Applebuckin'

Chapter 3: Applebuckin’

Today is the first day that I am meant to work at Sweet Apple Acres and I am already kind of late. I was meant to arrive at dawn yet I just left the house and the sun is already in sight. I don’t think that Applejack will be happy with this. I better get going to the orchard or I may get into some trouble.

And so I ran to the orchard, forgetting to say goodbye to my parents and just running forwards. As I got there, Applejack was already waiting. But to my surprise she wasn’t annoyed, she was happy to see that I was even coming to help.

“Good mornin’ Avie. Ah see that you are a early bird. Ah thought that you would be late” She said with a half serious, half playful tone.

“Hey AJ, I thought that I was late. Where do you want me to start?” I just wanted to start working. That way I could talk with her whilst working. She is a very interesting mare. Really pretty as well...

“Hold yer’ horses Avie. We can get to work later. For now, come with me. Ah’ll show you around” She said it with a laugh. She probably found it quite funny how I tried to get straight to business.

I think that she is right. I don’t even know where to go and I already wanted to start. Let’s learn about it before I try to haste into something again.

So as we walked around the farm and AJ told me about the buildings and her family I decided for a unknown reason to ask her something.

“AJ. Would you like to hang out after work? I would like to hear more of your stories” I said this so confidentially but then I realised that she could take it the wrong way...

“Uhmm. Sure Avie. We could go to the lake. It’s not far away, But may ah know why would you want to hear mah stories? Ah should be askin’ about you Avie.” She was very surprised by the question. I am not surprised, it’s like I asked her for a date...

“Well... I just wanted to know more about you and your family. Your family sounds interesting and uhm... I just wanted to talk to somepony... umm...” This is probably the most awkward situation I have ever been in. I think I should just stop talking about it...

“Oh-Kai Avie... We’ll talk later at the lake. Now let’s get to work, shall we?” She said that with her accent making it sound... somehow cute...

I have learned about her family and her plans, not a lot but I can see that she is really ambitious about what she wants to accomplish. That day, we have been working all day buckin’ trees and occasionally talking with each other. Spending time with Applejack was really relaxing, she is a really calm and understanding mare to talk with. All the mare’s in Manehatten are mostly self centred or too “urban” to take you seriously. Applejack is completely different.

As the sun came to being directly over our heads, We have finished our work and met up at the barn. We planned to go to the lake after all.

“Hey Avie, Y’all ready to go to the lake?” She said with little, if any, tiredness in her voice. She must have been bucking for a long time to develop such stamina and endurance. But what’s there for me to guess, I should ask about how long she has been doing this at the lake.

“Yea AJ. I just gotta drop this last basket of at the barn.” I must have sounded tired as heck compared to her. But in the end. This was the first job that involved such physical finesse.

And so, as I dropped of the last basket next to all the other ones, I felt great relief. Not because all the apples were finally off my back. But because now I can get to know this mare a lot more.

The road to the lake wasn’t long, nor hard to remember. We talked a tiny bit during our walk there but I was mostly focusing on the path and the scenery around us. In Manehatten, there weren’t many places like this. Where you could be one on one with the nature. All the trees, birds and animals that walked past ever so peacefully. All these things were better than Manehatten, everything we had there was normally due to the economy of the city or the fact that somepony bought some land and placed a factory there, all the animals moved away and the trees are gloomy due to the pollution. This place? Is like a paradise. Clean air, sounds of nature, and after all. Me and Applejack.

As we got closer to the lake. The sounds of the water flowing intensified, me and AJ haven’t talked for a while now, I am guessing that’s because we enjoy these sounds of nature and our company itself.

Silence dominated between us until we arrived at the lake, The beautiful sight of nature and the lake overcame me for a while. I was speechless. No such place existed in Manehatten, The best we had was the beach but that was polluted by factories as well. Such a waste. And now, me and AJ were just staring there. Staring at the water. She sat close to me. Now not only was I silent due to the beauty of the land, I was also somewhat extremely comfortable with the mare sitting so close to me. Although I hardly knew her. I liked it.

“So Avie, What’cha wanted to talk about?” She asked to break the silence. I had to think about this one to not sound like a complete idiot or anything by blabbering out my first thoughts...

“...How long have you been in the Buckin’ business?” I asked as softly as possible. Seemed to work because AJ took a while to think about the answer which gave me more time to calm down.

“All my life Avie. All my life...” She answered after a while. I was kind of confused. Did she really never had a job anywhere else? Is this really the first thing she tried? But the expertise does show that she clearly isn’t new to it.

We spent the rest of the day by the lake. Talking and staring. Me, mostly at her. I was wondering. How could I make this moment last. With Applejack here with me. But nothing came to my mind apart from “Enjoy this moment.”

It was getting late now. The sun was sinking behind the trees. The sky turned darker and we were getting tired.

“Another Summer day is over huh Avie?” she asked softly whilst nudging me. Bringing me out of this trance of admiring the beauty around me.

“Oh... Yea. We should get back now. It’s getting dark.” I said with a smile. To hide the fact that I paid no attention to anything but her.

And so we went back to Sweet Apple Acres. Before I went back to my house. We talked for a while longer. Just to conclude the day. I wanted the moment to last as long as possible but it seemed impossible. After all. I have to come back here tomorrow.

“Avie, Ah suggest you go an’ get yer sleep. Tomorrow is another busy day.” She said with a really caring voice. So caring that there is no way that I could ever refuse it.

And so I went. Under the shadow of the night. I had couple of minutes of walking so I began thinking again about if this would be the place where I would spend the rest of my life. I should probably stop doing so and just live the moment. After all, all my friends told me that I will find my happiness sooner or later, this could be the place.

And so I arrived at my house. The sun was long gone. Darkness everywhere outside. Dim light were seen through the windows. My parents must have lit the fire again. Hopefully they won’t ask  about where I have been.