“I guess I was wrong. You happy, Mr. Smarty-Pants?” I asked, a bit smartly.
“Yep,” he replied, with a small laugh. “So, what are you gonna do all day, since you don’t have class?”
“I don’t know, probably study some. Why?”
“Oh, no reason, just curious.”
“So, what’s it like there?” I asked, changing the subject.
After getting off the phone with Steve, I decided to study until lunch. By the time 11:30 rolled around, I’d nodded off several times and my stomach was beginning to growl. Yawning, I shut off my literature book and backed away from the computer and stretched. I took off my glasses and laid them in my lap and rubbed my eyes with my palms. Sighing, I put my glasses back on and went to the dining room.
“Hey,” I said, pulling up next to Teddy, after ordering.
“Hey.”
“You work out this morning?” I asked, and he scoffed.
“You’re kidding, right? There’s at least five inches already on the ground and there’s no end in sight. Not to mention, my car’s completely buried and blocked in by snow, and there’s no way in hell I’m walking to the gym in this,” he replied, and I just snickered.
Hearing that both our orders were ready, he got up.
“So, since you couldn’t go work out, I’m guessing you went back to bed after I told you classes were cancelled,” I said, as he set my grilled cheese sandwich and Sprite in front of me before sitting back down.
“Of course,” he answered, as if there was no other option, and grinning. “And let me guess, you’ve been studying all morning,” he continued, as he took the crust off my grilled cheese and put it on his plate.
“Of course,” I replied, and we both laughed.
Just as I was finishing my grilled cheese, Shane pulled up to the end of the table.
“Hey, guys,” he said.
“Hey,” Teddy and I replied.
“So, are you in?” he asked me.
“In for what?”
“We’re gonna go play in the snow after lunch.”
“Oh, probably not.”
“Why not?” he and Teddy both asked.
“Because I’m gonna be studying.”
“Oh, come on,” Teddy whined a little.
“What?” I asked, looking at him.
“You can do that later. This will be fun,” he said, with a big smile. “Besides, it’s not like you’re not already ahead.”
“Oh, alright,” I sighed, and backed away from the table. “I’ll think about it.”
“Okay, great!” Teddy said, cheerfully.
“I said I would think about it.”
“I know,” he answered, looking at me, then looked at Shane and smirked.
About an hour later, I was sitting at my desk listening to my literature homework when Teddy came busting through the door, making me jump.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“What? Go where?” I asked, still a little startled.
“Outside, to play in the snow,” he replied, grabbing my jacket, gloves, and scarf out of the closet.
“But I have to study.”
“Uh-uh, no way! You’re coming.”
“But—”
“No ‘buts’,” he cut me off and laid my stuff on the bed. “We’re going to enjoy the fact that classes are actually cancelled and go play, and I’m not letting you sit in front of that damn computer all day. So, you either come willingly, or I make you come. Your choice,” he smirked, when I looked at him.
“Oh, alright,” I said, in mock defeat, as I backed away from the computer and faced him.
“Good,” he said, cheerfully, and grabbed my jacket.
Once I got everything on, I grabbed my phone and camera and headed outside. As soon as I got outside, I shivered, involuntarily. Making my way to the end of the walkway, I noticed just how much snow had fallen. There was so much snow covering the driveway that there was practically no gap between the highest part of the walkway and the ground.
“Hey.” Lillian smiled, when I got to the end of the walkway where everyone was.
“Hey.” I smiled back, cupping my hands together and blowing on them to try and keep them warm.
“So, here’s what we’re going to do. Since the snow is basically level with the walkway, you’re going to drive off the walkway as fast as you can into the snow,” Teddy explained.
I looked at him. “You’re joking, right?” I asked.
“No, I’m not,” he replied, grinning at me. “You want to go first?”
“No, I don’t.”
“I’ll go,” Shane volunteered.
“Okay, great. Just try to remember to keep going after you go off, otherwise, you’ll probably get stuck.”
“Okay.”
“You’re nuts, you know that?” I said to Shane.
“I know,” he agreed, looking back at me, with a goofy grin.
I just rolled my eyes and chuckled.
As he got ready to go, we all backed away to give him some space. Once he had the speed all the way up, he took a deep breath and headed straight for the parking lot as fast as he could. As he reached the edge of the walkway, I held my breath. When he landed in the snow, he just sat there for a few seconds and I wondered if he got stuck.
“That was awesome!” he finally said, and headed to the other end of the walkway to do it again, after Teddy gave him a little push.
I just rolled my eyes.
For the next few minutes, I watched everyone, including Lillian, jump off the walkway, and I couldn’t help but smile, laugh, and take pictures.
“Okay, let’s go,” Teddy said, when I finished taking a picture.
“What?”
“Come on, your turn.” He motioned to me.
“Uh-uh, no way.” I shook my head.
“Get your ass over here!”
I glared at him and he just laughed.
“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.”
