"I miss you more."

Russell and me were being obnoxious, arguing about who missed who more through email.
I decided to prove that I missed him more.
I guess you can say I’m a competitive person. (Hehe)

So I told my mom that I was taking a shower, grabbed a pair of flip-flops from my closet, turned the shower on, closed the door, and climbed out the back window, praying that I wouldn’t be caught.

It was freezing outside, and inch or two of snow. My flip-flops crunched to loudly on the snow, so I took them off. It wasn’t so bad; I never wore shoes in the summer.
I started to run. Russ’s house was maybe 3 blocks away, and I ran fast. I was breathing the icy air in and it hurt my throat and lungs.
I made it to his front door and knocked. I heard his brother telling him that someone was at the door, and Russ looked at me through the window in disbelief. I smiled at him and waved. It was maybe 11:00, and 10 degrees out.
He opened the door and stepped out into the cold. “You’re crazy!” he said, taking in my mischievous smile and thin t-shirt. He hugged me. “You’re crazy,” he said again “Wait. Where do your parents think you are?”
“That’s for me to know and you to never ask again.” I laughed, kissing him. I realized how cold my lips must feel against his.
“Hi Halle.” Russell’s brothers were standing in the doorway. 6-year-old Ben smiled at waved at me. 11-year-old Logan stared. “Crazy hoe scared the crap out of me!”
“I’m cold.” I said, looking at Russell. He saw the flip-flops dangling in my loose grip and then looked at my feet. “You’re not wearing shoes!”
I grinned. “I win.” I said, reminding him why I came.
“How do you win? You’re a Popsicle!” he asked.
I hugged him goodbye, and started running home. “I am never doing that again.” I said out loud, my throat and lungs aching painfully. I couldn’t feel the cold on my feet anymore, and something told me that wasn’t good.
I snuck back into my bathroom, stripped my clothes off, and all but leapt into the shower. My throat and chest hurt, and so did my feet, but I was smiling.
“That was stupid,” I murmured to myself, laughing quietly. I turned the water off and bundled myself up in layers and a blanket.
I’m still cold, sitting here right now.
My chest hurts, and I make a funny noise when I breathe.
I feel like my toenails will fall off.
But I didn’t get caught.
And I won.
Incredibly stupid?
Completely.
Worth it?
Oh yes.