Angelic (Book 2)

Twenty-Two

There was so much snow. So much. I'd never seen such an ample amount of the white stuff in one place before. Back in Virginia, in all my time there, we never got even close to the amount that piled up outside the cabin's windows. It was amazing.

My housemates thought so as well. Ryan woke up at the break of dawn the next morning, when the showers had tapered to a light flurry, and clad from head to toe in bulky clothes, darted out the door. Jessica, unbelievably, was next, singing some odd song with the lyrics, "Do you want to build a snowman?" I'd never heard it before. Even Blake joined in on the fun. I, for one, was done with the snow for at least a while. Catching some degree of hypothermia, however mild, was enough to turn you off the stuff for a good amount of time.

"Snow not your thing?"

Of course, there was also August. August, who would not leave my head. Who surprises you when you're least expecting it, blows up your entire world, and then leaves.

And still, I wanted to just be close to him.

How screwed up was that? I didn't try and understand it.

"Not for the moment," I muttered. I was seated on the porch, in the swing, bundled in a generous amount of clothes, myself. Ice slithered down my spine at the sight of Jessica making snow angels. Ugh.

August must have run incredibly hot-no, from personal experience, I was convinced he must run incredibly hot-because all he wore was his jeans, boots, and a hooded sweatshirt. He seated himself beside me on the swing, and perfectly naturally, we fell into a pattern. He would push the swing, toe to heel, heel to toe. And then I would push the swing, toe to heel, heel to toe.

"I think I'm done with snow," I mumbled, wrapping my arms around myself.

He nodded. "How are you, by the way?"

"I'm-"

"And don't say fine."

I blushed. "I'm doing better."

"Good. That's good."

I cast him an inconspicuous side-glance, watching as he observed the other three messing around in the snow. He leaned back, comfortable, unconsciously pushing the swing back and forth when it was his turn. August was a constant mystery, as of late. Apparently whatever inner conflict he had been battling was over, and he could talk to me once again. Still, I didn't understand. Maybe I should make an effort to, but I would pick my battles wisely.

Deciding not to worry about it, I folded my legs in the swing, leaving the pushing up to August. When I leaned the slightest bit against him, he didn't wriggle or scoot away, so I smiled and relaxed. He was warm. Always warm.

"You really like your present, huh?" I asked, flinching when Ryan pelted Blake with a ginormous snowball.

"Yeah," August said. "Yeah, I really do."

"I'm glad."

"It's the nicest thing I've gotten in a long while."

Stupid blush. "Oh, w-well . . . I mean . . ." Floundering. I was floundering, and the words just wouldn't come.

Unbelievable.

"I'm glad," I said again, inwardly berating myself.

August smiled. "Me, too."

We lapsed into silence once more, but the companionable air was back. Thank goodness for that.

Blake had constructed some sort of snow fort to ward off Ryan's many snowballs. Jessica, clearly having had enough of the snow, shuffled by us shaking out her coat, mumbling something about coffee and fire and a "Bath from hell."