Chapter 04

Rayka

James is not very happy about having to travel on New Year's Eve, but I explain that he just needs to drop us off at Arlington and go home, I don't see why he should have to stay there waiting for us and thus be away from his family during New Year's Eve.

Luckily the suites at the hotel were easy to get, without even using my last name and soon I have all four rooms booked, as well as all the services we will need for the time of stay, even though I am sure that one will not be used since Liz will probably stay with Bryan.

I see that the girls are still trying on clothes and boots as well as some hats and jewelry that I have available for these events, but there is no way to carry the hats in the bag, easier to buy there, Dallas has great options. I realize that I need to pack my suitcase as well and for that reason I go to the closet to choose the clothes I will wear tomorrow, in addition to the brown boot, I choose black riding pants, a 3⁄4 sleeve red wet velvet bodysuit and a black suede jacket.

I separate some more clothes that I will take to Arlington and put everything in the suitcase, along with two more boots, I see the box with the silver spurs that my father gave me on my 18th birthday, I open the box and admire the beauty it has, on each side it has a relief carving with a rose in the center and the core with a small ruby stone, the roulette looks like a flower, with small tips, if I used it on a mount it would not hurt the animal, but I never used them for that purpose. They have great sentimental value and I decide to take them with me.

After all the fun with my clothes and accessories, they, finally, with their choices for tomorrow, we tidy up the closet and as everyone is tired and thirsty, I go down to the kitchen to get us some drink, I see in the fridge a packet of coke and I take it.

I go back to the room and we lie down on the bed to finally watch the movie that has been paused since then and finally when it ends I see that Ness and Sarah have already slept, I take the cans to take to the kitchen, Liz comes down with me and we sit on the counter to eat what's left of the pudding from dinner.

“Rayka, I wanted to talk about what happened in the car, I shouldn't have attacked you or said that about your father.”

“We were both wrong at that moment, you shouldn't have said that to me or put my father in the middle of our discussion, and I shouldn't have meddled in your life, even though I'm your friend and I want your good, it's your life and you know what's best for you.”

“It's true, but I like your advice, knowing that you care about me and that despite everything I have you to support me. I was bad for acting like that, because deep down I know you're right, it's just that I really like Bryan and I hope he will notice that, and we will be together.”

This situation is complicated, I know that Liz has true and deep feelings for Bryan, but he was never dating, just staying, and having fun. And the worst thing is that at the end of this story, she will most likely leave with a wounded heart, while he will look for the next girl to sleep with. And even knowing that, I will keep quiet, because, worse than seeing her going towards suffering, is fighting with her.

“I know you have an opinion on this and don't want to talk so we don't fight, I imagine you probably think I'm a fool for being excited to see Bryan tomorrow.”

“I don't think you're a fool for going after the one you love, I'm just afraid of what you'll find when you get there.”

“I know, when he called at that time, I realized that he didn't even remember that we got together and that I would be here, being that just yesterday, I posted that I was packing to come here.”

“He's an idiot, there's nothing more I can say.”

“I've been thinking about putting him up against the wall, either he assumes we're dating or else it's all over and I'm going to move on with my life, the problem is I'm scared he'll say fine and leave.”

“In a situation like this each alternative has a 50% chance of being chosen, it remains for you to decide if you are ready for both and if you want to take a chance.”

“Thank you Rayka, for despite everything you are here listening and supporting me.”

“Friends are like that, for good times and bad, just as you and the girls supported me when I broke up with Kaleo, we will support you too.”

I still remember how horrible it was that day, we had received the grades from the final exams and I was the first in the class, so I went to the dorm and took the notebook to send a message to Kaleo, telling everything, however, when I opened f******k there was a video on the Austin university page and in it I saw Kaleo in the background kissing another girl.

I was furious to see that I was being betrayed and called Kaleo right away to confront him, and I still had to listen to him saying that I should be used to something like that, since my father was always with other women. However, I am not my mother and I have never agreed to an open relationship, if he wants to be with several, let him be, but be a man to admit that he has no character to make his decisions.

