Chapter 3

Once again Kali was woken up by the obnoxious sound of the morning bell. She groaned into the pillow. Her body was aching from the day before. I didn't know sitting on a horse all day could make someone so tired, she thought. Now I know why all the guides and ranch hands are all so strong. She rolled over and took a brief glance at the clock on the wooden nightstand by her bed. It read 5:30 a.m. Fantastic. Her stomach grumbled loudly and she realized how hungry she really was. I didn't eat dinner last night, she thought. While walking with Ethan she had felt somewhat comfortable for the first time with someone. But she knew that she couldn't let her guard down so easily in one day. To avoid him she went straight to her room, instead of risking more time with Ethan. Besides, she didn't like being around a lot of men.

Rubbing her eyes she sighed and got out of bed. She folded the white, fluffy down comforter, and puffed up the white pillows. She walked around her bed to the closet. She pulled a towel from one of the shelves. Then from the sink supplied in the room she opened the cabinet and retrieved her shampoo, conditioner, razor, and soap. Off to the showers she went.

Silently she padded down the hallway and saw the other girls walk out of their rooms filing into the bathroom. They were all guides, and ranch hands. Girls of course, the Whites separated the genders. The guests however, received their own personal bathroom in their room. The showers were steamy as she entered it. Fortunately there was a shower that was open. She would have gone into the shower if she hadn't been stopped by a girl.

"Hey your new here aren't you? I heard the guys talking about you last night." said a friendly voice behind her. She turned and nodded.

"Yeah they were laughing at how unfit you are for this environment. Usually small, useless girls are guests here, not ranch hands." Another voice said.

"Oh shut up Devon, you're just jealous because she isn't completely fake and still is pretty. Hi I'm Angie." Devon stuck her nose up and turned away. Angie stuck her hand out to Kali.

"Kali. Gee is everyone like that to the new ones here?" she asked this as she shook Angie's hand.

"No just Devon and her clan of stuck ups. They think they're better because they have been here longer and have had more affairs with the guests, hands, and guides than anyone else on the planet." Angie grinned. "You just can't listen to her, she'll go away eventually." As she smiled Kali took a look at Angie's features. She was pretty, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She had freckles over her cheeks.

"You're the first girl I've actually met here." Kali said.

"Well I'll do something about it; most of the girls are friendly. What room are you staying in.?"

"12A."

"You're room is right next to mine!" Angie exclaimed. "We could open the connector door and pretend to be roommates."

"Why pretend?"

"Well I guess we could really be roommates... if that's alright with you? Hey on the bright side when you get angry at me you can lock me out." She laughed. Kali Smiled. Already she was making a friend and it was officially her first day. Boy oh boy did she feel proud. Roommates? This is my chance, she thought. Besides, she could already tell that she and Angie would be good friends. Angie had an upbeat personality that was very compatible.

"Alright but if you turn out to be too crazy, I'm locking you out." Kali joked for the first time. Angie laughed.

"Oh, you won't be getting rid of me. Well hey, we can't stand chatting the showers all day; I'll knock on your door when I go to breakfast ok?" Kali nodded and they went off to take their showers.

Looking into her full length mirror Kali made a final check before she went to breakfast. She wore regular jeans, and a white wife beater. She added a light sweatshirt over the wife beater because it was still somewhat chilly in the mornings. She knew she wouldn't need it later. Right then, Angie knocked. Kali opened the door and they started to walk to the kitchen.

As they entered, Kali was quick to spot Ethan sitting with his buddies. Angie saw her looking at him and said,

"Yeah I know gorgeous right? But watch out him and the other guides he hangs with, they have a bad rep for using girls." Kali felt more than disappointed about what she had learned about Ethan. Now I really can't trust him, she thought. He'll just use me.

Following Angie to the line she looked around to the other tables. It was very easy to distinguish the guests from the guides and ranch hands. The guests seemed perkier, more dressed up, and usually in packs of girls or guys, or families and couples. The guides and ranch hands, were dressed like they were ready for a hard days work, and were not all that separated by gender. Kali took some eggs and a blueberry muffin from the line and followed Angie as she sat down. They took a seat at a table full of girls.

"Hey everyone I have a newcomer here, be nice. Kali, meet Sam, Shelly, Bridgett, April, and Nicky. Sam, Shelly, Bridgett, April, and Nicky meet Kali..."~~

Ethan had seen her when she had come in with Angie. He saw hey way she frowned at him after something Angie had said. Dammit! Angie! He thought. Riley had seen him looking after Kali and said,

"Get a load of the new chick, not bad huh?" Ethan looked at his friend, and frowned.

"What's gotten into you?" asked Shawn, "you have been acting really weird since yesterday. Something happen?"

"She's my new ranch hand." Ethan said.

"Then she's all yours." Riley put his hands up in defense.

"But if you happen to get tired of her, just give her my room number, ok buddy?" Preston insisted. Even though he knew that Preston was somewhat joking he couldn't find the humor in such a subject. He didn't want Kali to be just another girl. He got up and left his friends watching him as he left.

As he walked on the path to barn #7 he was surprised to find Mr. White waiting for him.

"Hey Mr. White, what can I do for you?"

"I just came to tell you about your new ranch hand today. You see, she went on a trail ride with you yesterday, I don't know if she told you but you'll be working with her the whole summer."

"Yeah she told me yesterday... she's very shy isn't she?"

"Yes, well, many things have made her that way. Her parents are very worried about her, their good friends of mine. I'm confident while working with you though; she will be able to break out of her shell."

"I hope so too, Mr. White."

"Well I see that we have everything clear, today I didn't schedule you for any work, so show her the ropes, alright?"

"Sounds like a plan Mr. White." Ethan confirmed.

As Mr. White left on the trail he came on, he saw Kali approaching him. She really did not know how beautiful she was. He wanted to change by just looking into her soft spoken eyes. He knew that she would be even less open than the day before because he knew that Angie had surely told Kali about his reputation. He didn't want to use Kali; he wanted a chance to know her.~~

Kali didn't know what to do when she saw Ethan waiting for her, but she knew she had to keep walking. Oh god, she though, what am I going to do, I'm scared to death that he'll try something and use me. Not again. She gulped. She remembered the party her junior year, and the charming smile HE had flashed at her. She remembered his kiss and his gentle words when he had coaxed her to take a ride in his car after the party. Then her stomach got sick, she remembered his rough hands, and the strong voice commanding her to be silent. He invaded not only her body, but her soul. The girl she was, was then gone the moment he stole her virginity. She thought of the terror that ripped through her, and the way she felt like dieing. Coming back to the present, Kali noticed that she was only five feet or so away from Ethan. She felt like crying. Too many times had she thought of that night.