Crushing Winter

I slip on my gloves and head outside to the cold winter air. Snow drifts down into my face to speckle up my glasses. I laugh lightly. I love snow- I just hate the cold breeze it brings along. I waddle off my porch like a penguin in the 2 huge jackets I have on. I hear a snicker come from my right.

"What on earth are you wearing underneath the heater?" A feminine voice rings out in a mellow tone.

I walk to the sidewalk to turn in the direction. In my yard stands the ever so brilliant Rosalie. I watch the snow fall gently into her strawberry blonde hair like a tiara. She shifts her weight onto one foot as she places a hand on her hip. My eyes are drawn to her pink rose-colored ones, her tsking. What a pretty color for a-

"Are you done staring or do you want another pose?" She asks in a joking way.

I shake my head to get out of my trance. She silently laughs.

"No you're not done or no you don't want another pose?" She saunters up to me calmly, but a grin on her face.

I push up my glasses. "I wasn't staring at all." I huff, causing a puff of smoke in the air.

She nods. I can sense her rolling her eyes. I laugh and gently push her. We've been friends since we were kids and we just became neighbors. But I'm still so far from her. She brushes off the snow that had built up shoulders, brushing some off on me. I step back as I wrinkle my nose and shiver.

"Is it too cold for you, Jonathan?" Rosalie snickers.

Jonathan. She hardly resorts to my full name anymore; just like I don't physically call her Rosalie. I shake my head for a no but I stop suddenly- an idea to get warm! I look to the side, feeling my face heat up. A date, maybe? No no no. She's just…a friend. A hand waves in front of my eyes.

"Earth to John! ~" Her voice switches to a sing-song sound.

"I'm still here. Never left." I clear my throat and start to pace in front of her to keep warm. "Um. Hey." I stop quickly. "You wanna go get some hot chocolate at the café?"

"Hm. Maybe." She smiles, brushing the snow from her hair.
"My treat."

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We walk back down the street to our houses, off- brand Starbucks cups in our hands. I glance over to her as we walk. She just looks so peaceful when she's quiet. The snow makes her even more so. I sigh with content. She looks at me, tilting her head.

"Something wrong?" She asks.

"Nope. I just…enjoy this time we have together, Rose."

She drinks from her cup, setting it down in a snow mound and turns to me. I stop and raise an eyebrow.

"John. This has been the best winter I have ever experienced. And I truly respect the idea of keeping a friend "happy" around the holidays, but you simply cannot keep a secret with who you are infatuated with."

"Wha?"

She leans in and gently places her lips on my cheek. My eyes widen and my face burns. She leans away with a soft smile, getting her still steaming cup from the snow. My glasses begin to fog up from the heat coming off my face. She silently laughs and starts back to her house.

"Don't worry John. It's nothing too obvious." She giggles. "Mr. David hinted a lot on the subject!"

And with that she disappears into her house. I fall into snow behind me, arms and legs spread like I'm making an angel. I'll get Dave later. I want to lay here and cool off. Maybe that was my early Christmas gift. Maybe she just wanted to be nice. Or she actually likes me back. Oh I don't care.

It was a great way to start winter.