Once Upon A Rodeo

Chapter Twenty One - [The Rodeo.]

"Rose? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

I blurted out the questions, unable to ignore her state even though I was still absolutely furious at her for taking Mia's side over mine when she had lied for no apparent reason. I stepped back and she walked in. I shut the door as she sat down in the living room.

"I was so stupid," Rose cried, her head in her hands. "I can't believe I trusted her."

"Who?" I asked, even though I knew who she was talking about already. I wanted to be angry at her, to shout and yell because I was hurt, but I just couldn't. She was too upset. We had been friends for too long to let what happened mean I wasn't there for when she needed me.

"Mia."

"What happened?"

After the fight at your house, Mia and I went out. I met a guy there, and we've been talking a lot since. I was really into him. We went on a couple of dates and I thought it was going really well. I really liked him, Kennedy."

She sniffled, wiping a tear.

"Well I went into Mia's house earlier to grab something I'd forgotten. We have keys to each other's place, and I thought she was at work since she wasn't answering her phone. We've always walked into each other's house like family before..."

She sniffled again.

"Well, I went into her bedroom and he was there. I walked in on them."

"She hooked up with him behind your back?" I said, appalled.

Rose and I might be in a fight, but I would never do that to her. I would never go after a guy she liked no matter how angry we were at each other.

"I know it's just a guy. I'm not crying over him. I'm crying because I thought she was my friend. I trusted her. I thought I could trust her with anything."

And she couldn't even trust her with a guy she liked. I could spot that Mia was fake from a mile away, but sometimes it was hard to see someone's true colors until they did something like this. As much as I hated it, it was a lesson Rose had to learn on her own. I scooted close to her, and she rested her head on my shoulder.

"I was so awful to you, Kennedy. I was an awful friend to you because of her. I am so sorry. I can't apologize enough."

"People make mistakes, Rose," I said simply.

"It's not okay what I did to you. The things I said. How could you forgive me for taking her side when she's like that?"

"I knew that you would see the real side of her eventually. I'm sorry that you had to learn it this way. You shouldn't have taken her side, but she manipulated you."

"Do you forgive me?"

I couldn't not. Rose was one of my closest friends. When we were younger, we were like family and had quickly reconnected that bond when I got to Hudson. I wasn't going to lose that bond over this.

"Of course I do. I'm gonna make some tea and we can watch some chick flicks."

We spent the rest of the evening hanging out and catching up. She would apologize again every few hours for taking Mia's side, and I eventually joked that I really would never forgive her if she didn't stop apologizing.

I had wiped the slate clean for her, and that was that.

She decided to go to Nashville with me for the semi-finals of the Tennessee State Rodeo. Brantley's parents and Callie were going, too, so it would be a nice group to have. I was still nervous for him, but I knew that was to be expected when it came to something like bull riding.