glorious new beginnings --- ( open )

[`` kaylee harrison]

( kaylee harrison )

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Kaylee Harrison had been restless all morning. Her hand was on the car door handle, fingers tightening and flexing, ready to release herself from the automobile once it came to a stop. Nibbling on her lip, Kaylee's blue gaze shifted to the figure of her mother in the driver's seat, the woman saying nothing. The Harrisons had just moved to the beautiful town of Roanoke, Virginia. It was no doubt very much different here than New York City, their previous residence. Already, to her intense surprise, Kaylee was in love with the place already, finding it similar to a heaven of sorts. At the very least, her horses should it find it more satisfactory here than the awfully small stable they had called home in New York. The middle of a city isn't what you would call a suitable home for horses, especially considering there were no pastures for them to lounge in. Which is why Kaylee was certain her two horses, or rather horse and pony, would settle in here right away, where forests and fields and all sorts of wildlife surrounded them everywhere. It was simply stunning how beautiful it was.

Kaylee was finally allowed escape from the towers of boxes littering their new home. They actually had a yard here, with green grass and scattered plants. But, all four of the Harrison's had been shut inside for days, forced to go through the boxes that held all their personal items. At last, her mother had agreed to drive her daughter to the stables, which to Kay's delight were just a bike-ride away from her house. Still, the short distance didn't pass quick enough and the blond sophomore felt as though she would bounce off her seat in anxious excitement. She barely paused to say good-bye before tearing open the car door and stepping onto green earth. Now, where are they? Since it was a nice, warm day with a cloudless sky, Kaylee was pretty sure her horses wouldn't be shut up in the barn. Following a path she presumed led to the paddocks, Kaylee's step quickened in the same anticipation she had felt all day.

The pastures weren't hard to find; the layout of the place was nice, but straight forward enough. She was surprised by how large the property seemed to be and she stopped trying to guess how many acres made up the Hall's land. There were many pastures, much more than she would have expected, but her darlings weren't difficult at all to find. Kaylee quickly discovered the pasture her pony and horse had been assigned and she rushed in their direction, pulling her lean body over the white fence and into the field itself. "Pep. April. Come here guys." The buckskin pony, already covered in a light coat of dried mud, trotted forward, his legs pumping furiously to keep up with the long, flowing stride of the palomino paint mare. At once, Kaylee wrapped her arms around the first piece of horse flesh in reach, which happened to be April. When Pepper caught up, she leaned in to hug his neck as well, sighing. "I've missed you two. But I guess all the grass... and mud made up for it." Kaylee couldn't help but laugh as she fingered the spikes and ruffles of dried mud on Pepper's back - it would take forever to clean, but for now the girl was content to just stand in the field with her two horses.

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STATUS finished
TAG this post is open for anyone, so reply to your heart's desire
COUNT 577
MISC. not my best post, but its my first on the site <3 cut me a break

[• jennifer beckett !]

Charlie tapped his fingers on the steering wheel of his mom's old green car. His usually composed self was growing a bit impaitent; seriously, when was the red light going to change? Thankfully, his little sister wasn't throwing a fit. Charlie had been put in charge of babysitting five year old Caitlyn for the day. Of course, the sixteen year old loved the little girl, and he didn't mind taking her around with him. Especially since she loved his horses as much as he did. Now, Charlie's hazel eyes looked up into Caitlyn's reflection in the rearview mirror once again, checking up on her. She was sitting quietly, unusual for her, just looking out the window. At last, the light flashed green and Charlie moved forward, pressing the pedel slightly with his foot. Having just gotten his driver license, the boy was careful to keep his gaze unwavering on the road in front of him, ready for any and all hazards. That would be just great, getting into an accident one of his first times driving alone.

But rest assured, Charlie managed to deliever himself and Caitlyn safely to their destination, Autumn Hills Stables. The boy smoothly parked and slipped out of the car to heave his little sister into his arms. Before long, Charlie was walking out to the fields, a lead robe in one hand, his other arm supporting the weight of Caitlyn. All of the boy's horses, four in total, were hudled together as they grazed and lounged. By the time they reached the fence though, the mustang Victor was already slinging his head over the top rail, nickering in recognition. Caitlyn sqealed in delight at the sight of the massive creature while Charlie set her on the ground, gently reminding her to stay put while he got Vic out. She obeyed, though she bounced up and down unsteadily as soon as the mustang was secured and brought out of the field, her auburn waves flying.

"Up! Up!

