I walked around the Stop and Shop with my brother, James, while we waited for our friend Kendall to get off work. "Molls, I can't believe you're finally turning sixteen tomorrow!" James was my older, annoying brother. I was adopted into his family when we were both five years old, I was four months younger than him and he didn't let me forget it.
"Shut up James. And you better not think of throwing me a party. I don't want one." He pouted before picking up silly string.
"Dude! We could totally have an all out war with this much silly string, what do you think?" I shook my head at him.
"Count me out James; I want nothing to do with your silly string war. I'm gonna go to the park that's down the road, okay? Will you and Kendall come get me when he gets off work?" James nodded, not really paying attention. I sighed, my brother was so clueless. I walked all the way down the aisle before turning to look at him. He was grabbing as many cans as he could of the string.
I exited the store and shivered. Minnesota was freezing during the winter. It was mid-January and I regretted not bringing a heavier coat. I looked up and sighed as it started to snow, again. It had been on and off all day, and now it was back.
My journey to the park was fairly uneventful. I didn't run into anyone on the way, but I did slip a couple of times. The park was a deserted winter wonderland when I got there. The snow was falling much faster now and visibility was becoming almost nonexistent. I mind my way to a large pine that I could barely see and decided that it would be far too dangerous to try and head back to the Stop and Shop now. I'd have to wait for the storm to let up or for James and Kendall to get me.
Instead of sitting, I opted to lean against the tree trunk. After about ten minutes I pulled out my phone to check the time. Kendall was supposed to get out at five o'clock and it was now, six thirty-seven. I wasn't exactly sure how it got so late. I guess I just got lost in my thoughts.
I had been thinking of another one of James and my friends, Logan Mitchell. Logan was the brainiest of our group of friends. There were two other members, Logan's cousin, Samantha, and Carlos. Sam was a girl filled with attitude and sarcasm, on the outside. If you really knew her, you would know that all she wants is to love and be loved in return. Also, her best friends are like family to her. She has saved me a couple times from jerks at school and once risked her life for Kendall when they were walking home and almost got mugged. Carlos is a ball of energy, and one of the most random guys you'll ever meet, but there is a method to his madness. He just wants people to be happy, always. If you look like you need a hug, he'll be the first to give you on, even if you're a total stranger.
I felt my phone buzz and glanced down at it. It was low on battery. I wish I knew where James was. My phone buzzed one last time and shut itself off, its battery finally running out. As soon as I knew it wouldn't turn back on, the temperature seemed to drop significantly.
Meanwhile, at the Stop and Shop, Kendall and James frantically searched the store twice. James hadn't heard Mollie tell him she was going to the park, so now they searched for her. The storm outside seemed fierce to them, and they both thought that Mollie was smart enough not to go out in it. They didn't really bother calling their other friends; it was probably another prank, at least that's what they told themselves. The thought of someone so close to the both of them being out in the storm was too scary.
By the time seven thirty came around, Kendall and James gave up on Mollie's disappearance as a simple prank. They each called a friend. Kendall called Logan and Sam, since he was dating Sam she was on speed dial in his phone and he knew she would answer no matter what she was doing.
"Hey babe!" Sam's chipper voice almost brought a smile to Kendall's face, but the situation was too grim for smiles. "Kendall? Is everything alright?"
"No, it isn't Sam. Mollie is missing. James and I have spent the last two hours searching the store looking for her and we can't find her. We need your help, Logan's too. Please get here as soon as possible." Kendall blurted the news out, and it too Sam a moment to process it.
"Mollie is missing? Kendall, we'll be right there!" Sam hung up her phone without saying good bye, but Kendall didn't really mind. This wasn't a time to worry about a goodbye, they had a friend missing. James walked over to Kendall.
"Dude, I just called Carlos, he's on his way. What'd Sam and Logan say?" James eyes were slightly puffy, meaning he was torn up over his baby sister.
"Sam said they'd be on their way shortly. I hope they hurry. I wonder where Mollie would be." James sighed and shook his head. His hair was out of place, but this wasn't a time to worry about that, not with his sister nowhere to be found.
I was getting chilled to the bone now. My eyes kept dropping and a voice in my head was saying everything would be better if I just closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. I knew I couldn't do that though, I might never wake up if I did. It was getting increasingly difficult as the time passed. The only thing that seemed to keep me up was my thoughts of Logan coming to my rescue. I didn't have any source of time on me, but I had to of been around eight by now. I wonder if the guys have even noticed that I was gone. Sammi probably would. Sam was my best girl friend, she was always there to listen to me complain about boys and school, and swoon over her cousin. I hope they were coming to get me soon. Now that I think about it, James probably wasn't listening when I told him I was going to be at the park, not with how intent he was on getting enough silly string to have an awesome war.
"Okay, where do you think she would go?" Once everyone arrived Sam quickly took charge of the situation. Her eyes were puffy and her smile at Kendall was forced, but she knew they had to find Mollie.
"If she isn't here, which we have determined that she isn't, she would either be home or the park. So, two of us should head to your house James, and the others will go to the park down the road, sound good?" Sam nodded to her cousin. She knew he really cared for Mollie, and not like a sister. He loved her, it was plain as day on his face.
"Okay, Carlos and James, you go to the Diamond residence, Kendall, Logan, and I will head to the park." Carlos and James nodded and headed out, daring to brave the storm by walking to James' house. Sam walked up to Kendall and held his hand. She glanced at her cousin.
Logan was staring at the ground, thinking of Mollie. This whole ordeal has just showed him how much she meant to him. She brightened up his whole life. He half expected to turn around right now and see her smiling brightly, safe and sound, but that wasn't gonna happen. "Logy, you ready to head out?" He snapped his head to his cousin. Sam was looking at him worriedly. He knew she knew of his unmistakable feelings for Mollie.
