Spring 9

She woke up at 6 a.m. as she had been for over a week… this little farm house was hers, but it still felt like Echo town was a foreign place. As she crawled out of bed and pulled her long blonde hair back into a tight centered bun in one swift movement, she heard something loud. She shrugged it off and began to stretch.

Again "MOO!" this time she knew she wasn't hearing things the farm girl quickly threw on her work clothes and green gloves and opened the door.

Just as she began stepping outside another "MOO!" it startled her to the point of accidentally slamming the front door.

She rubbed her eyes to get reacquainted with the bright sunlight, when she looked up she saw a young cow with big black spots and a pink nose. Once the cow noticed her, its tail began to whip from side to side "MOO," the cow approached her in delight.

"Hey there," she said calmly as she began to pat the cows back, its tail whipping more vigorously now. "Are you lost little one?" she asked in a motherly tone while continuing to pet the animal. Then she heard footsteps coming towards both of them.

"Hey you! Are you Rio?!" a deep but soothing voice yelled. As he came closer she felt her cheeks get warm.

He was a few inches taller than the farm girl; he looked like he had just crawled out of bed himself. His blonde hair was unkempt but seemed as though a single hair wasn't out of place. He wore a long maroon jacket with a black shirt underneath with baggy dark camo pants and military boots. He walked up to her and the cow as he glared at his feet with his hands tucked deeply in his pockets.

Once he reached her and the animal she began "Yes..," she stopped midsentence introducing herself when he looked up at her she felt a flutter in her stomach. His eyes were a deep scarlet red that she felt she could get lost in and be completely content on not finding her way back. His fair complexion made his crimson eyes stand out even more, she thought to herself that this moment could last for…

"HELLO! Lady I don't have all day!" the blonde man yelled as he waved his hands erratically in her face.

Well that was short lived, she thought, but I'm not real thrilled about my hormones taking over me to the point of looking like some man-crazed female either… She snapped out of it and started over.

"Sorry about that… I just woke up and the suns extremely brutal today, name's Rio, and you are?"

"MOO!" The cow sounds content as she pat it on the head. The young man rolled his eyes.

"I'm Neil, Dunhill wanted me to deliver this to you," he states coldly as his face glares in the opposite direction while pointing to the cow next to Rio.

"Well then I guess you're not lost after all then, huh little one," she said sweetly scratching under the cows chin. This was apparently the cows sweet spot, it enjoyed that so much its tail whipped around so violently it hit Neil in the face as he watched their interaction.

Rio put her hand over her mouth and began to giggle. Neil glared at the farm girl as he rubbed his cheek where he was smacked by the cow and trailed his hand through his hair it fell back to its permanent previous state.

"I have better things to do so just name the cow already and I'll be on my way," he snarled shifting his hands back into his pockets aggressively.

Rio had enough of this dudes attitude so…

"Oh excuse me your greatness, I didn't realize I was in the presence of THE Neil, oh contrary one," as she took a sarcastic bow.

No one had ever talked back to him like that before, Neil thought to himself in surprise.

Rio thought he looked at her as if she were a man he'd probably punch her face, but she continued anyway, "Are you sure you want me to have this cow, because you seem pretty perturbed about this arrangement since you got here… oh contrary one," she added not being able to resist.

"Well maybe if you weren't such an ungrateful brat who doesn't deserve this cow, I'd be more comfortable leaving her with you!"

As soon as the last syllable of his rant left his mouth Rio couldn't hide how much it stung, guilt swept across his face for a moment before he stared at the ground.

"SORRY, I wasn't aware that his greatness knew me so well!" Rio yelled angrily. "If I'm still worthy enough to take her out of your hands, her name is Miso!"

Rio turned on her heel and began to march back into her house, "The barn is over there," she growled pointing to her left. "I'll tend to her after you're gone!" Rio marched into her house and slammed the door behind her.

Neil let out a frustrated groan and looked over at the cow it let out a saddened "Moo…" trotting in the direction of the small farmhouse. "Come on, Miso," he grabbed her collar and guided her to the barn.

