Privileged 1. Chapter 1

Blue sky. White clouds. Humidity is 36. Actual temperature is only 2 degrees under. Her legs felt like they were going to fry under the pouding sun. She didnt think the SPF 50 was enough from the heat. She was scared that her products in the suitcase were going to melt.

"This cannot be good for your health" Alex muttered as she made her way into a long black limo. The driver, who was holding the door open for her, heard her.

"Not quite, make sure you have water on you whenever you're out in it" he told her before shutting the door. Alex lay back against the cool, shaded leather interior that was full of cold air from the air conditioner that was on full blast.

"Thanks for the tip" she smiled up at him as he got in the drvers' seat. He tipped his hat to her and gave her a wink in the rear-view mirror.

"So, working for Miss Limoges, how did you wind up this gig?" he asked her as he pulled off of the private airport runway onto a small road, which connected to the highway. Alex still couldnt believe she was in Florida. What a difference from Nova Scotia in Canada! It was April 23 and they just had snow yesterday there, and now here, only a few thousand miles south, its like this?

Alex was so busy looking out of the window at the palm trees and beaches, that she didnt hear the drivers question until he asked her agian.

"Oh I'm sorry, just in my own little world here" she chuckled "I had seen an ad in a large horse magazine"

The position, was for Miss Laurel Limoge, the widow of a cosmetic line entrepreneur, who turned his dream, into a reality after he died, and turned it into the empire it is today, being the largest cosmetics business on the east coast of the States. The job, was to teach her grand-daughters, who lived with her, due to loosing their mother and father, to compete in the A-list equestrian shows on the east coast, and to move to the west coast, and then to Scottsdale in Arizona by next year. The large Arabian show was held every year, bringing thousands of million-dollar families and their equine perfection specimens to show who is better.

Alex first saw the ad and thought, 'my god, just some people who think they can buy themselves more fame in absolutely eerything they do, maybe is they take up tiddly-winks, it'll be a national sport' she remembers joking with her mom about it, before her mom actually told her to try out for the job. Which paid 3 thousand dollars a week, a car to drive, a place to live, free food and rent, and their own 'Champion Bred Equine' to use. That was exactly what they said.

Alex signed up, with a 50 dollar deposit to try out, showing you actually wanted it, not just fooling around on the computer. A video of you with your own horse, riding, jumping, and western abilities. As well as a 2 page report about yourself and why you want it, AND a two page report by a coach about why you should as well.

Needless to say, Alex wasn't actually the first person to get the job, apparently one other person tried out and had sent in bogus everything, and upon arriving, didnt even know how to saddle a horse.

Then that required video interviews on the internet, and making sure that there was a clear shot of your face riding your horse, so there was no way you couldnt be faking. Man, were they serious about this or what!

The driver nodded along as she told him "Yea, Miss Limoge is very strict on who she has in her home, if they're going to live there and have anything to do with her grand-daughters" he turned down a gated community that ran along a long strip of beach in a small arc, the homes here were fantastic, Alex was quite excited.

"Yea, now I'm a little nervous" Alex joked. Even though she had seen and talked to Laurel over the video cam, hearing that still made her a little anxious to what she would be like in real life.

"Oh Laurel is a very nice woman, she takes pride in her work and her grand-daughters, and with a business as big as hers, she can't afford to make any mistakes, for safety of her family and business, so it's pretty understandalbe for her to make sure everything is under control"

"I can see that, I'm quite likle that myself actually"

"Well then, you two will get along just fine" he chuckled. She noticed they were lsowing down and driving through a large cement archway into a hughe circular driveway. The driver got out and walked back to her door to open it.

"Just remember not to let her out of the loop on anything, or she will find out" he warned her as she stepped out and looked up at the large yellow-ish building. It was made of stone and had a large staircase heading up to two big wooden doors.

"Thanks" she said to him and proceeded to help him with the bags in the back, but he shoode her off just as someone came over with a baggage trolley like in the fancy hotels.

"No need, these will be delivered to your room, and Rami here, will show you to Miss Limoge" he gestured to the side where Alex seen a colored man walking towards them.

"Miss Alexandra I presume?" the man asked like he was part of the FBI.

Alex nodded "yes I am"

He nodded and turned "Miss Limoge will see you now, this way" he turned on his heel and walked away. What a welcome. Alex said thanks and bye to the driver and followed Rami up the steps through the large wooden doors which led to huge foyer. It was marble? she thought, and had a curved staircase to her left, a large living area, probably one of many, to her right, and a large open hall in front of her.

Rami kept walking as she was going to take her shoes off, but then stopped, and followed with her shose on, presuming they left them on. He heading to the left and down another open hallway before stoping at an open doorway and announcing to Miss Limoge of Alexandra's pressence.

'I hate that name' she though, making a mental note to tell him to call her Alex next time she saw him. She turned and walked in once she heard Laurel summon her. The office was grand, it had antiques, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, amazing sculptures, and it would fit her whole house in it!

"Please, sit down Miss Bergeron" Laurel gestured to a fabric-covered antique, was all Alex could think of the chair. She was scared she would damage it by sitting on it.

"Pleaswe, call me Alex" she smiled, thinking she was definitely under-dressed. She had a pair of brown khaki walking shorts, and a white blouse, which she thought was a great first impression for Laurel, but apparently, she should have brought her old prom gown, it was so formal in there, even Laurel had a dress on that looked like she should be on a runway.

"Alex, what a lovely name" Laurel smiled "I am very pleased to have ytou here, I hope you can do better than the first girl we had here, what a waste of time and energy that was!" she joked.

"I bet, that was a little rediculous, from what I heard anyway" Alex smiled.

"Yes, it was more than rediculous" Laurel seemed irritated to talk about it "anyway, the girls are extremely excited, since this was their idea, and they just got two horses for their birthday's 2 months ago"

Alex nodded, just listening, piling questions in her head, but trying to pick one or two "You will have a Jeep Wranlger at your disposal" Alex's mouth hung for a second before she realised, and she closed it again, but Laurel saw and smiled "yes Alex, we did our research and found it was your favourite car, as well as your own apartment on the other side of the driveway, if you saw when you drove in, it has a living room, dining room, bathrooms, kitchen, bedrooms, a game room, and is attached to the pool"

Alex just nodded alog, couldnt believe it. "Like i said before, you will get 3 thousand a week, so the girls will get 5 lessons a week, more, or less, depending on them as well, you have a horse awaint for you also to use on your time after the girls' lessons"

Laurel handed a few papers to Alex and described them "These have upcoming shows that the girls are already entered in and want to be ready for, and as well as Scottsdale next February"

Alex widened her eyes as she seen they were entered in about 10 shows per month, and the first few were arriving fast!

"Now, the girls also have a tutor everyday who lives on-site with us, Megan, so you two will have to discuss they plans for the girls when you each have them" she stopped to let Alex look over the documents a bit before continuing "any questions?"

Alex looked up for a moment and thought "No, I do not have any, I believe you answered them all for the moment" she chuckled.

"Very well, now, we have 2 onsite chefs, Marco, and Louis who are in the kitchen at the moment, Rami, the butler and doorman, Geraldine who is my assistent, and quite a few other staff members around, so make yourself feel at home if you can, the girls are in school and will be out in 4 hours, in the meantime, why don't you check the place out, the stables, and the people while I take this business call" she gestured to the phone where she picked it up.

Alex walked out as she started talking and a woman took her place, closing the door behind her. Alex stood there for a moment and looked down both ends of the hall, wondering where to go next. She headed back towards the doors and then turned left at the end, finally finding the kitchetn where a black man and another colred man were whistling to an imaginary tune while they bustled aroaund the kitchen.

Alex smiled at them, they seemed way more comfortalbe to talk to. The largers man noticed her first "Ahh, you must be our horsey gal Miss Alexandra, I am Marco, and this is my sous chef Louis, anything for you for your first day, we are all yours"

"Woo hoo, oh my, never had is this good at home" she laughed as she hopped up on a bar stool in front of them.

"Well honey, enjoy it" Louis said in an accent Alex didnt know.

"Oh I will, but you don't have to make me anything, thats okay" she said to them. They both looked at her as if she were crazy.

"Alright sugar, we are chefs, we make food, when we have nothing to make, we grown bored" Marco said in a joking-sort-of way.

"Howabout the new recipe you've been trying out, I bet she'll like it" a voice said from behind her. Alex turned around to see a really cute guy had walked in the kitchen and sat down next to her, poutring a glass of orange juice from the picher.

"And what would that be?" Alex played along.

"Well, you're Canadian right?" the nameless man asked, she nodded "I heard Canadians love french fries with gravy and mozzerella cheese all mixed up, something called-"

"Poutine" Alex laughed out loud "oh my gosh yes, its amazing" she saw they got to work with potatoes and gravy "thank you guys"

"That what we're here for babe" Marco said as he started peeling potatoes. Alex turned towards the man who passed her a glass of orange juice "and thank you" she said, drinking some.

