when all is said and done | e.d.

seventeen

ethan

harper giggles as she races out the front door, and off the porch. i grin and stick my hands in my coat pockets as she immediately tips her head back, sticks out her tongue, and tries to catch snowflakes.

"catch any?" i ask.

"not yet!" she calls back with her tongue still facing the sky.

i step out into the snow pile, and get another idea.

i quietly and quickly bend down to grab a handful of snow, packing it into a ball in my hands. right as harper turns away, i chuck the ball directly at her back.

she gasps, then freezes in place.

a gut feeling telling me that i should run takes over my body as she slowly turns around, a mixture of fire and laughter present in her eyes.

"you're dead, ethan!" she calls after me, bending down to grab a handful of snow and pack it into her hands.

with a laugh, i run and duck behind the porch a little, and try to make as many snowballs as i can while she struggles to make one.

a couple moments later, i feel a direct hit on my shoulder, and look up to see a face of triumph on harper.

"you didn't win this," i call out.

"i win everything, ethan," she challenges back, a look of fierce determination in her eyes. "this snowball fight is no exception."

i smirk and reach for a snowball from my pile. she yelps a little and starts to run away, but the many inches of thick snow makes it hard.

i aim for harper's leg, but end up hitting her lower back instead. i hear soft, quiet giggle as she collapses into the snow face first, and lays there for a moment.

you don't hit someone when they're down, so i wait until she starts to crawl back up before sending the next one flying through the air.

it misses, which makes her stick out her tongue at me in childish taunting manner. "you missed, asshole!"

"careful, harp," i warn teasingly. "there are children inside."

"and one right in front of me!" she calls back.

"the idiots called, they want their comeback back!"

"like that was any better?" she asks, tilting her head.

i laugh. "got me there."

she takes a step closer to me with her hands in the air. "truce?"

i debate the idea for a second. "fine. truce."

we meet in the middle, and shake hands.

when i look up, i can't help but notice the small snowflakes caught in harper's long eyelashes, and how they look really delicate.

"staring at something?" she questions.

even though i really wasn't, i still blush from the confrontation. "no. it's just— you have snow in your hair. and eyelashes."

she laughs. "okay, that's fine. snow melts, e."

e? when did that happen?

i nod. "yeah, okay."

"well," she breathes out, causing a small puff of air to show. "should we go back in?"

i tilt my head. "what's the rush?"

the truth is— i'm having fun.

it's been awhile since i've been genuine friends with a girl, and harper seems to be the closest thing to that at the moment. whenever she's not stressed out or worked up, she's just a nice person to be around.