Charlie smiled at her command and bent down to scoop her up and plop her on Victor's broad back. Once he was sure the little girl's hands were grasping the horse's mane, Charlie urged his buckskin forward at a walk. Luckily, the calm mustang was used to such 'pony rides' and he walked steady enough that it would be hard for his small passenger to lose her balance. They had walked for a few minutes when Charlie found himself practically face to face with a blond girl, standing in one of the fields. She was tiny, although Charlie wasn't very tall himself, and she was visiting a palomino paint and a cute little pony covered in mud. For once in his life, Charlie decided to be brave and be the first to say something, which was required if he wanted a conversation since he wasn't sure if the girl had noticed him. "Hello. I'm Charlie Burke." The black haired boy's voice was soft and laced with a noticable, but yet not thick, Irish accent. "Are you... are you new here? I mean, I've never seen you before..." Help him, was he already making a fool of himself?

notes ;; not my best either - sorry, hopefully they will get better
listening to ;; my ipod
length ;; 525
status ;; complete

[`` kaylee harrison]

( kaylee harrison )

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Since she had the whole rest of the day to herself, Kaylee felt no need to rush into anything at the moment. She had planned to go riding, but now that she was here she didn't feel the need to tack up at the moment. In fact, she found the simple presence of her horses so comforting, Kaylee leaned back into the wooden fence to fully enjoy their company. Even though the field was very large, the two horses opted to munch the grass close to their beloved owner and rider. Honestly, the fact that the two had chosen to be in her company was flattering enough, especially since she had no hold on them. They were free to move anywhere within the fenced in space, but they stayed put. If that didn't show companionship and loyalty, Kaylee didn't know what did. Tilting her head slightly to feel the warmth of the sun, Kaylee closed her eyes and listened to the chewing and grinding as the horses consumed grass.

It was so unlike Kaylee to be so unobservant. That was her specialty, to watch and listen rather than put out her own two sense. She was so wrapped up in her little reunion, she forgot that this was a public stable, one with a lot of business, and it was obvious she wouldn't be the only one with the idea to come pay the horses a little visit. She really should have been paying attention, but these few minutes had lifted any and all stress from her frail shoulders and Kaylee had allowed herself to doze off, metaphorically. So, she was a bit surprise when she heard another human voice. Blue eyes flashing open, Kaylee whirled to face the person who had addressed her. Looking at the boy she noticed a few things. First, his accent. He defiantly had an accent, Scottish maybe, or Irish? She wasn't an expert. Second, the buckskin horse he was leading was carrying a cute little girl - how had she not noticed the excited squeals before? And third, the boy was cute, attractive, but not in a stand-offish way. She didn't know how to explain it, especially since she realized she needed to reply soon or he would think she was a rude freak.

"Oh, hi." Even to her own ears, Kaylee's voice was tiny, weak. Taking a moment to clear her voice, maybe to add some volume the next time she spoke, Kaylee tucked a strand of hair that had escaped her messy bun behind her ear. Blinking, she momentarily lost her train of thought when she noticed the boy's eyes; wow, they were pretty. Wait, damn it Kaylee say something else. This was defiantly her area of expertise. "Um, yeah I'm new. Just moved here." In her moment of silence, she noticed something was missing. "Oh, I'm Kaylee by the way. Kaylee Harrison." There, she had spoken to a stranger, a boy no less, a cute boy and she didn't make a complete fool of herself. Job well done. Maybe she could beat this shy thing after all. She had noticed that this Charlie wasn't any more comfortable with starting a conversation than she - he was probably shy, just like her. What were the odds? Two shy people trying to talk to each other. Were they doomed to failure? Maybe, or maybe not. Trying to make it more comfortable for both of them, Kaylee's mouth tugged upward in a small, warm smile. It was a start.

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STATUS finished
TAG Charlie Burke !
COUNT 583
MISC. I must say that Charlie is a cutie ((just checked out his bio))

[• jennifer beckett !]

Charlie chewed on the inside of his lip, feeling a bit uncomfortable only because he would never be out-going, and it looked as though he frightened the girl. Not the best first impression; was he setting himself up as the big bad wolf who sneaks up on girls? He hoped not, because that wasn't Charlie at all. So, Charlie waited for the verdict, or some form of words to come out of the blond girl's mouth. He could just see himself blushing crimson when she voiced her anger. Well, at least she didn't scream when he startled her. The pale Irish boy ran a hand over his messy black hair, if only for the sake of doing something while he waited. When the girl did finally, Charlie's heart thudded in anticipation, still expecting a stinging comment, but he instantly found himself relaxing. The girl's voice was so soft it could make anyone feel protective of her, which only made Charlie feel more guilty, though he hadn't meant to sneak up on her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." He rushed to get out an apology, knowing he wouldn't feel better until he did, because thats just the way Charlie is.

Charlie's eyes listened for her name. Kaylee. Hum, a pretty name for a pretty girl... Wait, he had just met her. But there are some things you just can't help but notice. She was very pretty, and petite. Charlie himself wasn't very big either. He wasn't small either. But back to Kaylee, he noticed that she look good even though she was obviously dressed casually for the barn and her hair was in one of those messy buns teenage girls like to wear. It was then that he realized he should probably say something, make some sort of reply, when he was saved by the bell. Or more, his younger sister. Caitlyn, who had, past tense, sitting so quietly, was now demanding attention. She shrieked Charlie's name, and good old Vic just stood, flicking his ears in annoyance but he stood patiently, used to this sort of thing. The buckskin mustang stood still as Charlie shot Kaylee another apologetic look and dropped the lead rope to have two free hands to lift Cait up off of Victor's back.