"No problem, Will Davis" he extended his hand and she shook.

"Alex Bergeron" she told him, "thanks you for the request, but how did you know that about us Canadians?"

"I've been there a few times, and always seen poutine on the menu until i asked what it was, sounds kinda gross actually" he wrinkled his nose really funny.

"Oh you gotta try it, its amazing" she smiled. "So, this house, its freakin' big"

Will nodded "for sure, its great to play hide and seek in it, we should ahve a game sometime, we'll maybe even ask if Marco and Louis want to play, if they do a good job on your poutine" he joked at them.

"No no sir William, the only kind of games i play, are mind games" Alex and Will both chukleed at Marco as he grated a large slab of mozzerella cheese on a cutting board "Okay, this will be done for you two in about an hour, now why don't you two head out, Will, why not show our new horse girl the stables?"

"For sure, lets go" he said, hopping off the tall stool. Alex followed him out the door "So, you're the riding coach for the twins huh, hopefully you got patience" he joked as they turned down a hall she hadn't gone down.

"Uh oh, what's that supposed to mean?" Alex chuckled "I dont always have patience, but something tells me i'm going to have to make some, or be good at hiding my emotions around here"

"Not always, but the girls will sense any kind of fault and pick at you for it, but i think you're pretty much in the clear, since it was their idea to get a coach" he pointed out. They walked through another set of large doors that led outdoors and down stairs through a little path in a garden.

"Ahh i see, so, no need to pry or anything, but what is your job around here?" Alex asked carefully.

Will smiled "I see to the new guests-slash-employees, and show them around, and i am also the official taste-tester of Marco's famous dishes" he said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice that told Alex he was joking.

"Bullcrap you do all that" Alex laughed. Will laughed as well and shook his head.

"No, i'm the neighbour, if you want to put it that way, even though my house is like a 2 minute drive down the road, i'm always around here" he told her. The garden path stopped, coming on grass where Alex saw a large open shedrow--type barn. It had 15 stalls, and a few rings, indoor, and outdoor. Alex couldnt see beyond the barn where she figured the pastures were, but the barn was imaculate.

"I don't hang around the barn a whole lot, but Mia here is the girl to show you around" Will gestured to a girl who was leading a large thoroughbred-type cross into a stall. As soon as she heard them, she came out of the stall, hanging the halter and lead on the door and made her way towards them.

"Hey, you must be the girls' new coach, Alexandra?" she asked.

"Yes, call my Alex, too much of a mouthful the other way" she laughed as she shook her hand.

"Alright Alex, i'm Mia, the stable manager here, if you got any questions, ask me, i'll give you a full tour tommorow morning, i have to get the barn cleaned up before some clients come to look at a horse, but i will show you your horse you will be using, and the girls' horses, to get an idea about them"

"Awesome, thanks" Alex said as she and Will followed Mia towards the barn. She stopped at the 8th stall where a large buckskin colored mustang looking horse looked at her.

"This is Pandora, she is a 15.2 Mustang/Quarter Horse mare, and is an amazing western pleasure horse, as well as cross country, which we have a course already set up newly" she told her, only stopping for a few seconds to let Alex and Will pet her before moving on.

"And these two are the girls' horses, Silver and Gold, both purebred Arab's" she pointed to the two stalls where only one horse with a finely chisled head of a golden chestnut mare was looking out "sorry i gotta run, but like i said, come down tommorow morning and i will give you a proper tour, you're free to look around yourself" and with that, she left down the aisle around the corner.

"Pretty horses, lets hope the girls have the patience as well to ride you huh?" Alex said as the chestnut mare was leaning aginst her. Gold, was her name.

"Yea, i have seen them ride once, not very pretty, but i don't ride myself, so i wouldnt really know what was pretty or not" Will chuckled as he pet Gold as well.

"If you think it wasnt pretty, it probably wasnt" Alex laughed. The other mare was now out, Silver, who was just that, a silver-dapple grey horse. Their names suited them perfectly. "Well, show me around more, i'll come down here tommorow and look around myself"

"Alright then, lets head up to your place, have you seen it yet?" he asked her as she turned arway from the horses sadly, wanting to stay to know all of them, but she could tell Will wasn't the horsey-type.

"I have not, kinda excited, by what the house looks like, i'm scared to see my new home" she laughed.

"Yea, it's pretty nice, its big" he agreed as they headed up another path around the house. Even the flowers in the gardens were bigger than her mothers garden back home. "So, you're from Canada, what part?" Will asked her.

"Nova Scotia, it's eastern, small" Alex gestured with her hands. "I just left my mom and family back home with some snow to get rid of, so i'm happy" she laughed.

"Snow? In May?" Will exclaimed.

"Yea, very uncommon, but not surprising" Alex nodded. "That's all we'll get though most likely, very depressing though" she laughed.

They walked up a path to a double set of doors that Will opened for her and stood back "there you go, take a look" he gestured. Alex walked in with her mouth wide open, which she shut before Will saw.

"Holy shit!" Will cracked up about that.

"Yea, that nice?" he asked her dumbly.

"Well duh, my friggin apartment could fit in the kitchen!" she laughed as she saw the kitchen that was bigger than her mothers kitchen, she couldnt believe this was where she was living, rent free! The marble countertops were gorgeous against the red oak cabnets, and the black slate floor matched as well. There was a matching island, with a large bowl of fruit on it, which Alex took an apple and bit into it.

"Very nice, going to take some getting used to, but I think i might be able to settle in" she laughed. Will showed her the bedrooms and bathrooms, she had 2 of each, whatever for, she didnt know.

"So, i think we should get back to Marco and Louis' new Canadian dish huh?" Will asked her as he went over to another set of double doors that led out onto the driveway.

"For sure, lets see how they did" Alex smiled and followed him out, across the driveway, and back into the main house. They made their way to the kitchen. The two guys were no where to be seen, but 2 bowls awith lids on them were placd in front of the stools they were earlier sitting on, as well as two glasses of wine.

"Mmm, poutine and wine, at 2 in the afternoon, awesome!" Alex laughed.

"Yea, lets just hope i like this stuff" Will said, sitting down and watching Alex pull the lid off her's first. He stared at it for a moment. Alex looked at him and laughed.

"Try it, it really is good, do you like fries, cheese and gravey?" she asked him.

He pulled the lid off his "I do, but it's the combination im worried about" he turned and watched as Alex filled her fork with a few chips covered in gravy with cheese dripping off.

"Oh yummy, they're good at cooking" Alex said with her mouth a bit full. "Your turn" she turned to Will and gestured to the spoon.

"Alright, here goes nothing" he said as he picked a few fries up and amde sure it had everything on it before putting it in his mouth. Alex watched his face as he chewed, and was relieved to see him nod his head and pick more up "Yea, that is pretty good actually"

"Told you so" Alex laughed and they both chowed down. After a few bites, she had a sip of wine "good wine too, im not an alcohol person, but its good"

"Yea, they import some good stuff here" Will said as he he, too had a sip. So, when do you start teaching the girls?" Will asked.

"Not quite sure, have to look over this paper" she said as she pulled a piece of papaer out her back pocket "Laurel said that I have to talk with the girls' tutor Megan, i think her name was?" she looked at the paper.

"Yea, Megan, she's actually coming back tonight, she was away seeing family" Will told her "she's coming to the 'ball' as you can put it, a large event that happens every year, and you should come" Will said.

"Uhmm, a ball?" Alex asked "I got nothing to wear, I got no clue in that department"

Will laughed "Alex, you live in a house of people that are paid to do just that for you, but anyway, let me know, here's my number" he passed her a piece of paper "I gotta run, we gotta get Marco and Louis to make us poutine again though, that was good" he scraped at the remains on the bottom and downed his wine as he stood up.

"See you later, like i said, give me a call to tell me when i should pick you up" Will gave a wave to her as he exited, not giving her a chance to say she didnt know if she could go. She ate the last of her poutine and drank her wine.

Just then, two girls came in, Alex knew who they were, Rose and Sage. They turned to her.

"Oh ym goodness, you must be our coach, I'm Rose, and this is Sage" the smaller one said coming up to shake her hand. Sage did as well, just not as exuberantly.

"Yes I am, I'm Alex" she smiled, shaking her hand.

"I'm so excited that you came, I saw video's of you on youtube of you riding, and we're really excited, aren't we Sage?" she turned to her sister.

"Yea, we are" Alex could tell she didn't care, this must have been what Will was talking about, although Rose seemed great "anyway, we gotta get ready for the gala, are you coming?" Sage asked over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Yea" Rose said "are you coming too?" she asked Alex.

