Proving Things [Night of Preakness]

[Sam]

Zaz did it.

My little golden colt did it.

I still couldn't get it through my head.

When he had come, I only saw him as something for me to fix. Something for me to do. Something for me to work with.

With a course of just two months, Zaz showed me he didn't need to be fixed. That he wasn't just something for me to do. That he wasn't just some project horse for me to work with.

He was much more then that and winning the Derby then the Preakness did not prove this. He proved this just working up to the Derby, he proved this while preparing for the Preakness. What I would learn of him on his way to the Belmont, I didn't know.

The few hours after winning the Preakness, I was on an unbelievable high.

I had started to put my doubt in the colt again but once again, he proved to me that he wasn't going to let them take this race from him.

The Winner's Circle was a blur, really.

I remember loud cheering, the roses on my lap, Zaz's excited breathing. Every now and then he would dance around but he showed no wanting to go, but to simply move out of his excitement.

My friends were dancing, chanting, and laughing. I remembered, in particular, how everyone got so caught up in the moment that Ipo leaped up and planted a quick kiss on Jake. (How the heck that little midget managed to leap up to Jake's face- and he's a pretty tall guy- is beyond me. My only explanation is she grew wings.)

Course when I pointed it out with a girly 'awwww' and pointed to the furiously blushing Ipo and Jake, Ipo went and flicked me off before vanishing behind Jake when she heard the cameras start to click.

The rest of the celebrations went by fast and I barely remember anything.

Before I knew it, I was waking up with the worst head ache known to man.

"Ugh," I grumbled, rubbing my head. "Where am I?" I mumbled, glancing around realizing, I was in my own truck. At least I wasn't trying to drive with this stupid, throbbing head ache. That's when I noticed who was driving my truck. "Why are you driving my truck?" I asked Jake.

He shushed me and I glared at him in response. He rolled his eyes and jutted a thumb to the back seat. "Ipo's a sleep back there. Don't know about you, but a slightly hung over and unusually grumpy Ipo is not something I want to deal with."

I winced at how loud his voice seemed in the gentle silence of the truck."Oh," I said, rubbing my head again. "What happened?" I squinted my eyes shut when I spotted the head lights of another car ahead.

"You drank a lot, danced on a table, sang 'Let's Groove Tonight' then you fell off the table and buster your head," Jake told me just as I found the sore and obvious bump on my forehead.

"Great," I grumbled. "I'm a unicorn." I winced as I poked it. "Anything else happen?"

"Well then you passed out. But while we were cleaning up your blood and getting it out of your hair before it dried, your welcome by the way, and Ipo found your drink and well... Drank it." He gave a small laugh at this.

"... But she's underaged."

"You think that stopped her?"

"And then what happened?"

Jake just laughed again. It stung my head and I glared at him through squinting eyes.

"Told ya' she's a light weight," as all Jake said before I mumbled something and closed my eyes and let sleep take me away from my aching head.

Next time I woke up, I smelled coffee. It smelled good and strong but I had no stomach for it. Nonetheless, it somehow managed to get in my hands and without myself realizing it, I was sipping on it.

I glanced beside me to see Ipo sitting in the driver's seat with her own cup of coffee.

I did a double take when I noticed that the blind girl was sitting in the driver's seat.

Then I realized we were at the stables and a very sleepy looking Zazzy was being lead by a tall figure into the stalls. I could only assume that the tall figure was Jake.

I glanced back at Ipo, wondering why she was in the front seat. Ipo's eyes were closed and she was slouched in the seat that looked well over-sized for her with her own cup in her hands, tipped towards her face as she took a lazy gulp before blindly looking for a cup holder on the right of her. As soon as she found a nook for it, she set it down, poked it once to makes sure it was in the cup holder before turn onto her side and curling up.

I too set my own drink down before I noticed Jake returning. Spotting the whites of his eyes, I guessed he was looking into the truck, trying to see if we were awake or not.

Me being the pathetic sap for romance I was, I pretended to be a sleep as he opened up the driver's side door.

"Ipo," I heard called.

Of course, Ipo got annoyed by this and rolled over to her other side, mumbling curses and grabbing the side of the seat, refusing to move.

"Come on, Ipo," he said, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her gently.

Ipo just tried to push his hands off and went back to trying to sleep.

I guess that's when Jake gave up on the whole having her walk to the car thing cause that's when she grabbed her and simply pulled her out of the car.

By the time he had her situated in his arms, he noticed my staring.

"... You're a creepy, you know that, right?" was all he said with this annoyed look on his face.

Course I couldn't take him seriously at the moment, especially when Ipo grumbled something and buried her head into his shoulder and his face turned a bright red.

"Yes," I said with a grin. "I am when ya'll are just adorable!"

"You know, you are the only one to think that."

"I'm the only one that's not scared to be beat up by either you or Ipo," I pointed out. "I have a bit of power over you, in case you forgot."

He glared at me, though I still couldn't take it as serious, before saying, "this may be true but-"

"Oh my God," Ipo grumbled, her voice muffled slightly. "Stop arguing and just take me to the stupid car so I can sleep."

Jake mocked her silently, making faces and pretending to repeat her.

Apparently, Ipo knew it cause I saw a balled little fist half-heartedly punch him square in the chest.

Jake just laughed backed up a step and said, "See ya' tomorrow, Sam! Oh, and congrats again!" Then he slammed the car door shut with the side of his shoulder.

I flinched and winced at the loud sound. My head was aching still and grew slightly after the slam.

I watched as Jake and Ipo headed to go. I was kind of amused with how Jake managed to get the car keys and open the car door without dropping Ipo, though even from here I could tell she was getting annoyed by the moving around.

Soon, they were driving down my drive way.

That's when I heaved a sigh and opened my car door. Luckily, the car lights weren't bright when I opened the door and I was smart enough to gently close the door and just shove it til it locked.

I began to shuffle my way to the house until I heard a very distinct little nicker from the stall.

Zazzy.

I glanced at my house, then back at the stables.

It was fairly easy to make my decision.

Silently, as to not stir the dogs or any sleeping horses, I walked into the stalls and headed directly towards Zazzy's.

But I saw no head poking out. No movement inside either.

I panicked like some over-protective mother who just lost sight of her child and rushed to the stall door.

Peering inside, I saw Zazzy's sprawled out in the middle of his stall. His breathing was steady and his eyes were shut. I swore I could hear some soft snoring as well.

Quietly, I slipped in. Wake up Zaz, I said softly, poking his shoulder from behind him so his legs couldn't kick me.

Zaz stirred and groaned in his sleep, obviously irritated by my poking.

I decided he was awake enough for me to take his standing wraps off without getting clopped in the head.

I slipped around him and crouched at his legs. I undid the Velcro strap of his red standing wraps and began to unwrap one leg.

He lifted his leg once, gave me an annoyed look before going back to sleep. I took this as a good sign to continue quickly.

Soon, I was outside of his stall busily rolling all four wraps back up. With no other plans left on my list- besides undo the trailer, but that could wait- I decided that much needed sleep would do nicely right about now.

Night Zaz, I said with a yawn as I passed his stall and headed for my bed.