The Summer Of My Life

Chapter 6

Closing my eyes, I let my head fall forward on the saddle. I was standing on top of the footstool, and still I had not the slightest chance to get my foot near the stirrup.

Sighing loudly, I stopped after the fifth painful attempt. "I give up." My mood slowly started to adapt to the weather outside.

The chuckle behind me let me know about Levi's arrival. "Stop laughing at me, Levi Staad. I guess my muscles don't like that riding kind of exercise." I cringed, getting off the footstool wonkily. I wasn't even able to get down the small steps without looking like a klutz.

"I'm not going anywhere on horseback today." I mumbled to myself, but was confirmed that it had been too loud by the laugh next to my ear, making me put my hands away from my face. "Come on, we'll get you on, no matter what it takes." He sounded pretty optimistic, so I let him lead me on the footstool again.

His flowery speech "no matter what it takes" was pretty non-describing to the situation, as as soon as we were on top of the stool, he simply lifted me up and sat me on the horse. I didn't even have the time to look differently.
Just as I was sitting on the horse, I looked at him puzzled. "O-kay. Thanks a lot." He shook his head in kind of no harm done and stepped away from me, making me give Kata a small command to walk out on full-school and adjust my pullover.

Just by the pouring rain, temperature had dropped by about five degrees and everyone went back to thicker things except the barbies who still thought they could drown Levi in their deep plunging necklines.

Into the middle of the lesson, I was probably more occupied shaking my head with a smile on my face than with Kata. She was a bit more fractious than the day before but overall still very willing to work, the first thing probably had some parallels with the weather, rain drumming on the roof of the riding arena. Levi although didn't seem too bothered by the pouring rain.

"Go deeper. You have to feel it deep down in your bones." "Everything needs to ache afterwards, you shouldn't be able to walk afterwards." "You need to feel her right below your fingertips, like butter. Go deeper, feel her." "But gentle, absolutely gentle." "Take your time... nothing's perfect first try." And I really tried to follow his instructions, but after one last metaphor, I couldn't help but laugh out loud and sink myself on Kata's neck.

"Levi, stop for a moment." I had to catch my breath, looking at him through laugh-narrowed eyes. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not only referring to my riding but something else?"

Seeing his face, I had to laugh again. I sat up, rolling my hips suggestively, making Kata accelerate immediately. Having to laugh again, I let her run and did a lap of honour. Levi covered his face with his hand, but I saw his lips which were grinning. Shaking his head, he let his hand slide down.

Sitting down deeper, I had Kata collected within a second, waiting for a command. Changing sides with tempi-changes right up to him, I brushed past him, emphasizing my stance and our connection. Dancing up to him like a spinning top, I brought her to stand right in front of him, grinning down on him.
But instead of giving me his attention, he once again began to cuddle with my horse.

Could I maybe also get a cuddle like that?
"Good?"

"Yes, very good." He grinned up to me, making both of us laugh. "End of story – and lesson." I nodded, slipping out of the stirrups. Levi got out of the riding hall, leaving me with Kata alone, both of us needing the few walk-rounds to cool down.

I once again had troubles getting off Kataigida, but managed it somehow and quickly left the hall and walked over into one of the stable corridors. Rubbing her dry and brushing her quickly, I checked her hooves and put the gear away before putting her back into her bay.
"El, Ele. Elenora. Up here." I looked up, seeing Kiki's red face hanging down a hole.