"Uhm, i think, Will just invited me, but i have nothing to wear" Alex laughed hopelessly.

"Oh my goodness, come with us, we'll give you something" Rose grabbed her hand and pulled her off the chair.

"Wait, my dishes, let me just put them in the sink" Alex stopped herself from being pulled and turned back to the dishes.

"You will do no such thing" a voice said from around the corner, Marco walked in "and, you have an appointment with my boyfriend at his hair salon in 15 minutes, and to get a dress as well, so i suggest you get your cute butt dressed and come back in here in 5 minutes flat, or i will leave without you" Marco said it all in a breath and grabbed the dishes to put in the dishwasher.

Alex shrugged at Rose and headed out the doors, across the driveway, and into her house.

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15 minutes later, she was plopped into a salon chair in front of a mirror, looking through her wet hair that was tossed in front of her eyes. Marco was standing with a man, his boyfriend? she presumed, talking about something?

"Well my dear" she heard the boyfriend say, finally pulling the hair out of her eyes "how about just a plain half pony tail up-do? im seeing some shine and sparkle, straight, wispy hair?

"Sounds great" Alex smiled, but was starting to get worried aobut it now, her hair fell out easily and she didnt want them to get grossed out by it, she was hoping that it wasn't the day of coming here that this had to happen, but nonetheless, she let it go and hid her emotios about it.

"Not with the hairspray that i'm gonna put in it, why?" he stopped with his comb that he started to pull through her hair.

"Nothing, its just im not so good with keeping the hair looking good, byt the end of the night, i usually have hair sticking out every which way" Alex laughed. She heard Marco laugh from the chair he was sitting in a few feet away.

"No, it should'nt do that, but what are you doing to cause your hair to do such a hideous thing?" he smirked at her and she laughed.

"Nothing at all" she joked along.

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Her hair was all done now, in its half pony tail, shiny, with a tiny bit of glitter barely noticeable except a few sparkles in the light. Alex loved it.

"Thank you so much" she hugged him as she stood up from the chair.

"No problem dear, no messing around with anyone tonight to mess that hair up, its your number one priority" he pointed his scissors at her jokingly.

"Promise" she said with her fingers in the air as a scouts' honor thing.

"Alrighty then, lets get to makeup darlin'" Marco started to wisk her away "see you tonight honey" he said to his boyfriend, Alex smiled at them, it was great to see such an open relationship like that.

Marco shoved her out the door right into the limo that was there waiting for them to take them down the street to the makeup salon.

"So, did young William ask you to be his date?" Marco asked her, moving a piece of hair that fewll out of place. Alex felt weird with her hair all done up, not really her thing, except the random night out, or the prom a few years back.

"He did, i think?" she chuckled "i jsut gotta call him to let him know and he said he'd pick me up"

"Ahh, that boy is a darlin' of a man, and not too bad on the eyes huh?" he winked at her.

"Ohh he is a looker for sure, there's not denying that" Alex laughed, as did Marco. A few minutes later, they were at the beauty salon, Alex had never been to one, and again, she was excited, wondering what she would look like after getting pampered by all these celebrity people.

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"Why are you doing this Alex?" Alex asked herself outloud as she looked at herself in the mirror. She had a floor-length aqua-green halter wrap dress on. It was matched with a pair of silver flatts she had, not having any heels, but they looked okay. Also, she had a pretty white seashell on a silver chain for her necklace that she had got back home a few years back. And a pair of plain silver dangly earrings.

She had never felt more uncomfortable in her whole life. She hated the feling of a dress, a skirt, anything like that. Too naked for her.

"Just friggin do it" she said as she grabbed her phone off the wall and dialled Will's number he had given her. She closed her eyes and almost willed him to not pick up, no such luck.

"Hello" he said cheerily on the second ring.

"Hey Will, it's Alex"

"Hey, so you decided to go, huh?" he asked her.

"How did you know?" she asked him, baffled.

"Ohh i know everything, and im sitting next to Marco in the kitchen" he chuckled.

"Ahh, okay, i'll be right over" she said and said bye, hanging up the phone. She checked herself in the mirror once more, re-applied a bit of lip gloss, fiddled with her hair, and stepped out of the house.

"Alex!" she heard someone calling her. She turned her head all around "up here!" she looked up to see Rose on her balcony waving down at her, she had her dress and everything on already "you look so pretty!"

"Thanks, so do you" she called back and waved bye as she proceeded into the house. She walked down the hallway and was about to turn into the kitchen when she heard her name being said in there.

"She seems like a real sweetheart" Marco said "she was so great today, all excited. I don't think she's ever done something like this before"

"Yea?" Will asked "I'll have to show her more of Florida then, she gets so excited by some things it's like she's been living in a shoebox her life" he joked.

"How much of Florida are you gonna show her Will, you gonna show her the real scenery, or 'your' scenery" Louis laughed and Alex heard them all chuckling. She waited until it was silent and counted to 10 before letting herself walk in.

Marco and Louis looked up from the counter where they were preparing something. Louis whistled.

Alex saw Will sitting at the stool and he stood up as he seen her.

"Wow, damn" Will laughed "You look amazing" he said.

"Thanks, so do you" Alex gestured to his plain black tux and white shirt. He really did look great.

"Now you two better get going, the girls just left i believe and. . ."Marco started before he looked down below Alex.

"What, whats wrong?" Alex asked cautiously, looking down at her dress, praying nothing got on it already.

"Nothing, just those" he gestured to her flats.

"What the hells' wrong with my shoes?" she asked. Will chuckled.

"Just that, you called them shoes, you need heels my dear" he walked around the counter and walked off, leaving her standing with the guys.

"Damn, thought i could get away with these" Alex said as she sat down next to Will at the island "just so you know, you'll probably have to catch me a few times if im walking in heels" she chuckled.

"Yea?" Will asked "well, you probably will get chewed out and spit on for wearing anytihng without a heel" he laughed. Marco came around the corner with 3 pairs of shoes.

"These are Rose's shoes, take them things off sweetheart" Marco said as he deposited the shoes on the counter and grabbed a silver pair with 3 thin straps across the foot, and one behind, and were full of clear gems, with tiny green and blue gems embeded in between them, it would fit her dress perfetly.

"Alright, foot up" he said and put the shoe on her foot "perfect" he said after he did it up and put the other one on, "Now, letes see how you walk my dear"

Alex was scared to get off the chair, but nonetheless, got off and stood up 3 inches taller to a mere 5'7" now. She took a few steps, and finally got into the rythm of walking around that Marco gave a small clap.

"You are now ready, now shoo shoo you two" he waved his hands at both of them "have a great time, and Will, don't bring her home too late"

"Yes sir" Will said, getting off the stool and holding his hand out to Alex who was holding onto the chair to make sure she could stand straight without rolling her ankle "Ready to walk?"

"Let's do it, see you guys, thanks for everything Marco" she said over her shoulder.

"No problem dear, and you look fabulous, don't worry about how you look" he said. Alex was gonna ask him how he knew she wasnt at all comfortable but he walked off.

Alex followed Will out the door and down the stairs onto the driveway towards his car, it was a truck?

"You owen a truck here, and you talk about me being chewed at for wearing flats?" Alex laughed as Will opened the door for her and she got in the large Chevy Silverado. It was silver in color, and had rich, black leather interior. It was great.

"Yea, I don't mind too much, and I tell them to buzz off when anyone says anything about it" he joked as he shut her door and jogged around the other side to get in "but most people do like it"

"Yea, i can see why, it's a great truck, mine back at home sucked" Alex laughed as she felt the leather and looked at the gadets in the console.

"You have a truck?" Will asked as he pulled out of the driveway down the small road.

"Yea, i sold it though, it was a 79 chevy, red, worked like crap, but got me around" she laughed "but im a jeep person more i think"

"Yea, i heard Laurel got you a wrangler to use?" he asked as he went through the gate at the entrance of the small gated community. The man at the gate gave him a nod before opening the gate and Will drove through.

"Yea, i still havent seen it yet, i think its parked in the garage at the moment, need to see how well it is in 4-wheel drive, know any places?"

"I don't know of any close, but there are a few places a distance away, we should take a trip one day and i can show you" he told her.

"Yea for sure, sounds great" she agreed.

10 minutes later, they were coming up to a large mansion-like house near the water that Alex had seen from 5 miles away, the lights from it had lit up a large area above it, making it look like they were runway lights, there was so many.

There was limo's and nice SUV's pulling into the large semi-circle in front of the large house? mansion? whatever it was, there was bellhops greeting, and taking cars to parking spots.

Will followed the line and stopped as two bellhops opened both doors to greet everyone.

Alex smiled at the guy who opened the door and gave a slight bow before hutting it. Will came around the truck after giving the guy his keys and put his arm out for Alex to take.

