Small Town girl (open)

[Cassie Mart]

Cassie hated it here. Her mom was crazy if she thought being with horses was going to help her because all it made her think about was her dad. Cassie walked into the rec room. It was raining out side so there was not much to do here. Cassie sat down on a couch and pulled out her notebook. It was where she kept all her songs and her favorite lyrics. Cassie loved singing but that did not mean she ever sung in front of people. Cassie hated singing when people where near her it made her feel weak like she had no control and people might get to know her and that scared her a lot.

After looking around Cassie took a deep breath and began to sing. The first few bars were off but after a moment she hit all the pitches. She sung her favorite song Cinderella by Steven Chapman. She had no clue why she loved the song. Cassie finished closing her eyes taking deep breath. Cassie had no clue how she was going to make it through this place but she knew it was not her choice to make it was her mothers and Cassie hated her for making her come here but she had always hated her mom so nothing there had changed

[Lucy Maggie Stevens]

Daniel Stevens had showed up just a few days prior and Lucy was extra alert about everything. She had been really shaken up when that man had showed back up in her life. Luckily she had Mark, saved her that night and Lucy was trying to move on, again. But it was a hard thing to move on from something that had gotten her so shaken up. Lucy was very alert and she constantly was keeping an ear open for noises. She was not the kind of person to let her guard down, she had been in danger most of her life and for that had developed better senses so she could try to figure out how to get out of trouble.

Lucy never had somebody she could count on, but now she had Mark. The only person ever in her life that she trusted, that she could count on. Everybody else Lucy pushed away. She wasn’t sure why she pushed people away, she was pretty sure it was because she was scared they would hurt her. Lucy thought that if she let somebody into her life they would hurt her. Love was pain to Lucy, that’s what she knew it was.

Lucy was caught off guard when she heard a soft muffled voice coming from the rec hall. Most people were gone at this hour, Lucy wasn’t sure what somebody would be doing in the rec hall. She looked into a window to find a new face sitting there. Lucy was quite surprised that somebody was in there actually, she cocked her head to the side. Lucy was not this young girls’ riding instructor. She wondered if she were new or if she were just in a different class. Lucy got a few of the new kids, but they were split up pretty evenly. Although now she got more than she was used to, since Mark was busy in the office.

Lucy opened the door, deciding to greet the new face. Although she was shy and unsocial able, she did work her. She was responsible for putting a good face on for the students. She made the place look friendly, without pushing it on them. Being shy helped her with that talent. Lucy walked closer to the girl. ”Hey, um, this place seems a little empty. Are you lost hun?” Lucy gave her a bright smile as she walked over to the table and sat down across from the teenager. ”I’m Lucy, one of the riding instructors.” she introduced herself.

[Cassie Mart]

Cassie opened her eyes quickly as a girl asked her if she was lost. Cassie looked at the girl not saying any thing. Cassie was the kind of girl who preferred to learn more before speaking. Cassie watched as the girl sat down and introduced herself. She was a riding instructor. Cassie waited a few minutes before deciding to say. "Im not lost and my names Cassie"

Cassie looked back down at her notebook. She had so many of these back home but this was her newest song book. the one thing that had not changed when they had moved was Cassie's love for singing. The songs she wrote changed they were no longer that happy but over all they were still well written songs. Being here reminded Cassie of her dad they had had a shared love of horses when she was little but thinking about her dad hurt. She had no clue why her mom thought this place would change her. Her mom thought being here would magically change her back into the girl she was back in Indiana but as far as Cassie knew that was impossible. Cassie looked back up at Lucy remaining quiet wondering what Lucy was going to say.

