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Out x Closeted MxM

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Alex is a diligent, closeted gay high school student, living in fear of being rejected by his conservative family and papers. He's well-liked at school and maintains the face of a straight teenager to fit in. His true passion lies in horseback riding and so he gets a job working part-time at a local horse ranch.

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Skyler on the other hand is an openly bisexual high school student who's proud of his identity. Skyler is also a skilled equestrian who works at the same ranch that Alex works at.

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Their paths cross when they both are placed in a few of the same classes. As the school year continues and they inevitably spend time together, a deep connection forms between them. At the horse ranch, they discover their shared love of horses and forge an even deeper bond.

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Alex opens up to Skyler, and Skyler provides support and understanding. Their relationship blossoms and Alex begins to question whether or not he can muster up the courage to come out to his friends and family.

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Skyler Ashton Jones

Alex James Harsfield

Skylar Ashton Jones

17 (turning 18)

Male

Bisexual (has a preference for guys)

Skylar is very laid-back to new people but also is somewhat shy. He doesn't normally interact with people but when he does he's nice. Sky is really into horses, art and music. He also loves cats and you can almost never catch him not having his earbuds in.

He is also kind of difficult when it comes to the emotional side of him. He either doesn't know how to communicate his feelings or he has outbursts. Once you are close to Sky he will care for you so much and be loyal to you. He loves when people he cares about watch his games. He also is very talented when it comes to art, he also just likes it. He has a cat named Felix, he's a brown Maine coon so he's really fluffy. Sky adores him. His music taste varies so it's hard to say what he listens to. But music is one of the few things that keep him going.

Sky hates cocky people, he also hates stubborn people even though he may be a bit stubborn himself. He likes being shown he's appreciated by people he gets into relationships with. His love language is either physical touch or words of affirmation. He also likes spending a lot of time with his s/o but he also likes his alone time. He is more of an introvert but is outgoing when it comes to things he loves. When it comes to intimate relationships once he's close enough he will show that person parts of him nobody else sees. He will get really comfortable with that person and feel safe around them. He's also very wary about relationships because of past relationships, so you have to show him that he can trust you.

Art, music, cats, and the smell of rain. He also likes feeling close to someone, both emotionally and physically.

Dogs, school, people.

Alex James Harsfield

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Male

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Homosexual

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16 (Soon to be 17)

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Alex is a dedicated, passionate, and highly skilled equestrian. He has an innate connection with horses and spends most of his free time at the local horse ranch where he works. His love for horses is deep and genuine, and he excels in various equestrian disciplines.

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Caring and empathetic: Alex's connection with horses extends to his empathy for others. He is known for his kind and caring nature, and of offering support and comfort to those around him, both humans and animals. He is reserved and private, keeping a significant part of himself hidden from both his peers and his family. Alex is an intensely private individual, which stems from his fear of being rejected for his sexuality. As a result, he tends to keep his true emotions and identity locked away.

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Despite his reserved nature, Alex is well-liked at school. In an attempt to fit in, he makes himself approachable, friendly, and is always willing to lend a helping hand. People appreciate his kind disposition and often turn to him for advice and support. Behind his friendly exterior, Alex faces the internal struggle of concealing his true self. He yearns for acceptance but fears judgment, especially from his conservative family. His inner turmoil often causes him stress and anxiety.

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Alex's dedication to equestrian sports has made him disciplined and hardworking. He strives for excellence in everything he does, constantly pushing himself to improve. In his private moments, Alex indulges in creative pursuits, such as painting and writing, as a means of self-expression and emotional release. These creative outlets offer him a space to be his true self without judgment.

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He is an exceptionally loyal friend who values the few close friendships he has cultivated. He will go to great lengths to support and protect those he cares about. He has a profound connection to nature, which extends beyond his love for horses. He finds peace and solace in the outdoors, often escaping to the countryside to recharge.