"Wow, a little much here" Alex chuckled, feeling a little nauseated almost, hoping she would be able to stay the whole night without worry about leaving for some meds she left back at the house, not bothering to bring a clutch or anything.

Stupid. She thought. Stupid that she didn't bring her meds, wishing she had, and now it was too late. She couldt ask Will to take her back now and get meds, no one even knew she was taking meds, even Laurel, who had it on the papers she had to fill out before taking this job.

That was one thing she regretted because she knew it would soon come back to bite her in the ass.

Will gave a chuckle and squeezed her arm as he led her up the stairs, watcihng her walk, making sure she didn't trip "You alright?" he asked her as he stopped "you look a little off"

"What, no i'm good" Alex forced a smile, which looked a little too fake, but it was enought to make Will think she was fine "just, i have never been to sometihng like this before, and i feel like i'm gonna make a complete fool outta myself by falling and breaking my nose or something"

Will laughed quite loud after that and shook his head "hang onto me, and you want fall, i promise"

His reassurance made her feel bold and she started walking, Will took that as a cue to keep going, and they entered the large doorway into a giant ballroom full of every color of dress imaginable.

There wasn't really dancing going on, as much as there was conversing between people.

As Will pulled her through thr throngs of people towards the other end, Alex heard some conversations like 'Million dollar yacht' and 'Homes in Tahiti' and 2008 cars as 'secondhand'

Alex just put her head down a bit more as she walked and ignored the stares from some people, who obviously knew Will, so knew how many girls he's had and who he's been with, but now there was the 'new one'

Will stopped as soon as he got to the other side, where there was a large balcony and not quite as many people, but there were lots of tables and chairs, where he pulled her towards one with 6 chairs, but was empty. He pulled a chair out for her and positioned her to sit, while he pulled up another beside her.

"Just thought you'd wanna get used to it first before you start meeting people" he joked as he watched her color come back into her face. "You don't seme like the type who knows what to do in a place like this" he said, watching as she looked around, fidgeting with her ring on her right hand, and playing with the dress a bit.

"I'm sorry, I really am not, I feel like an idiot kinda" she said, looking at a group who were not worried about being caught by her as they stared, but Alex saw Will turn his head towards them and they all turned around, going back to their conversations of what Palm Beach millionnaires talk about.

The funny thing was, Alex didn't know how Will was so popular here. Was he a millionnaire that lived here? She relaly believed that was a possibility, why not? He lived jsut down the road from Laurel, and in a gated community of millionnaires, billionnaires, and probably triollionnaires.

But he seemed too friggin nice to be a millionnaire. Alex snuck a glance at him and he was jsut smiling around him, saying hi to passerby's and he got a waiter to come over and ordered some drinks.

"What would you like?" he asked her, as the waiter stood waiting as well.

"Uhmm, nothing for me right now, i'll get sometihng a little mroe into it" Alex smiled. Will was gonna say something, but then told the waiter that he didn't want anything as well.

"What? No, get something Will" Alex sid, putting her hand on his arm that was next to her "I'm jsut not thirsty right now, i will be in a bit"

"Alright, so will i" he smiled, then laughed when Alex gave him a look and sat back in her chair more.

"No offense, but, what do you do at one of these things?" Alex asked, looking around at everyone. It was like highschool and all the cliques. But instead of having the popular's, the geeks, the jocks, and so on. It was all 'The Populars' and 'The Riches'

"Pretty much whats you see, talking, no dancing really" he told her "I'm not a huge fan of these either, but i'm usually expected to come"

Before Alex could ask him why, he smiled at a group of people coming towards them. Alex recognized Rose and Sage, as well as Marco, Laurel, and who she presumed to be Megan.

"Hello you two, I see you got here safe and sound" Laurel said as she was hanging onto Marco's arm "Alexandra, you look beautiful"

"Thank you Laurel, i must say, you look gorgeous yourself" Alex said. Even though gorgeous was an understatement, Laureal thanked her. She was wearing a floor length burgandy silk looking dress, an amazing neckline, and jewelry that would probably buy her tuition into school.

Laurel and Marco said their goodbyes, but not before Alex seen Marco giving her a sideways glance as she was fidgeting with her ring-she did that when she was nervous. Alex just gave him the best smile she could, and he just nodded at her.

A nod? what was that for? But she didn't have time to think about it because a girl with reddish-orange beautiful hair that was cascading down her back and who had a beautiful yellow strapless dress on came up and extended her hand towards her.

"I'm Megan" she said warmly, shaking her hand nicely "you must be the girls new riding itnstructor?"

"That's me, nice to meet you" Alex smiled at her, liking her already.

"Same, we gotta chat a bit for sure, finally someone i can chat with while the girls are at school besides the two cooky chefs" she laughed, as did Alex. Rose and Sage exited, Rose gave a wave to Alex, but Sage didn't bother.

She's gonna be fun.

"Of course, it will be nice" Alex said. Megan sat down beside Alex just as Will stood up.

"I'm gonna go see some buddies i saw when walking in, that alright with you guys?" he put a hand on Alex's arm and looked at her, then at Megan.

"Yea for sure, go ahead" Megan beat Alex to it, Alex was still felling not 100%, and she kinda had the hotts for Will, so when he did that arm touching thing, mixing that with her nauseated head, it was kinda like on cloud nine with a headache ha.

As soon as he walked back inside, Alex turned to Megan, who was giving her a huge smile.

"So, you and Mr William Davis?" she joked. "He is pretty cute huh?"

Alex laughed, confirming it, so Megan chucjled along as well "yea he is a cutie for sure"

"Yea, so what do you think, could you date a millionnaire?" that confirmed it, he was a millionnaire. Alex was surprised, but at the same time, she seen ti coming, so she made it seem like she knew.

"I jsut met ihm today, I don't know" Alex told her, playing with hre ring under the table again. She wanted some water "is there a waiter around her, i think i want a glass of water"

Megan seemed to see her a bit flustered, although she didn't know whether it was what they were tlaking about, or something else. But she stood up and told her to wait, and headed off to retrieve some water.

While she was gone, she started out over the balcony ledge to the big expanse of water in front of her. It was truly amazing, the moon was starting to come out of the water, casting its beautiful white glow across it, lighting up some silhouetted boats in its path.

Alex justmped when she felt a hand on her arm, and turned to see Marc by himself standing there.

"Sorry about scaring you" he gave her a smile.

"No thats alright, i was kinda out of it there for a moment" she laughed nervously, knowing he was the only one to see her discomfort all day.

"How are you holding up here, you don't seem 100 percent perfect about this" he sat down next to her in Megan's vacant chair. She wished Megan was back now, because talking to Marco about this, along with people around her chatting about such wirhtless stuff, like designer handbags made of ostrich skin made her want to vomit.

"I'm alright, never been to something like this before, kinda overwhelming" she chuckled nervously. But it didn't hide the fact that she was nervous. Marco didn't smile back.

"If you want to go back, I am sure Will will be okay with that, and If he cannot, i will take you back presonally" Marco told her. Megan just showed up with a bottle of Aquafina and Marco took it from her, opening it up and pouring it into the glass she brought as well, offering it to her "here, take some water"

Megan came around to Alex's front, looking at both of them "what wrong Alex, you felling okay?"

"Yea, its nothing guys, don't worry about it" she tried to pass it off with a laugh, and drank the whole contents of water but refeilled it again and downing that, earning nervous stares from Marco and Megan.

"Alex, i'm going to take you back whether you like it or not, even if you don't see it, i see that this is overwhelming for you, you don't look too good" Marco stood up, offering his arm to her.

"Nonsense, i am not going to ruin this for any of you" Alex stodd up shakily, Marco and Megan both put their arms out to her. Will was just coming out of the building and seen Alex standing with Marco and Megan, staring worriedly at her with both their arms out rteady to catch her as if she were about to fall.

He broke into a slight jog to reach them, just in time to here Marco saying "come on Alexandra, lets go, i'm taking you back"

"Whats going on, Alex, are you okay?" he asked as he came around to look at her in the face. He was shokcked at how white her face was "Alex lets go, i'll take her back Marco, but can you guys help me bring her out?"

"No Will, i'm not leaving, i want to stay for this, i have never been to anything like this before, and i don't want to ruin it for you!" Alex started to get defensive and angry, she knew she didn't feel well, but she was getting pissed that they didn't see how much it hurt her that she didn't want to leave.

"Alex, you're face is ghost white, sory to say this, but you look terrible" Megan said "even your makeup doesnt cover that fact that you look like a ghost, even you're, oh my gosh" she started down at Alex's arms.

Marco and Will stared as well, both gasping when her arms were also practically white. Alex shut her eyes, trying to block out the noises of people talking around her, it seemed like everyone was getting closer, tlaking about the meaningless conversations in her ears just to piss her off.

