Pretty in Pink!

It was a new day on the farm for Jessi. She had been tossing and turning all night, kept awake by the sounds of wind wooshing through the valley. She knew that today would be a new day: time for chores and lots and lots of exploration. That was her usual day. After all, she still hadn't explored the full perimeter of her farm, so every day was bound to bring a new discovery. With the thought of adventures ahead, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up in bed. When she checked her calendar, she was surprised to find something she'd totally forgotten about. Today brought a new batch of ponies!

Her friend, Frank, had offered to drive a few potential new pony friends to her property that morning. That way, she'd be able to extend her small Teddy family and get a head start in being a great pony owner! She raced to her closet to pick through her clothes. There was her usual outfit: some overalls and a flannel. But, of course, she wanted to wear something new and exciting for the day she had ahead of her! Nothing really clicked for her at first, as she had mostly seen her usual array of blues, reds, and beige. Though, in the back of her closet laid a bright pink button-down. Perfect! 

It was just Valentine's day, and what better way to claim a new friend than to show some holiday spirit (especially when it's the holiday of love)! There's a smile on Jessi's face as she takes the shirt off its hanger, then throws it on beneath some smooth blue overalls. The colors were both bright and sweet, complementing one another in just the right way. As she finished putting her clothes on and brushing her hair, she heard the chime of her phone. Once she got over, she saw a text from her friend, Frank.

'Hey, Jess. I'm almost there with your new ponies! I think you're going to love the selection I chose for you.' 

Jessi smiled at the message and responded quickly. 

'Yay! I'll be down in a second. I'm so excited!'

As soon as the text sent, she shot down the stairs and into the entryway of her home. She threw her boots onto her feet, grabbed the pink bell ribbon from her shelf, and dashed out the door, the dirt crunching beneath her soles. As she saw Frank's red truck pull into her driveway with a horse trailer in tow. The huff of a couple of horses could be heard as Frank's engine rattled to a stop. When he got out of the car, he walked into a hug with Jessi.

"Hey, chica, how have you been?" he said, smiling bright. He patted Jessi's shoulder as she pulled away.

"Just fine. Better now that my new friend could be here!" She almost squealed the words. Her head was already craning in hopes of seeing who Frank had chosen to bring with him to the farm today. 

When Frank noticed her excitement, he chuckled. There was an amused, almost teasing smirk on his face as he turned on his heel to open the trailer. It took a few minutes and lots of help, but they eventually got a the ponies out from the trailer. It was almost immediate how Jessi's eyes snapped to the pretty, caramel-like boy who walked out. He had the most beautiful belt and a bunch of small hearts on his hip. It was almost like he was made just for Valentine's day! 

Jessi approached him with wide eyes and pet his lavender coat, already noticing how sweet he was with her. As he turned his head, he nudged her with his snout, then let his mouth travel to where she had stored the bell ribbon in her shirt pocket. He tugged the ribbon out, letting it clatter onto the floor with a jingle. 

"He's a silly boy," Jessi said with a chuckle. "And look at those patterns!"

Frank laughed along with her, leading the other pony back into his trailer. It was clear Jessi had made her choice. Now all that was left to do was see how the stallion got along with Jessi. 

Jessi and Frank led the pony to her stable, grabbing a bucket of apples and a bucket of grains to attempt to feed him. When they placed the bucket in front of him, he analyzed them closely, almost as if he was appraising just how tasty they would actually be. His eyes traveled to the bucket of grains, watching as they rustled softly in the breeze. It was a good choice, sure, but maybe not the best for a sweet treat. And, of course, by his nature, he was definitely more into sweet treats. Thus, it was a no brainer when the stallion moved his snout toward the bucket with apples, letting his lips snatch up a fruit for him to enjoy. The apple crunched with a snap and a gush, and the pony made a satisfied trill as he ate it. 

Jessi knew this was meant to be, and there were certainly a lot more apples where that came from.