Reflections in the Dirt

[Ariella Warren]

Ariella sat in a swing, looking down at the ground below her feet. She had a moody, brooding sort of expression on her face. She was annoyed that she had gotten a bad grade on her assignment at school. She wasn't the best student, but she was smart. Probably smarter than mmost of the peoplwe in her class. She just didn't feel like doing the work. Why should she when she knew it already? Okay, maybe she hadn't known it, but so what? Did it really make any difference?

She toed the dirt moodily with her sneaker, thinking over what her teacher had said. You need to do the work, Ariella. You just cann't magically know everything...blah, blah, blah... Ariella had tuned out about then, just nodding her head and mumbling a few times, not eally listening. Why did teachers think they knew so much anyways? She thought to herself while she crushed a dirt clod with her sneaker's toe. They weren't so smart. If they were, they'd make more money. She crushed another dirt clod before looking up. The sun had started to set. It would be dark soon. She supposed she should get up and go home. She didn't though. Instead she started to swing, letting hr dark hair fly out behind her.

[Angelline Devorez]

Angelline jogged through the park a bag of groceries in hand. Her light brown hair was up in a ponytail so her hair wouldn't stick to her sweaty neck. Her mom had asked her to run into town to pick up some groceries for tonight's dinner, and with just a bit of complaining she had complied. Now as she made her way back home she wondered if she would make it back in time for her mom to even make dinner. I wish she had thought about this sooner. She can remember when an art show is, but she can't even remember to pick up groceries. Sometimes I worry about her, she thought with a small laugh.

Looking around she noticed people leaving, but there were still a few late loitterers who didn't want to go home. The setting sun offered a delightful contrast to the shadows making Angelline wonder if her mom had ever come here to paint. Shrugging she quickened her pace until she was flat out sprinting. As she ran by a swing set she saw an unfamiliar girl swinging, her dark hair flying out behind her. Pausing in her run she panted a bit slightly as she observed the girl. Curiousity made her want to introduce herself, common sense told her to get home.

Ignoring her common sense Angelline set the bag of groceries down on a nearby park bench and walked over to the girl cautiously. "Hey there. I'm Angelline. Do you mind if I join you?" she asked taking a seat on the swing next to the mysterious girl.

[Ariella Warren]

Ariella didn't stop swining as a girl ran up to the swingset, carrying a bag of what liked groceries. She watched as the girl set the bag on a nearby bench and walked over to the swings. It wasn't exactly bright to leave a bag of groceries on a bench. A wild animal could snatch them up and eat them before you even noticed. Ariella had learned that the hard way. She wasn't the type to point out someone's mistake for them thougf. Let them learn their own way.

She continued swinging while the girl introduced herself and asked to join her in the swings. "It's a public park," was all she said as she pumped her legs up iinto the air, her sneakers looking as though they were touching the sky. "I'm Ariella," she said when she swang backwards.

[Angelline Devorez]

Angelline nodded as the girl introduced herself. "Ariella, that's a nice name." She started to swing herself and sighed as the cool air soothed her heated skin. Wiping a bead of sweat from her brow she looked over at the other girl and noticed that she seemed a bit agitated. Even though they had just met she wanted to do something to take the girl's mind off of her problems.

"So um... Ariella do you like horseback riding?" Angelline felt like slapping herself for that comment. Do you like horseback riding?!! Seriously can't I come up with anything better than that? With renewed energy she pumped her legs faster wanting to take her own tense emotions out on the swing. Looking over to the bag of groceries she sighed in relief. No animals had gone to scour through it yet, but she would have to keep an eye on it.

[Ariella Warren]

Ariella turned her head slightly when Angelline said she had a nice name. She didn't much care for her name to be honest. People were always mispronouncing it, though this girl didn't probably because she had already said it. She continued to swing as the girl started to swing herself, going backwards and forwards and backwards and forwards. Suddenly, a couple of words caught on Ariella's ears. "Yeah, I like horseback riding," she said slowly. "My family actually owns a couple of horses. Mine is a beautiful chestnut brown named Carrot." She laughed lightly at her horse's name. Most horses weren't nammed Carrot. They were named Spirit or Twilight or something like that, but Ariella liked her horse's name.