"I'm going to tell Laurel, and we should get her to a hospital" Marco said, and got up and hurried off. Alex wanted to open her mouth to protest when all she wanted to do was jsut collapse there, her body was taking over, she felt as if she couldn't hold on anymore, her muscles were betraying her.

'No not now, why now, why in front of everyone, i don't want anyone to know' she thought to herself, but no such avail. Her body was working against her and slowly, she lost her balance and started to fall, but she could feel two arms grab her and could feel the soft material of Will's tux against her face as her head was lost in all muscle and leaned towards his arm.

She heard people stop tlaking about their stupid conversations, and heard feet running, and people shouting about 'the girl' and 'she collapsed' before she finally fell into a deep sleep where no one could both her again.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

WILL

Will said bye to the girls before heading bakc inside to tlka with some buddies he seen coming in with Alex. He couldn't shake it from his mind that she wasn't feeling too well, he decided that once he said hi to his friends, he would offer to take her back if she wanted. Right now he would let her talk with Megan.

Reaching his pals, he shook all their hands, gave a couple hugs and slapping back hugs to them and started chattin.

"Who's that gorgeous girl you brought in with you?" One of his friends, Steven asked "we never seen you around with her"

"She's Laurel's granddaughters equestrian coach" he said, smiling when he thought of her again, how was so crushing on her and he knew it "just came today actually"

"So, you claiming her or what?" another buddy said, Mark. Will gave a chuckle, bu hated how his friends always thought of girls like that, like they were just an arm toy, the more beautiful, the bigger pricetag sorta thing.

"No man, stay away, she just got here, let her breath first" he joked. His friends laughed as well, before starting in on small talk about their busniess's and stock, and boats, and cars, and girls, and anything money. Will nodded and smiled along, but didn't add anytihng about his cars and stocks, he never liked to tlak about stuff like that.

He just kept thinking back to Alex, and how he hsould og see how she was doing, knowing she didn't really want to be here. He apologized to his friends, and gave them all slaps and hugs before heading off back towards the balcony.

He passed the wlal of people standing just inside the building and looked over at where Alex and Megan were. Marco was now with them. But he got worried when he seen Marco and Megan almost try to catch her as she stood up. She looked like she was going to fall over. And she hadn't even been drinking.

Will jogged the 20 feet back over to them to ask what was wrong. He looked at her face to see that she was pale as a ghost. Megan made a remark and gasped as she looked at her arms. Will and Marco both looked and seen they were as white as her face. Will looked bakc up and seen that after a small rant about not leaving, she had her eyes closed.

Megan's eyes were locked on Alex's face, but Marco gave Will a look and said he was going to tell Laurel they were taking her to the hospital, and jogged off inside the building. Not 3 secodns later, Alex just collapsed.

Will jumped and grabbed her, his arms going under her arms and locking around her as she leaned against him. He could feel her legs give out and he slowly set her down on the tiled floor of the balcony. People stopped talking and rushed over.

Megan told them to stay back and they did. Will pulled her hair out of her face and looked at her. He could see she was still breathing. That was a good sign.

A waiter rushed up beside Will.

"An ambulance has been called" he told him. Will nodded thanks and never took his eyes os Alex's face. She was so white, it was scary.

"What happened?" he asked Megan quickly as he kept checking to make sure she was breathing.

"I don't know, Marco was tlaking to her when i came p with the water, saying she didn't look good, she downed the whole bottle of water and then you came" Megan looked as if she were about to cry.

Marco, Laurel and the girls all rushed up through the crowd. Marco knealt down next to Will and listened to here her heart and chest. Laurel and the girls were astonished and scared for Alex, standing just off to the side.

2 seconds later, sirens broke through the very silent night. Barely anyone was tlaking now, a complete contrast from before. There was no music on anymore and all you could here was the waves crashing against the rock below the balcony, and Will and Marco murmuring to each other and Alex.

Just then, two paramedics rushed through. The crowd opened up to let them come in the a large medical bag and guerny. Will only moved slightly out of the way while Marco stood up and a paramedic took his spot while the other one opened the bag and got a neck brace.

They jsut asked question afyter question to Megan, Will, and Marco, who all answered them quickly and efficiantly. The neck brace was put on, and the one paramedic besise her kept checking her breathing, but it was steady, so he didn't put any mask on her.

He deemed her as unconscious


	2. Chapter 2

Hope you guys like the second chapter-give me some idea's if you want. I know there arren't very many stories on here for privileged, and that the series is over, but oh well, we can have our own fun right?

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

No one was allowed to ride in the ambulance with Alex. Will was pissed at that, but he, Marco, Magan, and Charlie all rode in his truck towards the hospital. The ambulance was far ahead of them by now.

Laurel had stayed with the girls to keep the aprty going, they were going to come by in the morning, unless anything else happened. Will thought it was amazing how someone could be so cold to their emplyee the very first day, he couldnt believe it.

But Marco jsut reassured him that it was her duty to stay behind, being one of the few that hosted the event every year and put alot of money into it. Will jsut shut his mouth, knowing he wasn't going to win.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, anyone for answers. Everyone was still shaking their heads no that they didnt know anything. "She didnt seem that great coming in, but she jsut told me she couldnt walk in heels and that she was nervous about being in a room full of people like that"

"I'm not sure Will, but she was breathing and alive when the ambulance got to her, so thats a good sign" Marco had jsut called Louis 5 minutes ago to get to the house, summon Rami, and tell him to send the folder of Alex's personal things that Laurel had in case of emergencies, to the hospital.

"Yea, thats true" he sighed as he had to stop at yet another red light. As soon as he got the green, it was only 30 meters away where the turn in for the hospital was. The ambulance was already in the drive in area where they couldnt see it.

As soon as he parked, they all got out before the engine was turned off. Charlie and Megan followed Marco and Will at the fast pace they set into the main entrance of the hospital. Lousi was there already, how the hell? Will thought, but didn't bother to ask, happy he was there with her documentations.

Louis passed Marco the folder as he went up to the front desk with it, pulling out a copied health card in a pocket and handing it to the front desk, then talking to her about it. Will couldnt hear him, so he walked up to know everything.

"...she jsut came in not 2 minutes ago in an ambulance, we would like to know where she went and if we can go see her" Marco told the lady, who was typing thing into the computer off of Alex's health card. She also took a document saying she had full health here under Laurel Limoge, so it was taken care of.

"Miss Alexandra was just admitted i believe, although no name has come up, there was only one ambulance in the past half hour, and it came in about 45 secodns ago" the woman typed and stared at her ocmputer.

"That would be her" Marco said.

"I can let you go to the ICU waiting room, and from there they can give you information on the whereabouts of her at this time, im sure she will not be able to see anyone for a little while until she's set up in a room" the woman directed them which way to go, and they all walked the halls, entered the elevator, climbed some stairs and turned a corner, facing a glass wall with doors that had Intensive Care Unit written on them.

Will walked in first, followed by the next 4. He walked up to the receptionist and she immediately told them what happened.

"You're here to see Miss Alexandra i presume" she ntoed in their dress clothes.

"Yes that is correct" Marco said.

"She was just administered to an operation room" she started, and everyone started freaking "but, for non life threatening injuries, they don;'t know whats going on, and she's still unconscoious, but, i was told you have her documents of information?"

"Yes, right here" Marco passed the folder over. Will noted that it was huge, he wondered why.

She indicated a row of chairs a few feet away. Everyone took a seat and waited patiently while the nurse was talking with someone on the phone. It was so quiet that lat at night in the ICU that they could hear her tlaking on the phone perfectly. A female doctor came in and she passed it off to her.

"Hello, this is Karen from the ICU unit in Miami General Hospital, in Florida, i believe i have an old patient of yours by the name of Alexandra Bergeron" she said and waited a few moments, looking through the folders and papers,.

She ndoded "yes, she was admitted here just 5 minutes ago, collapsed under severe dehydration we believe, although not too much information was known as to anymore, but she seemed to be a pale white and severly dehydrated, and i see here a list of complicatios in the past, and one major item" she said, knowing that she wasn't going to say it over the phone while everyone was listening.

"Yes, thats right, she is currently unconscious" the doctor seemed to finally realize that the audience in the chairs were listening and she ended up quitting the call, only to pick up another call. Aparantly from the operating room.

"Okay, she's awake" she said loudly, and turned to everyone sitting there, they all exhaled deeply, very happy. She talked for a second longer and hung up, walking out from behind the desk and over to everyone.

"She has asked to see me right now, i will head in a talk to her and then see if she wants everyone to come see her, i will be back in a few minutes" she indicated before heading off down the aisle, past some double doors and out of site.

"Thank god she's awake" Marco said immediately.