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Alex's skin is fair and flawless, almost like porcelain, with a hint of healthy pink undertones that give him a youthful and radiant complexion. He takes good care of his skin, protecting it from the sun's harsh rays, which adds to his overall attractiveness. His hair is a lustrous, rich black that falls in thick, slightly wavy locks. It's a striking contrast to his fair skin and serves as a canvas for his many emotions. He often tucks a few strands behind his ear when deep in thought.

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His most captivating feature is a pear of deep, mesmerizing sapphire-blue eyes that seem to hold entire worlds within them. They are expressive and can convey a wide range of emotions, from the brightness of creativity to the shadow of introspection. Alex's hands are often stained with paint and his fingernails may bear traces of ink from his writing endeavors. There's an artistic aura that surrounds him, a sign of deep passion for painting and writing which only enhances his allure.

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Years of riding and caring for horses have sculpted his body to a lean and athletic form. His muscles are toned, and his posture is confident and upright reflecting his strength and grace. He moves with a natural fluid grace that's entrancing to watch. Aelx's fashion sense is both casual and thoughtful. You'll often find him in comfortable jeans and a well-worn t-shirt while working with horses at the ranch. On other occasions, he may dress more stylishly when attending art exhibits or gathering with his friends, showcasing his versatile and eclectic style.

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|Active|Loyal|Friendly|Considerate|Kind|Strong|Charasmatic|Stubborn|Ambitious|

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|Secretive|Assertiveness|Anxious|Honesty|Stubborn|Perfection|

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|Horses|Nature|Cats|Dogs|Writing|Reading|Hiking|Painting|Outdoors|School|

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|Solitude|Winter|Violence|

It was the start of a new school year, the first day of grade 12 for Skylar. As long as he got all his credits, he would be out of there after this. He shuffled in his bed as his alarm blared, echoing in his room. He really needed to turn it down. He found his phone, fluttering his eyes open but then squinting at the bright screen. He turned his alarm off and then his phone. He then slowly opened his eyes more while getting up. He looked around his room before pushing the blanket off himself and getting out of bed. He made his way to his closet and rummaged through all of his clothes. He grabbed a pair of jeans that werent too baggy since he was going to the farm after school. He worked there almost every day, they gave him the weekends off but he wouldn't mind going. He then picked out some random teeshirt that he thought would go well with the jeans, and they did. He put them on, as well as some socks and then looked in the mirror. His hair was a mess, so he brushed it out quickly. He then did some skincare before being satisfied with how he looked.

The high-toned beep of an alarm clock echoed throughout the still and silent room. Alex, woke slowly, a groan escaping him as he lifted an arm and reached for his phone. The persistent beep-beep-beep of the alarm he'd set for school had wrenched him from the comfort of his dreams, and as he finally hit the snooze button he felt a mixture of annoyance and resignation. A brief moment of silence descended upon the room, allowing him a few moments to regain his bearings. His room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn across the windows of his room and keeping out the warm rays of light. The soft rustle of the curtains told him of the gentle breeze blowing in through the window he'd left cracked open the night before.

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Alex's sheets clung to him, offering a sense of warmth and comfort, a stark contrast to the chill of his room. His mother often complained about his habit of sleeping with a window cracked open. "You'll catch your death if you leave it open during the winter." She'd said, using an age-old phrase to warn him of the risk. The way he saw it though, there was no reason to be worried. He slept better when there was a constant flow of fresh air, but he wasn't foolish enough to leave his window open when the temperature outside dropped low enough for the world to freeze over.

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Laying there for a few moments longer, he let his blue hues rest on the ceiling above him. His day loomed large in his mind, and he knew he couldn't afford to hit the snooze button again. School, with its familiar mix of friends, classes, and challenges awaited him, and he had to work at the horse ranch later in the afternoon. The thought of spending time with the horses brought a spark of enthusiasm into his drowsy eyes. With a reluctant sigh, Alex swung his legs over the side of the bed and pushed himself to his feet. He stretched his arms out above him and arched his back, straightening once his ligaments had finished cracking and popping. He threw a glance towards the screen of his phone and the time visible on it, realizing that he couldn't delay the inevitable any longer. His day was calling.

