I wanted to hate you, but it's not the same

 

Izzy guessed they could have gone to that Haunted House near the campus but that would end up being close to forty bucks add food and it would be at least another twenty.

"What are you thinking?" Link asked on the drive to their hometown.

"Oh, it's all so expensive," Izzy knew she was asking a lot to go to the pumpkin patch, but she'd known it since she was in grade school. She didn't mean their romance meant spending money all the time.

"I told you I have a friend that could get us in half-price, and you said you missed everybody," Link admitted he missed a lot of people too. "It'll be good to see everyone."

Of course, he said that over two hours ago. Little did she know this meant seeing Brick and Harley together at the pumpkin patch. But Mercer and Cade were hanging out too and then she saw Brooklyn. Harley was talking to her.

She'd known Brooklyn when they went to the Equestrian Academy together. Back when Izzy thought she might master the preppy rider look and the diligence of being ever so elegant. She didn't even want to mention it to Link who would probably laugh. She'd ended up going to a Western Pleasure class with Brooklyn. She knew Brooklyn's first love was horses while Izzy not so much. She had had one too many wild rides on the trails she'd gone on with Brooklyn. It seemed like another world now. And of course, Brooklyn didn't look so much like Brooklyn at the moment.

So it was now or never. She told Link to go talk to Brick. She would see what was up with Brooklyn.

"I think we should all go on the Hayride together," Izzy heard Harley say to Brooklyn.

"Oh, we don't have to." Brooklyn looked festered at the thought that Mercer might see her.

Harley rolled her eyes and took a step back.

"What's going on?" Izzy wanted to know.

"You don't know?" Harley looked at Izzy startled. Izzy shook her head, no. "Oh, Mercer and Cade got together."

"Mercer?" Izzy winced hard, trying to figure this out.

"Brooklyn is seeing Trent." Harley shrugged.

"She's dating him, but..but." Izzy was practically whisper shouting.  Suddenly, she did her best to turn off her nosy attitude and stepped up to Brooklyn.

"I  haven't seen you in forever,"  Izzy kept smiling. "I'd love to catch up."

Of course, Brooklyn was in her serious Wednesday Adams attire that made her all the colder.

"Why would you care?" She snapped. "You're off to the University."

About then Link stepped in and made everything nice. He even gave Trent a friendly handshake as if they all might be friends.

"Hey guys, you want to go on a Hayride?" He said he knew his friend had a trailer and he could drive. 

Izzy looked at the long line. What was he talking about?

"Come on," he whispered with a motion.

So there they were walking out into the darkness, leaving the party of the pumpkin patch. Of course, she almost fell over a  pumpkin in the field, but Link caught her. She looked behind. The others were coming. 

For the first time, she felt she had a lot of friends. She almost laughed.

"What's so funny?" Link asked.

Oh, she didn't want to say it, but she could see the two of them going out with Brick and Harley now. She liked her circle of friends after all.