"Yea thats really good news, i wodner what heppened?" Megan wondered aloud. Will nodded his head, wondering what she was tlaking about on the phone, 'one major item' he remembered her saying, then stopped talking, knowing they were listening.

What was it that she didnt want them to know before she talked with Alex?

A few minutes passed by in silence before the doctor came back, trying to compose herself a bit, and suceeding, but not before Will could sense she wasn't happy about talking to them, he wondered what happened, had she collapsed again?

"Alexandra is doing fine" she started, everoyne was relieve once again, why was Will the only one who felt nervous? "and she wanted me to tell you before she went in, it was all nerves, and dehydration, not a well mixture, can cause the body to go into shock, especially here in Florida, she said she's never been anywhere so hot and humid before"

"Make sure that girl has got a water bottle on her at all times" Charlie joked lightly, easing the tension in the air, but Will still wasn't convinced. He looked over at everyone, they all looked happy, except Marco, he looked jsut as upset as Will did, maybe he sensed it too?

Marco looked over at Will as he sene him looking at everyone, he gave him a smile and stood up, as did everyone else. Will just realized they were allowed to go see her now.

They all followed the doctor down the hallway, through a set od double doors, and then into the first room on the left.

It was a large room, single room. Only Alex's bed was there, with a tv on, but muted on the ceiling. Alex turned to see them as they came in. Will noticed she had an iv drip attacjhed to her wrist. Probably to replensih her lost, or lack of, fluids.

"I am so sorry that i ruined the night for you, i can't believe i did, can you guys forgive me?" Alex laughed nervously, so scared that they would see through everything, that they knew it wasn't just dehydration and nerves.

Megan was the one who stepped forward towards the bed. "Alex, you're crazy, that's nonsense" she said.

Will came up as well "yea, i didn't even want to be there really, so thanks for bailing us out" he gave a smile to even the nerves he had built inside of him, seeing how white she still was. It was really scary seeing ehr like this, he never even knew her, but it was still upsetting seeing someone-anyone in this state.

But it easesd him when she smiled huge, that awesome smile that was almost too big for her face. He realized Megan was making her smile at something she was saying that he hadn't heard. At the same time, the doctor who had brought them in, had come back and told them they could come back tommorow and get her, but it was almost 1 in the morning and she should get some sleep.

"As should all of you" she gestured to everyone still in their tuxes and dresses. She fiddled with the bannana bag IV before telling them they ahd 5 minutes to say goodbye.

"Alex, are you good, cause i must let Laurel know" Marco placed a hand on her leg, which was covered by a blanket. Everyone was watching her itnently. It was amazing how generous these people were to her, she almost thought no one would show up after tonight, jsut getting her in the morning.

"I'm great Marco, you heard the doc, jsut some dehydration, i've got a travel water bottle i will keep with me at all times until i get used to the humidity and heat here" she joked with him, trying desperately to make them believe that was it. Marco nodded his head, but she couldn't shake it from her mind that he knew there was something else wrong, that she wasn't saying.

"Alright boy's and girls" Marco said, straightening up after patting her leg and giving her a brief look after she told him that, and turned to usher everyone out. Will walked up to the end of the bed, looking down at her.

She smiled at him as best as she could, which was pretty good, cause damn, he was hot! She almost chuckled as she thought of him like that.

"So did you want me to come and get you then?" he laughed "cause i was supposed to be the date for the evening, and i didn't get to take you back home yet"

Alex laughed. Everyone had already said a small bye and wave before exiting, leaving them to say bye. "Yea for sure, let Laurel know and the girls know i will give them their first lesson tommorow anytime they want"

"Will do, but are you sure you wanna start tommorow?" he cocked his head to understand her more, thinking she was a little crazy that she was teaching the day she got out of the hospital.

"Will, i'm perfectly fine, don't worry!" she forced a small smile, almost wishing he would leave before he said something, and she said something that he would suspect something otherwise. He gave her a nod and a little wave.

"Alright, i will be here to bail you out tommorow morning then?" he joked and she nodded, then he nodded "get some sleep, you're probably exhausted, oh, and Alex" he said as he turned to the door, but stopped and turned around "sorry for bringing you tonight, i knew it wasn't your kind of thing, i should ahve known"

"Should have known!?" Alex laughed "Will, you just met me today, well, yesterday and plus it was my own fault" she shook her head at him and snuggled further into the pillows and pulled the blanket up to her neck "goodnight Will" she said and watched as he also said night, and left.

Alex lay in bed thinking about what she had told the doctor, happy that the doctor was able to give a little white lie to her new friends aobut her reason for her being here. She knew that she was eventually gonna have to tell them about her, but the first day wasn't quite the right day. She pulled the string on the light above her head and sunk into a nice dreamy sleep of everyone at her new home.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"You heading out to pick up Alexandra now?" Marco said from the kitchen just as Will walked by the open kitchen alley-way. He stopped and turned around, walking back into the kitchen, stopping just inside the door. Marco was preparing another huge supper for that night for everyone, which of course, was going to be delicious.

"Yea, how'd you know?" Will asked, even though he knew the answer.

"I know everything" Marco said with a small smile as he grated a giant pile of cheese onto a cutting board "but you are jingling you're keys" he gestured the the keys in Will's left hand, then turned to look at the clock "and she is allowed to be free from the hospital in exactly 4 minutes" he stopped grating before he gave Will a smile.

"William William" Marco sighed "are we crushing on the newest memeber of the team here?" Will was surprised he knew, but still palyed dumb.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Will gave a small laugh "i'm not crushing on her, i just happen to be a very nice guy, and i just met her yesterday" he walked in more to the kitchen and leaned on the island to get a further inspection on what Marco was making, even though he still couldnt tell, he had bacon frying in a pan.

"Will, i know you more than you think, and you are crushing on Alex"

"Hey, i didn't crush on Megan when she first arrived!" Will protested, trying to get Marco off his back so he could leave and go get Alex, man he WAS crushing bad!

"Yes, because she arrived with her boyfriend helping her move in on the first day" Marco confirmed, as Will had knew. Will had thought that Megan was a gorgeous girl and her boyfriend was a friend of his now, but he never thought of it that way.

Will had paused just long enough for a confirmation to Marco, who already knew it, but this was evidence. Marco gave him a smile before tending to the bacon and finishing the cheese. Something was boiling in a covered pot he didn't know.

"Okay okay" Will jsut smiled. Marco nodded. "but about last night, the phone call, her talking to the doctor before us, it jsut seemed weird to me" he was dazed, thikning, staring into the hot frying pan of bacon sizzling.

Marco had turned from the kitchen sink after washing his hands to stare at Will "you saw that too huh?" his words made Will break the trance and concentration on one single piece of bacon that was crackling.

"Yea, just doen't seem like this was all caused by dehydtration, i mean, she was ghost white, dehydration doesn't cause that, does it?" he said, staring at Marco.

Marco shook his head sadly, both of them knowing something else was up. Just not knowing what it was. "But William, don't got bothering her about it, if she wants to tell anyone if there's anytihng more, let her, especially on ehr first day of coaching"

"Yea true, you gonna go watch her?" Will asked as he slowly moved towards the door, noticing it was now time to pick her up.

"Yea i was thinking about it, Laurel said she was going to go see the first lesson, as Megan is also, you coming?" he gave a small smile, already knowing it was a yes.

"I'll think aobut it" Will joked, then gave a wave and walked out, before walking right back in "by the way, Marco, what the hell are you making?"

Marco smiled again and looked up from stirring whatever was in the mystery pot, he pulled the spoon out, and tipped it, only to let a dolop of gravy fall back into its contents. "Poutine, hurry back"

Will laughed, and picked up the pace as he rushed out to the large driveway to his truck and headed off towards the hospital.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

"Hey, finally!" Alex joked as she saw Will walk into her room. She was sitting in bed, with her legs over the side, but she still looked pale-had she always looked like that? he wondered, cause she looked good now. She was dressed in the dress again, and Will wanted to smack himself for not bringing her some differnt clothes.

"Oh crap, sorry Alex" he groaned "I didn;t even think of bringing you some differnt clothes"

Alex only laughed "thats okay, i do like this dress, and why not make a grand exit before i leave?" she joked. Will laughed at her, she seemed quite normal now. "Alright lets go, i am now discharged, my doc came in earlier to let me go"

Will helped her off the quite high bed, since she had the heels on again. He was still worried about her, so he put his hand around her back to help her walk down towards the nurses station, and she gave a wave to the docto who was on the phone. She gave a nod and a wave, as well as a smile to her dress and heels she was exiting with.

"What a way to make an exit eh?" Alex laughed as she got some stares wlaking out of the hospital with Will at her side, obviously dressed more casually with a grey t-shirt and blue jeans.