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Stepping away from his bed, Alex moved toward his dresser. He pulled open the drawer and retrieved dark blue denim jeans, a pair of black socks, and a grey t-shirt. Quickly he changed out of his red checkered pajama pants and the black t-shirt with a large white peace sign that he slept in, and into the clothes he'd selected for the day. He moved then to leave his bedroom. Pulling the door open he was greeted with the savory smell of bacon and the soft voices of his parents and younger sister talking. "Morning." He said as he moved into the kitchen. His mother looked up from the frying pan where the bacon sizzled. "About time you got up." She said with a shake of her head. "I didn't think you'd actually wake up in time for school." His younger sister chimed in with her cheeky grin. He rolled his eyes at her as he moved to grab a plate and sit down. His father was sitting in his usual spot at the head of the table. A plate with the remnants of toast and eggs in front of him and a steaming cup of coffee in one hand. His eyes were fixed on the newspaper he held open in front of him.

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Breakfast went as it had for the last 16 - nearly 17 - years. The breakfast table with the entire family sitting around it and enjoying the first meal of the day, reminding Alex of one of those ads portraying the perfect American family household. He ate swiftly, as he often did during breakfast, before standing and moving toward the door. "Alright, I'm heading out." He said as she slipped on his white and black sneakers. "Have a good day, honey." His mother called after him. Alex gave a nod and, with his shoes on, grabbed his bag from where it sat against the wall adjacent to the door.

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Stepping out of the house Alex closed the door behind himself. He drew in a deep breath of the fresh air, held it, and then slowly let it go. Slipping his bag onto his shoulder he moved down the front steps and toward the sidewalk. The quickest way to school was a memorized route, so it didn't take him much more than twenty minutes to walk from his home's front door to the entrance of the school. Already, it seemed that the school grounds were already alive with the quiet hum of conversation from students who had arrived before him. Moving toward the front doors of the school Alex let out a sigh and slipped into the persona he acted out whenever surrounded by peers and classmates. He wore a cheery and friendly smile on his lips as he stepped inside and moved down the hall toward the art class.

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He'd lucked out on that one. Art, one of his greatest passions, first thing in the morning. Last year he'd been forced to endure first math, then science, his two least-liked subjects, before he was allowed to enjoy his art class. When he reached the door to the art room his smile grew and he moved inside. It struck him, almost immediately, that there weren't many students that had arrived, at least not yet. He was one, of course, but a quick glance around the room told him there were only four others. "Morning." He greeted no one in particular as he moved to claim one of the seats in the back of the classroom.

As the minutes went by, only a couple more students had shown up. His tired eyes stared at his phone, not wanting any social interaction. He was then sucked back into reality as he heard a cheerful "morning" from one of the other students. He looked up and slightly glanced around, finding the person who had said that. He examined him ever so slightly before looking away. Sky had seen this boy around school a couple of times, although he never really paid any attention to him particularly. School interactions were too much for him, he has one close friend. He put his hood up and leaned back in his chair. His eyes then followed the boy as he looked for someplace to sit. Skylar then stretched his legs out as he grew more impatient.

As soon as the bell rang some more students showed up and so did the teacher. For a split class, there weren't too many people. Skylar looked around again, giving a quick small smile to the teacher. She was his favourite, Ms Pierce, and Skylar could say she liked him quite a bit too. She walked over to him, smiling. "How was summer break Sky," She asked quietly. "It was alright." His response was tired and slow, like most responses. "You doing alright?" She then asked, her voice filled with slight worry. "Yeah, don't worry. Im doing ok" Sky replied as he shot her another smile. She shot him back smiled and walked past him, patting his back gently. Sky smiled to himself but only for a second.

