10. Riding Cupcake.
1702 Words
It was a very full week for Drake. He had been at work, away from his new fiancé.
He planned on going out to see Stella, but was too exhausted.
He had slept with many women before her, now he only wanted her. He thought of her tender skin, her long legs.
He drank half a bottle of whiskey and then tried to call her.
" Stella my fella, how are you doing at my country estate?"
She could tell he was drunk.
" Good, how are you doing?"
He was slurring his words.
" I have been doing... let's see? Hmm..very good."
She listened to him talk. He kept blabbering on.
" I'm not coming this week, I am way too tired." He laughed.
Stella didn't respond.
"Well, say something." he said.
She opened her mouth to speak.
" Well talk to me, don't be like an icey bitch." He said.
Stella said," Well, I am sorry to upset you my dear."
He yelled at her. He was deflecting because he was guilty, he had left her all alone.
" Don't be such a martyr Stella."
" You're mad, you blame me don't you?" He sneered.
She stayed quiet, hurt.
" Can't speak? No wonder your brother's don't talk to you.
Your parents figured you out a long time ago, hell they moved all the way to Egypt to avoid you." He was being mean now.
Stella said," Good night." She hung up.
He called her right back.
" Don't you dare hang up on me!" He was angry at her silence.
" You are a being a real b***h!" He regretted that word immediately.
"s**t, not like that..I meant you're making me out to be a villian here." He ran his hand through his hair, why was he so angry at her?
She continued to listen to his verbal abuse, wondering what he really wanted to say.
" Drake, just tell me, you want to break up with me now, you made a mistake?" She asked him.
He laughed sarcastically. "You think at 23 years old I deserve such a nagging wife like you. I can have any girl I want." He was having trouble thinking clearly.
" Besides, you are just a plain girl, not very beautiful or even good in my bed." He laughed.
He knew this was all a lie, he was pushing her away, he couldn't be what she needed. He had left her there all alone.
She was quiet thinking before she spoke. "Drake just leave me, I know I'm not good enough for you." She said.
She tried not to let his words hurt her.
" You Stella, should leave me."
He said his truth, "I'm no good for you."
Stella listened to him ramble on.
Why are you sabotaging our love?
Finally she said," Okay, I want to please you. Pick me up when you can. I will just go...well I have no home, so take me to a hotel." She said.
She stopped talking.
He was slurring badly now. "Really? You mean that don't you? You want to go home, you want to leave me?... Then you should go!"He yelled.
She was quiet. She knew it would be like this, she tried to pretend it wouldn't.
He felt her loneliness by her stoic silence.
He realized she wasn't an ordinary girl, she had grit this one. He sighed. He expected her to be crying, begging him.
" Stella, look I'm not a good man, I have never been faithful to any woman." He admitted.
I am not just any woman Drake.
"Wait, Stella, don't leave me please, I'm just...frustrated and drunk." He admitted.
She gave into him too easily, it was this that made him panic, he was all wrong, he couldn't push her away like this.
It was what all the others she had loved had done to her, she expected it.
" Drake, I'm okay if you want to get rid of me. I will... figure something out." She blinked back a tear.
He stopped talking and took a breath. "Don't do anything just yet, I'm trying to make time to see you, I will come to you, just stay put."
" Okay, well thanks for clarifying, I'm like your little pet, staying all alone until you desire me again."
He frowned. He was silent.
" So see you later then?" She hung up again, he was acting strangly.
Teddy heard every word.
" He's drunk, he won't remember any of that conversation." He patted her back.
She said," I will."
" Okay, I think I'm ready to ride now." She smiled, fighting her tears, she felt rejected.
Teddy nodded. "Okay then, as I taught you."
She nodded and climbed on.
Stella smiled. " I feel like I can be a stronger person on this horse."
She took a walk around the front yard. It felt exhilarating to ride.
She jumped off and rubbed down the gentle, healing horse.
Cupcake was a lovely horse to learn to ride on.