[Lucy Maggie Stevens]

Lucy smiled a large toothy grin at the girl, trying her best to be friendly. It was hard for Lucy to start a conversation. She was usually the one to shy away from conversations and people in general. Lucy just had to introduce herself to this girl. For some reason this girl had taken and interested in Lucy’s eye and it had caused curiosity. This girl was sitting her alone, for no reason apparent. That made Lucy come to the conclusion this girl was a loner, or new. Of course, Lucy had been there before. But staff were supposed to make students feel welcome to the place that so many called a living hell. Lucy had loved Willow Brooke when she had entered it. To her, it was a safe haven. Her parents were gone, and only recently had it not been such a safe haven.

”Cassie,” Lucy repeated as if pondering the thought of the word. ”Pretty name for a pretty girl.” She smiled at the girl. She wanted to get to know her. Lucy was curious, she just usually showed her curiousity by being shy. But of course, now she had been at Willow Brooke for a while. Now, she had every right to be curious. She was of course staff. Staff were supposed to make students comfortable. Provide somebody for them to talk to, try to get into their heads.

”Are you new to Willow Brooke or just enjoy the quite?” Lucy asked, both options were very plausible. She wasn’t lost and just frustrated, so one of those two were the likely cause behind why Cassie was sitting at a table alone in the rec hall. Lucy had nothing better to do today. Of course, she could go see Mark, but she could go see Mark any day. She knew that Mark would never push her away.

[Cassie Mart]

Cassie looked down at her note book as the girl had said pretty name for a pretty girl. Ever since she had been little Cassie had hated complements they made her put her wall up because she was scared to get hurt. Cassie looked at her note book not paying attention to what she was reading. Cassie looked back up as she asked if she were new the Willow Brooke or just enjoyed the quiet. Cassie thought for a moment and then said "yea Im new but I also like the quiet because Im from a very small town"

Cassie wondered about the girl. Cassie hated letting people find out about her but when it came to other people Cassie was a very curios person. Her little brother was the same way. Cassie thought when she knew about other people it was easier for her to let them in. Cassie rarly let people know anything about her because she thought that showed people how she realy was weak on the inside and she did not want people to know that. Cassie never wanted people to know how much pain she was in on the inside because she wanted to put on a brave face for her little brother.

[Lucy Maggie Stevens]

Lucy smiled as the girl said she was from a small town. Quite was always a good thing, Lucy liked quite as well. Sometime she just needed to get away from things. Others didn’t understand it, but Lucy got overwhelmed in social situations. She could get overwhelmed easily and just need to get away. So Lucy completely understood that the girl wanted some quite. But being new, some interaction wasn’t bad either. Lucy was responsible for making this girl feel at home. It was very hard for some students to adjust to this life, while others, like Lucy came here relived to get away. But being here for a few years now, Lucy was able to come to conclusions with many students. She heard a lot of different stories. She had moved on from her past and been able to tell her stories to others. Sometimes kids just needed to know what they weren’t alone.

”Yeah, I remember when I first came here. I was so nervous, but it was different from what I had and a lot better.” Lucy knew that sometimes, kids just needed to know that others had been in the situation. That they had been new here had come here nervous. Lucy wasn’t afraid to tell her story anymore, she had been scared for a while but she had learnt to deal with it. Her past was what made her who she was today, and she had embraced that. Accepted it, and got over. She tried to use it to cure others now.

[Cassie Mart]

Cassie listened to the girl watching her. She said when she had come here. Cassie thought for a moment so she had been here in Cassie's position before. Cassie was silent for a moment and then she asked "where are you from" Cassie loved knowing about people she could not help not asking questions. When people would not tell her things they lost her trust like her mom but once she got to know people her walls slowly would come down and she would let people get to know the real her.

Before her fathers death she had been a person everyone had loved she had been out going and every ones friend, but after she left for new york she felt his death was her fault and things just fell apart. The only reason she had not killed herself was her little brother who still thought daddy would walk in the door and make mommy and Cas Cas stop fighting and she knew that would never happen. Cassie looked back down at her notebook thinking about her 'new life' She was going to have to make it work or be miserable and Cassie did not want to do either thing right now.

