Down by the Apple Grove

Chapter Two

The wind flew through Anne's hair as she and Concorde galloped down the familiar trail down Hollow Woods. She didn't even have to open her eyes as they turned the familiar bend, or to know how far away they were from the windmill. She could just feel it all, like the back of her hand or the leather of her saddle. This was her home, no matter what her parents wanted from her. The saddle was the only seat she wanted to sit in for a long, long time.

The end of school was coming closer than Anne would've liked to admit. Not that she liked school, no--but what came after was frightening. Her parents were insisting on sending her to a business school, one that stood proudly over the rest as more and more of its students became millionaires. Her parents had never been happy with her decision to become a vet. As a matter of fact, her parents--her mother in particular--had never been very fond of horses.

Anne opened her eyes as Concorde slowed, nearing the climb up to the windmill. She sighed and stopped Concorde, just for a second. She needed to think. She had to be perfect, collected Anne in just a few seconds. Thankfully, all her thoughts snapped away into their own little corners, and she continued on towards the mill.

Anne was already halfway to zoning out when Concorde stomped a back hoof down into the ground. She gasped, her heart stopping for a moment.

Get something to eat, princess.

Anne blushed. She hadn't quite noticed how hungry she was, but she could feel the headache already starting. After waving to Will, she urged Concorde down towards the Silverglade Village. There was a little cafe there, she knew, and she could probably grab a quick sandwich.

She dismounted Concorde near the entrance and wandered on in, leaving Concorde to fend for himself outside. He didn't seem to mind. If she recalled correctly--and she often did, at least for things like this--then the cafe would be in the back of the village, by the tractor. She was pleasantly surprised to find it there, as usual, as well as with one customer she knew.

Theo was there, casually looking at the menu. A waitress kept on looking at him as she walked, wondering if he was ready to order yet, but he paid her no mind. Smiling, Anne snuck up on him from behind.

"Boo," she said, and to say Theo flinched would be an understatement. He turned wildly around, fear written on every movement of his body, only to relax when he saw her.

"Anne!" he cried, laughing. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to grab a bite to eat," she said, her eyes twinkling. "You?"

"Same here... I can't seem to decide what to get, though."

"Ah, the immense struggle we all face. What will we eat?"

There was a pause after Anne spoke, and she wondered if she pushed too far. He was a stranger, Anne realized. He had been in her thoughts every so often since they met a week or two ago, but she probably wasn't in his. She was about to apologize when he spoke.

"What if we got a picnic from nearby and had it? Together, I mean."

"A picnic?"

"We could even eat it down by the apple grove!"

Anne laughed. A picnic? Down by the apple grove? It had been over ten years since Anne last had a picnic there. But the boy didn't seem to be joking, and so Anne agreed. She almost bought the picnic, but he said that the man should buy it, and so he did. They set off towards the apple grove, with Venus somehow keeping pace with Concorde.

Are you going slower than usual? Anne asked Concorde. I'm faster than all other horses, even at this pace, he replied, worry in his tone. Almost on cue, Theo started talking about Venus and how much she adores Jorvegian potatoes, which is a shame since they're only ripe during summer and how they were so expensive and...