Second Chances - BxB

Chapter 11

- Kenji's POV -

A month has passed and I have started training with Shay, lunging him in the arena, doing some join up and even getting him used to wearing a saddle. My mom told me he wasn't really a riding horse at his previous barn, he used to be big on showing on the circuit but that was a few years ago and he needs a lot of refresher courses, so I had to get him comfortable with wearing a saddle and bridle again before I could start riding him.

The training was going well and he responded positively to every new Thing I introduced to him. His eating has gotten a lot better and he seems to get a long with the other horses while out the pastures which I'm very pleased about. I know moving a horse to a different barn can be hard and stressful for them so I'm glad he is settling in well. My mom thinks I will be able to start riding him soon and I was really excited.

I was outside in the outdoor arena exercising our neighbours horse Cisco while my sister watched when a blue car drove up the drive way. An older man got out from the front seat and I recognized him right away. It was Clint, Mathew's probation officer.

"What's he doing here?" I ask Samara who was sitting on the fence as she watched me ride.

"I think Mathew has a meeting with him today as part of his probation. Checking in on how things are going I guess." I nodded my head and brought Cisco to a halt in front of my sister gently patting his neck. "How are things between you two?"

"Were okay I guess, nothings really changed." And before you ask, no, I didn't tell her about our little argument or that we kissed, I haven't even told Kira though I know she would be jumping off the walls happy. She keeps telling me to date Matt but I don't know.

Since the kiss happened we barely talk now, we have the odd conversation but its like he's trying to avoid me but it makes no sense. He was the one who kissed me and said he meant it. If he truly did mean it he wouldn't be trying to ignore me.

Right?

Maybe I'm taking things the wrong way.

Or maybe he feels disgusted about it. It was such a random, spur of the moment sort of thing that I honestly don't think he meant for it to happen. He never showed any signs of being into guys and as far as I knew, he didn't know about me liking them so really, the more I think about it, Im at a loss.

He just seems to complicated. We haven't talked about the kiss since it happened, not even kissed each other since then and as bad as it is, I've been wishing to kiss him again.

"Well Im gonna get Fallout tacked up, wanna come on the trail?" Samara's voice tore me away from my thoughts.

"Huh, oh sure."

It was probably a good thing.

"Okay give me ten and I'll meet you on the trail."

•••

Two hours of riding on the trails later me and Samara were back home. We both dismounted our horses and walked them back to the barn to untack, groom and hose them down.

"So how are things going with Shay?" Samara asked me when I put Cisco back in his stall.

"He's progressed a lot, mom thinks I can start riding him soon."

"Well good, I bet I can still beat your ass on the jump course."

"Still?" I laughed a little at her comment "You wish Samara."

"Oh you'll see." She walked past me trying to be all intimidating. "Your no match for me." And she playfully flicked my nose.

"Yeah, yeah alright, say what makes you happy." We both laughed.

We talked for a little bit longer till mom called for Samara, scolding her about how she didn't feed the dogs or wash the dishes from last nights dinner so that left me alone for a bit. I decided to bring Shay out of his stall to give him a brush while I had some down time.

"I saw you riding out there earlier."

I jumped, suddenly startled. "Jesus. Do you always have to sneak up on me." I looked over at Matt with an annoyed sigh.

"Sometimes."

"How did your meeting go?" I grabbed a curry comb from my grooming kit and started to groom Shay's neck.

"Alright I guess, Clint can be a real hard ass." He chuckled.

"As long as things go well thats the important part right." I said not even taking my attention off grooming my horse. I saw Matt from the corner of my eye walk up to Shay and softy stoke down his face calmly.

"You want to go out some time?"

I stopped and looked at him. "Like a date?" I questioned.

"Not really a date more like getting to know each other better. Go grab a coffee or something."

"I don't drink coffee." I replied stubbornly and went back to grooming Shay. I guess you can say I was playing hard to get, just to see how far Matt would go and if he really wanted to take me out somewhere, plus I felt kind of stupid that I jumped right to assuming it was a "date." Just because a guy asks me out doesn't always mean its a date Kenji.

I am still skeptical about him though, you never know, he may be tricking me and take me out to some dark alley just to kill me. I don't think he'd go that far. But still.

I heard him chuckle "Alright well you pick then."

"I have a few errands I need to do after I'm done work tomorrow, I can come by and pick you up and you can keep me company. How does that sound."

"Okay sure. But only if we can sit down and talk somewhere. I'll buy you a drink."

"Convincing" I said with a smirk. "But fine, we can stop at Tim Hortons on the way home."

"Sounds like a date then." He said, but I just smiled. Maybe blushed a bit but he doesn't need to know that.