[Lucy Maggie Stevens]

Lucy smiled at the girls question. Most people laughed when they found out the name of Lucy’s hometown. Lucy herself had still not figured out if her father had become a member of the town’s most popular event. She was too young for that, and when she was old enough, she was much to busy running to pay any attention to if her father was growing or smoking any weed. ”Weed California.” Lucy said with a smile, she knew most kids cracked up at the name if they hadn’t heard it before. Most thought it a joke, as if it weren’t a real place and that it really just meant Lucy came from California but got sent here from the plant. In reality, Lucy had never tried it. She wasn’t allowed out of the house to do that type of stuff. She lived a sheltered life, but nobody was there to shelter her from her father.

Lucy thought about telling the girl more, opening up to her. Sometimes in order for a student to feel comfortable, they needed to hear somebody else’s story. That’s why it had always been a good thing for Willow Brooke to have the former students work. The ones who had gotten over their past and dedicated their time to helping others learn. They also tried to get kids that were succeeding in forgetting their pasts and changing to buddy up with new members. Willow Brooke really did try to help, no matter what the kids said about it. ”Although, my personal history is I came from a father who beat me and raped me. I was the child of an only father, he loved my mother, but my mother left cause she couldn’t handle me. He hated me for it, beat me, raped me, told me that’s what love is. That’s where I really came from, the town name doesn’t matter much.” Lucy smiled after opening up to the girl, sometimes it felt good.

[Cassie Mart]

Cassie smiled at her when she said she was from weed. She had heard odd ones like hell Illinois or Normal Virgina. Cassie looked down as Lucy told her about her past. Cassie had no clue what to say. Cassie kept her head down as she said quietly in a little more than a whisper, " My dad died in a car crash a few months ago while I was driving." Cassie looked at Lucy sitting there not saying anything.

Cassie could barely remember that night. She remembered her dad making a joke and then bight light. The doctors said she had said she had been unconscious almost as soon as impact. She had woke up in the hospital and she had a ton of tubes and machines. Her mom just walked in and said as soon as she got out of the hospital they would leave for new york. She was not even upset from her father dieing and that's when Cassie decided to do everything she could to make her mom mad. Cassie looked back down at her notebook wondering what the girl would say. Cassie never told anyone about the crash. She had no clue why she had told Lucy it just happened.

[Lucy Maggie Stevens]

Lucy looked at the girl and smiled sadly. It was a sad lonely smile at the girl. At least the girl opened up, it was good to open up. Lucy remembered the first time she had opened up to anybody, it had been Jared. She cried in his office for three hours as she explained every detail of her childhood. Opening up freed you from the pain. It let others mourn with you and it was something good. Lucy brushed her hand along the girl’s. ”I’m sorry for you lost. I bet it’s hard. I wouldn’t know, I never really had a father worth losing.” She gave a weak smile, it was true. Lucy wasn’t sure if her reaction would be mourning or joy if she heard news her father had passed away.

She closed her eyes as she tried to imagine what it would be like to have a family. Lucy never had seen a functional family before. She didn’t grow up in one then came here, to Willow Brooke. A society full of people from unfunctional families. She wasn’t sure they existed. She just knew what she saw on T.V. thinking about how some people had that made Lucy cry. She never had a chance at a functional family. She always had it bad, didn’t get the opportunity to make things right. Lucy was helpless.

[Cassie Mart]

Cassie kept her head down as she dicided to change the subject. Cassie looked up as she asked "How long have you been riding?" Casse to love to ride. She had been riding for five almost six years. At first she had been so scared at first but by the end of her first lesson she loved being on a horse it made her fell like she was on top of the world and nothing could ever hurt her. Cassie also just loved how horses just understood you. Cassie had use to sit at her old stables just talking to her horse and sometimes singing or writing new songs

Cassie looked at Lucy as she said I use to ride. I was there for around 5 years" Cassie watched Lucy wondering how long she had been riding. Cassie had been assined a pain horse named Dancin Queen when she got here. Cassie had not been here long so she had not been down to see her yet but she was a bit excited to go down there and take care of her. Cassie looked down again thinking about how many diffrent things she had tried as a kid. Riding was one of the few things she had stuck with for more than a week or two.

