The morning was a bit tense and quiet, and I couldn't help but feel it was because of me. No one really talked, and avoided eye contact.

I guess they thought I'd not want to talk to anyone or something.

Aaron only whispered a few things, the tense atmosphere must have been obvious to him too, and he kept on staring at the floor.

I eventually got fed up and decided to go outside alone. I walked silently to the horse's paddock and sat on the fence. They were all out early, with Layla scooping up their muck in the second field.

I watched her for a bit and sighed, at least she seemed happy where she was. And hopefully she still thinks I'm happy too. Honestly if someone told her what's been going on I'm going to flip.

My thoughts were interrupted by the horse's walking up to the fence. Noah sniffed at my pockets looking for a treat and I smiled as I stroked his cheek for a while.

"I'll never see you again will I?" I wondered with a sigh, before itching his ear. "You've had a good life for a horse anyway."

"How about you take him out for one last ride?" Layla's voice made me jump, and I turned to see her leaning against the fence.

"I don't have time for that." I smiled at the idea.

"Not even a quick turn around the show jumping course?" She raised a brow and I frowned.

"Tacking up would take all the time we have left, besides I doubt you have sutible tack for this guy left in working condition."

"Yeah, and we never did, Noah's a tackless boy." She smiled and I bit my lip.

"You want me to go around a jumping course with no tack?... I'd give them all a heart attack." I worried.

"They'll survive, just one time."

"Fine, for you." I gave in and she squeeked.

"Great! I'm taking Jess."

"Really? But she's crazy."

"We're perfect for each other!" She replied as she jumped up to her, making Jess fling her head up.

Well, she's going to die.

I patted Noah's neck before grabbing onto his long mane and lifting myself up. He snorted in response before trotting after Jess who was shooting out of the gate.

No one was outside yet as we made our way across the gravel towards the sandy arena. Layla had obviously just put these jumps up.

"These are rather high..." I pointed out as she struggled to keep Jess still enough to open the latch to the gate.

"It'll be fun! Live a little! Be spontaneous!" She listed as she flung the gate open, and Noah followed the hyper horse lazily as she bolted off between the jumps."Come on! Before they notice." She encouraged and I rolled my eyes with a smile.

"You're making me feel like I'm doing something illegal." I commented as I circled the arena and watched as she jumped a smaller fence.

"In your overprotective step brothers eyes I'm sure you are!" She chuckled and I smiled before leading Noah over the same smaller jump.

I heard the unlocking of a car as Layla turned towards a larger jump, and Jess flew over it before giving a little fiesty buck.

"Come on, chicken! " Layla taunted as I quickly glanced to the front of the house.

"I have to go.."

"Baaakk baaakk." She clucked and I snorted and rolled my eyes before leading Noah towards the jump in determination.

The heavy horse landed with a thud and a snort before I had to swerve to avoid Layla coming from the opposite direction.

"A bit reckless!" I tssked and she pulled her tongue out at me.

"I dare you to jump the oxer." She said and I frowned.

"Hey, that's uncalled for. Besides Noah can't make that, he's too fat."

"You've never forfit a dare before, I'm shocked."

"I never said I wouldn't!" I huffed, before turning him round and jumping two high fences. I slipped a bit on his large back and had to pull on his mane. "Sorry." I muttered before looking at the large oxer with a flower trough in between it.

"Please don't." A voice way too deep to be Layla's sounded, and I looked over too see Aaron on the other side of the fence, practically pulling his hair out with a concerned look.

I smiled brightly at him. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough, I think I'm going to pass out."

"It'll be fine." I said before looking at the jump with new determination. "Probably."

"Hurry up!" Layla encouraged from across the arena.

"Why don't you do it if you're so keen!"

"Only after you!"

"Who's the chicken now!"

"Riley get down right now!" A far less composed voice snapped and I gave Luca a hostile smirk before kicking Noah on.

"Riley!"

You'd have thought he'd learned to give me some space by now. He's really not helping things

I circled Noah again in slight hesitation before deciding just to go for it. He seemed confused at first, like he thought it was a gate rather than a jump, but as he got closer his ears pricked and his stride lengthened.

Here goes nothing.

I barely had time to think as he lifted himself off of the ground a little early, and felt the familiar feeling of weightlessness as he soared over the long jump.

I heard the knock of a rail before he landed heavily, and gripped his hair as I became unbalanced.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed to myself as I tried to cling on, briefly thinking about how much Aaron and Luca would be freaking out before sitting up again.

I nudged him on as he was about to slow down, and turned him to a set of three jumps, he took them on with enthusiasm, and I glanced at a rather pale looking Aaron briefly before turning him towards a simpler jump with an amused grin.

