I could feel my hair blowing in my face as Lexter urged Dusty on. My grip on him tightened as Dusty as he got into a gallop. My hair was blowing widely behind me now. I felt some smaller strands curling around my neck.
"Are you alright?" Lexter asked, pulling on Dusty's reins to slow him down. "You look terrified."
"Because I've never been on a horse ride before." I said. "I've been trying not to shut my eyes."
Lexter laughed. "Do you want to head back?" He asked.
I nodded frantically, letting an arm fall away from him to push all my hair out of my face. "Think we could go slower this time?" I asked, my arm going back around him.
"Yeah." Lexter said, giving me a smile. I noticed that he smiled a lot.
We rode back to the mansion, Dusty at a steady trot. I straightened myself, feeling my hair wiping wildly behind me. We got back to the stable and Lexter locked Dusty back up in his stall.
"Did you have fun?" Lexter asked as we walked out and back towards the mansion. "Well, when you weren't being completely terrified."
"Oh shut up." I said, rolling my eyes. Sure, I had been scared. It wasn't my fault that I had never been on the horse. I had never had the chance. I had hardly ever touched horses.
I grabbed Lexter's arm as we went to go into the mansion. "The lights are on." I said, pointing to the windows. Jut barely, there was a little bit of light coming from the edges of the curtains. "Do your parents ever check if you're in your room at night."
Lexter's eyes widened. "I sure hope not." He mumbled. "You should probably go. I can handle my parents."
I wanted to protest, but I really needed this job. I couldn't afford to get fired. I nodded. "Try to bring them outside." I whispered. "I'm going to hide in the trees."
Lexter nodded. I watched him walk up the stairs to the mansion before I scurried over to a tree. I gripped a branch and heaved myself up, making sure I was close enough to hear and far enough in to be camouflaged by the leaves.
It was a few minutes before Lexter came running down the stairs. He looked mad. I moved to climb down the tree when his father, Mr. Hanson, came storming down the stairs. "You're going to bed!" He shouted.
"I don't have to listen to you!" Lexter cried. "It's not fair, I don't get to do anything living here!"
I really regretted listening to them now. I could have just snuck in if I hadn't hidden in the trees. I'd make way too much noise if I tried to climb down now.
"You can't do anything because we have a reputation to think of!" Mr. Hanson shouted. "I can't have my children all goofing off while I'm having meetings."
I'm pretty sure that Mr. Hanson had some job in the government, but I'm not completely sure. All his kids were under strict orders to behave. There was no time for nonsense.
"That's not fair!" Lexter shouted. "You tell us all to be perfect, but you're far from perfect. Does Mom know about that other girl?"
I froze. Mr. Hanson was cheating on his wife? I desperately wanted to leave.
Mr. Hanson seemed to be just as shocked as I was. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't act all innocent. That other girl. She came over a few days ago when everybody else was gone for Alice's soccer practice!"
"You're going to bed. Now!" Mr. Hanson shouted. "We'll discuss this properly in the morning."
He turned and went back up the stairs before Lexter could protest. The door shut and I climbed down from the tree, rushing over to Lexter. "Are you alright?" I asked.
He nodded blankly. I knew that he was lying. He had a far away look in his eyes. "You should probably go to sleep." I said quietly. "If he finds out that I was out with you..." I trailed off. "I don't want to know what would happen then."
Lexter nodded. He went in before me. I waited for a few minutes before slipping in through the door. The lights were still on. I felt my heart skip a few beats as I walked around, spotting Mr. Hanson sitting at the kitchen, a wine bottle in his hand.
"Sir?" I asked. "Are you alright?"
Mr. Hanson looked back at me. "Where were you?" He asked.
I tensed, glancing over my shoulder at the stairs where I could feel Lexter listening to us. "I was out." I said. "I took a walk."
"You have a job here." Mr. Hanson said. "You need to make sure that the house is maintained and that nobody leaves during the night."
I bit my lip. I could not lose this job. I'd have no where to stay, no where to go, nothing to eat, and no money. I would have absolutely nothing. "Of course, I'm terribly sorry."
"Sorry doesn't change that you left." Mr. Hanson said. "Do I have to remind you how much you need this job?"
"N-no, sir." I stuttered, my voice cracking. I lifted my head to keep from crying.
"See to it that it doesn't happen again." Mr. Hanson said. "Or you're fired. Do you understand me?"
I nodded. "Yes."