“Fine,” I huffed, and he just huffed out a laugh.
After handing my phone and camera to Marisa, I went to the very back edge of the walkway and turned around.
“But I’ll kill you if I tip over!”
“Fair enough,” he replied.
I narrowed my eyes at him, which only made him laugh harder.
Before I went, I noticed everyone else looking at me and grinning.
“What?” I asked, and they just chuckled.
“Any day now would be nice.”
“I’m goin’, I’m goin’!” I glared at him, and he just laughed.
Turning my speed all the way up, I took a deep breath and narrowed my eyes as I pushed the control all the way forward. As I reached the end of the walkway, I closed my eyes and prayed that I didn’t tip over. My chair was going so fast that the wind was taking my breath away.
Before I knew it, I felt a bump and a cold wet sensation on my legs, and I knew I’d tipped over.
“You’re so dead!”
“Why?” Teddy asked, confused, as he came closer to me.
“Because I tipped over.”
“What are you talking about?”
I opened my eyes, and, after blinking a couple times because of the falling snow, I realized I didn’t tip over; the snow was just that high.
“Oh,” I said, quietly, “my bad.”
“Yeah, you’re bad,” he told me, and I turned my head to look at him and grinned.
“What the hell were you doing?” a voice called, laughing from across the street.
We all looked to see who it was.
When I saw who it was, I was shocked. Steve jogged across the street, from his truck.
“What are you doing here?” I managed to ask, through my shock, as he crossed the street.
“Well, nice to see you, too.” He laughed, before leaning down and kissing me.
“Sorry,” I apologized, after pulling away. “I’m just surpris
ed to see you, that’s all.”
“I thought you would be.”
“So,” Teddy asked, breaking the moment, and we looked at him, “you goin’ again?”
“Nah,” I replied, looking back at Steve. “I think I’m gonna go back in.”
As we started to head back to the building, I realized I was stuck.
“Hey, Teddy, a little help here, please.”
“Me?” he asked, with a chuckle.
“Yes, you, smart-ass.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re right here.”
“So is he.” He motioned to Steve.
“Just shut up and push,” I told him, rolling my eyes, and turning my chair back on.
“Party pooper,” Teddy hollered, after getting me unstuck, as Steve and I left.
I looked back over my shoulder and stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed.
After grabbing my phone from Marisa, and asking her to take more pictures for me, we went inside.
“Ooh, it’s cold.” Steve shook his arms and stomped his feet on the mat, when we got inside.
“Tell me about it,” I said, rolling back and forth on the mat to get the snow off my tires.
“Hey, I’m gonna hit the restroom real quick.”
“Okay, I’ll just be in there,” I replied, pointing to my room.
“Okay.”
After taking off my jacket, gloves, scarf, and shoes, and putting them in the closet, I quickly grabbed Steve’s cologne and put it in my sock drawer before he came in.
“Ah, your room is nice and warm,” he said, closing the door behind him.
“I know,” I replied, turning and smiling at him.
“So,” he said, taking off his coat and putting it in the closet, “you never did answer my question.”
“And what’s that?” I asked, moving close to the bed, and transferring onto it.
“What were you doing out there?”
“Oh, that.” I rolled my eyes, and scooted back against the backboard. “Just trying not to break my neck,” I answered.
Steve just laughed as he took off his boots. After putting his boots in the bathroom to dry, he laid down on the bed and I laid beside him. “So, did you have fun?” he asked, as he ran his fingers up and down my arm.
“Yeah, I guess so,” I replied, with my head on his chest, watching my fingers draw patterns on his stomach.
“Well, it looked like you did to me.”
“Really? How long were you watching?”
“About ten minutes.”
“Really?” I asked, looking up at him, a bit surprised.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I guess I was just waiting to see what you were going to do.”
“Oh,” I said, laying my head back on his chest.
“I’m actually surprised you didn’t see me.”
“Well, I was a little preoccupied.”
“I noticed.” He laughed a little, making his chest vibrate.
“Oh,” I remembered, looking back up at him, “you didn’t answer my question either. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re here, really glad, but what are you doing here? Didn’t you have class?”
“Nope, they were cancelled.”
“Really? I didn’t think you were supposed to get as much.”
“We haven’t, but it was enough.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. With no class, I was thinking about picking up an extra shift at the mall. That was until you told me classes were cancelled, so I decided to come visit you instead. I think that was a better idea.”
“Much better,” I replied, my lips twisting up.
“And definitely a lot less boring.”
“Definitely,” I agreed, leaning in and kissing him.
When I kissed him, Steve put his hand behind my head and deepened it, causing a soft moan to escape. Just then, there was a knock on my door, causing him to groan. With a chuckle, I pulled back and sat up. When I opened the door, it was Marisa, and I realized how cold and windy it still was, given how red her cheeks were despite her tawny complexion.
“Hey, sorry to bother you, but here’s your camera,” she said.
