Rambo: Scarlett's Christmas

2

When Scarlett woke up the next morning, the air felt strangely cold. Jumping out of bed, she looked out the window. It had snowed heavily last night and the yard and paddocks were full of snow. Da's red ute was smothered in it and the tray was overflowing with snow. "Guess there's no school today." Scarlett whispered to herself.
With a quick look in the mirror she brushed her long brown hair and applied a thin layer of mascara to her eyelashes. She wasn't into makeup but every now and then she used some.
She pulled on her blue wrangler t-shirt and some old dark blue jeans. Her feet were covered by her black ankle socks and her hair was in a high pony-tail.
Scarlett zoomed out her bedroom door and into the kitchen. Da was cooking some scrambled eggs in a large black pan. He turned and smiled at Scarlett, "Heard you walking around ya room this morning around six, you going to school?" Scarlett took a seat on one of the spinning chairs that was under the kitchen bench. She looked at Da cooking the eggs. He was in a baby-blue dressing-gown and wore big red sleeping slippers.
"No, it'd be way to cold. I'll go in the next day or two. Depends on the snow."
"Ah, I see." He didn't mind if she went to school when she did it didn't want to. "So what are you planning on doing today hm?" He started serving the eggs on two large plates. One for him, one for her.
"I'll probably work with Rambo again. He's good at lunging, considering his age. But I need to work on changing directions with him, he does it really slow and lazy, or just rears and plays up. He's a cheeky little thing, reminds me of James." James was the neighbours boy, about 8 he is. Son of Lou and Brian Brooke. He has an older sister named Chloe, Chloe and Scarlett don't get on very much. They go to the same school and are in the same year, but never get along. Scarlett baby-sits James every now and then when Lou and Brain go out and when Chloe is usually at a friends. Cheeky little thing he is. Always doing something he's not meant to. But he's not one of those little boys that do things in a rude way and don't listen to you, he does things with a smile and laughter. Always laughing.
"Have you seen James lately?" Da and Scarlett are now sitting at the bench together eating their eggs. They don't use dinning tables, since they only eat quickly and usually have no visitors.
"No actually, I might drop in later on Dusty. Give him a little exercise. Have you heard from his owner Amy yet? She said she'd call our home phone on Saturday. It's been two days now..should I just call her instead?"
"Haha, chill out chicko. No she hasn't called, and if she doesn't by this arvo you can give her a quick ring alright?" He ate his last mouthful and rinsed his plate. Scarlett did the same.
"Thanks Da, I might go feed the horses now. Is Tom coming in today?" She hoped to god he wasn't.
"Yeah, he's in the barn now, mucking the stalls. I told him to help you bring in the horses too because I knew you'd bring them in for a feed and blanketing." Scarlett hesitated before pulling on her boots. She let out a sigh then put on her jacket too.
"What?" Da looked at her, confused.
Scarlett looked up at him before opening the door. "Hm? Oh, nothing. Just not a fan of Tom." She smiled then walked out the door, shutting it carefully.

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Scarlett's hand pulled open the cold door handle to the barn, dang it. First thing she saw was Tom. The shovel going back and forth from the stall, and the wheelbarrow, her eyes following it. Why had she hated him so much? He hadn't done anything to wrong her. Had he?
"Morning Scarlett." The tall boy smiled and waved at her. Average, she thought.
"Hi." Was all she wanted to say to him. No more. No less.
"Need any help doing the horses?" Scarlett could tell that he was trying his hardest to try talk to her. She hated company, especially with Tom.
"Uh, no thanks I think I'll be alright by myself." She gave a friendly smile towards him then grabbed a few halters and lead ropes from the hooks near the barn door. To her surprise, Tom was grabbing a few too.
"I insist." Tom was awfully close to Scarlett with an awkward grin on his face. His breath smelt minty, toothpaste.
Scarlett was leaning a little back then stepped sideways and coughed slightly, feeling a little awkward and shocked.
"Ok, well you can grab Jupiter and Ted for me." A smirk grew on her face. She had picked the two hardest to catch horses just for him. Haha have fun, she thought.
"Cheers, what paddock are they in?" Tom sounded eager and he looked very chuff with himself. Scarlett tried hard to not laugh.
"They're in the second paddock to your right as you exit the barn the back way. Jupiter is the buckskin and Ted is the black." She threw him another halter and lead rope, for Ted. "I'm going to get Dusty and Ginger." Scarlett smiled at him and walked out the door, towards the southern paddocks.
"Ok..." Tom stood dumbfounded for a few moments then took off in the opposite direction.
The fun had just begun.

A/N
Sorry for the short chapter, it's kinda just a filler.
Anywhooooo
Do you think Scarlett will fall in love with Tom or keep at her horses?
We'll just have to wait :))))

Catch ya