^{If you missed the first book - Fireflies - you might want to start there. It's here in its completion, written for Steemit. If you enjoy it, feel free to ask to be added to the subscriber list for the sequel, where new chapters are being released daily.}

Entry 7

The trek had offered a group discount for the shuttle to the hotel. She had declined and paid for her own taxi. If she showed up at the stables tomorrow, she would be the only one who hadn't had an opportunity to chit-chat the night before.

These group trips were all the same. Everyone ready, open, and willing to become best friends with their new trek-mates. Spilling their guts about life, liberty and their own personal pursuit of happiness - all of it - noise. Her smile always welcomed people in, regrettably. She had learned to perfect her exterior. Her mask was top-rate.

Very few knew that there were actually multiple masks. The one that everyone saw first: Perfect stillness, peace personified. The mask underneath, if necessary: her mother's bubbly sunshine, warm and caring. The mask underneath that acted as her bulldog: Unfeeling, aloof and potentially aggressive. Then finally, the real Talia. It was beyond sunshine. It was the sun itself. Passionate, burning, flowing, radiating, intense, dangerous, fiery, unhindered.

Only one person had ever seen that. One that she trusted to absorb every bit of that radiation and return to her, unharmed. He was her match, and her equal, and her partner and the half to her whole. And now, there would never be another. She wouldn't ever allow that kind of loss to destroy her again. She would rather float through life above the fray, untouched.

Masks were necessary at times, and she knew how to mold them perfectly to her face, seamless. No one bothered to check for the satin ties that held them to her well-crafted facade. They saw what they wanted and that was just fine. Everyone was delusional and happy; she was content to join the pools of unchallenged apathy.

She woke the next day, still satisfied from her meal from the night before. Only tea for breakfast today. She wanted to feel light. It would make it easier to allow that mysterious merge take place as she moved with the horse. Not her, plus the horse - but one new creation.

As she slipped her jeans up and pushed her heels into the soft, camel-colored suede boots, she mentally prepared for the next 9 days of peace. She could almost smell the scent of her horse and feel the heat of his coat seeping into her calves and inner thighs. The anticipation of wrapping her legs around the gentle power of the majestic beast beneath her sent little chills of pleasure up her spine.

After she had zipped up her luggage and opened the door to leave, she turned to face the room. The room was still, clean, and in order. Light filtered in through the sheer curtains and sounds of the street made its way into the room, muffled. She sighed. Peace. Quiet. Perfect. It was as if no one had stayed here last night. Just the way she liked it.

^{Thank you to @penderis for making my beautiful dreemgirl divider :)}

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