Roping or Riding

Chapter:7

After all three nights of bad rides all those guys are snickering and laughing. I got cleaned up and crashed on my couch. A knock sounded at my door. I got up rolling my shoulders before seeing who it was. I opened the door turning the light on seeing Charlie. "May I help you?" I asked him. "May I talk to you?" He asked. "Yeah." I said letting him in. He came in closing the door behind him. I plopped back down on the couch flipping the tv on. "So you've heard the talk." He started.

"Yup. Just drew six uneventful rides." I said. "That's how you see it. They think you had pure luck the first several." He said. "It was skill. The ones that ride drunk are lucky." I said. He scoffed. "I've been meaning to ask you this. Are you eighteen?" He asked. "Will be the first week in December." I said. He looked kind of shocked. "I thought you already were." He said. "Why?" I asked. Oh. I know why. He sat up straighter. I went into a giggling fit. He had red coming to his cheeks.

"You don't have to answer that now." I said. He sighed. "Heading out tomorrow?" He asked. "Yeah." I said. "Um. Would you mind if I got your number?" He asked scratching his neck. Oh this is too adorable. I asked for his phone and put my number in. He then asked for mine. We exchanged numbers before his dad texted him. "Um. I gotta go. See you at the next rodeo?" He asked. "Yeah." I answered. He nodded before letting himself out.

I took my boots off before locking the door and taking my jeans and button down off. I then got a shower and crawled into bed. I pulled the covers up on me and tried to sleep.

By morning I was still tired even though I had slept the whole night. I got dressed and secured everything before going out with the rest of the milk drinking it. I locked my camper shut before downing the last of the milk. I threw the jug into the backseat and buckled up pulling out. My phone buzzed as I reached the gate. I looked down at it seeing that Charlie had texted me. 'Leaving now. Will see you in a few hours.'

I checked for traffic before pulling out. Once on the four lane I had cruise control set. I was about to switch lanes when my truck started spinning out of control. It hit the center median and rolled once landing on the wheels. I made sure I could move before getting out. My camper and front end was crushed. The roof of my truck was down a little. I checked my ankles and knees before walking a few steps and to the back of my truck. The other vehicle was off on the other side of the road.

A truck and horse trailer pulled over as I heard sirens in the distance. Bobby got out with Charlie. "You ok?" Bobby asked. "Yeah. More or less shaken up." I said. The sheriffs department, fire department and EMS arrived. "Is there anyone else in the vehicle?" One of the fire fighters asked. "No. It was just me." I said. An EMS team looked me over before asking if I hit my head. They had me remove my cap to see if any part of my head was bleeding.

I shook my head saying my seatbelt locked up when I hit the breaks and didn't unlock when it rolled. My eyes were checked before I was allowed to go. The other person that caused the crash was in critical condition. A sheriffs deputy asked me what happened. I told him about me wanting to make a lane change and not seeing anyone on both sides before my truck started spinning out of control. "I had seen the vehicle in the other lane too far back to of hit me and decided to go over. Then out of nowhere I'm spinning and for a glimpse see that vehicle going off into the ditch." I told him.

"So the person in that vehicle to you sped up after you made the change." He said. "I couldn't see behind my camper. I was even checking that lane as I moved over and still didn't see him." I said. A car was stopped up ahead. The driver was talking to a deputy. The deputy then motioned for the one talking to me over. "Stay here." He said before going over. They got to talking and finally he came over.

"The car that was to the side hit the breaks before that car could hit them trying to scoot by. He hit you causing you both to spin out. Your not the cause of the crash." He said. I nodded. The sheriffs department filed it as the other driver's fault and that he will pay for all of the damage caused. "Do you have a ride?" The deputy asked. "Yes sir. May I grab some stuff out of my camper?" I asked.

The one next to him nodded. "Heading somewhere?" He asked. "Yes sir. The next rodeo on my schedule." I said. He let me get all of my stuff. I grabbed all of my caps and clothes before getting my valuables. I grabbed my gear from the backseat Bobby and Charlie helping. "Is that everything?" He asked. "Yeah." I said. They let me throw it into the living quarters before I could leave. They already had cleared one half of the highway to let people pass.

"Nothing broken?" Bobby asked as I got in. "No. Nothing sprained either." I said. "That was luck." Charlie said. I had to chuckle. "I loved that camper though. But I can say I love Capri for that." I said still laughing. "I can say amen to that." Bobby said. All three of us were laughing.