The Billion Dollar Girl

(Chapter 39)

ῼ Ash Castillo ῼ

I watched Ella stare down at the snow-capped peaks we were currently flying over. I loved that part of her, the childish part that seemed to be capable of taking normal, ordinary life and making it something exciting. But even I had to admit the view from the window was impressive. That was the thing I loved about flying in a helicopter. You felt like you were above the world, looking down on it, gliding over it. You didn’t get that feeling in a jet or a private plane…or God forbid, a commercial flight.

We were nearing our destination and the pilot was dropping altitude. Already, I could see the ski slopes of Chamonix. I glanced at Ella, who was gaping down at the ski resort.

“You didn’t,” she mouthed, wide-eyed.

I didn’t move back, just smiled at her and looked away, watching the resort getting closer and closer. I could see the ski lifts already, and smiled approvingly when I saw they were empty. I’d had to book out the entire ski resort, of course, since I absolutely despised the idea of skiing down a slope surrounded by fat teenagers and their obnoxious parents.

We landed gently onto the helipad that had been especially built for our arrival. The blades slowed down and I pulled off my headphones. Leaning it, I did the same for Ella. As soon as the headphones were off, she started spewing a torrent of words.

“I can’t believe it,” she gasped. “You brought me skiing! Ash, I can’t believe you actually brought me here…Ash, I –”

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, smiling. “It was nothing. When you have money, the whole world is within your grasp.”

But as soon as I said this, I remembered the conversation we’d had in the car. Ella clearly remembered too, because the excited expression on her face slipped for just a moment, before she hitched it back on.

“I don’t think I’m dressed suitably, though,” she confessed, as if it was a great sin. She was shivering violently in the tight-fitting dress she’d put on this morning, and I cursed myself for not considering the temperature.

“Don’t worry about it,” I smiled. “I have some warm clothes for you, and all the ski equipment we’ll need.”

She nodded, looking overwhelmed. I glanced at the pilot, who was pulling out the bag of equipment I’d asked to be packed into the helicopter with us. He tossed me the bag and I caught it easily. I glanced over and saw that the ski resort’s manager had arrived as well.

“Greetings, dear visitors,” he said, his voice deep and calm. Though his words were fluent, it sounded rehearsed. “And welcome to Chamonix, the leading French ski resort with some of world’s most –”

“Save it,” I said, interrupting him. Ella’s lips were turning blue. “Just tell us were the changing rooms are. And they better be warm.”

***

Ͼ Ella Castillo Ͽ

I came out of the room I’d used to change in, feeling very bulky in the padded clothes Ash had handed me. When Ash saw me, he doubled other, laughing. I glared at him.

“Shut up,” I muttered. “It’s not funny.”

“Sorry,” Ash smirked. “But you look like a snowman caught in a paint accident.”

Ignoring him, I decided to make my way out of the changing rooms and started following the signs to the entrance. In the unusually empty resort, I easily heard Ash run after me and a few moments later, he appeared beside me, the equipment bag slung over his shoulder.

“Are ski resort usually this empty?” I asked.

“I hired it out,” he replied simply. I rolled my eyes. Typical Ash. He wouldn’t survive five minutes with a regular credit card. I stepped out of the building, the cold wind immediately biting into my exposed neck and face, though thankfully my body stayed warm under the thick, insulated clothing. Then I started walking, moving towards the direction of a ski slope I’d seen.