And that was the last time we saw each other, Ness, when she came into the room and saw me saying that she understood right away what was happening and warned the girls, that night, instead of celebrating the end of the exams, we lay around watching movies and eating ice cream.

“True, that's why I always want to have you by my side and advising me when I'm doing something wrong. Friends until the end?”

“Friends until the end. Now let's go to sleep because tomorrow we're leaving early.”

I drop the dirty dishes in the sink, and we go up to the bedroom, after brushing my teeth, I lie down and while sleep does not come, I think about how different this day was, and I feel that tomorrow will have even more emotions.

In the morning I am the first to wake up and I see that we missed the hour, I call the girls to go to the airport right away, we will have to eat something on the jet or we will end up being even more late and losing the time that could be spent having fun in Arlington, when we go down my father's driver is already with the car ready to take us.

When we arrive at the airport, I see the jet near the runway, it is not a difficult task to recognize it, since it is red and the rear tail has the design of the shadow of a bull jumping, as soon as the car stops, James gets out of the jet and along with him two beautiful girls.

“Good morning, Miss Powell.” James speaks as I get out of the car.

“Good morning, James.”

“Allow me to introduce my new co-pilot Nayara Moore, and Amanda Corcoran the flight attendant.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you, James, is everything ready for takeoff?”

“Yes, miss.”

“Good, then let's go, I plan to arrive in Arlington before lunch.”

I go up with the girls and we settle in the comfortable seats and shortly after takeoff, Nayara serves us breakfast, which are delicious chocolate donuts, which I'm sure were prepared by Mrs. Jaqueline, only she could think of preparing such a treat for me, after eating we get ready and sleep the rest of the trip.

Upon arriving in Arlington, we take a cab and go to the hotel, we need a good shower and get ready to then go to meet Bryan and his friends, who by the way has not yet answered the message that Ness sent this morning informing our arrival and with that we do not know where we will find him.

After taking a shower, I make a half braid embedded only in the upper part of my hair, so that most of my strands are loose, I finish dressing, I apply eyeliner and lip gloss, when I go to get my shoulder bag, I see the box with the silver spur and put them in the bag, I feel that they will bring me luck today.

I go down to the hall and find Sarah sitting there, already ready, I sit next to her and see that she chose my black Texan boot with silver embroidery and low heels, in her hair she made two pigtais style braids.

Shortly after, Ness comes down and sits next to us, although she could have gone to her house to get her boot, she also took one of mine and her choice was a brown long barrel with medium heel and fringe on the side, in her hair she made a side fish scale braid.

“Bryan texted that he is at AT&T Stadium and that we are supposed to meet him at the main gate.”

Arlington has wonderful places, Dallas stadium is just one of them, but something tells me that Richard asked to be in the stadium on purpose, after all this was Iron Cowboy's first competition and I think this is where he wants to prove that he is better than everyone in the PBR, I hope this cowboy who will ride today will take away this bull's invincibility and end this man's streak and this competition.

As soon as Liz gets off, I notice that she has also braided her hair, in her case, a thin braided crown, with her beautiful curly hair loose and her choice of boot was a brown high heeled boot, this boot has the biggest heel I own. Liz certainly chose it so she wouldn't look so short around us or more likely Bryan.

With everyone ready, we call a cab and go to meet Bryan and his friends, I hope they are nice people and not assholes. Anyway, we will say goodbye to this year with a lot of joy and start the new one even more ready. This will be our year, and no one will take that away from us.

When we arrive at the stadium, Ness sends a message that we have arrived and we wait for the boys, who we soon see coming towards us and we go to them. I observe the three boys who are with Bryan, the boy on his right, has a tall and thin physique, his blue eyes contrast well with his black hair, the other two are more similar, I suspect that they are the cousins, both brunettes, with the same shade of brown in their hair and eyes, the difference between the two is in the size of the hair, which is longer for one.

All are beautiful, but it is the boy with long hair that catches my attention, because he is the only one who has a more serene look, and although I may be mistaken and judging hastily, his manner is not like the others, who in the look already shouts that he is a conqueror.