Taking a deep breath she turned back to the pathway. There was no way she could say those words again, they brought her so much pain before, what made her think that this could be any different? Sure Gabe was much more amazing than her last boyfriend, but still that didn't change the fact, that guys were guys and they were all the same in the end. "Want to take a detour into the woods, i mean we have all day don't we?" she asked with a smile. Looking around she couldn't' believe how amazing the country scenery was, this had to be the most beautiful sight that she has seen in a long time, everything was so crisp and fresh, this day couldn't get any better.