Glitter in the Snow

Ever had someone tell you that they'll call you in the morning? I mean, someone that you really, really wanted to call. Sleeping past about seven in the morning becomes absolutely impossible, even if you're really, really not a morning person.

To clarify, this is the position that I found myself in. And yes, I'm most certainly not a morning person. Well, to amuse myself while I waited on Felix's promised call, I decided that I would be productive. I got through all of my Calculus homework. Then I finished my English paper on "The Picture of Dorian Grey," a book which I recommend most wholeheartedly, by the way. After that, I glanced at the clock, was agonized to find that it was still not yet eight in the morning, and called Padric.

"Natalie?" he answered.

"Yes, of course it's me." I was laying on my bed now and twisted a bit so that I was dangling upside-down off of the edge.

"Are you sure? Because Natalie doesn't get up before ten unless she's got good reason for it. I should know. There was this time last Sunday when I begged her to come on a morning photo run with me and she refused. Even when I cried."

"You didn't cry!" I protested, laughing.

"You don't know that, do you? Since you aren't Natalie, that is. And that means that you have no idea what I did and did not do and I'm telling you, tears were shed." Finally he gave up the act and laughed along with me. Then came, "Really, what's up?"

I sighed. I didn't really know what to tell him. Certainly not the truth, though there was nothing wrong with being unable to sleep because you were excited about plans you had. I think my reluctance came from my desire to keep whatever was going on between Felix and myself quiet, at least for a little. It was still too new, too fragile to be exposed. "Want to meet me at the park?" I offered in a sudden stroke of inspiration.

"What? Look, I was almost willing to believe that you were awake and coherent at eight o'clock in the morning. Now you want me to buy that you called because you want to go to the park?"

"I can understand why you're confused. But... Come on, it'll be fun. We can swing! Nice thing about mornings is that there aren't any little children to judge you for hogging the swing set."

"Natalie, I don't know if you realize this, but it is ten degrees outside right now. There won't be any children at the park now or any other time today." I huffed. He had a point. Blasted weather.

"Fine. Come over and we'll make cookies?"

"Finally, she says something reasonable! I'll be right over." I heard shuffling in the background, a thump, and a quick "Ow!" Then he hung up the line. I was left staring at my phone, chuckling.

Padric showed up six minutes later, out of breath and wearing the same shirt that he had worn yesterday. Still, he was here and I didn't have to worry about occupying myself anymore. I led him back to the kitchen, where I had already gotten out everything I thought we might need for the cookies. My mother was at the kitchen table. She, being a regular early bird, smiled brightly at Padric and said that she was glad to see him.

Fast forward half an hour.

The baking was going on smashingly. I myself had streaks of flour in such an impressive variety of places that it looked intentional. Padric was frustratingly clean, no matter how many shots I took at him. We were just putting the first tray of cookies into the oven when my phone started ringing upstairs. I was about to dash off to answer it, heart pounding, but Mom, who was in the living room, shouted, "Stay! You're not spreading that mess around my whole house. The kitchen is quite enough, thanks."

"But Mom!" I protested, unable to say more because really, what argument had I? She was completely right.

"I'll get it, Natalie. Don't panic."

When I turned around, Padric was looking at me funny. He lifted an eyebrow and said nothing. His gaze said everything for him. "I like getting phone calls," I said defensively.

Mom came back downstairs, my phone pressed to her ear. She was smiling. "You know, I was just thinking that last night. Yes, I'm sure you're right," she said. I stared at her, horrified. The only person she could reasonably answer a phone call from on my phone was Dad, and if that was who had called, why was she grinning so broadly.

No, it had to be Felix. Any of my other friends, Mom wouldn't care to answer. He was kind of a pet project of hers at the moment. She had decided that we were secretly dating and her goal was to get us to bring our relationship out in the open.

Not hardly, Mom. Not even close. Though maybe this morning, if the ice skating really was a date...

Maybe. I couldn't let myself think any further past that because if I did and I was wrong, it would make for a crummy night. Mom laughed garishly at something that he said. I held out my phone with what I hoped was authority. She was the one paying my phone bill, which meant that technically, the phone was hers. She had every right to be hogging it. I added a pout, too, for good measure. At this point, I had almost completely forgotten about Padric's presence.

"Oh, Natalie's getting upset. I'll see you later, okay?" Mom paused for another long, painful moment, laughed again, and handed over the phone.

"Hey," I said. I turned toward the counter, caught Padric's eye, winced apologetically. He shrugged, but there was a definite frown on his brow that made me feel guilty.

"Hey, Nat. When will you be ready?"