Will laughed and nodded as he guided her over to his truck and opened the door for her. She thanked him as she hoisted herself in, careful with the dress. Will shut the door once she was in and jogged around the other side. Alex laughed as she noticed he did that.

"Marco has whipped us up some poutine for your arrival" Will told her as he exited the parking lot after paying 2 dollars to get out.

"Wicked!" she exclaimed "two days in a row, i never even had it that good at home" she laughed.

"Are you sure you wanna teach the girls for the first time tonight?" Will asked her. She got nervous, hoping they weren't gonna get into this conversation again, praying he would ge toff topic.

"Oh yea, im fine now, don't worry" she brushed her hand at him "by the way, do you know what time the girls were going to want their lesson anyway?"

Will knew she was trying to avoid tlaking about this, and he remembered what Marco was saying to leave her alone, especially on her first couple days here. But he was still upset that she was hiding something from them, he was very curious as to what was really wrong. He was mixed up in thinking about that until Alex nudged him in the arm, repeating the question.

"Oh sorry, uhmm yea" he smiled at her and turned onto the street and through the gate for the area "i think i heard Marco saying they were having it at 7 o'clock"

"Okay, thanks" Alex said. "Wonder what the girls are going to be like, i hope they can commit to something like a horse, they seme like the type to not commit to a horse" she said it plain and simple. Hoping Will wasn't gonna get mad at her makaing assumptions about his neighbours, even though they were like 10 years younger than him. Will made her feel better when he laughed and agreed.

"Yea, only time can tell on that part, when Laurel has staff to take care of every aspect of her home, including her horses, who knows how much quality time they will get with their own animals" Will told her. He pulled the large truck into the large circular driveway, parking over next to Alex's front door, so she wouldn't have to walk far to get changed.

"I'll meet you over in the kitchen then, i'm gonna go grab a quick shower and change of clothes" Alex said as she hopped to the ground from the large truck. Will nodded his head and headed off towards the kitchen.

~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~

Alex headed out the back door of her apartment. She had finished up some phone calls back home. Thank god she didn't have to pay the phone bill! She ahd called her mother, father, sister, and 3 friends. The rest she emailed a quick hello, what she was doing, and goodbye. She would fill them in later on, on msn hopefully she thought. She really missed back home now, back where she didn't have to hide behind the crazy amount of foundation, covering what was really up with her.

She had to apply a liquid foundation heavily in the right tone of her skin everyday-at least everyday she was around people who didn't know her, otherwise, she would get strange looks and points. She knew last night she had gotten quite a few of them, from Will and Megan, and everyone else. She just hoped they thought it was in their head, or the lighting last night. She looked 'normal' now, so she was praying no one would metin last night to her.

She and Will had eaten the large plates of poutine that Marco had made them for her welcome back after the hospital visit. She hadn't sene Laurel yet, apparently she had a meeting quite early in the morning, and had gone somewhere else that no one knew afterwards, but Alex was told she was coming to the girls' first lesson.

Alex glanced at her watch, seeing that it was starting in 5 minuteS? She hoped the girls had their horses tacked up, or almost, cause she was sure Laurel was not the type to be waiting. But then she thought about it, the girls didn't seem like the type to be tacking up their own horses, wanting her to do it. Oh crap. She started jogging around the house, hoping they weren't all waiting for her to tack up the horses.

She jogged towards the barn and seen the two girls standing there. Oh no. They had their riding attire on, which consisted of pretty much formal, show clothes. Alex looked left and right once she got there, looking for the horses, then peered into the stalls which the girls were standing across from.

Mia was getting Gold's bridle on, and it looked as if Silver was already tacked up in her stall, her halter over her bridle and tied to a ring jsut outside the stall, so that she couldn't eat with the bit in her mouth. Alex was glad to see they were ready on time, but she didn't like Mia doing it, she wanted the girls to take responsibility.

Alex said a hi to the girls before heading to the stall and slipping in next to Mia who was just finishing doing up the throatlatch on the bridle. She made sure the girls couldn't hear her, but she didn't need to worry, because they were talking about the new riding boots they had ordered from Spain?

"Hey sorry about you getting them tacked up, i'll make sure they do it next time" she said quietly.

Mia laughed at her "I don't mind, I get paid for it, but I would pay anything to see you to get those girls to tack up their own hroses" she said the last part a bit sadly, knowing they were not the kind for responisbilities such as taking care of their horses to this extent.

"I'll figure it out" Alex said and slipped back out, giving her a smile before so. She turned to the girls once she exited the stall "okay, head on down to the outdorr arena with your horses, and i will be right there, jsut gonna grab some props from the tack room"

And with that, she never waited for an answer, just headed off, hoping they would do as told. She was the teacher, this was what they wanted apparently, and she could tell already if she didn't step up and take charge as the boss, she was gonna be poudned into the ground before too long.

She made her way to the large, airy tack room at the end. It had 3 large windows facing the arena's and pastures on the far wall. On the wall with the door, there was tack trunks and lockers, another wall jsut had old old pictures of horses, paintings were some. She figured they were horses from the family from decades ago. And anotehr wall had trunks, closets, shelves, and any kind of storage.

Alex grabbed a lunge whip from the dozen on the hooks beside her head as she walked in. Pulled down a lunge line from the many hanging on the wall, and 4 pilons from the stacks in the corner. She looked out the window cautiously down to the arena to see the bleachers had about 20 people on them?! She was a bit scared, but she wondered who the hell was there to watch.

She seen Marco, Louis, Laurel, Megan, Charlie, Will, and about 10 others all around. They were all girls, except 2 guys, but all the girls' age. Friends she thought. As she turned around to exit, Mia walked in and gave her a headset.

"Laurel wants you to wear this so she can hear everything about the lesson" Mia said apolegetically, with a small smile "it amplifies over the arena on a few speakers" she laughed at Alex's face as she speechlessly took the headset.

"Oh lordy, i ahte public speeches, and now look what im doing" she joked as she set the items down and put the headset on, putting the other piece in her back pocket. She smiled her thanks as Mia said good luck as she exited.

Heading down, she saw the girls at the rail talking to everyone with their horses, laready in the arena. Everyone turned to look at her-pretty much the girls' friends. All of her new friends gave a a comforting smile, but didn't stare like the rest. She was guessing that Sage had told them all how she hated her.

Oh well. just do your job and everything will be fine.

Alex wlaked into the arena and shut the door behind her. She amde sure the volume was turned quite low on her handpack in her pocket before she talked.

"Alright, one hour lesson each time, when you get down to the arena, i want you to hand walk your horses in either direction before we do anything else" Alex immediately directed, ignoring the faces of the teens staring at her, and her voice being broadcasted over the arena. The girls didn't say a thing, but started walking around with their horses.

"Alex, over here" she heard someone. Megan was waving for her to come to the railing. She headed over and laughed, having to cover the mouthpiece of her headset to see Megan waving a water bottle-not used to the fact she was gonna have to always drink, or fake it, to keep them happy.

"Thanks Megan" she said as she took the bottle and took a swig to make everyone happy.

"How are you doing Alex" Laurel said "you don't need to do a lesosn tonight if you're not up to it"

Alex was touched by her saying that, she would have thought that Laurel thought her being in the hospital was an inconveniance. "No thats okay Laurel, but thanks, i feel a hundred percent" Alex smiled at her before putting her bottle on the railing and turning around.

She saw the girls walking together with their horses, quite slow. "Alright, i want you, Sage, to cut across the arena, and walk on the other side, never walk your hroses together that close when you have a whole arena" that earned a good stare from Sage "and a quicker walk, it helps the hroses loosen up a bit just after having their saddles and bridles being put on"

Sage did as she told with no words. Alex was amazed. But as she passed her to get to the items in the middle of the arena, so could tell she was pissed. Oh well.

As the girls walked around, faster this time, Alex had put out the 4 pilons at each corner, making sure the girls went on the outside of them, because newbies always tended to cut their corners off dramtically. But she was not going to tell them that, she would tell them it helps their hroses turn more on the hin-end or some bullshit like that. At least until they could do it without.

"Alright, beofre i forget, i would like you two to learn by Mia how to brush and tack up your own horses and do it yourself after this one lesson" Alex declared, knowing the reaction she was gonna get.

"What!" Sage exclaimed. Rose was quiet. Maybe she was listening to her. "Whay the hell would be do that when we have people who do that for us!"

"Because, how do you think you'd feel if you actually got into Scotsdale and never knew how to tack up your own horse?" Alex said to her, staring at her as she walked. "There are handlers who have people tack their horses up, yes, but if you ask them to tack up their own hroses, they can do it"

"Alright, i don't mind" Rose said, giving Sage a look "it'll be fun, we can try out our new brushes ourselves on them huh Sage?"

