“Oh. My. Heavens.” My mother’s voice trails into the kitchen where I’m washing the dishes. I follow it into the living room, where she’s pushed aside the curtains to stare out the window. “I can’t believe him!” She lets the curtains close as she hurries to put her shoes on and I follow in suit. “Only a few, he said,” my mother grumbles.

Out the front door, we both stop in our tracks. My dad grins and waves as he opens the trailer that the truck has pulled into the driveway. He walks inside, and in a moment, returns with a horse. He’s just leading it out when two more trucks pull into the driveway with trailers behind him.

The horse is gorgeous, and I’m not just saying that because I love horses. It’s completely midnight black, with no markings or change in colour. It neighs loudly, nodding it’s head a few times as my dad gestures for me to come over.

My mother covers her eyes with her hand. “How many animals did he get?” She says worriedly. Sighing, she turns around and heads into the house. I hear her call for Emery as I head down into the commotion to help out.

“This is Nightfall,” my dad says, handing me the lead rope that’s connected to his halter. He smiles at me before walking back into the trailer. I gently reach out and stroke his head happily when Emery approaches. We haven’t talked in days since he told me to leave him alone, and he hasn’t even come near me.

“New horse?” Emery asks, slowly reaching out and rubbing Nightfall’s head. My eyes grow wide in surprise. Emery actually talked to me and touched a horse without having to be addressed first.

“Nightfall,” I tell him when my eyes wander away. It looks like he isn’t the only horse we’re getting. My dad heads towards me and hands me another lead rope. I hand Nightfall to Emery, who surprisingly accepts while I look over the next one. “Where are we going to put them?” I ask nervously, knowing there isn’t much room in the barn since the cows are already inside before winter hits.

“When Vince gets here we’re going to build a fence around one of the smaller fields we don’t use,” he calls to me, leading another horse towards me. “The one you’re holding is Dawn, and the one I have is Dusk. They’re a package deal apparently,” he laughs, nodding towards a man who’s unhooking another trailer.

Dawn is beige, with a white mane and a marking down her face. Dusk isn’t much different except that he’s a bit taller and is completely brown and his mane is closer to black. Shrugging to Emery, the three of us lead them towards the empty cow pen and unhook the horses once we’re inside.

“When is Vince getting here?” I ask, trying to hide my obvious anger towards him.

“In a few days,” he tells me as the three of us exit the pen. Someone I don’t know is yelling, and once I’m on the other side of the trailer I see why. My dad and I start laughing as a man tries to pull a goat out of one of the trailers. However, it won’t budge, just like the other two.

“Give him a hand?” Dad asks me, and I run towards him.

“Let me help,” I tell him, and walk into the trailer. The goats all back away, but I crouch down and hold my hands out in front of me. Eventually they become curious, and walk towards me. “Emery?” I call gently over my shoulder. I’m still shocked as he walks towards me, ready to help me.

Slowly, I pick up one of the goats in my arms. It starts make noises as I hand it over to Emery, who looks very awkward handling something so fragile. Twenty minutes later, my parents, Emery and the two men who drove here are all standing on the fence, looking at the horses and goats.

“I hate to see them go,” the man who was struggling with the goats tells us, taking a sip of lemonade that my mother brought out. “But since we’re moving to the city, we can’t bring them with us.” I know two main reasons why my dad agreed to this. One is because he has a thing for animals in need along with delinquents like himself. The second is because he knows I need something to keep me busy with Emery leaving tomorrow.

Emery nudges me now, and nods towards the house. Shrugging, I climb off the fence and together we slowly walk. I shove my hands in my pockets and look to Emery, curious of what he has to say.

“What I said before,” he says quietly, first not meeting my eyes. He pauses, thinking of the right words and when he finds them he makes eye contact, “Well, I’m sorry for saying that. I didn’t mean it.”

We both sit down on the steps of the deck and watch my parents and the company. They’re laughing and talking as they sip their drinks, and I can’t help but wish I could be careless like them right now.