"I don't know why you like her so much anyway, she seems like a real case, who uses words like "perturbed" anyway?" he wondered aloud.

The duo went into the barn and he settled Miso in. He gave Miso a final pat on the head "She better not let anything happen to you, I'll be coming to check on you, and if she mistreats you I'll be taking you out of here."

The cow mooed again as if she seemed annoyed he would even say something like that about the farm girl.

Neil walked back outside and headed out of a Rio's farm, but he could feel her glaring at him through her window.

He finally reached his house. He slammed the door and threw his rucksack onto the bed, with its contents landing on the covers. He went over to the kitchen and grabbed a Yaks milk jug from the refrigerator and chugged it down as fast as he could. He wiped away his rich mustache and sat at the table letting out a deep sigh and stared into the wooden crevices. Suddenly, he snapped out of his milk induced daze and clinched his fist. He began banging his head into the table while he mumbled rhythmically along to the sound of his head meeting the wood "I forgot-to see-if she-can even- take care of her!" He stood up and walked over to the bed hostilely putting the fallen items back into his rucksack, picking it up he stomped out to go back to the new girl's farm.

Rio had only just entered the barn to visit Miso after she finished wiping the tears from her face. "Well this was a hell of a morning," she stated somberly petting Miso gently. She smiled slightly "But at least something wonderful came out of it," the cows tail beginning to whip again.

Rio heard a throat clearing behind her, she looked up to see the contrary one leaning against a post of the barns entrance with his arms crossed looking away from her.

"I thought I told you to leave, "Rio scowled in his direction. Neil noticed her eyes looked bloodshot when he began to reply.

"I need to know if you know how to care for Miso… do you have allergies?" he questioned aloofly.

"No, why?" she asked sharply.

"No reason," he looked away again realizing it was him that made her cry, he felt a jolt of guilt in his chest.

"Um, okay then," she said nonchalantly. "Anyway to answer your question, yes I can take care of her, I would have brought it up otherwise… I wouldn't put an innocent animal in jeopardy because of my own problems," she said in a matter of fact way but quietly while she continued to avoid looking at him keeping her focus on Miso.

Neil really admired that statement, even if she didn't like him at least he knew she wouldn't harm an animal. He watched her sit quietly now with the cow as it laid down contently to take a nap. Rio kept her gaze on the cow; he noticed her blonde bundle was now loosened with a few long strands cradling her cheeks. His observation went further he noted how full her lips were in their light pink color. He felt himself walking towards her and sitting next to Rio without being consciously aware of it. She then looked up at him questioning his move. He shook his head to snap out of his stare.

"Maybe I was out of line earlier," he said glumly while he entwined some hay between his fingers. "Miso seems to be happy with you; she's normally pretty skittish…"

"Just maybe huh..." Rio responded looking back at him.

Neil didn't realize earlier how colorful her eyes were. They had streaks of deep blues, greens, and gray as they all streamed together toward her pupils. He shook out his thoughts again and sighed "Okay, I was out of line," he finally mumbled.

Rio thought his round-about apology sufficed. "Thanks for that… and for what you told me about Miso," she said warmly.

"I'm the animal dealer by the way, so if you need anything for Miso you can get it from me at the town square Monday-Thursday. I have other animals too if you decide you want to add to your farm," he told the farm girl and she nodded.

Without thinking he took one of the strands that was curled around her cheek and gently tucked it behind her ear. Her hair felt so soft he thought to himself before realizing what he just did. Rio looked at him with a surprised expression, the apples of her cheeks turning pink.

Neil's eyes grew wide as he turned bright red. He quickly stood back up "I-I don't know why I...I've got to go I'm busy, I'll see you around!" He darted to the barns exit but not without stumbling a few times to reach his escape.

Rio was still taking in what had just transpired before she could answer him in his frantic getaway.

"Miso, I think I'm going to nap with you…today has been exhausting." Rio propped herself on the cow that was now fast asleep.

"See you Neil," she yawned and closed her eyes, reaching up to touch her ear noticing how warm it felt. Rio drifted to sleep.

It was only 8:30 a.m.