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As usual she got the scolding and the ‘you-will-never-do-that-again-but-I’ll-let-you-off-easy-this-one-time” talk.
It was fine though because in that class all Mr. Tamer had done was sip coffee, read the newspaper and watch his class play AROUND THE WORLD in a Social Studies version. It was highly boring.
After school, Sammy ran up to me with a grin on his face. I was walking along the block back to my house, and nearly dropped my books, he scared me that much. “I know that look.” I teased. Sammy smiled some more. “Yeah, this isl the look I get when I’m about to surprise you.”
I fiddled with my hair. “Good surprise or bad surprise?”
Sammy winked. “You’re going to have to decide for yourself.”
And we took off running down the block. Instead of going left back to my house like we always did, he took me down a different path. I had to stop once, my sides were heaving greatly with the effort of running so far.
“Where are we going?” I asked. I had to be home before six tonight. Sammy took my hand gently. “Hazel, you’re going to have to trust me. It’s only around the corner from here. Promise.”
After going a couple more yards I almost collapsed. Not from running so far- because there in front of me where dozens of my favorite animals. Horses all lined up in stalls and ready for me to mount them and ride off into the sunset: stables.
Sammy caught me before I hit the dirt. “Hazel! Are you okay?” He asked worriedly, setting me down lightly, a worry crease spreading across his brow. I nod. “Am I dreaming?” I ask in wonder, sitting up.
I blink a couple times and look at the horses all waving their tails and urging me forward. With my luck, I was sure the next time I closed my eyes and opened them, they would vanish.
They didn’t, to my relief.
I laughed giddily and skipped up to the horses. Sammy patted one in the nearest stall, on the head. It had a black diamond on its head and light brown hide. “I call this one Hazel- after you of course.” I blushed, while thinking I hope he didn’t see that. It was a sweet gesture, and (hopefully) romantic gesture.
Sammy helped me mount a white horse- the one called Snow. I thought that was an appropriate name for a white horse. It was like a fairytale- no wait, a dream that was suddenly coming true. We rode bare back, and I took off my skirt for the ease of riding in just my under shorts. There we went, away from all my problems and with Sammy Valdez. Nothing could have been better. But I would have to go back. I didn’t, think about it the whole time though, as I forced myself to have fun.
I was out well past six, and I should have been punished but mother was still busy talking in that awful voice, the same one that had been speaking through her the past few months.