Ephram woke up and had no clue where he was. He sat up and looked around, his vision blurred and all he saw was pink. He rubbed his eyes and finally, everything came into focus. He was still in Ryan's room. He had fallen asleep. The last thing he remembered was being all wrapped up with her, after a pretty heated make out session. He glanced over to the clock and it read 10:45. Shit, he thought. I never went home and now we're late for school. He looked down at Ryan, who was still sound asleep. He brushed some hair away from her face. She's so beautiful, he thought. I don't want to wake her.
Somehow, he had managed to slip off the bed without waking her. He stood up and started to think of reasons to explain this one to his father. He walked over to the window and then saw his answer. There was a good nine inches of snow on the ground and it was still falling. He smiled. He looked back over at Ryan, and his smile grew. He walked over and grabbed her phone, knowing he'd have to call his father. He dialed the numbers and heard the ring on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Dad, it's me."
"Ephram! Thank God you're okay! I've been worried sick ever since I saw you never came home last night. Are you at Ryan's?"
"Yes, I am. I'm really sorry I didn't come home but we were up talking and we didn't realize how late it was and when we did, there was already about three inches on the ground, so I figured you'd want me to stay here rather than venture home."
"I'm just glad that you're okay. Is Ryan and everyone there okay?"
"It's just me and her. Her parents are in Denver."
"So, wait, you two are there alone?"
"Dad, don't freak. We're not going to give you grandchildren just yet."
"Actually, Ephram, I wasn't thinking that, but now that you bring it up, you better not. I just meant do you have enough food and blankets and everything?" Andy asked his son, "And what do you mean 'just yet?'"
Ephram saw Ryan turning over in her bed. "Look, Dad, we're fine. I've got to go. Don't worry. I'll call later tonight." He hung up the phone before he could hear his father's protests. He placed the phone back on the receiver and walked back over to Ryan, watching her sleep for a little bit. He realized he was hungry and thought Ryan would be too once she woke, so he leaned down, kissed her forehead and headed downstairs to find something for breakfast.
It was only ten minutes or so later, when Ryan rolled over and woke up. She opened her eyes slowly. She felt her heart drop in disappointment when she saw Ephram wasn't there beside her. He probably left after I fell asleep. It was late and we do have school. OH SHIT! School! Ryan looked over at the clock. 11:15! I never turned the alarm on last night!
She threw herself out of bed and landed on the floor. How graceful, she thought. She looked at herself in the mirror, still wearing the same clothes she had the day before. She headed over to her closet, but stopped, when her nose caught a tickle of a smell that seemed an awful lot like someone was cooking a feast downstairs?
Ryan was too curious to just get changed and ready before finding out the culprit. She walked out of her room, hurried quickly down the stairs, and turned to the kitchen. And once she saw who it was, she smiled. But then she remembered about school. "Ephram! What are you doing?!"
Ephram nearly threw the pancake he was flipping across the room. "You know, we could have had pancake residue to clean up. What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Cooking," Ryan replied. "We fell asleep last night, we're late for school, how do you think you have time to cook this … this meal big enough for twenty people! And how are you going to explain this to your father?"
Ephram laughed at her. "Look outside, dumbass."
Ryan looked out the window and saw all the snow. "Wow," she said, as she walked over to the window. "It's so much … more beautiful here." She put her hand up against the window, in complete awe. Suddenly, Ephram's arms were around her waist, and he rested his head on her shoulder. She turned her head slighty, with a devilish look on her face. "Ephram, let's go play in the snow!"
Ephram smiled. "We're in the middle of a blizzard, Ryan. Plus, we have a meal to eat." He kissed her lightly and the two walked over to the table, where Ephram had everything set up.
"What are you? Mr. Housewife?" Ryan said playfully. "Looks like I'm going to have to be the pants in this relationship."
"Speaking of that," Ephram began. He looked at her, wondering where this was going to go. So far, it didn't seem like she regretted anything that had happened. She didn't reject his affection this morning. And he knew he didn't either.
"No, not now. We'll talk later. For now let's enjoy this wonderful smelling and looking meal," Ryan said. "And wait, did you call me a dumbass earlier?"
"Did I? No, I don't think so. Couldn't have been me."
And with that, the two began to eat, talking about everything but what had happened the night before. Ephram was okay with that, though, because the snow was still falling at a steady pace, and he knew they were going to have plenty of time to talk.
