Relaxing & singing [Tues]

[imagine]

Tyler Livingston sat on a makeshift stage at Masons, strumming on his guitar. He watched his fingers carefully tap the tight strings, his long hair falling forward. He closed his eyes for a moment and then lifted his head up to sing softly into the microphone. He finished his last sentence and strummed a few more beats before finally ending his song. Masons was slightly packed, but not really. It was still only early evening and most people wouldn't be out until later. He had a long night ahead of him.

Walking of stage, Ty went up to the bar and ordered a Cherry Coke. He was given it immediately and then he went to find an empty table. He found a booth in the back and stole it from a couple. They gave him a dirty look, but he didn't care. He didn't really wanted to be bothered... although he did want a little company. He brought the cold mug to his lips and took a sip, letting the liquid slide down his throat. As he set down his drink, one of the waitresses came over and have him peanuts, bread with butter and chips with salsa & cheese. He shook his head, but grabbed a chip and popped it into his mouth.

[myhorsejax]

Robin sighed and slipped into the bar. Technically she was still underage, but it had been reccomended to her all the same. Bar and Grill? Sure, she decided, mentally adding the latter to the sign. She dragged her feet to the counter, ordering a coke. She thanked the bar tender and slipped into a booth, staring intently at the table before her. She gazed at the way the wood ran straight for a while, then abruptly became knobbly as a newborn foal's legs, swirling into a whirlpool of itself, and then seemed to recover, floating on as if nothing had happened. Maybe I can be a little bit more like this wood, she thought to herself, but inwardly cringed at the fact that she was now staring intently at a wooden table and finding it remotely interesting.

She stared up and through the door at the sky outside. Grayish clouds obscured most of the sky, and the small patches where the light shown through gleamed brilliantly on the rain washed pavement, splaying an eerie sort of yellowish light over Main Street. She sighed and drummed her fingers on the counter, again transfixed by the way they rhymically thumped the counter, over and over again. Once more she was disgusted by her own fascinations, and turned away from the table completely to stare about the shabby bar. Only one othe inhabited the bar (or bar and grill as she reminded herself fiercely) on this dreary day. In a most un-Robin-ish way, she stood up and grabbed her coke. She strode up to the man, and felt her sudden confidence slipping away. "Anyone sitting here?" she managed to say, feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks.

[imagine]

Ty heard someone approach and talk to him. He lifted his head and took in the stranger's features. She was female. She had black hair and blue eyes. She was strikingly beautiful; Tyler knew that. He gave her a small smile and shook his head.

"No," he replied. "No one's sitting here...." His voice trailed off and he looked about the room. People were leaving and people were going, but it still wasn't too crowded yet. Ty rested his left hand on the side of his glass and glanced over at the girl who had asked, in a different way, if she could sit down. He wasn't sure if she knew his music or not, but he wasn't about to say anything. So far, she seemed quiet and overly giddy... like most of the girls were who asked if they could share a booth with him.

Ty looked over at the bar and the cook, who was serving a couple food, saw him. He smiled and lifted up a plate, revealing raviolis. He nodded and pointed, asking of Ty wanted something to eat. Ty shook his head and then looked away. he looked back at the girl who was sitting across from him.

"The name's Ty," he told her, his Australian accent still strong. "Nice to meet you." He flashed her his bright smile.

[myhorsejax]

ooc: omg omg its keith urban -gets all bubbly and dies- noo jk

She narrowed her eyes, seemingly trying hard to remember something she had forgotten, remember where she had seen his face previously. When she finally put her finger on who he was, she responded with a small, "Oh," and touched her palm to her mouth, her eyes wide. For a moment it seemed as if she would simply scoop up her things and leave, but she remained in the booth, if with a bit of a faraway look in her eyes.

She mentally shook herself, and smiled. "Oh, I'm Robin. Robin Hiddle," she said, staring out the window and gazing once more at the table. Light now streamed in through the few windows in the bar, and she watched as the sun slowly radiated through the clouds casting the same ghostly glow in different patches. When she turned back to him, her gaze was blatant, and somewhat unimpressed. "I'm sure your used to having people bow down to you, and confess their undying love, but maybe I'll do you some good by not swooning at the sight of you," she said, a crooked sort of smile splitting her face, and sipping her drink nonchalantly.

She changed the subject abruptly. "So horse wise... what are you doing?"

[imagine]

Ty smiled at Robin and took another swig of his coke. He placed the glass back on the table and reached forward to grab another chip. He held it in his hand for a moment before putting it into his mouth and chewing throughly. "Like I said," he began, "it's very nice to meet you, Robin." He smiled at her.

He looked around the place again. As he took a sip of his drink, he almost spit it out at what Robin said next. He turned toward her and smiled. "Thank you," he replied. "I would like that very, very much. It's horrible having all of these girls swoon over you." He was completely serious. It would have been nice a few years before people knew him, but now it was just annoying.

"I, uh... I'm a stable owner," he said, answering her last question. "What about you?" He took another sip of his coke.

