Vi grabbed onto metal as she pulled herself onto the fence, standing on the second bar. Before her stood the bitchiest bronc she knew, Maverick. He was jet black except for the white star on his forehead. He was the devil. She kicked her leg over and got onto the demon. There was a loud clang as she felt her hips shift. He was kicking the bars, ready to kick Vi off once again. Not this time. This time she swore she’d ride it out all eight seconds. Vi took a deep breath as she laid the rope over her right hand before holding it tight. She held her left arm up and with another deep breath, she nodded.
The Gates slammed open and the stallion started throwing his hind end up, desperate to throw off his rider.
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The rodeo was packed. People heading this way and that. Between people showing off the livestock they'd raised, the homecrafts section, and the arenas filled with back-to-back events there was a little something for everyone. Blue eyes took it all in. It was the perfect day, the sun was high in the sky but graciously it wasn't humid.
A text came through on Caitlyn's phone.
'Arena #5, you have to see these idiots.'
She rolled her eyes before responding. 'On my way, see you soon Mel.'
Arena number five was easy enough to find. Caitlyn followed Mel's instructions on seat and row. As she stepped up the concrete stairs she could hear the roar of the crowd and the announcer over the loud speaker. It was all white noise. A buzz in her ear. Caitlyn found her friends, picking her way through the crowded seats until she could collapse beside her friends.
"You made it!"
Caitlyn looked at Mel with a slight scowl. "Bronco riding? Are you serious? It's a bunch of idiotic jocks doing reckless shit.... why are we here?"
"Oh relax, Cait, all in a bit of fun! Your event isn't until later this evening, right?" Jayce asked. His arm was draped around Mel's shoulder. This was just up Jayce Talis' alley.
"Yes and I should be getting Starlight prepped..."
"Oh Cait, please stay for at least a couple they don't last long. Not even the full eight seconds~" Mel commented with a wink.
They heard the buzzer and the crowd boo. "Obviously..." Caitlyn laughed.
She turned to look at the list of names. "Next contestant to the arena sponsored by The Last Drop, Vi -"
The rest of the announcement seemed to be a blur. Caitlyn watched as a woman with pinkish-red hair climbed onto the engaged bronco. Stormy gray eyes appeared on the large screens around the center.
"Vi?"
The gates opened and the clock began counting down. The bronco bucked and jerked the rider around. The visual alone have Caitlyn whiplash.
The counter on the live feed showed the seconds in red. It ticked by.
On.
The bronco was giving it his all to buck the rider off.
And on.
It bucked harder. Leaping and jerking about.
And on.....
For a moment Caitlyn swore she saw Vi look in her direction. For the briefest second it felt as if Vi could see right through her. In the next second Vi flew from the bronco. People rushed in trying to keep the bucking beast from stepping on the fallen rider.
"Told you....idiots," Mel commented.
"Truely...." Caitlyn murmured.
After her own event Caitlyn rubbed down her mare. She gave Starlight another handful of treats before guiding her pure black mare through the back cattle shoots and away from the arena. Caitlyn could still hear the roaring crowd. They'd be out of the area in another couple of hours. Her hair hung loose around her face, pulled free of its confines the second they were out of the immediate competition zone.
Caitlyn murmured encouragement to Starlight, keeping the horse focused on her. Her mare softly nickered and tossed her head.
“Easy girl.” Caitlyn said in a soft voice. She had planned on feeding her and then hanging around the fairgrounds until the other events were done.
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Vi cracked open a Bud Light and quickly chugged it. Other cowboys around her cheered as she did so, their own beers in hand.
“Hell yeah Vi! Get it!” Her friend Ekko cheered. He patted her on the back and she softly chuckled.
“Alright alright, I should call it soon, I've got a couple events I need to be up early for.” She said as she tossed the empty beer can into a trash bin.
“Bro what? Since when do you go to bed early? It's not even midnight!” Ekko retorted.
“Hey, ill party hard tomorrow. I need some rest anyways.” She said and waved. She then started walking to her trailer. The warm summer night warmed her up. She loved nights like this. It reminded her of the nights she spent out in the pasture, gazing at the stars with her sister. She suddenly noticed lights were still on in the arena. “The hell?” She thought out loud softly as she walked over.
A woman with long dark hair was running around with her black blanket appaloosa mare. Caitlyn Kiramman. She wasn't seeing things earlier, it actually was her! She leaned against the fence and watched as Caitlyn guided her horse around the ring on foot, simply raising her hand in a direction and the horse would follow, then raising her other hand and the horse doing a complete one eighty. It was like a dance. She then gently tapped her horse’s ankle with the end of her lunge whip and the mare slowly went to the ground, laying down. Once her mare was fully laying, she slid onto the horse’s back and with a gentle kick, the horse stood up with her. She swung her whip down and the horse reared and then landed back on the ground. Vi was taken aback, watching the woman be so gentle and so in sink with the animal. She clapped and Caitlyn snapped her gaze to Vi.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Caitlyn asked.
“The fairground is still open and I saw the lights were on. What you’re doing is impressive, liberty right?” Vi asked.
“Shouldn't you be out partying with the others?” Caitlyn slowly rode over to Vi.
“I have an early event tomorrow, gotta get some sleep if I'm gonna win.”
“I couldn't agree more.” Caitlyn spoke with a huff as she started to canter her horse. She was completely tackles, just holding onto the mane.
“See you tomorrow then.” Vi said with a shrug. Kirammans, pretentious as always.