Ellie's Choice

It was Friday and the last day of school. I was so ready for this year to be over with. Emma was sitting with me on the grass while we waited for Gareth. Today was going to be a good day. We had been dating for a year, and Emma had been hinting heavily about our first anniversary. The fact Gareth had been so cagey made my heart turn over in my chest in excitement. I knew he had something planned.

After mum and dad separated, he was the one that made me believe that there could be a happily ever after. Those had been hard times, but I had made it through them with Emma and Gareth’s help.

Emma nudged me as he finally came walking over to us. We were as far away from the other kids as we could get and still be on school property. This was it, our last year of high school, and we were all going to college together in September. It was basically written in stone.

‘Ahem,’ Emma nudged me with her elbow. ‘I’m going to head back inside. I forgot to get my bag from my locker. I’m sure Gareth will keep you company.’ She waggled her eyebrows at me. Could she be any more obvious?

Gareth rubbed the back of his neck and nodded to her when she passed. Huh, that wasn't like him. Suddenly, my heart flip flopped again, but this time it wasn't in excitement.

#

‘Hey, I nodded to him, suddenly shy. I looked at his lips that he was chewing worriedly between his teeth. I had kissed those lips a million times over the last year. He only bit his bottom lip when something was wrong.

‘Hey,’ He ducked his head and put his hands in his pockets. Something was up. I patted the ground and he sat beside me. ‘It can’t be that bad,’ I joked. ‘Unless you forgot what today is, then we might have a problem.’

He winced but sat down beside me. ‘I’m sorry Ells’.’ He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me in tight. ‘I didn't forget but we do have a problem.’

My eyes met his as my stomach sank. I could feel the acid burble with the beginnings of a bellyache. ‘Are you breaking up with me?’ I felt sick. How could he do this on our anniversary? Gareth wasn't that kind of guy.

‘No!’ The look of horror on his face was a surprising comfort. I could survive anything if he didn't leave me. ‘Ellie,’ I love you.’ My heart stopped. It was the first time he had ever said that to me. ‘But I have to move. To the States.’

#

The rest of the day was a blur. The urge to pass out or puke hit me constantly. Emma gave me looks of pity but all I could think about was getting to the yard. It was my happy place. Nothing else mattered. Davi, I needed my horse more than I ever had. How could he leave me? What was I going to do? It seemed like everyone I loved went away. First dad, and now Gareth.

Gareth swore we weren't breaking up. That we could make it work, but he was going to be in another country! I couldn't process it. I didn't even take the bus, I walked. It was nearly four miles, but I walked every step in a daze, barely keeping the tears at bay. Unfortunately, the moment I saw my sweet boy, I broke.

Davi is a 14.2 gypsy cob and my heart horse. I’d known him since he was two and loaned him since he was four. Now at seven, we had done everything together. No matter what happened in my world outside of the stables, this never changed.

He was in the field when I arrived and I walked straight in, shutting the gate behind me on autopilot. He saw me and left the other horses and his grass to come and greet me. His soft muzzle nuzzling my hair while he whinnied softly for a treat. I cried. I cried big ugly tears as I wrapped my arms around him and let my heartbreak. It scared him and he shifted nervously beside me, but he stayed by my side. He was all I had left.

#

After hacking Davi out and spending a few hours grooming and mucking him out, I was about to go home. My heart had lightened in that time, and I was feeling better. I had just locked up the tack room when Jen, Davi’s owner pulled up. She parked her little blue Juke and hopped out waving me over.

‘Hey kid,’ she nodded her head to the tack room I had just locked. She had always called me kid. She probably would when I was married with my own kids. ‘Got a minute?’

‘Sure,’ I agreed, spinning the combination back into the lock on the door. ‘What’s up?’

She rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. ‘You're not going to like it.’ Blunt as always, but that was Jen for you. After the day I’ve had, there’s not much that she could say that would make it worse.

‘I’m putting Davi up for sale.’ I was wrong it could get worse, so much worse.

‘What? Why!’ This couldn't be happening. He was my one thing. My one true thing that would never change. She couldn't separate us. I wouldn't survive it.

‘It’s just not feasible for me to keep him, kid. I don’t have the time to put into him, and with all my other commitments, it’s gotta be done. I know you love him, but love can’t pay the bills. I wanted to let you know first in case your folks were interested in buying him?’

‘How much?’ the words could barely make it out of my tightened throat. I knew before she said anything what he was worth. He wouldn’t be cheap.

‘Three thousand and for yo,u I will throw in his full wardrobe and all supplies.’

It was more than fair, but I had a better chance of winning the lottery.

#

Thankfully, home was only a five-minute walk from the stables. I was exhausted both mentally and physically. This had been the worst day in the history of bad days. After Jen had left, I sat in the hay barn and cried again. At one point my mind zeroed in on the box cutters that was hanging from a nail to cut the netting around the hay.

It would be so easy. No one else could leave me if I wasn't here. I wouldn't feel any more pain or suffering, and I could just go to sleep forever. I don’t know how long I sat there rubbing my wrists staring at those blades, but it felt like a long time.

In the end, it was Emma calling me that broke the insane thoughts running through my mind. She was psychic I swear because she knew something was seriously wrong with me. More than just Gareth leaving. We talked for a long time, and after making sure I wasn't going to do something incredibly stupid she yelled at me, a lot.

That made me feel so much better. It made me realise that I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was. Then we started to plan. There had to be a way to save Davi.

#

The next morning, I was up early, and Emma was on her way. I asked Mum if we could have a family meeting last night, that it was extremely important. She agreed and had even called Dad and Mark. Mark was her boyfriend, and while I wasn't too hot on the idea of my Mum dating, he wasn't awful.

That’s how we ended up around the dining room table, Emma, Mum, Dad, Mark, and me. It wasn't as awkward as I thought it would have been. Dad and Mark got on really well. It was a sobering moment. Mum and Dad were happier as friends, and Mark made Mum happy. I guess life had a way of working things out at times.

After I had explained the situation to them, Emma and I gave them our plan. Last night we had decided the best way to raise money quickly was through social media. We decided on Tik-Tok. The idea was to start a GoFundMe page that people could donate to. Getting verified was hard.

The adults listened and were supportive. Mark even offered to pitch in and help with livery costs if we could raise the money. I was not expecting that. Mum and Dad offered to pay for half his cost if we could earn the other half. However, Mum and Dad both agreed that I would have to find a part time job to help pay for his costs as it would be my responsibility. We had a plan!

#

It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. First, I had to talk to Jen and explain what we had come up with. She gave me three months to raise the money. Then I started looking for a job. No one ever tells you how hard it is to get a job when you are only sixteen. I eventually found work at a supermarket stocking shelves.

The best news was our Tik-Tok went viral! We worked every spare moment editing, filming, and making social stories about Davi. Who knew that so many people were interested! We made videos of me riding him, grooming him, picking his hooves. Seriously, that got so many likes and comments it was insane. Hoof picking!

We even filmed us poo picking and digging up ragwort from the fields. In the end, we had a Tik-Tok with over a hundred thousand followers and I was able to buy Davi. It was a dream come true. Yes, Gareth moved to America, and like I thought, we didn't last. He ghosted me within weeks. But that was okay. The important things in my life were still right here.

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