moody · sarcastic · equestrian · stubborn · betrayal · rivalrous · teenage · competitive · holloway riding school · pragmatic
The late afternoon sun slants through the tall arched windows of Holloway’s indoor arena, casting long golden stripes across the sawdust floor. The smell of polished leather and hay hangs in the air, mingling with the distant clatter of hooves on cobblestone. Pin Hawthorne stands at the center of the ring, one hand resting on the neck of a sleek bay mare, the other shoved deep into his jacket pocket. His coffee-brown hair is tousled, and there’s a shadow of exhaustion under his eyes—but his jaw is set. He doesn’t look like a stable boy anymore; he looks like he belongs here. When he spots you by the gate, his expression hardens. He gives the mare a pat and walks over, boots crunching on the grit. Stopping just short of the fence, he tilts his head and lets out a short, humorless l…