Sky returned his attention to his phone, turning his brightness down a bit. He was so tired that walking home right that second was so tempting. He then scrolled through Instagram to pass the time. He knew they probably wouldn't be doing anything in that class anyway. He then decided to plug in his headphones to listen to anything with sound. After doing that for a couple of minutes, he grew bored. He then went onto Spotify and turned on his playlist. He set his phone down and looked over at the teacher.

As time went on the class was nearing the end. He looked up at the clock, there were only 5 minutes left of class. He grabbed his phone and put it in his pocket. Standing up, he took his hood off and then grabbed his back. Soon after standing up the bell rang, but he barely heard it over his music. He walked quickly to the door and was out of there. He then took out his headphones, and put them back in his bag. His next class was music, again another split class. He walked to his music class, which was downstairs. He was the first person to get there, which didn't bother him. It was better than showing up late. He can't show up late, his anxiety gets too high. If he's late even by a couple of minutes he physically can't walk into class. The thought of everyone staring at him eats him alive. He set his bag down and pulled out his phone. This time he started to message his best friend, Bill.

Bill, was one of Sky's dearest friends, same with Chris. Bill and Sky do have some history though. Everyone at school knows they have dated but they have decided it best to just be friends. They liked it that way anyway. Chris on the other hand was very much straight, he is like a brother to Sky. But Bill had to move away, so now that leaves Chris and Sky at school alone, but it's both their last years.

Sky looked up as he heard his name being called. "Chris!" Skylar said as he got up. Chris was almost your basic white boy, but he has a bit of spunk to him. He has shorter brown hair, that is slightly curly, just the slightest bit... It's more on the wavy side you could say. His eyes are blue, blue like the ocean and he stands around the same height as Sky. He was wearing grey sweatpants and a black graphic tee. He was also wearing a hat. Sky made his way over to Chris and gave him and quick hug. They both then walked over to where Sky had been sitting. "So we have music together?" Sky questioned. "Yeah, bro," Chris replied sitting down. Skylar sat down beside them and moved his bag over a bit. He smiled, knowing he was in class with Chris. He loves him like a brother, so it made him extremely happy knowing he was going to be there. "What's your next class?" Skylar asked curiously. "English, what about you," Chris said, smiling while looking into his eyes. "With Mr Porter?" Sky replied. "Yeah." Chris then said. "Fuck yeah, I have the same class. I also have a spare fourth." Skylar said happily. "I don't, but I will definitely skip to hang with you sometimes," Chris replied before turning his attention to all the students coming in. "Looks like this is going to be a chaotic class," Chris said while pulling out his phone. Sky responded with just a simple quiet yeah before doing the same.

Alex wasn't terribly surprised when his chipper greeting was met with only one response. He looked up toward the male who'd returned his good morning. The male had a head full of thick blond hair, currently cut short. His skin was well-tanned, a telling sign of how often he was out in the sun. He recognized him as someone who'd been in one of his classes the previous year. What was his name again? Luke? They'd spoken a few times but hadn't actually grown close enough to be considered friends. Acquaintances, yes but friends no, not that it bothered Alex. He had a plethora of 'friends' as it was.

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Sitting back in his seat he set his bag on his lap and pulled out the sketchbook and a set of B2 pencils that he'd packed the previous night. While he doubted they would be doing much in class today since it was the first day of school, he didn't see the harm in sketching as the teacher spoke. Setting his sketchbook and the pencils down on the surface of the desk he'd chosen, he zipped his backpack closed before setting it down by his feet. Flipping his sketchbook open to the first empty page he could find he picked up one of the pencils and began making quick sketches of hands in a variety of different positions.

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The sound of the bell signaling the start of the class jolted Alex from his art and he looked up in time to see a few students filing into the classroom followed by the teacher. It surprised Alex to find that there weren't very many students in the room. It'll make for an easy year. He thought as his blue gaze followed Ms. Pierce as she made her way to the back of the room. He watched as she stopped at the desk of someone sitting at the back of the class along with him. He had noticed him when he'd glanced about the room upon entry but hadn't paid him too much mind. The guy looked like he wanted to be left alone, with his attention seemingly focused on nothing but whatever it was that was on his phone. With the room as quiet as it was, Alex could easily hear what it was that the teacher was asking him, along with the male's response. While he didn't necessarily know Ms. Pierce or the guy she was talking to, it wasn't difficult for him to catch the subtle tones of worry from the woman. He lifted a brow as his curiosity peaked its head but he quickly pushed it down. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he looked back to the sketchbook and returned his attention to sketching.

