Finished Ranch?? Like the sauce? PV

─────Alexandria woke up at six in the morning and immediately began getting ready for the day. She was extremely excited for what she had planned for the day. After weeks of planning and begging her grandparents and parents, she finally would be going to visit her best friend, Prat, and his ranch!

She quickly ate her breakfast of avocado toast she's girlypop like that and hurried to get dressed. She decided to put her hair into two French braids, allowing small pieces of her hair to fall, framing her face. She grabbed her bag and put her wand, a book (Windermere's Fan by Oscar Wilde), and a bag of galleons her grandfather gave her the night before to go spend with Prat when they went shopping later.

By the time she was done getting ready, it was only 7:30, which led to her grandmother, Helen, reminding her that she still had time to help out with the chores around the house. Alex hated doing chores, mainly because their house was so big it took forever to get anything done. But as she worked, the time slowly crept by, until it was finally time for her father to take her to Prat's house. Her father, Michael, already knew Prat's father, since they both worked at the ministry as aurors.

Alex rushed to her father's study, reminding him it was time to go. He smiled at her and said, "I'm glad you've made a friend at Hogwarts. And he's from a respectable family. Now, grab your bag, and let's go, I haven't got all day."

The moment they arrived on the doorsteps of Prat's house Alex rang the doorbell, delighted to to see her dear friend. It only took a few moments for Prat to open the door. As soon as she saw him, her face lit up with a smile. Behind him was a man who Alex soon realized was his father. Prat introduced her to his family and gave her a quick house tour.

A few hours later, Prat's mother came and asked the pair if they would like to visit their ranch, before Alex could say anything, Prat had agreed for her.

After a short trip, they arrived at their ranch. Before Alex could even take a moment to look around, Prat had grabbed her hand *internal ooc screaming* so cute and was dragging her around, telling her all the horses' names, until he finally stopped by a white Arabian. Prat told her that the horse's name was Icarus and that he was the fastest horse they had. He grabbed her hand *more internal ooc screaming* and had her pet Icarus. His fur was soft for a horse in the middle of summer.

Alex looked at Prat to see him smiling at her, she smiled back as her cheeks turned slightly pink, "This has been so much fun, Prat. Thanks for inviting me. I was afraid I would be stuck at my house doing nothing but drawing and reading until summer camp."

Ranch?? Like the sauce?

─────Before Alex could even finish speaking, Prat interrupted her, telling her that the day wasn't over just yet. He then asked a ranch staff member to prepare them tea and snacks. He really needs to stop cutting me off when I'm talking...

Prat finished eating his first, so he kept taking bits of Alex's food off her plate."Parakalo, please, Prat, let me eat my own food. You had your own already," she told him as she smacked his hand away.

Just as Alex finished, Prat grabbed her hand and pulled her back to Icarus' pen. "What're we-" she began to speak but was cut off as Prat asked a ranch worker to bring out a saddle. He then turned to her and asked if she would like to ride Icarus. A small gasp escaped her lips, "Oh my god, yes! Of course, I would!"

With assistance from Prat, Alex climbed onto the back of the white horse. She tightly held Prat's hand as she steadied herself in the saddle. "I feel so tall being up this high. Is this what it's like for you? You know, with you being a damn giraffe and all," she teased.

As Prat slowly began to walk Icarus around, Alex's face lit up with a smile. "It must be nice, being able to come out here whenever you like," she sighed, "I wish I had a place to go to like this whenever I felt like it." It was nice to finally be able to pause and just enjoy looking around at the scenery of the ranch after having been dragged around by Prat all day.

Alex looked down at Prat from where she sat up on the horse. He was looking at her with such watchful eyes, as if she were a specimen under examination. She flicked one of her braids back and smiled at him, "Your eyes stuck or do you just like looking at me?"

Ranch?? Like the sauce?

─────Alex mentioned how she would love to have a ranch like Prat did, a place to escape to when life was getting overwhelming. He assured her that she would have one eventually, and then he offered that she just come over whenever she wanted. Alex couldn't what it was that she noticed when he said that, but there was something about it that was different than how he normally spoke to her.

