The Red Means I Love You || wlw

Chapter 4: Winter Wonderland

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I slouch on the couch, laying my head on my dad's shoulders and reading my book while he reads the newspaper and looks up at the TV from time to time. I glance over at the old silver watch that mom had given him, anxiously waiting for the hands to say 6:45. Uncle Dillion leans back in an old recliner while watching sports. I eventually stop checking the clock and get lost in my book. I end up finishing and gently closing the book, laying it on my lap. I sigh and glance over to his wristwatch. 6:29. I jump up, causing the book to fall to the floor and my dad's gaze to move from the TV to me.

"Everything alright kiddo?" he asks, a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah, everything's alright." I pick up the book and set it on the coffee table next to a half-empty cup of coffee. "I just need to get ready for the tree lighting". I get up and rush to my room.

I re-fix my hair and makeup. I put on heavy fleece tights that resemble my skintone. I pull on a light brown pleated skirt and my doc martens. I keep on my shirt from earlier but pull on a heavier coat. I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be because she's so easy to be around.

I kiss my dad goodbye on the forehead and quietly walk out of the apartment in an attempt to not wake up Dillon, who is now asleep on the reclining chair.

I carefully make my way down the iced-over steps. When I make it to the bookstore, I check my hair in the reflection of the window, then lean against the wall to wait. It's not long before she comes out of the door and greets me.

We walk about a block to the park, chatting about how beautiful the scenery is. The sun is setting, creating a beautiful glare onto the windows of the tall buildings. The streets are lined with snow-covered bare trees. When we reach the park, it's crowded with trees and people. She grabs my gloved hand and navigates me through the crowd till we're next to the playset. I give her a confused look but she continues to smile and starts climbing the ladder. I reluctantly follow behind her, trying to not let my gloves slip from the metal bars. She sits down on the edge of the wooded structure next to the slide, her feet dangling over a rock climbing wall. She looks up at me and waves me to sit down. I sit gently, our hands still intertwined.

"Have you ever been to one of these before?" she asks, loosening the red scarf she has around her neck.

"Yeah, when I was about 8, but I don't remember the whole ceremony part."

She laughs softly. "It's not really a ceremony, we just call it that. Don't worry"

I chuckle softly and look around at the crowd. My gaze is caught by the sight of a giant evergreen tree sticking out in the middle of the park. Around it, people on ropes and ladders work to string lights, garland, and ornaments. The sun is almost gone so street lights lit the surroundings.

"Pretty, right?" she asks, the film on her eyes reflecting the lights.

"Yeah," I reply, still in awe.

She turns her head and gives me a soft smile. We both watch as the people next to the huge oak tree who resembled little elves retreat, leaving the tree decorated. We watch as a man speaks words loudly that I can't understand. The tree lights up, catching my attention greatly and Sage's the same. People in the crowd cheer and gasp at the lights. Sage and I watch and chat about how we think the tree was contracted and how much electricity it probably uses. Eventually, the excitement in the crowd calms down and we both slide down the slide into a big pile of snow to exit the structure. We laugh and smile as I walk her home. She only lives a few blocks away from the apartment so I insist that I walk with her. When we reach her apartment, she knocks lightly on the door. A woman with icy white hair and slight wrinkles on her face opens the door. I recognize her smile and know that this must be Sage's mom.

"Hello," she smiles and holds out her hand "I'm Stacy," she says.

"Hello, I'm Violet," I reply, shaking her hand.

"Thank you for walking me home, I really enjoyed hanging out with you," smiles Sage, moving over to stand next to her mom in the doorway.

"You're not walking home in this weather, are you?" Stacy asks, a concerned tone in her voice. I look outside the hallway window to see that it has started snowing.

"My uncle's picking me up, he should be here in about 10 minutes. I was just planning on waiting outside-"

"Nonsense." She cuts me off. "Come inside and wait in here"
I thank her and go inside. Their home is modern but charming. The smell of Christmas cookies taints the air and I can hear the laughter of a child along with the sound of wheels on the hardwood floor. I compliment her home and look around. Stacy takes off my jacket, gently folds it once, and sets it on the edge of the couch. I continue to look around, inspecting the house. My inspection stops when I feel something hit my foot.

I look down to see a little boy crawling on the floor with a bright blue toy train in his hand.

"You must be Ian," I comment with a smile

The boy looks at me with his blue eyes shielded by glasses and smiles, then continues moving the train around the floor. On the TV in the living room, Thomas the Train plays. The apartment is big and modern.

"Sorry it's so messy," Sage says.

"It's fine. Your house is very nice, Mrs. Stacy."

She smiles at me and holds out a plate of warm Christmas cookies in front of me. I grab one and thank her. The cookies are sugar with pictures of snowmen on top and taste great.

"Wanna see my room?" Sage asks, leading me towards a door just past the kitchen.

Her room is small and covered in posters and tapestries. Stacks of books line the walls and overflow off the shelves. I compliment her room and look around. She has a few plants and a big window. I look at all the posters to get a feel for her interests.

"Come here" she exclaims, holding up a polaroid camera and motioning for me to get in front of it. I smile and a photo slowly slides out from the bottom. She shakes it then sets it on her desk and smiles. I get lost looking at her smile but am caught off guard when my phone dings, and I look down to see a message from Cameron saying he's here to pick me up.

I thank Sage and her mother and say goodbye to Ian, who is now sitting on the couch reading a picture book called "You're a Nerd, Get Over It."

"Wait" she calls when I'm about to head out the door. She hands me a piece of paper and a pen. I stand there for a moment, rubbing the paper between my fingers. I soon realize that she wants my phone number, which naturally made me very happy. I wrote it down then handed it to her and rushed to Cameron's car.

I get into Cameron's car and talk to him about the ceremony. When I get home, I plop down on my bed, exhausted but happy, and fall asleep.