Broken Hearts

 by Luca B.

Alice's POV

Alice Steward took a step, and another, and another. She had been walking for so long, days? A week? Alice could not remember. She had to find help, anyone. Her sister, Emma, lay on their only horse, Honey. Alice spotted a ranch house and sighed in relief. She kept on, stumbled and fell hitting the ground hard. Everything when black.

Mitch's POV
Mitch Carter followed Andi (his sister) as they rode, it had been Andi's idea to go riding and Mitch had agreed. It was a gorgeous day after all, the sun was shining and the sky was blue.
"Let's race!" Andi called.
"Ok." Even though Andi and her palomino Taffy where ahead they both knew Mitch would win, his horse Chase was the fastest in the valley. Suddenly Mitch heard sobbing, he looked ahead and to see two girls, one lying on the ground and the younger crying on the back of a Gorgeous Gypsy Cob horse.
He dismounted and approached them, Andi was just behind him. When littlest girl saw them she slid off the horse and hid behind it.
"It's ok, " Mitch said in a gentle voice. "We won't hurt you, Come here. "
The girl came out and slowly walked closer to them. She was young, maybe six or seven with long blonde curls, her dress was ripped and dirty. Big wet tears fell from her eyes.
"Where are your parents?" Andi said curiously.
"Died years ago. My sister takes care of us now."
"What happened to your sister?" Mitch asked motioning to the teenage girl on the ground.
"I don't know," the child said, "She just collapsed. Her name is Alice and I'm Emma. We don't have anyplace to go. And now Alice collapsed and I don't know what to do." Emma began to cry again.
"Come on, you and Alice can come with us." Mitch picked Alice up and and mounted Chase.
The other two got on their horses and followed him back to the ranch.

Alice's POV
She awoke in bed. But not her bed, no she didn't even have a bed, or a house.
Alice groaned. She was so confused, and her throat hurt, her head pounded. Suddenly a young man walked in. When he saw that Alice was awake he smiled, "Hello, I'm Mitch Carter, my sister and I found you and your sister. How do you feel?"
Alice felt terrible, but when she thought about it she also felt amazing. This was the first time in what seemed like forever that she had a warm bed to sleep in, it felt so good. "I feel much better, thank you." Then a thought hit her, this is Mitch Carter? "You’re a Carter? Like the Circle C ranch?"
"Yes," he grinned. "This is the Circle C ranch. "
"Wow, your family is one of the richest in California! Oh wait, where's Emma? Is she alright?"
"Your sister is fine. She and Andi have become fast friends." Mitch reassured her.
"Who's Andi?"
"Andi's my sister. Her real name is Andrea, but she hates to be called that, so we call her Andi."
Alice coughed suddenly and a lady came into the room. "Mitch, you should let Alice rest, she has a bad case of pneumonia." Mitch left. She turned to Alice. "Good to see your awake dear, I'm Elizabeth Carter, Mitch's mother, are you hungry?"
Now that Alice thought about it, she was starved. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten anything! "Yes, thank you."
Mrs. Carter brought Alice some soup. After Alice finished the soup she fell back asleep.

Mitch's POV
One evening the Carter family plus Emma sat together in the library. Mother and Melinda did some sewing, Justin was reading the newspaper, Andi and Mitch played checkers with Chad watching intently and Emma played with one of Malinda's old dolls (Andi had never liked dolls).
"Do you remember when I gave that doll to you, Melinda?" Mother said, " it was for your sixth birthday."
"I do mother, I just adored her." Melinda replied.
"You know," Emma exclaimed. "It's Alice's birthday on the twenty-fourth of September."
"Really," Mitch said, "that's in a few days."
Andi stood and announced, "we should have a party. Everyone should get a party on their birthday!"
"Mother smiled, "that is a wonderful idea, Andrea. I think Alice should be well enough for a party. How old is she turning?"
"18."
Andi grinned, "We must keep it a surprise! Surprise parties are the best kind!"
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One evening Mitch came into Alice's room, he sat on the edge of the bed. "Melinda told me to give you this." He handed her a book. "She said it would give you something to do."
Alice took it, "Melinda?"
"Oh yeah, she's my other sister."
"How many siblings do you have?" Alice asked jokingly.
"Five."
Her jaw dropped. "Really?"
"Yep, Andi and Melinda of course, then also Chad runs the ranch, Justin who's a lawyer and..."
"And who?"
"You can't tell Andi but there's Kate. Andi doesn't know about her, Kate ran away when she was 15."
"I won't tell her. Why did Kate run away?" Alice was interested.
"She hated the ranch and was mad at father for not letting her live in San Francisco. Everyone was very upset when she left, especially Mother. I think families should always stick together."