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The class went about as he had expected. There hadn't been much that was beyond the customary greetings and questions about summer break. Alex had listened to this while he drew. Occasionally he'd glance up and toward Ms. Pierce and then to the other students. Several times his eyes wandered toward the stranger sitting in the back. Each time he'd looked in his direction his eyes seemed glued to his screen. He seemed to know Mis. Pierce. Had he taken this class before? Was that why he seemed so disinterested in what was going on? When the bell rang ending the art class session, Alex quickly stood. He grabbed his bag from where he'd set it on the ground and placed his sketchbook and pencils inside. By the time he'd slipped his bag over his shoulder and moved to leave the room, he noted the fact that the guy who'd been on his phone the entire class had already left. Shaking his head he stepped out of the classroom.

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The hall, unsurprisingly, was filled with several student bodies hurrying to their next classes. He pushed through the crowd heading in the direction of the music room. It was another split class and he found himself hoping that there would be at least a few more people attending it than there had been in his art class. It took him a minute to get from his first class to his second for the sole reason that he'd stopped or been stopped by a few friends as he passed. He made quick conversation with them, promising to meet and talk more over lunch, before hurrying off in the direction of the music room. When he at last reached it he paused, only momentarily, his gaze landing on the guy from art class. He had his phone out, but surprisingly seemed engaged in a conversation with... who? A friend? That seemed likely.

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Alex didn't let his attention linger on either of them for long as he moved into the room. He claimed one of the seats in the back, just as he had during the art class. He set his bag down next to his leg and was debating whether or not to sketch some more when he heard his name. "Alex!" Lifting his head he looked in the direction of the person who'd called him. The moment he saw him he smiled and lifted a hand to wave him over. "Rog." He said. Roger Berton, someone he'd considered a friend since junior high. He was a few inches smaller than Alex, with sandy brown hair and fair skin. His eyes were like a bar of dark chocolate, so dark that if one didn't know better, it would seem like the guy didn't actually have pupils. He wore a vibrant sunset orange colored shirt with bold black leaders that read INSULT LOADING... and white pants. "Didn't think you'd be taking music," Alex said with a hint of mild amusement as he watched Roger sit down in the chair in front of him, his arms folded and resting across the top of the back of the chair. "Yeah well, it was either this or an extra PE Class. I don't know about you but sitting in an air-conditioned and heated room beats running laps around the track or getting my ass kicked in dodgeball twice in one day." He answered with a shrug and a grin.

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"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you'd be the one doing the ass-kicking. You've never been on the receiving end of one of your throws," Alex mused with a playful scoff and roll of his eyes. That seemed to earn a heart laugh from Roger. "So, what class you got next?" He questioned. "Math," Alex answered with a quiet groan. "You're mom still making you attend those honor classes?" Roger asked. "Yeah, pretty sure it'd kill her to give me one semester off from them," Alex said with a slight laugh.

The chaotic class was silenced by the loud ringing of the bell. Skylar looked up slightly, glancing at everybody in the room. That's when he noticed the same guy from his art class. Sky could say he found him quite attractive with his captivating features. He stared at him for a bit but didn't stare for long, he didn't want to make any eye contact. He then took a glance at the guy who sat beside him. He didn't pay too much attention to them, so he looked around the class at all the other people. As the teacher walked in it was even more silent than before. Sky didn't know this teacher too well but he had to be nice. Music was one of his passions so he would want his teacher to like him. Ms Beattie was her name. She has shoulder-length bright blue hair, kind of like Coraline. She also dressed in a way that described her very well, artsy would be the word. She was also kind, from what other students have said. Skylar thinks she's quite pretty, but he's not into her, she's a teacher for god's sake. Sky thinks he's mostly into guys anyway. Skylar looked at her for a moment before returning his attention to his phone and then Chris.