"There, good attitude, and also, your horses will enjoy you more if you're the one doing the tacking up, they respect you more" Alex said. She noticed the girls were done walking and started for the middle. "Okay, right after we stop our walking, and before we mount, we need to check two things, things that may have moved whie walking"

"Our tack?" Rose asked, seeming genuinely interested. At least that makes one of them. Sage didn't care.

"Yup, girth will need to done up a bit more because of the walking, loosening up the horses stomach muscles a bit, and the bridle, just in case" Alex gestured to either one. Both girls were fiddling with the two, not really knowing what to do. Alex just kept her calm and walked over to help. She went to Rose's saddle... Sage peeked around Gold's head to watch.

"Lift up this flap, and pull against the girth, if you can fit your 4 fingers in, and pull it completely away, like this" Alex gestured, the girth of Silver's saddle came out about 2 inches away from the body "then it needs to be done up, maybe 2 holes on each billet" she showed Rose and she got to work. Sage went to her saddle and did it, just like she wasn't watching Alex.

Both of them checked the bridles, not so much though. Just to make sure everything was even and nothing pinching the hroses' face. Alex stood back away from them a few feet away.

"Alright, mount up" Alex indicated with her hands. Sage jsut looked at her.

"What, you're not gonna give us a lecture on how to mount the horses?" Sage said, icily. Alex held her breath, knowing she had a huge audience, but anymore of these remarks and she would certainly give them some entertainment.

"Nope, i will afterwards if i have any suggestions" Alex smiled at her, gritting her teeth to force the smile.

Both girls raised their left foot in the stirrups and mounted. Rose was shorter, so she had to hop a few times, but Sage easily got on, giving a triumphant smile as she did so. But as soon as she was on, she pushed Gold forward to brush past her, VERY close-too close, before she had her other foot in the stirrup.

"Alright, well two things Sage. . . one" Alex said, her hard tone coming through a bit "make sure you get your right foot in the stirrup before asking a horse to move on, big accidents have happened of horses bolting. . .and two" Alex turned to look at her as she walked along the rail. Rose was now walking as well, but after Alex gave her the okay "if you ever do a stupid thing like almost run me over while on a horse, you will sit out for the lesson"

HA. That sure got her attention, along with the audience. Alex heard a gasp and some chuckles from the side. She knew where both came from. Sage's friends were probably astonished that someone as middle-low class talked to her like that. And Will and Megan were probably snickering, knowing how Sage was.

Not a word came out of her mouth.

"Alright, we are going to start every lesson just like this, the hand walking-checking our tack, mounting, then we stretch our hroses out for at least 10 minutes" Alex walked large cirlces in the middle of the arena, to be able to see both girls at anytime.

"10 minutes!" Sage finally said "we only have 1 hour lessons!"

"Yup, exactly why less tlaking and fighting with me, the quicker you get on and get working" Alex looked down at her watch "we have now wasted away half of the lesson, which, usually the begining part only takes 10 minutes" Rose was upset looking, Alex felt bad for her. She was sure Rose didn't quite like all the talking and learning like this, but its how you start, you eventually get quicker, and more knowledgeable so that questins aren't needed as often. But Rose seemed interested and willing to know everytihng and give Alex no shit, unlike her evil twin.

"Day's go by and you will get quicker at these things, and it will come naturally, you'll be doing it without even knowing it" Alex told them. "Okay, the 10 minutes in the begining is stretching, flexing and bending our horses, remember, horses are using differnt muscles to carry you than standing freely in the pasture, they need to have them well warmed up before any strenuous exercise"

"But horses are so much more muscl-y" Rose said, saying te last word slower "shouldn't they be okay with it, they got so much more!"

"Well, they're alot bigger too, so in equivalent, they're the same as us, if we don't warm up our musccles before we run, and just start running as soon as our feet hit the ground, we're gonna screw ourselves over" Alex stated, watching both girls walking. "But some good exercises for the horses are circles, and bending around our inside leg as they do it, stretching their barrel, or torso part of their body"

Alex walked up to Rose as she neared her "if you do a circle now, and push your inside leg against this area, right behind the girth, your horse will eventually move off of it, not liking pressure, but, adding pressur to the other side at the spot on the girth, will allow the horse to use those muscles a bit more and eventually gain more muslce power"

Alex stepped back and watched as Sage did the same thing "good good, now we only do those on the corners, especially in the first 10 minutes, it allows the hroses' muscles a little break of bending while they walk along the long side" Alex snuck a glance over at the rail.

Laurel actually looked pleased, if the small smile was anthing to go by. Everyone was quiet, watching. Will was leaning against the rail alongside Louis. Alex picked up the lunge line and whip and stood in the centre, watching them do circles a few more times before calling them to stop.

"Okay, we only have 10 minutes left, so i want both of you to work on a little balance, and knwo how the hroses move, to better your seat, and learn how to move with the horse more, making you and the horse more comfortable" Alex stated "Rose, would you mind coming into the centtre, you can start, Sage you jsut stay on the rail in that corner and can watch, you're next"

As soon as Sage saw Alex putting the lunge line over Silvers bridle, she yet again, wasn't happy.

"There is no way I will be towed around like an 8 year old on my horse, no way!" she exclaimed.

Alex didn't say anytihng, jsut talked to Rose. After attaching the lead line on, she told her what she was gonna do. She had tied up the reins into a knot and secured them to the bridle to prevent them falling, but not allowing Rose to use them.

"Alright, i just want you to keep your hands on the handhold here" Alex indicated to the strap in front of the saddle "just gonna walk and trot, and do some things like taking one or two hands off at a time" when she said that, Rose was a little scared and she laughed "don't worry, i won't allow you to fall, believe me"

Rose agreed, and nodded her head. Alex let some line go out and stood back, picking up the whip, but then throwing it down again, figuring these horses were so well trained on voice cues.

"Walk on" Alex said and Silver obediantly walked. Rose was a little scared looking, but tried to force a smile as Silver walked faster, knowing that a lunge line usually meatn a faster, trianing pace. "Don't worry, i won't let her go any faster"

Rose nodded and settled into her walk, which was a little fast, so Alex slowed her down a bit.

"Why does she walk faster like that, Alex" Alex was astonished to hear Laurel from the side of the arena "does she knwo that she's going to go faster?"

Alex nodded her head "most people when using lunge lines on horses, use them for exercising, so they usually trot and canter, so sometimes when horses get hooked to one, they immediately think about it and get excited" Rose looked scared when she said that "but don't worry, she's very well trained, she knows what she's supposed to do" Alex said it to Laurel, but it eased Rose a bit more.

"Would you like to try a trot?" Alex asked. Rose looked at her cautiously and nodded her head, almost immediately digging her heels into her, causing a choppy trot from Silver. Rose immediately fell forward to grab the reins, but they were too far. Silver felt Rose falling and immediately stopped.

"Alright, you always gotta remember about your feet as well, legs and heels are our way of telling them to go, so when you dig your heels into her, she wants to go" Alex gave a chuckle to ease Rose's worries that seemed to be apparent on her face. Rose sat back up and Alex walked the mare on again.

"Now remember, don't lean back, just sit more on your seat bone than anything else, keeping your toes and knees in a straight vertical line to the ground and it will keep your balance more" Alex reassured her "ready?"

"Yup" Rose finally said, not digging her heels in this time. Alex clucked to the mare and told her to "trot on" Silver picked up a very smooth, almost jog-like trot. Rose was a bit unseated at first until Alex told her to sit more back on that seat bone, which she did, and it came more easily.

After doing 3 circuits on the trot, Alex almost laughed before she said the next thing "alright, you wanna do it with no hands?" Rose looked at her like she had two heads "you don't have to, but its easier to do it while you're already trotting, so that you're already in correct movement with the horse" she was trotting the whole time she said this. Rose nodded again.

"Alright, easiest way to do it is out to your sides" Alex told her simply. Rose contemplated it for a second before slowy taking one hand, then the other off the handhold, and bringin them out to the side. After a few seconds, Rose's face was a huge smile.

Everyone applauded from the side, but Alex noticed the girl's friends didn't do much, barely even clapped for Rose, who seemed so happy that she had did it. As soon as they stopped, Rose leaned forward to give Silver a pat and thank her for not running.

Alex was so happy that Rose did it, and that she was so interested in it all, and with her horse. But Sage was another case. When she thought of Sage, she turned to where Sage was with Gold, teling her she was next, but Sage was dismounting.

"No way i am being ponied around like a kid, i can do it by myself" and with that, she pulled Gold off towards the gate. Alex snuck a glance over to Laurel and everyone. They stared at Sage leaving, then to Alex. Alex saw Laurel shake her head, she didn't know whether she was disappointed with Sage, or with Alex for not doing her job well enough to get her granddaughter to finish her first lesson.

Crap.


End file.