“Then why would you say it?” I whisper, fidgeting with my hands.

Emery sighs. “We’re both struggling, River. After what happened, things can’t really be the same between us.”

My head snaps towards him and my eyes are narrowed. “How?” If anything, things should be the same. We’ve both owned up to our feelings, and survived something together.

Emery doesn’t respond when the phone rings in the house. Being the only one nearby other than Emery to hear it, I sigh and get up.

“Hello?” I say unenthusiastically into the phone.

“River!” Mary shouts excitedly. “I have a plan!”

“Mary?” I ask shocked. How can she be calling me when her parents refuse to let her even speak to me? “You’re going to get in trouble.”

“No!” She squeals. “For once they both went out! Anyways, I don’t have much time!”

I smile and lean back against the wall. “Tell me.”

“On Friday night, ride three quarters of the way to my house with Silver and Patch. If my parents see the lights of your truck, they will know what we’re up to. I’ll meet you there at nine.”

I roll my eyes. Because our plans always work so perfectly. “Okay, deal. Also, we have more horses, oh and goats!”

“What?” She laughs into the phone, and then stops suddenly. “I really wish things weren’t this way. I miss practically living at your house.” I’m about to respond when she starts to whisper. “I have to go! See you Friday!” Then the line goes dead. Sighing, I hang the phone back in the hook and head back to the deck.

“Sorry, Mary phoned,” I tell Emery, who’s still sitting on the deck. I step down and sit a foot away beside him. “Anyway,” I mumble, remembering the last thing I said. “Why can’t things be the same between us?”

Emery sighs, and rests his head in his hands. “You never understand, River,” he says agitated. He’s right. I almost never understand the mysteries of Emery Hastings, because he rarely ever tells me anything. “Look, I’ll tell you tonight, alright?”

My face scrunches in confusion. “Why not now?” King runs towards us and stands panting in front of Emery. He raises his head and starts to pet him affectionately.

“I’d rather not ruin the time we have together until the last possible moment.” My heart sinks, when I decide to ask a question I didn’t want to before.

“Do you…” I trail off, trying to find the courage to ask. “Do you think you will stay with your aunt?” I ask nervously, and Emery shrugs.

“I don’t know. However I have to come back for my court date,” he tells me. “So at max I’ll only be gone for a week or two, depending on how it goes.” Sadness washes over me. After what we just went through, I really don’t want Emery to leave.

He turns and gives me a sad smile. It shows traces of the Emery I’m in love with, and it’s no surprise when his hand slowly moves in the space between us. Mine meets his there, and I squeeze it as our fingers intertwine.

“Did you know?” I whisper curiously. I know I shouldn’t ruin the moment, but I really want to know.

“About my aunt?” When I nod, he shakes his head no. “I had no idea. My dad…He never really my mom see her family.”

“I’m sorry,” I say gently, moving over the space between us. Emery takes our merged hands and rests them on his left thigh.

“Don’t be,” he tells me, as I rest my head down on his shoulder. “But River, promise me something.”

I don’t move to meet his eyes. “What is it?” I ask cautiously, not wanting him to make me upset.

“Promise me that if I don’t come back, you’ll move on.” Immediately I wretch my hand out of his and jump to my feet. Tears are already forming in my eyes as I glare down at him.

“Emery,” I snap, clenching my fists. “You just said you would only be gone a week or two!”

He slowly rises to his feet and grabs my shoulders. He looks down seriously into my eyes. “River, if I decide to stay with my aunt, I will only be coming back for the court date. I won’t be staying here, and I’ll be gone right after it happens.” I try to free myself from his grasp but he doesn’t let me. “Promise me, please, that you won’t stay this way, River!”

I laugh bitterly and take a step back. “I promise,” I say through clenched teeth. “But then again, you were the one who told me that promises are just lies in disguise.” He doesn’t have time to catch me or respond as I run into the house crying. This is our last day together, and just when it looked like there is hope for us, he ruins it.

If we can’t be happy together now, will we ever be?