"Hey I'm going to the farm after school, actually I'm probably going on my spare so I won't be able to hang out," Skylar said, starting up a small conversation with Chris. He just wanted to let him know. "That's okay, could I come over after you're done work?" Chris then asked. "Yeah," Sky replied smiling. He then shut off his phone and turned his focus to the front of the class. The teacher then began to speak, saying basically everything that all teachers say on the first day.

As the hour went by ever so slowly, it was time for lunch. Skylar got up grabbed his bag and waited for Chris to be ready. "Ugh, I am so hungry." Skylar groaned. "Me too." Chris groaned as well. Skylar and Chris both started to walk to the classroom door a bit before the bell rang. As Sky looked back at the rest of the class they all were starting to get up to leave, but he found himself looking at that same guy, there was something about him. He shrugged it off as he was caught off guard by the bell. He then followed Chris to wherever he was going. They made their way to some benches outside and sat down. Skylar then pulled out some food and began to eat. He had made and packed a turkey sandwich the night before. "You want the other half," Skylar asked Chris, pointing at the other half of the sandwich. "Sure," Chris said, grabbing the other half. Sky then took a bite and set it down, back in the container he had brought it in. He then grabbed his drink and opened it. Once he had swallowed he took a drink to wash it down. He then picked the sandwich back up and took another bite. For the majority of lunch, well while they were eating, they ate in silence. Apart from that they both made small talk about random things since they had nothing really to talk about. They had spent most of the summer break together, so there was nothing new to talk about.

After lunch was over, they cleaned up and made their way to English. They both found spots at the back and sat beside each other. And again, like the other two classes, it was the same speech again. Skylar and Chris both stayed on their phones for the majority of that period. Skylar even fell asleep closer to the end of the period, but he was woken up by his shoulder being shaken. "Wake up, class is over," Chris said. Skylar woke up almost startled but quickly regained consciousness. He got up and grabbed his backpack. They both then walked out of class and down the hall. "I'll see you later Chris," Skylar said dapping him up and then pulling him into a hug. "Yeah see ya," Chris said as he walked away. Skylar then smiled as he walked out of the school, now making his way home. He had to drop off his things before going to the farm

While walking home he pulled out his phone and texted the owner of the farm. "Hey just wanted to let you know, I'll be coming in almost every day at this time, I have a spare so I can leave school." He pressed send with no hesitation, knowing that he would be cool with it. Skylar picked up the pace, excited to go see the horses, but one in particular. Her name was Angel, and of course, she was white, hence the name. She's an American Cream Draft horse, with a more whitey cream coat, she's beautiful. She was the horse that Skylar mainly rode, she was basically his. The owners would allow him to buy her and keep her on the property, but Skylar doesn't have that kind of money. They still let him treat her as his own though.

Skylar arrived home, just dropping his backpack inside before making his way down to the farm. He also quickly ran back in to grab his headphones. It was about a 10-minute walk away, but that didn't bother him. It only bothered him in the slightest because if he was driven he would see Angel in a couple of minutes, but since he has to walk it would be 10 minutes each time. Skylar plugged in his headphones to his phone and listened to music the whole way there.

Alex and Roger's friendly banter and conversation died almost instantly at the sound of the bell ringing. Alex lifted his gaze to the front of the class as the teacher entered. Ms. Beattie. This was the first time Alex would have her as a teacher, normally there would be a slight twinge of apprehension settling in his chest until he adjusted to the way the class was run. He didn't have any such feelings this time around, though. There were friends of his who'd attended her class during the previous year. Each of them had nothing bad to say about her. On the contrary, each of his friends had spoken of how kind and caring this woman with blue hair seemed to be. By the time the end of class rolled around, Alex had no doubts that they'd been overly dramatizing her character.