Alice's POV
Alice grew stronger and after a couple days she was up and about. She so enjoyed life on a ranch.
Now and then Mitch would offer to go riding with her and she enjoyed that. The gypsy cob was mostly her sister's so she always rode on starlight (Star) who was very sassy and fun, Alice was in the barn stroking star when Andi entered.
"Hello."
"Hi, whatcha doing?" Andi came into the stall with her and laid a hand on the horse' neck.
"Nothing much, you?"
Andi smiled, "I actually came to find you, Mitch is looking for you."
"Well, what does he want?" Alice asked curiously.
"He didn't say."
"I better go see." Alice existed the barn to find Mitch. She ran straight into him.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She cried in alarm.
"No it was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going."
"I wasn't ether. It my fault."
"No it's mine."
Then they both saw the funny side of it all and laughted. Once they could stop laughing, Mitch spoke,
"The reason I was looking for you is that I thought we could go riding, what do you think?"
"Sure."
"Great. I'll saddle Chase and Star."
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They rode for some time in silence when finally Alice spoke, "You know your family has been very kind to my sister and I, but we can't stay forever."
"Yes you can, we could-"
"No." She had tears in her eye for she know what he was about to say. "We couldn't. We're from two separate world, your family owns the biggest ranch around, me, I'm penniless. I prayed and it's not God's will for us the be together."
"But, I lov-"
"Stop!" Alice said she couldn't bear to hear the words come from his lips. His lips. She would do it. The thing she wanted to do most in the world. "Emma and I will leave today, I'll go get her at the ranch and we'll be gone. Remember when you said that family should stay together, well I have grandparents back home we can stay with, It's better this way." Then she did it, Alice kissed Mitch Carter.

Mitch's POV
After she kissed him Alice rode off. Mitch was too stunning to move. She had kissed him, she was leaving. But she couldn't, he thought, today was her surprise party. Everyone at the ranch was preparing for it. He had to find her. Alice just couldn't leave. He loved her.
Mitch set off to find her.

Alice's POV
Once she had ridden far enough not to be found Alice lay on her horse and buried her face in her mane.
Alice sobbed, she loved Mitch as much as he loved her, but they could not be together. Alice had prayed and prayed about it and God said no. Alice needed to leave but it broke her heart in two.
She cried as she rode not caring where she was going or if she fell off. Her horse led her to the Circle C. When she got there she planned to grab Emma and go, but as she walked through the door of the house she heard, "Happy Birthday Alice!"
Everyone was gathered with cake and decorations, for her. When Alice spoke her voice cracked, "All this is for me?"
"Yes of course, who else would it be for?" Andi answered.
Alice decided to enjoy the party.

Mitch's POV
After two hours of searching the ranch Mitch decided to go back to the ranch for help. But when he got there he found everyone having to party without him.
Chad came over to him, "There you are, little brother, where've you been?"
"Looked for Alice."
"But she's here, with us. Didn't you know?"
"No, she-"
Suddenly Andi ran over, "guys, Alice and Emma are gone!"
"What do you mean?" Chad was confused.
"She left." Mitch looked away, tears forming in his eyes. "Just like she said she would."
"But why?'
"Because she felt she had to."
Alice didn't ever came back to the ranch and Mitch never saw her again. But he never forgot the girl who appeared in his life without warning and said goodbye with a kiss.