Blast my cookie making impulse. "Not for a while yet. Padric's over. We're making cookies." Saying that felt like a confession.

"Cookies? Natalie, it's nine in the morning."

"Yes, Felix, it is." I leaned against the counter, which added another stripe of flour to my orange tank top. Yes, it was winter. No, that didn't mean that my summer wardrobe was retired. "Come over. We're not going to be done for a while, but you can get in on the action."

There was a pause, just long enough to be uncomfortable. "Are you certain that Padric doesn't mind?"

"What? Of course not. I'll see you soon." I hung up before he could say no, which was what I was feeling would happen if he only had the chance. Looking back ,I realize that I should have just told him I'd call him when Padric left.

I should have also realized from the look on Padric's face, in the instant between my glancing up at him and his hasty rearrangement of expression that this was going to be uncomfortable. I was too busy relishing the light feeling that I got from knowing that Felix was coming to notice on any level other than the most superficial. "I hope you don't mind," I said. "I invited Felix to join us."

"Of course not. It'll be a chance to catch up. I haven't seen him much since the musical played." Padric grabbed a bit of flour and flung it at my face. I was caught with my mouth open, though really I should have known to be on my guard, as this was not the first attack of the day. I had thought it was safe just then. Padric's mood had appeared to level off for the moment.

I splutterd a bit, coughed, choked down half a glass of water, and laughed. Retaliation time. I grabbed a handful of flour, pretended I was going for his face, and rubbed it into his brilliant orange hair, instead. "You know, I think you should wear your hair like this more often, Padric. With hair like this, I might be willing to take you into public."

"Hey, cut the ginger jokes. I don't make fun of you for being-"

"What?" I demanded, cutting him off, knowing full well that I wasn't so easily attacked based on appearance.

"For being a nerd!" he finished triumphantly.

"Of course you don't; you're one too. Besides, that's nothing to take offense at." I snickered anyway and, when the timer went off for our first batch of cookies a moment later, I threw my arms around my friend. "Cookies!" I exclaimed in his ear.

He chuckled and returned the embrace before we raced to the oven. We each scrambled to get the oven mitts first and ended up with one apiece. I was about to fight him for the other when a familiar chuckle sounded from behind me. I threw the other mitt at Padric, demanded that he check on the cookies, and went to greet Felix.

"If you had mentioned how messy this was going to be, I wouldn't have worn a black shirt," he said, looking me up and down exaggeratedly. I flushed. That got me to wondering whether the pinkness in my cheeks would show through the flour. I almost asked, but thought better of it.

Felix glanced behind me, a strange look on his face. I glanced over at Padric, who was looking right back at Felix. What was this? I had thought that they were friends. The moment passed and I wondered whether I had misread everything, because next both boys had grins on their faces and were amiably greeting each other and exchanging the usual questions.

Our cookies, as it happened, were ready to come out. I didn't bother to cool them at all before scraping them onto a plate. "Watch yourselves, boys," I said as I grabbed a handful of dough out of our mixing bowl. "Tray's hot."

"Natalie! You're not supposed to use the same tray right away," Padric scolded me.

"I see no reason not to. Just don't touch it, that's all. Less dishes this way."

"Hold on," Felix interjected. "Are you really saying that you care about reducing your cleanup time?" His eyes flicked between Padric and me, clearly amused.

You don't really need a full play-by-play, do you? We had a good morning, the three of us. I mean, it was mostly good. There was more than one really strange moment where silence would fall after one of us said something, Padric and Felix eying each other while I glanced between them bemusedly.

Then came an altercation that I couldn't ignore. In fact, I wasn't in the room when it started. I had gone upstairs to change my flour-y clothes and shouted down to ask whether Felix still wanted to do ice skating-- that would have a big affect on my outfit, naturally. Felix shouted up an affirmative and I decided on a sweater instead of my favorite floral cardigan.

I made it downstairs just as the door slammed. I hurried over to the window and caught a glimpse of Padric throwing open his car door. He looked upset. My hand had only just touched the doorknob when Felix was at my side saying, "Don't." I looked up at him and saw that he was being serious.

I heard an engine start up and the squeal of tires. Padric was gone. "What happened?"

"He had a bit of news he didn't like. Don't worry about it, Nat."

"He seemed pretty upset. I should call him." You know, in five minutes when he wouldn't be driving anymore. Driving while on the phone is bad, kids. Don't do it. Especially if you really are a kid.

Felix's hand brushed against my cheek and moved over to my hair. "Nat, he's okay. I promise." Judge me if you will, but when Felix took another step closer, every thought of Padric floated out of my mind.