Jamie was dreading the day before he even got out of bed. Because he knew that as soon as he decided to rise, he'd have to face the cold snow that had piled on the streets overnight. He'd trudge through it, without given the chance to play in the wonderfully packable snow, and head off to school. Winter used to be Jamie's favorite season, but now its beautiful wonder seemed to be taunting him. As if each snowflake knew that he wouldn't be able to enjoy it. Jamie had slipped on ice three times, falling into the wet snow only twice. And he'd had four snowballs thrown at him by some elementary school kids on their way to school. Jamie couldn't think of anyway this day could get worse. Oh, but he couldn't forget the fact that later today he would be ruining his friendship with Pippa forever.

Yay Tuesdays.

He felt jittery. It was almost like ice was breathing down his neck the whole day. He kept feeling the sensation of being watched and assumed it was every eye in the school staring at him.

You're a terrible person. Jamie flinched as he imagined what everyone was thinking.

She's your best friend.

Jerk.

Just go ahead and break her heart, I'm sure she won't mind.

His shoulders were stiff and he took a quick glance at his classmates as they went about their own business.

"Calm down." Jamie breathed a reminder to himself. I'm sure if I explain it nicely and reject her politely, she won't feel so bad. Our friendship will be ruined, but at least she won't be too upset.

His last strand of confidence, however, was torn apart when he found himself waiting behind the back building after school. He was about to change his mind until Pippa rounded the corner, smiling when she saw Jamie standing there.

"I didn't think you'd come." Her relieved expression made the brunette feel worse.

"Yeah, well..." Jamie shrugged and his nervous hands clenched the insides of his pockets.

"So?" Pippa pressed her friend to continue.

"So..." Jamie swallowed hard. "Listen, Pippa. I... I'm really sorry, but..." He didn't even want to look as her expression fell, knowing what his reply would end up being. His hand found the back of his neck and began rubbing it anxiously. "I like you a lot; you're my best friend...But I just don't like you... like that. I'm... I'm so sorry."

He glanced up and saw Pippa covering her face. She wasn't crying, Jamie was glad to notice, but when she looked up, her expression was... disappointed?

"Is... Is that the only reason?"

"Wha...?" Her question threw him off. "I think it's a pretty important reason..."

"Well, yeah, but, Jamie... I just... I don't know." She shook her head. Jamie was grateful that she wasn't to the point of tears or ripping his face off, but her current reaction just confused him.

"No, Pippa, what do you mean?" He intrigued, because he wouldn't understand unless she just flat-out told him. Hadn't "I don't like you like that" been a good enough reason? Hell, wasn't it the only reason?

"I think... the real reason... you don't want to go out with me is," She bit her lip and crossed her arms tight against the cold. "That you're too attached to somebody else..." She looked at him expectantly, as if he should have known.

"I'm... what? No, Pippa. You know I don't like somebody else. Well, anybody, really... I haven't dated, like... anyone..." He hated this awkward confusion.

"That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean? You're not making any sense, Pippa. I just rejected your love confession. Shouldn't you at least be angry at me?" Jamie's voice rose. "Stop dancing around the subject and just tell me."

Pippa looked offended. She just stared at Jamie. This was the most animated she'd seen him get in a while. After a moment, her expression turned; she shouldn't have to explain something so obvious.

"Alright, I'll tell you, Jamie Bennett." Seeing her attitude, Jamie wished he hadn't asked her to get angry with him. "I debated whether or not to confess to you. Not just because I was nervous and knew it would change things between us, but because I knew you wouldn't be able to wrap your head around the idea. After all, how could I like a guy who was so distant all the time? You call us best friends, but I don't even think you know what that means. We haven't hung out in months and ever since high school, it's like you never want to talk to anybody! You're never quite there during a conversation. Like you're thinking about something else - someone else. You think I don't hear your weekly screams-into-the-wind? The whole town knows when you're throwing a fit, Jamie. Your walls aren't as thick as you are."

Jamie felt himself shrinking against Pippa's screams.

"At first, I was worried. I thought 'Why is my best friend so upset?' but then I noticed a connection. It started around springtime. Easter, to be exact. Then ever so often afterwards, you'd become anxious, angry, silent. Your eyes were always darting around at the slightest noise. For a while, you got better, but then November came. And the first snowfall. You became such a mess that I couldn't stand to be around you without worrying that you might freak out over a patch of ice. You were scaring me, Jamie. You keep having these fits, and I think I know why."

The brunette looked down and began shaking his head. He covered his ears and closed his eyes. He knew where this was going…"No, Pippa, please. Don't-"

"No, Jamie, you need to hear this!" She grabbed his hand away from his ears. "Jamie, the reason you don't get close to people, the reason you're so strung-out... is that you still believe the Guardians exist."

Jamie looked up at her and glared. "They do exist, Pippa! You know! You were there! You fought Pitch with them! You-"

"No, no, Jamie, that wasn't real!" She shook her head. "Someone must have drugged us, or something. That whole thing was just a hallucination."

"They were real!" He'd straightened up to his full height.

"When was the last time you saw them?" She was extremely worried. All she wanted to do was help her best friend. Seeing his manic desperation just sent shivers through her. "Not since that night or you wouldn't have so many outbursts all the time. You keep searching for something that isn't there! If you could just forget about them–"

"No!"

"Santa Claus isn't real!" Pippa had her hand on his arm.

"He's real!" Jamie held his head again.

"The Tooth Fairy isn't real!"

"Stop!"

"The Sandman,"

"Pippa–"

"The Easter Bunny isn't–"

"Shut up!"

"Jack Frost–"

"NO!" Jamie screamed and ripped his arm away from her grip. She just looked at him while he stood there, breathing heavily and clutching his eyes. "No..." He muttered. His shoulders were shaking. "Pippa, Just stop… Stop, p-please."

Her expression just fell. "Jamie, I just want to help you."

"You can't help me!" He screamed at her. "You think I'm crazy! And… And I'm not." He faltered and just shook his head again. "The Guardians are supposed to help me…They're supposed to…"

Pippa remained silent. She just looked at her broken friend with pity.

"Alright, Jamie." She put her hands in her pockets. "I'm sorry for caring about you." She muttered with contempt. Jamie looked up quickly, realizing how hurt she sounded.

"No, Pippa, I didn't–"

"Bye, Jamie." Her expression was unreadable as she turned her back on the brunette. "See ya' tomorrow…" She said bitterly before disappearing around the corner.

Jamie stared in the direction she left before turning to the wall and sitting up against it. He didn't care about the cold bricks making the hair on his neck twitch. He covered his face again. Not crying, but simply rubbing his eye sockets with his forefingers. He was tired of this. It seemed that anything he tried, he'd mess up somehow. Everything was getting too confusing. It was as if—

"Girl troubles?"

The voice shocked Jamie out of his sulk. His eyes darted around, searching for its owner. He hadn't heard anyone walk up to him…

"Up here." Came the voice again, a little to his left.

Jamie's eyes immediately tracked the sound and glanced up the tall pine tree a few feet from where he sat. Then he saw him. White-haired teenager in the same frosty blue hoodie Jamie saw him in seven years ago.

Jamie stared up in shock. The winter spirit looked down at him, frosted staff in hand and that ever-present grin on his face.

"Jack."

heh. Chapter 3 soon, if you're lucky.

*hugs you all for being perf* thanks for your support