"Yeah, let's go save a damsel in distress." Logan led the way out of the store and to the park. The storm had gotten worse and Logan shuddered at the thought of someone as small and fragile as Mollie being out alone.
I shivered, bending my legs to get circulation flowing. I still refused to sit, and I wasn't gonna sleep. I'm almost positive it was nearing nine thirty now, but I know they'll come for me, I just hope I'm alive when they get here.
I couldn't see anything more than six inches in front of me. Not only was it dark, the snow was falling really hard now, and I'm sure it was a blizzard. "Of course Mollie, you would get caught out in a blizzard and wait for your friends to rescue you,' I thought to myself. I hugged my jacket closer to my body and sighed, 'Please hurry.'
"Logy, do you see her?" Sam, Kendall, and Logan just arrived to the park. Glancing at his watch, Logan saw that it was almost ten o'clock at night. Mollie had been out for more than five hours.
"No, I don't, wait. Look under that pine and tell me what you see." Logan pointed to a tall pine about ten feet away. Under its semi-protective needles was a figure.
"I see a figure; do you think its Mollie?" Kendall was the first to confirm Logan's suspicions. The figure was standing, which was good. Logan rushed over.
I sighed, I was going crazy now. Over the howling of the wind I thought I heard voices, my friends' voices. It must've been a mistake. I looked at the ground, pulling my soaked jacket closer. I wasn't paying any attention to the world around me. I was only snapped back into reality when I was practically tackled. The warmth of the person was comforting for only a moment before I pushed the person off me in a panic. I looked and saw that my dreams and fantasies had come true. Logan had come to rescue me. I pulled him back to me, shivering in his warm embrace. I heard Kendall on the phone, probably talking to whoever hadn't come to find me.
"Mollie Sky Diamond! Just what in the world were you thinking, running off not telling anyone where you were headed?" Sam stomped over to me and Logan, hands on her hips. I glanced over Logan's shoulder, thoroughly confused.
"I told James I would wait for him and Kendall here after Kendall's shift, and for them to come and get me. We were by the silly string; James was talking about having some sort of war with it. He must not have been paying attention." My brain was functioning again. Now that I had Logan's warmth it wasn't telling me to sleep my troubles away. "What time is it anyway? Where are Carlos and James?"
"It's ten twenty-three, Carlos and James went to your house, to see if you were there." I nodded slightly and tried to burrow myself further into Logan.
"Come on, we better get you home." Logan picked me up bridal style and walked home with Sam and Kendall trailing behind us.
When we got to my house, James rushed out and took me from Logan. He brought me to my room and left me with Sam, so she could help my still frozen self to change. After I was changed into so flannel pajamas and had one of James' large pullovers on I was ready to head down stairs to the guys.
I was still a little frozen after hardly moving for more than five hours, and the stairs seemed to want to challenge me. Before they could, however, Logan rushed up the stairs and carried me down them, seating me next to him on the large couch.
"Thank you, Logy." I smiled at him and curled myself into him.
"No problem, can I, uh, talk to you later Mollie?" Logan tilted his head close to mine so he would whisper the last part to me. Once I nodded, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me even closer to his warmth.
"Sam told me that you tried to tell me, when I was looking at silly string, that you were gonna wait for Kendall and me at the park. I'm really, really sorry I didn't listen to you, and that you were out there for five and a half hours. Can you ever forgive me?" James looked like a kicked puppy. I glanced at Logan for only a second before he got the hint to let me go. I, somewhat stiffly, walked to James and hugged him tightly.
"Of course I forgive you, you're my big brother. Let's just not have it happen again, okay?" He laughed and nodded, hugging me closer to him before letting me go. I walked back to the couch and resumed my place next to Logan.
"Alright, since it's so late, everyone is just gonna sleep here. The storm is still raging outside and I don't want anyone else to get lost." We all nodded at Kendall and Sam, and the guys went with James to get clothes to sleep in while Sam just went to my room to raid my closet.
"Mollie, can we talk now?" I hadn't realized Logan was still downstairs till he spoke, causing me to jump.
"Sure, I have to tell you something too." I made a motion for him to begin but he shook his head.
"You can go first." Logan smiled sheepishly. The smile made me want to kiss him, so I did. I put a finger under his chin and lifted his head before connecting or lips once, twice, thrice before we pulled away.
"I really like you; I'd even go as far to say that I love you Logan Mitchell, with all my heart." He kissed me once more.
"I love you too Mollie Sky Diamond, I love you too." We kissed one final time before Logan headed upstairs to get changed. I waited on the couch, usually when everyone sleeps over we all sleep together in the living room.
This time proved to be no different when everyone fought to get down the stairs first. "So, baby sister, what do you want to do?" James took Logan previous spot next to me and flung his arm around my shoulders.
"Honestly, all I want is to sleep." The guys and Sam all nodded and we made the sleeping arrangements. Carlos would get the couch, because he is lonely. Logan would be in the middle of the floor, Sam on one side of him, me on the other. I would be in his arms while Kendall, who is on the other side of Sam, holds onto her and James would be on my other side, keeping me warm by huddling close to me as well.
I fell asleep almost instantly, my adventure finally taking its toll on me. However, I was woken up after what seemed only five minutes by Logan. "Mollie, I never asked you, will you be my girlfriend?"
I giggle quietly to myself. Logan sounds cute with his half asleep voice. "Of course Logan, but only if you'll be my boyfriend."He chuckled quietly and kissed the top of my head.
"Anything for you. Now get some sleep my beautiful damsel in distress."