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"I'll catch you at lunch," Alex said as he rose from his seat when class was over. He grabbed his bag as he stood, his gaze fixed on Roger as he spoke. Roger looked over his shoulder toward him and gave a nod. "Bet." He said with a nod and a smile. With that settled on Alex turned and moved to leave the music room and head to his next class, math. He wasn't terrible or even remotely bad at the subject. Quite the opposite actually, it was one of the things he excelled at without much effort, but he still found the subject dull and incredibly boring.

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The rest of the school day went about as well as he thought it would. He'd reconnected with friends he hadn't seen much during the summer, and spoken with others he'd hung out with several times over the warm summer months. Each class seemed to recite the same lecture, though that was to be expected on the first day back in school. It wouldn't have surprised him if he had been told that the teachers thought that each of their students forgot simple school etiquette over the summer break. It had made sense in elementary school, even in junior high, but to have the same thing repeated in all nine classes that he'd been in seemed over the top. The only break he'd had was during lunch when he'd not only met up with Roger but several other people he often hung out with. There was Beverly, a rather pretty girl with auburn red hair that fell about her shoulders and down her back in thick curls. He'd known her nearly as long as he'd known Roger. Then there was Ben, a tall athletic guy, who, when not at home taking care of his frail mother, was outside on some kind of adventure. William, aka Will. He was the bookworm of the group and could be found in the library with his nose buried in a book whenever he wasn't at home or school. Leo, who loved art just as much as Alex did and never tired of talking about the subject. Lastly, there was Andrew. Alex had met him the year after he'd met Beverly, and they'd hit it off rather quickly, their fondness for both the outdoors and a variety of animals being what ultimately started their friendship. Once they'd all gathered and claimed one of the cafeteria tables for themselves, they'd done what they always did. Talked and playfully bantered with one another.

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When school was finally let out for the day, Alex met up with his friends and talked with them for a while before heading home. He figured it'd be best to drop off his backpack at home before heading to the ranch. The walk home was a short one, made even shorter by the haste in his step. He'd pulled the door open and headed towards his room. There was no one home at the moment, his mother was off working at the local hospital and his father was likely still at the office where he worked. His younger sister, Abigail, would be at school for another two hours. The house was both quiet and peaceful and if he didn't have a job to get to, it would have been the perfect time to listen to some music and write, undisturbed by any of the other house occupants.

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Alex set his backpack down on the chair of his desk before turning and heading out. He'd been to this particular horse ranch a few times before and thus knew where it was. It was roughly a twenty-minute walk from his house, but he didn't mind at least not yet. He figured his thoughts on the matter would change once the temperature dropped and the world fell into a quiet slumber with a blanket of white snow. For now, though, the sun was out, the day was warm, and there was a perfectly cool breeze blowing making for a perfect walk to the horse ranch.

Skylar arrived at the farm and was greeted by the owner, well one of them. His name was Daryl Curtis, and his wife who was probably in the house was Anne Curtis. They have two children, Amelia and Grace, and of course, they also have plenty of horses. Skylar shook Daryl's hand and nodded. "Hey kiddo, Angel has been waiting for ya." Daryl then said, gesturing towards the field where the horses were let out. Skylar smiled and looked over at her, "I know she has, I'll get to work after I say hi." Sky said happily before making his way to the mare. He walked up to the gate, opening it and going in. "Hey Angel, I missed you." He said softly as he petted the mare's forehead. After a couple of minutes of just petting her, he slowly started to walk away. "I'll be back, I promise." He called out as he got farther away. Skylar then made his way to the stables and as he just about got there he saw another person walking up the driveway. Sky had been told that there would be another guy coming in when Sky would be working, he didn't mind. He quickly made his way into the barn and then went to where the cleaning supplies were, grabbing the rake to muck out the stables. He began with the closest one, and not all of them needed to be cleaned, they only had a total of 4 horses. There was Angel, Raven, Bandit and Blaze.