[Angelline Devorez]

Encouraged by the laugh and Ariella's words Angelline smiled and slowed her rocking pace. Soon she came to a halt altogether and turned to watch Ariella. She watched her swing back and forth, just as she had just been doing and laughed. "Ah so there is another family who owns horses around here. And Carrot is a wonderful name. It's much more unique than the name's that most horses are given now a days. Including my own. He's Shadow, but I bet you can guess why," she said with another laugh.

Looking back to the grocery bag again she shot off the swing and started running for the bench. Turning around she offered an apologetic smile back to Ariella. "Excuse me I seem to have encountered a problem I'll be right back." So saying she turned her attention back to the family of squirrels that seemed to have discovered the wonderous contents of the grocery bag.

[Ariella Warren]

Ariella laughed brightly when Angelline run off to the grocery bag. She looked over to the bag and saw a bunch of squirells around it. She stopped pumping to slow down her swinging, eventually, stopping altogether. She got off the swing and walked casually over to the bench that the squirells were merging around. "I once had a bag of hotdogs," she said loudly both to scare the squirrels and so Angelline could hear her. "I set it down for a minute to get a drinnk of water, and this crazy dog comes up and snatches the whole bag. I had to go back to the store and buy more." She laughed lightly at remembering the situation she had been in. She remembered being annoyed when it had happened, but now it was just a funny story.

"So your family owns horses too?" She asked, refering to Angelline's earlier comments. "And Shadow isn't that bad of a name. I bet he's black." She gave Angelline a knowing smile. "My brother's horse's name is Light's Shadow. It's white with black spots. I tried to get him to name it Sarah or something more unique, but he was all like no, that's stupid." She scoffed at her brother's words. "I don't think the horse likes him very much. Half the time, she bucks him off or won't move at all." She laughed ligghtly at this, remembering how her brother had just been sitting on the horse trying to make it go.

[Angelline Devorez]

Hearing the bright laughter Angelline turned her head and smiled happy to know that she had gotten the girl to smile and laugh just a bit. Hopefully her mind's now off her previous problems. she thought. Looking back to the squirrels she tried shooing them away with her hands only to get bit by one of them. "Ouch!" she cried out waving her hand in the air as the stinging sensation coursed through it. At Ariella's loud comments they ran off leaving Angelline to give a victorious and thankful grin at Ariella. "That sucks. But thanks for scaring them off I don't think I'd want to run back to the store now. Besides I think it's closed anyways," she said laughing.

Checking to make sure the squirrels hadn't stolen anything she let out a sigh of relief. "I swear squirrels are much worse than pigeons," she mumbled to herself remembering when she got attacked by a small flock of pigeons when she was small because she had a bag of bread crumbs. "And yes my family owns a small stable. If you want you can come over and take a look at them," she said looking over at Ariella.

Hearing the story about her brother and his horse she couldn't help but laugh. "Such a pity. Maybe if the horse bucked a little harder it would knock some more sense into your poor brother. Sarah is quite a nice name though. Maybe I'll name one of the new mares that...that is if you don't mind?" she asked with a tentative smile.

[Ariella Warren]

Ariella shrugged her shoulders in a careless sort of way. "Sure, go ahead. I don't mind if you use it. It's not like I own it or anything." She started to walk to Angelline, noticing one of the squirrels had bitten her on the finger. "You want a band-aid? I got one of those fancy kind with the disinfectant inside it." She reached into her pocket and pulled the band-aid out. "My dad makes me carry around a couple just in case." She held the band-aid out to Angelline.

"Hey, do you wanna walk home together?" She asked Angelline curiously. "I thinnk your house is just a little beyond mine. My dad's always telling me to lock up Carrot because he could wander off and impregnate on of our hourses." She rolled her eyes at this thought, not because it was impossible but because she didn't think anyone would mind if the horses got pregnant by Carrot. He was a great horse after all.