[myhorsejax]

"I don't know..." she said, her blue eyes once more with a blazing sadness in them. "I just bought a off track thoroughbred, who I'm hoping to retrain then possibly sell. But right now I'm getting a job at as a groomer at a farm," she said, cocking her head. "I'd rather ride, but we'll see. In the end I might end up having to work in exchange for board in case we can't affor- I mean my dad doesn't want to pay for it. I am technically an adult," she said with a heavy sigh. Then she smiled, but bitterness littered it, making it unpure, a lie.

"But of course why would you care? I have this strange habit of thinking everyone care's about my prob- you know what? Nevermind." She promptly closed her mouth and for a moment silence hung between them. She sipped her coke to fill the silence, mentally disciplining herself. She was generally quiet, the invisible girl who was bumped and jostled without complaint. And here she was, pouring her heart out to a stranger. "Hmph," she said softly, meaning for it to be something of a silence breaker, but when it did not work she opened her mouth to speak again. "Hey, want to come see my horse?" she asked, despising herself for saying it, but hoping he would come.

[imagine]

"Well, if you want to ride, I've got some horses that need riding," Ty told her, hoping that she might stop by. "Or even if you end up riding at this other farm, you can come and help out at my barn. Extra money is always good." He smiled. He downcast his caring brown eyes and stared at the table for a moment. He ran his fingers across the top, hating the sticky cover that most factories put on their tables.

Ty then looked up and stared at Robin, listening to her beat herself up about talking. He shook his head. "You're alright, mate. I promise. Don't beat yourself up for talking. Talking is good." He smiled and gave a small laugh. "I care, so don't worry."

He ran his hands through his dirty brown hair and then nodded. "I'd love to come and see your horse," he replied.

[myhorsejax]

"Okay," Robin said, mentally releasing her breath. She grabbed her coat, and rose from the booth, falling into step with Ty. "I guess we could walk there, that's how I got here. Unless you would like otherwise?" she shrugged, glancing at the sky again. The clouds seemed to have cleared finally, and bright patches of blue sky shown through. It still smelled of rain, but now the scent was radiating from the soaked pavement which now glowed gold in the sunshine.

[imagine]

Ty got up and walked beside Robin. He stopped for a moment at the bar and told the bartender that he was going to be out for a little while. The bartender nodded and told him that it was fine since it didn't get busy until later. Ty smiled and tapped the bar top before leaving with Robin.

"I actually have a truck," he explained to her. "If you wanna take that. But, it's a nice night out so it might be better to walk. It's completely up to you."

[myhorsejax]

"Sure, whatever," Robin answered agreeably.

(ooc: skipping ahead to the barn)

Robin hopped out of the truck before it had rolled to a stop. The big gray gelding's head was just visible beyond the barn. Suddenly Robin's face lit up and she looked happier than she had ever looked at the bar. "Hey guy," she called, and he seemed to strain harder against the fence, fighting the barrier keeping him from her. He glanced at Ty almost apologetically and grinned. "It's funny what a few treats and humane treatment can do to a horse's confidence," she said, arching a dark eyebrow. The stable yard was, as always, immaculate.

Robin beckoned Ty over. "Hey Al," she said when she finally reached the straining gelding who was now trumpeting and pacing the fence. "He picked up some bad habits from his career at the track, and he only has two speeds, but he's has lovely stable manors besides that," she said shrugging and placing a chain over his nose to lead him in. She opened the gate and led him out. He bobbed his head, his thin mane bobbing up and down as he walked enthusiastically toward the barn. Only now did Robin see the huge spots of mud all over his dappled body. She groaned. "Yep, how I adore having a gray horse," she said, leading him to the cross ties, where he began snuffling her pockets for treats.

"I've had him for three days, and he's already learned to expect treats," Robin said, shaking her head dissaprovingly at her own behavior.

[imagine]

Ty parked his truck and shut it off before he followed Robin. He saw a big grey gelding and he guessed that it was Robin's even before she reached him at the paddock. He walked over to the paddock and noticed the horse pacing along the paddock fence. Ty personally hated it when horses did that. His horses never did it because he had a lunge whip at their paddock and whenever he saw them doing it, he would run over and swat it at them. They learned somewhat quickly.

"He's very handsome," Ty said as Robin pulled him from the paddock. Ty looked the horse over. "Nice conformation." He smiled and followed them into the barn. Ty laughed when he saw Robin's horse practically pick her pockets. "Horses sure are funny."

[myhorsejax]

"We're working on his manors," she said, noticing his fleeting look of disgust at Al's fence walking. "Yea, he's nicely built, that's what I was attracted to when I saw him. He has nothing of that icky Thoroughbred skinny neck slash entire body thing," she said, the same crooked smile she had earlier once more lighting her face. "Once he learns that there are more speeds than stop and go, I want to show him. He's got a gorgeous stride if you can actually get him to trot," she said with a small laugh.

She grabbed a curry comb and softly worked at the dark manure stains littering his body. She spoke as she worked. "Usually he doesn't let me curry him," she said, making a face, "being a Thoroughbred and all, but sometimes he's so gross I think he understands just a soft brush won't get rid of it all." By the time she had said all of this, the spot she had been working on, which splayed across his shoulder and had a greenish tinge to it had lightened considerably.