Change

I wake up with the sun shining in my face, it is a big surprise compared to the past few weeks when I had the blinds shut all hours of the day. My alarm clock reads seven thirty, which is really early for me lately. I drag myself out of bed and into the shower after realizing that I won’t be able to sleep any more.

Today is the day that I was going to stop feeling sorry for myself. That is what my parents would want and right now, that is exactly what I need. I have thought about playing a bit of soccer, but I can’t do that. Mainly because I don’t have anyone to kick the ball around with and also because the last time I have touched a soccer ball was the day my parents died. With that said, I can’t bring myself to play something that caused my parents to die. No matter how good I am at the sport.

Charlie and Anna were going to be gone all day at a cattle auction so it was just going to be me… and well Liam too since he had to cover all of the chores for today. I remember them saying that they wouldn’t be back until tomorrow afternoon.

I make my way downstairs to grab some breakfast and right as I turn the corner I run into Liam, my head coming in contact with his shoulder. Why is he always here?

“Sorry.” He mumbles sleepily as I rub my forehead. I look at him as he takes a bite out of his toast, offering me his other piece. I wave the food away and grab oatmeal from the cabinet.

We sit in silence as I mix my oatmeal. I look up to find him staring at me. “Do you need something, Liam?”

“Nope,” He gives me a beautiful smile, “Usually I eat breakfast by myself at home so this is nice.”

I give him a smile in return, “Oh, why is that?” I ask as I continue eating my oatmeal.

“Let’s just say I didn’t grow up with a family like yours.” He sighs as he gets up from the kitchen table and makes his way to the front door. I turn to look at him as he slides on his boots. He gives me a small smile and makes his way out the door. “I’ll be in the barn all day if you need me.”

A family like mine? What is that even supposed to mean?

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After breakfast I don’t really do anything in particular, mainly because I don’t know what there is to do and I have no idea where I could even go around here, heck I can’t even drive. I decided the least I could do for Liam was that I would make him and I lunch since Anna usually did it everyday.

I head outside in my aunt’s extra boots and make my way into the barn to find Liam with a basket filled with sandwiches, water, and fruit.

It was pretty hot and humid day, the type of weather that occurs before a big storm. I find a sweaty and tired looking Liam in the barn lying on a few bales of hay. His shirt in a heap on the ground next to him and his chest rising and falling with every breath as he laid there with his arms strewn over his face.

I clear my throat to get his attention and he jerks to look find me in the doorway. He sits up his dark hair a mess on the top of his head and his bright blue eyes looked exhausted.

“Reina, hey.” He says pulling on his shirt as he sits up.

“Hi,” I smile at him as he sits there and smiles back. “I made us lunch. If that is alright with you.”

Liam laughs and pats the spot next to him telling me to take a seat. “You didn’t have to that, Reina.” I just shrug at him and smile, “But thank you.” He smiles back as I hand him a bottle of water. He had a beautiful smile, let me tell you.

We sit in silence for a bit until Liam asks me a question, “So you’re going to be a senior this year, right?” I nod since my mouth if full of my last bite of sandwich. “So am I, I will have to introduce you to some people before school starts in August.”

“I would like that.” I smile taking a bite out of an apple as Liam smiles at me. I laugh a bit, his smile was just-- there was no way to describe it.

“You have a beautiful laugh, Reina.” He says as he stands up dusting of his pants. “I better get back to work though, a big storm is coming tonight and I need to get all my chores done before it hits.”

“Would you like some help, Liam?” I ask as he turns back to me standing in the middle of the barn, his hair was still in a mess as he held his baseball cap in his hands, “I don’t really have anything else to do.”

“Um, ok.” He smiles as he pushes his hair back into the cap. “Come with me then.”

He heads to the end of the barn and hands me a bucket filled with feed while he holds another. “I need you to take this too the chicken coop with me and just dump it on the floor for them.” He leads me out of the barn and towards the chicken coop. “Be quick because they will probably run after you.” I must have looked a bit scared because Liam bursts out in a fit of laughter.

“Stop laughing! I don’t want to be attacked by chickens, Liam!” I say trying to hid my fear with a laugh.

“Alright, I am just kidding, Reina!” He laughs even harder. “The look on your face just made it even better though.”

“I bet it is just hilarious.” I smirk as he opens the door to the chicken coop. I look all around at all of the chickens just nesting all around us as Liam leads me into the tiny room. “Being chased by chickens is now a fear, just look at their beady eyes staring at us.”

Liam lets out his raspy laugh as he takes the bucket from my hands and dumps the feed onto the ground; the chickens start to go crazy as their food is being dumped. I follow suit and dump my bucket onto the ground. Liam is already by the door waiting for me as chickens start enclosing me all around. “C’mon, they’ll move.” He smiles waving me over as I carefully step around the chickens at my feet.

“Next, while I bring the cattle in can you get fresh water in the stalls for the horses? Since they will be in there all night due to the storm.” Liam states as I nod by head and make my way into the barn as he follows not far behind and heads towards the pasture.

I never realized what type of business my uncle ran around here. He had a lot of cattle, and a huge barn for all his horses, which he raised and sold for a large sum of money usually. Along with the animals he had a lot of land to farm and a small field for fresh produce, which my aunt took care of harvesting and selling in the summer and early fall.

I get all of the stalls filled with fresh water just as Liam comes back in with the first horse of many. “Grab a rope, Reina.” He says leading one of the horses into its stall. I do as he says and follow behind him as we enter the fenced in pasture with all of the horses. The storm clouds were moving in just as the sun was setting.

I have never had to lead a horse before and my first experience with one wasn’t the best when I first got here. Liam takes the rope from my hand and latches it around one of the horse’s neck and hands it back to me. “Winnie should just follow right behind you.” The horse takes a few steps with me as I start to walk with her. “Third stall on the right.” She was the horse I came across in the barn yesterday; her blonde mane was now blowing in the wind from the oncoming storm. She was a beautiful horse and very calm.

I look over at her and I see her eyes trained on mine. She watches me calmly as I lead her to her stall. After closing the stall door behind me I hear Winnie let out a loud sigh. As I turn to look at her she is waiting for me at the door. I reach out and brush my fingers through her mane. I stay there as Liam comes back and forth with the rest of the horses, there were twenty here.

“Yeah, she is a bit of a princess.” Liam laughs leading in final two horses in and coming and standing next to me, leaning over the door and running his hands over her ear. “She likes that she has your attention too.”

“Do you remember the first day I met you?” I said looking from Winnie to Liam.

“Of course.”

“You said you would take me riding,” I started, “Would you want to do that sometime still?”

“I would love to.” Liam smirks as he moves away from leaning on the stall and makes his way out of the barn. I start to follow not far behind him when I hear Winnie sigh again even louder. “C’mon, she will get over it.” Liam watches me as I stop and turn to look at the horse whose eyes are trained on me.

“Does she always do that?” I ask as we head out of the barn and into the house.

“Only if she really likes you.” He winks at me. I stifle a laugh as I make my way back inside and Liam toward his truck. “I guess I will see you tomorrow!” He calls out as he gets into his truck, “If you need me my cell phone number is written down on the counter. Also I am not too far down the road, Reina.”

Just as I raise my hand to wave him goodbye a loud crack of thunder rumbles all around us. Causing me to jump and send Liam into a fit of laughter.

“Bye Liam.” I say as I give him a glare, but start to laugh instead.