[Angelline Devorez]

Angelline looked up as she heard the approaching footsteps of Ariella and smiled as she offered her a band-aid. "Yes, looks like those squirrels got the last laugh on me. Oh but they haven't heard the last from me," she said mock glaring in the direction the pesky critters had gone. Reaching out her hand she took the offered band-aid and started to open the little package. "Thanks Ariella."

After she put on the band-aid she stuffed the wrapper in her pocket. She could dispose of it when they got to a trash can, but for now she didn't see one in the surrounding area. "Ah that's better. I can already feel the disinfectant working she said wincing at the slight sting. Looking at Ariella's question she nodded her head, her smile widening. "Yes, I'd like that. It's always nice to walk with a bit of company."

Bending down she picked up the bag of groceries laughing at Ariella's comment about Carrot. "Well that sucks. I'm sure if he's like what you described him as he's a fine horse that would produce great foalings. Maybe you could bring him over some time. We have a few new mares and I've been wanting to breed them for a bit." In her mind Angelline went over the mares cataloguing their finer points and their not so fine points.

[Ariella Warren]

Ariella laughed lightly when Angelline glared in the direction the squirells had run off in. "Don't be mad at them. They just wanted to eat your food." She smiled brightly before starting to walk again the path that led out of the park. Her thoughts were straying back to her failing grade, but she tried to push it away and focus more on what Angelline was saying. It was hard though. Her dad had totally gotten on to her for that grade. He wanted her to go to college, and she wanted the same thing but not right after school was over.

"Hmm, yeah, that'd be cool," she muttered without really knowing what she was agreeng to. Her thoughts were more on her future than Carrot's possible descendants. What did she want to be when she grew up? That always sounded so stupid to her. When I grow up...Well, what if I don't want to grow up? What if I want to be one of those child geniuses that just sit there and make witty comments? I can be witty if I want to...

[Angelline Devorez]

Angelline was once again encouraged by Ariella's bright smile and laugh, but as she watched she noticed Ariella slip into her thoughts. She smiled gently at the action for she did that quite a lot herself. As they continued to walk she thought about how she could breach the subject that seemed to be bothering her. What can I do? What should I say? she thought with a small frown.

A bit startled at Ariella's murmured response she looked over thinking that the girl had been brought out of her thoughts, but she was still troubled. Sighing she looked up at the sky and decided the direct route was the best. "Um...Ariella...I know we just met, but if you trust me do you mind telling me what's bothering you?" she asked, "I understand if you don't want to tell me, but I'd like to be someone who'll listen to you...and maybe help you with your problems," she offered with a warm smile and kind eyes.

[Ariella Warren]

Ariella was drawn out of her thoughts by Angelline's voice. She listened for a moment, giving her a small smile in return. "Oh, it's nothing really. I just got a bad grade and my dad got on to me. You know, how are you gonna get into a good college with bad grades, blah, blah, yadda, yadda." She laughed lightly and stuffed her hands into her pockets. "I mean, I'm sure I want to go to college, just maybe not as soon as I graduate. I want to travel a bit first, see the world." She spun around in a small circle.

"Then there's the whole thing about what I want to do after collefe. I know I want to help human kind in some way, but I'm not really sure which way that is." Her face fell into a thoughtful expression while she walked and thought a bit more on this.

[Angelline Devorez]

Letting out a sigh of relief Angelline listened as Ariella told her what was bothering her. Hanging onto her words she let them process through her mind, as she absentmindedly shifted the bag of groceries in her hand. Once Ariella finished talking she looked over and smiled again. "Well I can't help you out with what your father thinks but maybe I can help you with your other problems. Now let's see," with that said she fell into a concentrated mode thinking over what she could say.

"It's good that you don't want to rush into things and you want to see the world. Most people tend to rush into it and by the time they get out of College they don't have time to relax. It's just a stop and go thing. My mom always told me that when I get into a college be spontaneous. Do a bit of digging and you'll find the treasure that you've been looking for. Or if not at least you'll find many other unique things you can pass onto others," Angelline shook her head and laughed.

"Then again I'm a clueless idiot who loves to babble." Turning to Ariella she grinned like a fool. "See me the fool. I remember when-" And it was at that prime moment where her clumsiness kicked in and she tripped...over absolutely nothing.