The next day there were a dozen roses sent to the house.
" I'm a drunk fool, sorry."
It was from dumb Drake. She continued to concentrate on her riding lessons.
She knew it was a matter of time before he came to send her away.
She didn't take any of his calls. She left her phone in her room, making a plans to go out on her own for a while.
She packed a bed roll and some food. She filled a canteen.
Stella left in the morning when the sun was low.
She traveled for several hours up into the hills.
It was heaven.
Feeling one with nature, she rode for hours. When the sun went down, she set up camp and lay on her bed roll.
Cupcake was hobbled nearby, just as Teddy instructed her to do.
She placed rope around her foot to keep her from wandering off and still allow her to graze.
She was refreshed by her journey. It was everything she needed.
Cupcake seemed to be doing fine, so she stayed a few more days.
Drake was angry. He knew he was out of line, but damn it she was just avoiding him.
He broke down and called Teddy.
" I need to talk with Stella." He said.
Teddy said," Who?"
He said," My fiancé."
" Ah, haven't seen her all week." He said.
" What do you mean, she's hiding in her room?" He asked
" Well, she took off with Cupcake a week ago, after you unloaded all that crap on her. So, no more girl. Yeah to you son."
Drake said," Go find her."
" She's not lost Drake. She can't stay here all day by herself."
" She said she would send Cupcake back if she decided to move on. So far no Cupcake." He grinned.
Drake hung up. He packed a bag and drove out to the Summer house.
He arrived to find Stella still gone.
He was spitting mad.
" She stole my horse." He complained.
" Maybe she's dead."said Teddy.
Drake had a lump in his throat.
He had driven her to this.
" I'm going out to find her." He said as he started up his dirt bike.
He was worried, what would he find, she might be dead....
Stella was lying naked in the sun. She was living her best life.
" I'm never going back." She smiled as she chewed on a piece of grass.
She heard a motorcycle down below.
She saw a man approaching her. It was Drake.
Drake threw off his helmet and angrily marched towards her.
" You stole my horse." He yelled.
Cupcake rose up and crashed her front feet dangerously close to Stella.
Stella stood there. "Take her home then. " She tried to sooth the large mare.
Drake saw her naked. She had no tan lines.
" You've just been wandering here in the woods naked?" He sneered at her.
"I'm not talking anymore. I told you on the phone, I will break up with you." She said quietly.
Drake just said," Hmm. You'd like that wouldn't you?"
He was still feeling very attracted to her.
He said,"Bring my horse back, now!"
She sighed and nodded. " Play time is over. Come on Cupcake."
She was grateful that she learned to ride. She slowly headed home.
It was night fall by the time she made it back.
She took Cupcake to the stable and brushed her down.
Stella took off her blanket and lay it on the stall gate.
She yawned and stretched.
Stella went up to the house and got in bed.
Drake lay awake thinking of her.
She got up early, before the sun rose and went for a swim, then headed off to Drake's spot in the woods.
She walked in the stream, alone, avoiding him.
Stella didn't want to see Drake.
He was so mean to her.
She avoided him.
When she returned, she was starving.
His car was gone.
Stella went up to the kitchen and ate a big lunch, then went to bed.
Drake came in. He lay in the bed next to her.
" I'm still here you little twerp." He said in her ear.
Stella held still.
" Why, what's the point?" She said sighing.
He held her then. " I want you."
Stella denied him.
" You will have to force me, I will never give myself to you again."
He took her face and kissed her.
Stella held still. She wanted him too.
Drake opened her legs and took her.
He moved his body into her, over and over again.
She started to cry. " Not like this, make love to me. I love you."
He couldn't say why he was pushing her so hard. Punishing her.
" Rapist." She murmured quietly.
He stopped. He realized she was right, he wasn't making love to her, he was having raw s*x.
He said," You make me crazy." He moved off her and went to his room. He didn't know how to love her without losing all control.
Stella got dressed and sat in his car. "Take me back."
- Writer
