April woke up to a world of white outside her window. Bursting from her room and running to the TV at breakneck speed, she quickly found the local news station and sat down, eyes on the bottom of the screen, waiting to see her school come up. Of course she had JUST missed it, and had to wait almost a full five minutes as she watched the new anchor, Bernadette Thompson, recount a story about something going on, but the girls was focused on the scrolling list of schools that were closed. Finally it got to her school, and April cheered, running to her father's room.

"It's a snow day!" She announced loudly before pouncing on the sleeping form of her father. "Can we go sledding later?" Kirby grunted as his daughter flopped down on him, but had to smile at her excitement. It was his day off, and it was perfect timing that she had a snow day.

"April, sweetie, you're getting a bit too big to be doing that." He yawned as he placed her back on the floor. "We can go after lunch. Now go get dressed and I'll make us breakfast."

"Okay Daddy!" She replied, and bolted off to her room. He shook his head after she left. If this kept up, whoever she ended up with had better be fairly active. Girl had energy for days it seemed. Dragging himself from his warm bed, he dressed and went to the kitchen.

Later, April said goodbye to Raphael and they headed out to the park, sleds in tow. Snowflakes still fell from the sky, fat and white. Little traffic passed through the streets, most people deciding to stay in due to the weather, and it wasn't long before the pair stood at the top of the hill.

"Ready?" April asked, looking over at her father, a smile lighting up her face, but he was already halfway down the hill. She gave an irate shriek. "That's cheating!" She yelled down to him, before rushing down on her own sled with a gleeful scream.

When they returned to the top of the hill, a small Asian girl about April's age stood at the top with her parents, watching the kids slide down the hill. She didn't have a sled, or even an improvised one like some of the others had. Thinking for a moment, she walked up, holding out the sled.

"Wanna share with me?" She asked, smiling. The girl looked from her parents, who nodded, encouraging her to go. April grabbed her hand, and pulled her to the hill. "You get on first and I'll sit behind you, okay?"

The two got into position, and Kirby stood behind to give them a push.

"Ready girls?" He asked, and they both nodded. "One…two…three!" He gave them a good shove, and they went flying down the hill, April holding tight to the person in front of her. When they got back up the hill wrapped her arms around the girl.

"That was so much fun? Did you have fun? Oh, I never told you my name. I'm April, what's your name?" She said this in one quick breath. Again, the other kid looked to her parents, who again encouraged her.

"Miwa." She said softly.

"Miwa? I haven't heard that name before, it's so pretty." She looked over at the hill that had become packed with other kids. "Let's go build a snowman!" She declared, dragging Miwa to a clean patch of snow. Soon the two were laughing and trying to build a snowman, while the three adults stood around, making sure none of the older kids came and knocked it down.

All too soon, the sky began to get darker, and the little group went to a small family-friendly café that was nearby for hot chocolate.

Before they left, Miwa wrapped her arms around April, pulling her into a hug.

"I had so much fun." She told April. "We need to play with each other one day." April nodded eagerly.

"You can come and see Raph!" She bounced up and down excitedly, and looked to the adult. "Would that be okay?" Kirby smiled.

"I don't see why not, if it's okay with her parents." He turned to them.

"I think that's a great idea." Miwa's father said, and his wife nodded beside him. "We'll get together and set up a date next week."

That night April came home, happy and exhausted. Before she got into bed, she fed Raphael and told him about her day.

"It's so fun, and now I got a new friend." April yawned as she turned off the light beside her bed. It had been over a year, but April was finally settling into the city.