The little girl instantly wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck, rather tightly, and tucked her head against his shoulder as the boy walked back around to stand in front of Kaylee again. "Um, this is my sister Caitlyn. Say hello Cait." He made the introduction for Kaylee's benefit; who knew what assumptions someone would make of a teenage boy with a toddler. Not that he was pegging Kaylee as that type of person, he just thought he would save her the curiosity. Charlie was surprised that his little sister was still hiding her face; all she did in response to his words was to make a little squeaking noise, which he honestly did not know the meaning of. Charlie gave a little huff of laughter, smiling at Kaylee as Cait turned her head to rest it under his chin. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but Charlie didn't complain. He just glanced back at Kaylee and her pony and horse.

"So, since you're new, maybe I could show you around the grounds?" He formed his comment into a question, unsure whether this was something the girl would want, or if she preferred to be left alone. He arched a brow, out of questioning not impatiences. "I mean, I was going to go riding anyway, and if you wanted to join me, I wouldn't mind." Charlie was hopeless, really, but he was trying his hardest to be polite and even chivalrous. A faint blush was already forming on his neck, waiting to display his embarrassment.

notes ;; lala
listening to ;; nothing
length ;; 630
status ;; complete

[`` kaylee harrison]

( kaylee harrison )

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Kaylee blew off Charlie's apology, waving it off with a shake of her head. She didn't seem to get enough volume to her voice, so she opted not to say anything at the moment. Her cheeks were still a little flushed, mostly by her own stupidity. Kaylee was embarrassed that such a soft voice had managed to startle her; it made her seem very jumpy. Thankfully, Charlie didn't try to pursue his apology any further. Oh, how that would add to her embarrassment. Thats when conversation thudded to a halt. An awkward halt at that. A hand moved to her bangs, brushing her fingers against her hair as Kaylee gave herself time to think of something to say. What exactly would one say in this situation anyway. It wasn't as though she were a bold, confident girl who flirted, or spoke, with a boy as easy as breathing. Confidence was not her thing, if her history had any indication. Kaylee was even more muffled by the fact that not only a guy, but a cute guy, had stopped by to talk to her. She was hopeless, she really was.

It was just about then that the little girl Kaylee noticed early suddenly grabbed the center focus. Truthfully, she had forgotten about the toddler's presence, until at least she started crying, or screaming, or whatever. While Charlie went to retrieve the young girl, Kay marveled at how well trained the buckskin was. The patience of the animal amazed her; not many horses would put up with a screaming, squirming child on his back. Even Pep and April and flinched when the girl first started her cries and both were eyeing her with suspicion. Pepper, obviously fed up with the noise, had even trotted as quickly as his little pony legs could move to the other side of the field, where he lowered his head to graze. April stayed put, probably only because her curiosity of the other horse and maybe even the screaming object had not yet been satisfied. Kaylee rubbed her mare's neck, her fingers working circles in the dark golden fur.

The crying stopped as the little girl wrapped her arms around Charlie's neck in what looked to Kaylee as the equivalent as a death grip. How he was about to breathe she didn't know. Caitlyn was hiding her face, so Kaylee couldn't see her features, but the mob of auburn hair she did see look so unlike Charlie's jet black hair, so it was unsurprising when he introduced her as his sister. "Hello Caitlyn," Kaylee said in her baby's voice. But, in all honesty, she was horrible with little kids. She loved them, but she was hopeless when left alone with them. It felt so awkward, being in charge of such a little person. Kaylee couldn't help but envy how at ease Charlie seemed with Cait-but then, since she was his sister, he must have had lots of practice, while Kaylee herself was the youngest in her family. She had no experience, zip. "She's adorable. And your horse is so calm." Kaylee couldn't help but make the comment, as her eyes ran over the still quiet buckskin gelding.

What Kaylee first felt when Charlie made the offer was shock, only slightly. It was a very nice offer, a brave one even, since Kaylee had noticed that he was pretty shy himself. Then she felt butterflies, a fluttering in her stomach. Sure, he had only asked if she wanted a tour, not if she wanted a date to prom, but still, she had no experience with boys. She had been on one date, if you could call it a date, and she had never been kissed. But she made herself nod and smile, gratitude filling her eyes. If left on her own, who knows where she would end up. Probably on some neighbor's property, totally lost. "Yeah, sure. Thanks." She managed to speak those three words as she grabbed the halter of April, leading the mare through the gate. "You'll have to show me where the tack room is though." Kaylee blushed at how clueless she was about the layout of the stables. She defiantly needed a tour guide, so it was lucky she had Charlie.

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STATUS finished
TAG Charlie Burke !
COUNT 705
MISC. a reply, finally