[Lucy Maggie Stevens]

Lucy smiled at the quick change of subject from the girl. It was obvious that the change was quick and purposeful. She hadn’t wanted to speak about her father, which Lucy understood. It took her nearly a full year to speak to anybody about her father. Jared had to practically beg Lucy to open up to him. Mark was the one person that was she had told everything to. Usually she held back most of her story, just giving people what they needed to know to get her. Even though to get Lucy, they had to know everything. Lucy still held back and tried to get others to open up to her first. She smiled at the young lady across from her. ”I’ve been riding since..” she trailed off as she acted as if she was thinking when. Even though Lucy knew the exact day she had come to Willow Brooke and the first day she had gotten on Justice. ”Well I’ve been here since I was fifteen and riding ever since, so I guess about seven years.” She smiled at the girl. Lucy hadn’t realized how long it had been that she had been riding with her horse.

Of course she hadn’t gotten Justice when she first came here, she was assigned to another mare. She got Justice when the horse came in and Lucy instantly bonded with her. Justice had a rough past and Lucy was one to take good care of her. She bonded easily with the horse and took it in as her own, and the stables allowed her to do so. Now Justice was a proud mare that rode with her head held high while Lucy was on her back. Although she still spooked easily, so it was good Lucy had a gentle heart and an even gentler hand. ”Riding is what got me past my father. I connect with horses. Even the ones here are gentle. They may have been beaten, but paired with the correct rider, they are gentle giants.”

[Cassie Mart]

Cassie listened as Lucy told her how long she had been riding. When Lucy said that horses were genital giants Cassie smiled. Cassie knew how amazing horses were. She had been around them a lot as she went through her first years of middle school and a bit into high school year. Cassie smiled and said still quietly "I was riding for about five years. Horses are genital giant. I think they come to understand there rider. They also make great listeners and the best friends you could ever have." Cassie looked down thinking about friends. Growing up that had always been one thing she had always lacked were friends and horses had filled in that gap.

Cassie smiled thinking of her old horse. A paint she had nicknamed baby. she had had Baby form the time the horse was 2 until she had left for New York five long years later. Baby had gotten Cassie through all the drama of boy friends and learning how to grow up. Cassie had at first been terrified of how big horses were but as she got use to baby they never seemed big or scary to her they were kind and every genital. They had been Cassies whole life for five years.

[Lucy Maggie Stevens]

Lucy smiled with agreement at Cassie’s statement. She nodded her head a bit. ”Yeah, I know when I first came here, horses were all I had.” Lucy wished Cassie wouldn’t have to go through that. If nobody else was willing to be friendly with the girl, Lucy at least would. Of course, Lucy had a lot going on. Her and Markus’s relationship was quickly getting more and more serious and she had been becoming overwhelmed with the extra classes. But Lucy was more than willing to help somebody to feel better. She wanted to be friendly, and not just because it was her job. Lucy really wanted to make people feel better. She knew that some people hated it here. She had heard many stories and tried to get to know and understands everybody’s.

”So have you met your horse here yet?” Lucy decided to ask. Since they were on the subject of horses. If she had, the two could discuss the horse’s quirks and maybe Lucy could give some advice. If she hadn’t, the two could possibly head off to the stables. Lucy knew her way around there and would be quick to pick out the majestic creature and introduce it to it’s new rider. Maybe she could even help the girl work her new horse out a little. Lucy wanted to get to know the horse. She only worked with a few of them each day, but Lucy usually took care of a lot of them. She volunteered as a stable hand and the stables were where she spent all of her free time.