Ally is sitting on the bus tired from a long day of school her head leaning against the bus window. Her long brown hair sticking to her face, and her brown eyes seemed tired but somehow restless.

'Thank god it's summer' she thought as the bus pulled to her stop. Ally gathered her things, got off the bus and walked down the road towards her family's ranch. A smile appeared on her face as she saw one of her older brothers, Dez, letting out the horses into the fields. His Auburn shaggy hair was glistening with sweat. Dez looked up when he saw his younger sister walking over towards him looking tired as ever.

"Hey Als, how was school?" he asked opening his arms giving her a hug.

"Urgh don't even ask." Ally said resting her head against her brothers chest.

Dez laughed and rubbed her shoulders "It couldn't have been that bad."

Ally looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Oh trust me I had to deal with Kira all day."

Dez laughed out loud now realizing why his sister was in such a bad mood. Kira star was one of the so called meanest and richest girl's in Ally's school who tends to bully her for her own enjoyment. She is also one of the number one show jumping riders in town.

"Mom and dad called." Dez said as they made their way over towards the weather-boarded house.

"What did they say?" Ally asked anxiously walking up the brown wooden steps opening the front door to their house.

"That they're going to be coming home tomorrow with the horse oh and to watch out for the new stable hand that should be arriving today!".

"Stable hand?".

"Yeah after dinner last night, Mom told that she hired a new stable hand to help us out around here. He's going to be staying over in the guest room. " Ally looked at her brother in surprise.

Never in a million years did she think her parents would hire some random stranger to come and work on their land let alone live here. Most of the current hired hands working on their farm are people her dad knew from the rodeo or they live in town.

"Wow I never thought I'd see the day." Ally said walking inside the house with Dez right behind her. Ally grabbed a soda from the fridge and a bag of lays from the pantry. " I just can't believe you guys kept this from me.".

"You're the one that went to bed early when mom said you didn't have to." Dez mocked taking a few of Ally's chips.

"Well she could have told me this morning you know."

"She could have but then I would have missed your reaction.".

"Where ya going?"Ally asked as she watched her brother grab the keys to his truck from the wooden belt buckle key hook near the door.

"Going to Elliot's he's throwing this raging party tonight."

Ally looked at him and laughed "Well if you wanna impress anybody I would go and take a shower if I were you. I can smell the pit sweat and horse manure all the way from here." Dez lifted his arm before making a face and running up stairs. After Dez took a shower and got dressed he went straight to Ally's room asking for her opinion. He found her sitting on her bed listening to music and writing in her journal.

"How do I look?" Dez asked standing in the doorway he was wearing a pair of nice denim jeans, a dark plaid shirt and a wool cowboy hat. Ally placed her journal aside and gave him a once-over "Real nice. Like a handsome cowboy."

"Thank you." Dez teased tipping his hat to her "You know you could come along if you want?."

"Nah I'm OK and besides I have to stay here till the new stable hand gets here, remember."

"Oh yeah." Dez said in realization " I should probably wait with you then. It wouldn't be fair for you to handle the kid all by yourself."

"Kid? What do you mean kid?", by the flash of that crossed his face Ally knew he said something he wasn't suppose to.

"Are you telling me mom hired a kid to help us out?".

"Well yeah." Dez whispered looking away from his sister's persistent glare.

"Boy or girl?". she questioned.

"Boy.".

"How old is he?".

"...15".

"Why would mom hire a kid my age?".

"Well she didn't just hire him to help out," at the on face he hastily continued, "she also kind of hired him so you can have a friend around here." Dez finished awkwardly staring at her.