“Oh, thanks. Did you get any more pictures?”
“Some. Mostly just people having fun, but I got a couple of Teddy.”
“Was he being a complete idiot?”
“Well, you know Teddy. Any chance he gets to show off or act stupid, he will.”
“Yeah.” I laughed, and she did, too.
“Well, I know you’re busy so I won’t keep you, but I just wanted to give that to you
before I forgot.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“No problem, and just call or come get me when you’re ready.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Enjoy your afternoon.” Her eyes sparkled, mischievously.
“I will.”
“Oh yeah,” she added, turning around, before I shut the door, “I’ll make sure you’re not bothered.”
“Okay, thanks.” I chuckled, knowing what she was alluding to.
I shut the door and put my camera back on my desk.
“What’s so funny?” Steve asked, still laying on the bed, but looking at me.
“Oh, nothing. Just Teddy. He just likes to be annoying when I have company, that’s all,” I answered, going back over to the bed.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, it’s nothing,” I said, laying back down beside him.
I laid my head on Steve’s chest and my arm across his stomach, and he began massaging my head with his fingers. Enjoying the feel of his fingers, I closed my eyes and relaxed. Before too long, it put me to sleep.
Sometime later, I was awakened by a low rumble and vibrations. Without opening my eyes, I moved my head and heard Steve moan. Hearing the rumble again, I couldn’t help but snicker.
“I guess I’m hungry,” he mumbled.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“What time is it anyway?”
“About 3:15,” I replied, turning my head, and looking at the clock on my refrigerator. “Why? When’s the last time you ate?”
“About eleven, before I left.”
“Well, no wonder,” I said, with my chin on my arm, looking up at him.
“But I shouldn’t be hungry if it’s only quarter after three.”
“We’re an hour behind here, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. That makes sense now.”
“I thought it would,” I teased lightly, laying my head back down.
“So, you hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“What do you want?”
“It depends on what’s open.”
“True, but what sounds good?”
“What sounds good to you?” I asked, looking at him.
“Pizza.”
“That sounds good to me, too.”
“Okay then.”
We continued to lay there just enjoying the quiet and each other.
“Okay, time to get up,” I told him, when I heard his stomach growl again, and he just laughed.
“I’m going to go use the restroom before I leave.”
“Okay, I’ll just order the pizza. Pepperoni, right?”
“Yep.”
About an hour later, we were sitting in the dining room with almost an entire medium pizza gone.
“I guess I was hungry,” Steve observed, looking at the box with only two pieces left, and I laughed.
“I told you.”
“Yeah, but I didn’t think I was that hungry.” He laughed, motioning to the box.
“Hey,” Lillian said, coming in.
“Hey,” I said, shifting in the dining room chair to face her. “You want a piece of pizza?”
“No, thanks,” she replied, coming up to the end of the table.
“You sure? There’s two pieces left.”
“Yeah, but thanks. Dinner’s in about a half-hour anyway.”
“Oh, okay. What is it tonight anyway? I didn’t even look.”
“Veggie soup.”
“Oh.” I made a face, and Steve and Lillian both laughed at me. “I’m glad I had pizza.”
“Yeah, ‘cause God forbid you would have to eat vegetables,” he teased.
I smacked him playfully, and he just laughed harder.
“So, anyway,” I asked, turning back to Lillian, “how was your afternoon?”
“It was pretty good. I didn’t do much besides study and read.”
“Were you outside much longer after we came in?”
“Only about fifteen minutes. It was way too cold.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“So, how was yours?” she asked.
I was about to answer and Steve’s phone started to ring.
“Sorry,” he said, before answering it. “Hello? ...Oh, hey Derek,” he said, before standing up and pointing.
I nodded.
“So,” Lillian asked again, when he was out of earshot, “how was your afternoon?”
“Pretty good. We didn’t do much, though.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, we basically only took about an hour and a half nap and got pizza. That’s it.”
“Really? I have to say, I’m a bit surprised.”
“Well, it didn’t help that we got interrupted by Marisa.”
“Oh, oops.” She chuckled.
“Yeah.”
“Hey, babe,” Steve said, putting on his coat, as he came back in, “I’m really sorry, but I have to go.”
“Okay, what’s going on?” I asked, with concern.
“Oh, nothing, Derek just got his car stuck, again,” he answered.
I couldn’t help laughing. “Oh, okay.”
“Do you want me to grab your chair or throw away the pizza?”
“Leave the pizza; I’ll probably eat the last two pieces; and, no, on the chair.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, and if I’m not, I’ll get the floater. Just go.” I smiled.
“Okay. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay.”
“I love you,” he said, before kissing me.
“I love you, too,” I replied, when it ended. “Oh, be careful, okay,” I added, turning, as he walked away.
“I will, I promise,” he assured me, turning with a grin, before leaving.
Chapter 17
Something New & Unexpected Page 19
