Stephanie, Mentor, and Adventurer Extraordinaire

          So, I met her 2 years ago in school. Well technically 1 year 5 months and 13 days ago because I only saw her in the halls but you get the point. Her name is Stephanie and she doesn't like wearing shoes, well that's what I noticed the day I finally talked to her. "Hey, why aren't you wearing shoes? aren't your feet cold? its October after all." "So?" she replied. She was surprised I had asked as if she had come from some weird auburn hair, freckle faced, ugly but stylish sweater wearing, shoe less tribe on some far away island that I didn't learn about in my geography class that I was already late to. She smiled and threw her books into her perfectly organized locker. "C'mon, we're late!" Oh yea, I had almost forgot she was in my next hour class. probably because she sits in the very front and I always try and sit near the back so I can check pointless e-mails on my I-phone. we get to class and she decides to sit next to me in the back. I notice she is wearing flip flops she probably pulled out of her backpack so she wouldn't get in trouble with our teacher Mr. Sterling. "Alright class, we have a group project on the differences between....." blah blah blah. I zone out and Stephanie pushes my shoulder. "Hey, do you want to be my partner?" I was going to be with Jeffery my old childhood friend but it looks like he's already partnered up with Brianna Shaffer, the blond and stupid. "HA!" I laugh at Jeff for being used by her incredibly good looks and blue eye'd stair. Oh well, I don't know anyone who could say no to her, especially because Jeff is one of those 4.0 kids and doesn't get out much. Stephanie and I are given a map that we need to draw landmark stuff on, woopee. She starts drawing but gets side tracked. "Hey, I want to go there." "Well where is that?" "It's Malta! I want to go cliff jumping there someday." I think to myself how risky cliff jumping is, and how you could hit a rock or something if you miss. Like Piggy from Lord of the Flies. "Will you take me there?" "What?" "Will you take me there?" pushing the map in my face and pointing directly at the little island off the coast of Italy. Maybe that's the island with the auburn hair people. But then she would have already been there before. Maybe she's adopted. "No" I reply. I can't take you there. she looks at me like she expected that answer. "Well looks like you need to go on more adventures!" "Adventures? what adventures are there in the middle of our little suburban bubble?" She pulls my I-phone out of my hands and punches in her number. "Here, call me tonight because I don't have texting and I'll show you." That night I called her 4 or 5 times and waited for her to call back. It only took 3 hours and by then It was 11:00. She drove up to my house in a dark blue mini van like a soccer mom would have. After stepping into the car I ask where we are headed off to. She doesn't tell me and I figure it's for the best that I don't ask. After a long drive we get to a large white house. Kinda looks like a house from the east coast, Virginia maybe Maine. "Do you live here?" "nope." "oh, okay." We get out of the car and begin walking down the dirt road we parked on. The road is cut off by a waist height barb wire fence with a foot space in between the two tightly pulled metal rose stems. Stephanie steps though the gap with one leg and pulls her hair to the side then pivots and lifts her other leg easily putting her on the other side of the fence. She must have done this many times before because it took me twice as long and a ripped shirt sleeve to get through. we begin walking on an uneven field. "It's bumpy because of the horses that walk along here" she told me with a curious grin on her face. We reach a large tin roof building with many horse jockeys that look like they should be Polo models. I wish I was a Polo model, then I wouldn't need to deal with the rip in my sleeve or the mud on my shoes. I notice a large "Keep out! Private Property! Violators Will Be Prosecuted" sign looming next to the entrance. But as of now, I feel like I can do anything with Stephanie and her large amount of confidence. I lose sight of her and find her already way ahead of me talking to a six foot tall horse jockey in uniform. The confidence soon leaks from my body realizing we don't belong here. We are bound to get caught I just know it! I walk up beside her and she introduces me to the man. blonde hair blue eyes, like a Polo model. "His name is Bruce, and he says the practice area is through that gate to our left." "But it's getting late Stephanie, we really should go." "Oh c'mon, it'll only be a minute." I have no choice but to follow. Besides she's already on her way and she has the keys to the car. I follow her into the large open room with a few horses galloping proudly around their owners. We sit down on the stands and watch the horses and their owners practice jumps. Their muscles large and intimidating. The riders tuned into their horses thoughts, eyes dark and covered by helmets. We watch for a good amount of time but it never got old for us. By midnight most of the owners and horses had left yet, no one asked us who we are or what our business was. We were invisible, maybe because the jockeys were so tall on their horses they couldn't see us way down to Earth. We leave the way we came and I still had trouble on the barb wire fence. But I did better that before. She drives me home and asks me why I came with her. "Why did you come with me even though we broke the law?" I couldn't answer until I carefully snuck inside my house and asked myself again. Why did I go? Maybe I needed a change of pace, maybe I'm more afraid than I think I am. Maybe Stephanie, this mysterious mentor and adventurer extraordinaire was my way to change. As for now, my legs are sore. So it's off to bed for me waiting for our next encounter and my next lesson.