"Perhaps I might. I do rather enjoy being here, it's so... peaceful. And of course, I also enjoy being here with.... well with you," she said smiling shyly, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear.

When Prat combed through his hair with his hand, Alex's heart skipped a beat and her cheeks flushed. Oh why's he so pretty...? She realized she was staring and looked up at the cloud-littered sky that showed early signs of the sunset.

Prat's response to Alex's question of whether his eyes were stuck or if he just liked looking at her made her breath evade her momentarily. "I- wow, Prat, that's actually really sw-" Her words were cut off by him calling her a donkey and running away. Alex sighed, feeling slightly disappointed and not at all phased by the insult. Well it is Prat after all...

As he ran away, she slowly and carefully dismounted Icarus to stand next to the horse, stroking his mane. She sighed, why's he always like this? "You know, for a moment, I was hopeful. I supposed I'm just disappointed that he didn't mean it. I doubt he'd ever mean something like that about me," she muttered to herself as she slowly began walking in the direction that Prat had run off in.

Once Alex reached Prat, she considered him for a moment and then lightly punched his arm, "You know, for a minute I thought you were capable of being nice. But of course, you're you."

Ranch?? Like the sauce?

─────Alexandria ignored the sandwich Prat offered her and instead told him that she had thought he was being sincere and sweet for once, but of course, it was a joke. Why wouldn't it be? It was Prat after all. She had been stupid to think he might actually think she was pretty.

Prat seemed to brush off what she said, saying he didn't know what she was upset about. Which, of course, only made her more upset. So he doesn't even care that he upset me? Why do I even try with him anymore? Alex crossed her arms and sighed. "I'm not mad, I'm just.... never mind. It's fine, I'm fine..." she said quietly, staring at the ground, tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes.

She attempted to dab the tears away with the side of her hand, still leaving obvious evidence of her sadness. "I, um, I just climbed down, I guess. It wasn't hard," the brunette girl said, not able to bring herself to look Prat in the eye.

A few moments of silence passed. Heavy emotions were in the air, causing the silence not to be awkward, just very tense. Prat then broke the silence by saying his mom had told him that it was nearly time for them to leave the ranch and return to Prat's house. Thank god, I don't know how much longer I can go without crying.

Alex nodded in acknowledgment, "Yeah, um, okay," she said, still trying to blink away the tears that kept forming. Keep it together, Alex.

She was about to suggest they just head back, when she noticed Prat reaching his hand out for hers. Maybe he's not totally clueless about me being upset. Alex hesitantly reached her hand out, meeting his. Their fingers slowly interlocked, her hand fitting perfectly into his. She looked up at him with a small smile as a single teardrop fell down her cheek. She didn't have any words to say, but she felt that no words were needed.

Ranch?? Like the sauce?

─────After her and Prat's hands had met, Alex looked up at him with a smile that was just barely noticeable. As she looked into his beautiful brown eyes, a single teardrop fell down her cheek. He took over his handkerchief and wiped away her tear.

She smiled somewhat sadly as Prat squeezed her hand and then tucked her slightly messed up braid behind her ear. He then quietly whispered to her that he was sorry. Looking into his eyes, Alex knew he meant it, but she could sense something else from him: confusion. Does he really still not know what's wrong?

The brown-haired girl shook her head and sighed. "It's okay, Prat," she said, accepting his apology, "I just... I dunno, I guess I thought you were actually complimenting me for once. It just hurt that you didn't mean it." She held his hand tighter and quietly said, almost to herself, "I know it was dumb to think that."

Another moment of silence passed before Alex stepped closer to him. Standing directly in front of him, she put her forehead on his shoulder, leaning on him for support as she gave up and just let her tears fall. Why am I still crying? I'm not even upset anymore...

She stood there, crying while leaning against Prat for a while before he asked her not to mention this to his mother, "Yeah, okay," she said, agreeing. "I'm sorry, I've ruined our time, haven't I?" she asked, barely above a whisper.