Noah snorted as he landed, and I decided to call it a day as I listened to the poor overweight equine's laboured breathing.

"Beat that." I commented as I walked up to Layla, and she smiled at me.

"I'll miss you, Riley." She said with a sigh and I gave her a sad smile.

"-I can't believe you let him do that." I listened in to their argument with a frown.

"Let him? It's not my choice, he can do what he wants." Aaron replied with a tense voice.

"Really?! Say that when he gets himself killed!"

I gave Layla an annoyed look before walking Noah over to them.

Luca gave me an irritated glare, and he really looked a mess with his stressed expression and bruised eye.

"Riley, please could you get down now, we need to get going?" Aaron asked, gripping the wooden railing tightly with his hands.

I smiled at him guiltily. Looks like I really worried him, and I'm really not helping the tension.

"Of course." I replied as I slipped off of Noah's back, making Luca give Aaron a look as Alex and Caleb ran up to the fence.

"OMF." Alex commented. "How did that fat thing get itself off of the ground!"

"Hey! He's not fat, he's a heavy breed." Layla defended Noah's honour as I just ignored him.

"I'm so jealous, I'd kill to have a horse that could show jump, Legacy just freaks out if he's anywhere with a fence around it!" Caleb rambled enthusiastically, before blushing when he realised everyone was looking at him, surprised at his talkative outburst.

"We're going to be late." Aaron reminded with a hint of nervousness and I sighed before stroking Noah's neck.

"I'll put him back, you should go." Layla said as she lead Jess towards us, her usual hyper activity gone.

I smiled at her as she leaned in for a hug. "See you later!" She chirped as she squished and I hugged her back timidly.

"Yeah..." I mumbled, beginning to feel nervous from the tight hold she had on me.

She kissed my cheek before stepping back and I smiled at her again before looking down at my trembling hand. 

Wow, okay, that's not normal.

"We should really get going." Alex pointed out and I quickly dropped my hand to my side and looked up.

"Right..." I hesitantly stepped away from Noah before slipping out of the gate.

"I'll help with the horse, see you kids in a few days." Luca smiled at Alex and Caleb without sparing Aaron or I a glance. I rolled my eyes before turning and walking towards the car.

Charlie was leaning against it and I stopped in front of him with my arms crossed. He wasn't smiling, and looked kind of tired.

"I guess I'll see you around kiddo." He stood up straight and approached me.

"Right." I replied stiffly and he sighed.

"I'm sorry for the way I've acted. I guess I didn't appreciate what I had until I lost it. I should have spent this time making it up to you." He admitted and I raised a brow.

"Is that a quote from a TV show you watched last night?" I commented and he snorted.

"I know I'm a horrible father, but I still am one none the less. I should have protected you, I should have stopped that nutcase of a mother from taking you so far away...I should have stopped..." He sighed and I gave him an amused smile.

"This thing you're feeling right now, it's called guilt. But don't worry, it'll go away in a few days and you can go back to treating me like a business tactic." I sneered before walking past him.

"Goodbye son, maybe you'll give your old man a visit sometime, this manor is a bit big for one person." He muttered quietly and I turned around slightly.

I was going to make a snarky comment on how knowing him he won't be alone for long, but I hesitated.

"If you don't try to marry me off again, maybe I will." I sighed and he smirked.

"When your mother does her old divorce trick again, you're welcome to come here instead of having to follow her around."

"Then who'd look after her when she's gambled all of the money away?"

"Her next victim." He retorted making me snort.

"See you around father." I forced myself to say to appease him and he smiled before I turned away and escaped into the car.

I gave another sigh as I sat down next to Nate and he smiled awkwardly at me.

"You're going to find it hard to conveniently avoid me in here if that's what you're planning." I snapped and his eyes widened.

"What? No! I just assumed you'd want to be left alone...I mean..." He made a face and I rolled my eyes.

I just rested my elbow on the door and glared out of the window as Alex, Caleb and Aaron finally caught up.

"Driving on the wrong side of the road is going to drive me insane." Aaron worried as he sat in the driver's seat.

"Not to mention you can't drive to save your life in the first place. Oh god I'm going to die today aren't I." Alex complained from next to Nate.

"Hey, I can drive better than you."

"That's because I can't drive!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at Aaron glaring at him through the front mirror and Hunter sighed from the passenger seat.

"Kill me please."

"Can we just go?" Caleb suggested quietly from the back while flicking through a book.

"I think I'm getting claustrophobic." Nate complained and I bit my lip.

This is going to be entertaining.

-

"Alex please take your own bag!" Aaron complained as Alex dragged Hunter's suitcase through the train station.

"But this has weels on it! Why do I get a rucksack!"

"Well mainly because you were too stupid to bring a bag in the first place! You better not lose any of that new stuff."

