Have you guys ever gone snow shoeing? I went for the first time today + it was amazing. Now I'm relaxing in front of the fireplace in my library, getting ready to type up a nice Seddie one-shot. What a day!
It's dark when the knock comes at his door. He swing it open to reveal his blonde friend standing in his door frame, leaning up against a rubber snow tube. She smiles her devious smile at him and winks as she tightens the red scarf around her neck.
"I told you she'd be scared," she says. "It's just you and me." He steps out of his house, buttoning his grey wool coat as he walks with her. His mother is going to flip when she finds out he left the house without her permission. She's always been so protective. All he wants is to have a little fun. He's sixteen for crying out loud. He deserves to have a life of his own. No limits, no regrets.
The cold December air stings their cheeks as they walk out onto the windy Seattle street. The sky is dark, but the neon lights of the delis and late-night laundry shops provide all the light they need to walk. He offers to carry the snow tube; she declines. She's independent. He's surprised she invited him along.
Their boots leave footprints in the freshly fallen snow. Snowflakes are falling softly again, but not enough to worry the pair. They concentrate on their destination, a tall snowy hill in the middle of a park. At any normal time, the place would be crawling with kids. But it's dark and cold and it's New Year's Eve. No one else is there. When they reach the top of the hill, she stops and smiles. She adjusts her red gloves and matching beret.
"Here. Here is perfect," she says softly, sitting herself down in the snow. She doesn't care that her jeans are starting to absorb moisture from the snow. She likes the feeling of being free, of being able to do whatever she wants. This reason is exactly why she still doesn't know why she invited him along. It's something she's always done alone, but this year she was compelled to invite her friends along. Most declined. One accepted.
Him.
And now he's standing there in front of her with his hands in his pocket, wondering what he's doing out at the last hour of the year. She pats the snow next to her, and he sits down. She falls back against the snow, letting it leak into her long, tangly strands. He follows her lead.
"Isn't this place amazing at night?" she whispers to him, turning her face to look at him. The snow tickles her cheek. The cold is welcome. It makes them pink with anticipation. He sighs.
"You can see every star. See look, that's the Big Dipper right there," he says, pointing to the constelation. She tries to follow his finger, but she just doesn't see it. Eventually, he grabs her hand and uses her own finger to point it out to her. His hand feels warm against hers.
She tries not to blush and stands up a moment later. She tugs her jeans up and flashes him a grin he can see, even with the dark cover they are under.
"Come on, let's sled," she says, gesturing to the snow tube. He stands up, and before he can stop her she pushes him down onto the rubber. She jumps into his lap, and the momentum sends them flying down the hill. Her hair slaps him in the face, but he doesn't mind. He's laughing too hard to notice. She is laughing too. At the bottom of the hill, she covers her mouth in an attempt to stop laughing. She only giggles harder. He likes the sound of her laugh; he doesn't hear it often enough.
After a minute, she rolls off of him and extends a hand to help him up. They run up the hill and slide down again, in a whirlwind circle of wind, snow, and laughter. She's amazed at how much more fun this is when she has one of her best friends there with her.
Before they know it, they hear an explosion across the park. The sky explodes in color from the fireworks that have begun. Red, green, and purple blend across the sky, a gorgeous abstract painting on a midnight blue canvas.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" they shout in unison, tossing the loose powdery snow in the air. Out of nowhere, she feels herself falling against the snow again; this time it isn't her choice. He's tackled her to the ground, and has her pinned with his muscular arms. They're both laughing again, because they've had more fun together in a few hours than they have had in the full duration of their friendship. Her nose is wrinkled from giggling. Then she slowly unwrinkles it, because she realizes his nose is not even an inch away from hers. And then they're kissing in the snow.
When they pull away, he can feel her hot breath on his face.
"Thanks for coming," she whispers. He smiles.
"Thanks for being my snow angel." Then she tosses a handful of snow in his face. Because she can. Because she wants to.
Because she knows he likes it when she gets a little naughty. Not all angels are nice, you know.
I hope y'all are nice + toasty tonight. Lots of love.
xo, Chantal
