Summer Skin

“It is so cold!” Nora says, her teeth chatter as she sits in the blanket of white snow that fell only last night. Perfect timing for Christmas.

“What do you expect?” Caleb asks whipping a snowball at his mom’s SUV as she drove by Nora’s house. “It’s December and you’re sitting in a pile of snow in two pairs of jeans and three hoodies. You’re bound to be cold.”

“Eh, shut up.” Nora laughs and pushes his shoulder, sending him back into a pile of snow.

“Would you two stop and help us over here?” Fiona asks while she and her boyfriend, Ryan hoist a snowman head the size of a small child on top of the large middle we built.

“You know.” Caleb says stepping back to look at the snowman. “It kind of looks like my dad.” Silences falls over the group before they all burst into laughter.

“Mike’s home.” Fiona points out later during the day.

“Eh.” Nora replies. Nora hasn’t spoken to Mike since the night at the park when he left her to walk home in the dark by herself. Nora peeks over the wall of snow she, Fiona, Caleb, and Ryan were building to make and igloo.

“I was right.” Nora says watching Mike get out of his car with a tall blonde who looked intelligent and mature...perfect for Mike. Nora wasn’t over Mike, she still had feelings for him but he’s moved on.

Mike steals glances out his bedroom window, watching Nora and Caleb dance around in the snow. Mike’s bedroom door creeks open and his cousin, Megan peeks her head through the door.

“Do you want some hot chocolate, Mikey?” she asks smiling at him. Mike shakes his head ‘no’ while wondering how many times Megan had to dye her hair to get it that blonde.

“I think I’m going to go outside.” Mike says pulling on his coat and a knit hat that had long strings and poof ball on top.

“Caleb, I swear if put one more snowball down my back I will cause you a trip to the hospital!” Nora warns when she feels a pair of arms lock around her middle. The arms drop and Nora turns, ready to throw a snowball at Caleb. “Oh.” Nora says not expecting to see Mike.

“Oh?” he asks in a joking manner, but knowing that he actually deserves such a reactions.

“I just wasn’t expecting it to be you.” Nora says blushing lightly. Mike grins and swoops down unexpectantly and catches Nora’s lips. Nora is too shocked to react at all, but when she finally comes to her sense she pushes Mike away from her.

“You have a girlfriend.” Nora says.

“No, I don’t.” Mike answers her quietly.

“Who was the girl who was in your car then?” Nora asks crossing her arms.

“My cousin, Megan. We go to the same school, I offered to drive home for Christmas.”

“Oh.” Nora says her blush growing a little darker.

“I haven’t met anyone prettier than you or smarter than you.” Mike says pushing a strand of Nora’s hair away from her face. “I never forgot about you either, I think about you everyday.”

“Same.” Nora replied simply.

Mike presses his lips to Nora’s once again. This time there are no interruptions. Mike and Nora stand in the middle of Nora’s yard kissing each other while snow falls all around them.

The End.