"Hey, Riley didn't pack either."

"I brought a bag..."

"It's not a rollable suitcase though is it!"

"Hey, I'm not complaining, he can drag my heavy bag around if he wants." Hunter commented, holding Alex's rucksack loosely over one shoulder.

Aaron just sighed and looked up at the cieling like he wanted to run away, making me smile in amusement.

"You're going to find it hard to get through the platform gate without printing the tickets by the way." I pointed out casually and Aaron huffed.

"Ugh, where do we do that?!" He fumed stressfully and I could feel the anxious atmosphere flowing off of him.

"Don't worry, I'll go get them, you wait here, get a coffee maybe." I raised my brows and he sighed and smiled at me.

"Thanks Sunshine."

"Ew he's not your little kid don't call him that!" Nate huffed and I just rolled my eyes and turned away as Aaron ignored him.

I sighed as I navigated the people, making my way over to the ticket machines.

Oh fuck, why did I get myself into this.

I froze as someone brushed against me as they rushed along, becoming anxious. Damn crowds...too many people.

I cursed to myself as I kept on miss clicking, having to reread the ticket information over and over again because I couldn't think straight.

I was frustrated by the time I got back to the others, handing them their tickets. I paused at Alex then gave him a look as he tentatively reached for it.

The others gave eachother looks from the awkward tension I had created before Aaron coughed.

"We've got five minutes to get on the train." He worried and I smiled at him.

"That's fine, the platform we want is just up those stairs."

"How do you know that?"

"I used to get trains from here all the time, also signs exist."

"To Cornwall?"

"And other places, yeah."

I waited for the others to walk infront of me before sighing and following them.

"You're nervous." Aaron mumbled quietly as he slowed behind the others.

"Are you talking to yourself or me?" I retorted and he smiled.

"What's wrong?"

"Several things." I brushed him off and he looked at me patiently.

I sighed after a few moments. "Fine, I'm just feeling anxious... every time someone comes close... I...." I bit my lip and looked away.

"I'm sorry... if it continues you should see someone about it, you can't go around being nervous all the time." He suggested and I cringed. "Being honest and talking about it will help."

"I am being honest and talking about it..."

"Well then how about you tell me what's going on with you and Alex?"

"..." I remained quiet as we climbed the stairs, mainly because Hunter was complaining about Alex dumping his bag on him when it kept getting caught on the steps.

"Nothing too complicated, he just chose his relationship with his brothers over me...it makes sense really." I continued once we'd fallen out of hearing range.

"You're upset though, why don't you talk it out with him?"

"He's made his intentions clear. I just-" I paused and then closed my mouth.

"Go on, say it. You'll regret it if not." Aaron pursuaded and I rolled my eyes.

"It makes me worry, that all of them will do that and start ignoring me as time goes on...that you'll have to choose between your relationship with your brothers...or some random kid you just met." I admitted with a blush and he smiled.

"You're not some random kid, you're not a kid for one. And you don't have to worry about that. If they force me into a situation where I'd have to choose, I know clearly where I'll stand." He smiled down at me and I had to look away from him with a frown.

"Why would you do that? You don't owe me anything." I asked, but we'd caught up to the others as they stood at the edge of the platform.

He smiled at me before looking away. "Come on you four, or it'll leave without us."

"Where are we sitting though?" Hunter asked anxiously and I just stepped onto the train.

"There aren't assigned seats." I said loudly enough for them to hear before walking in to a busy carriage.

I sighed to myself and sat at a four seater table seat, glaring out of the window.

Caleb smiled as he sat opposite me and I returned it. Wait...

Just as I thought his new friend sat himself next to him, awkwardly staring away from us.

I gave him a look before Aaron sitting next to me distracted me.

He raised a brow at me and motioned to Alex. I shook my head with a frown. No way, he's going to have to make the effort to talk to me first.

Nate leaned over the back of Caleb's seat and smiled. "How long are we going to be here?"

"Um, more than an hour...I guess..." I answered unsurely.

"Why are we doing this again?" Alex asked with a huff.

"Because you're annoying and I was told to get you out of the way." Aaron answered while not looking away from his phone.

"Fair enough." I smirked and he looked at me with a smile.

"DONT say it." Nate snapped and Aaron blinked.

"Say what?"

"That he's not annoying, you were totally going to say that. You're so obvious it hurts." He complained and Aaron immediately glared at him with a deep blush.

"Sit in your seat properly Nathan." He ordered and Nate rolled his eyes before turning around and sitting down.

I glared at Alex as he looked between us and he clicked his tongue awkwardly.

"Alright I think this calls for a game of eye spy." He interrupted the silence and Caleb groaned.

Someone put me out of my misery.