This Winter

Chapter 2

Second cover of the book

Flashback to fourth grade

I didn't realize Noah didn't have many friends until a month after I had moved schools. With his charming smile and outgoing personality I thought he would have countless of friends, turns out I was wrong. It didn't bother me because that just meant I had more time with my best friend.

Noah and I had created a fake handshake and a secret hiding place under the red slide. It was late October, and the weather was dropping. I stood in my puffy blue jacket that made me look like a marshmallow as I scanned the playground for Noah. When I didn't see him anywhere in sight I took off to the red slide. "Password," I heard muffled under red plastic.

"Explosive diarrhea," I replied and soon both Noah and I were in a fit of giggles. I gripped the side of the slide and threw myself feet first under the plastic, landing beside Noah who was still giggling. I liked his laugh.

"Password correct," he spoke in a fake robotic voice, his arms swinging stiffly as he played the part. That caused another round of giggles before the laughter died down and we stared off into space. "I heard Molly has a crush on you, " he wiggled his eyes suggestively.

"Ew, Molly still plays with barbie dolls. She's practically a baby," I rolled my eyes at him. I picked at the brown malch as I felt suddenly anxious. "I heard Max got a write up. He said a bad word."

"What did he say?"

"I don't know. Somebody said the 'm' word, " his eyes grew wide as I told him proudly.

"What's the 'm' word?" he asked, eyes wide as he was consumed with curiosity.

"I can't tell you, it's really bad." In all honesty I had no idea what the 'm' word was, but Noah believed me. I liked that he thought I was cool, so if it meant lying that I know all the bad words I would do it.

"Oh, Ethan! I forgot, my mom said you could come over!" He quickly dug into the pocket of his green fluffy jacket, quirking his eyebrow as he searched for what he was looking for. He pulled out a folded letter and handed it to me.

I stared at the folded green construction paper, the handwritten words 'Noah's Birthday Party'. Inside it said the words 'sleepover' as well as his address and mom's cellphone number. "It's your birthday?"

"On Saturday, that's the day of the party. Ethan you have to come! We can watch movies and I have an Xbox, so we can play that too!"

A huge grin overcame my face as I looked into his blue eyes. "I'll come."

***

"Noah Anderson?" my mom questioned, her eyes scanning over the paper and one hand on the hip. "I don't know a Mrs. Anderson, Ethan."

"He's my best friend; Mom I have to come!" I whined.

She huffed and squatted down to eye level, "I'll call his mom." I hugged her tightly and thanked her as she laughed in my ear. She stood back up and began attending the macaroni cheese cooking on the stove top. I watched as she hummed softly, tucking her dark hair that matched mine behind and ear. I walked back to the couch, turning on our small TV and leaning back into the raggedy sofa.

Saturday couldn't have came fast enough. I was grinning wide as my mother rang the doorbell to their house. Noah lived in a big house, unlike me who lived in a small apartment. Despite my age, I understood that Noah was a lot more wealthy than mine.

A few minutes into the 'party' I realized that I was the only guest Noah invited. It also wasn't a very normal birthday party. Noah and I played Xbox on his huge TV in his room and then a few minutes later we were called to dinner by his family. That was another thing different from me and Noah, he had a mom and dad while I just had my mother.

His mom had made spaghetti, which apparently Noah's favorite. It wasn't just normal spaghetti like my mom makes, Mrs. Anderson made garlic bread and topped the noodles with parmesan and meatballs. Mrs. Anderson was the best cook I knew, but the worst mom I knew. Halfway through the dinner I came to the conclusion that I did not like either of Noah's parents.

Everything I did caused a negative reaction. I burped at the table, I talked with my mouth opened, and I talked about 'inappropriate dinner talks'. Both of his parents made it known to me their disgust as they would scold me for my behavior. I wasn't bothered too much until his mom spoke to Noah.

"Noah, did you get your spelling test back?" She questioned and I could catch a hint of something in her voice. Noah visibly shrank in his seat under her gaze.

"I g-got a C," he spoke defeated. It was like time slowed down after the words were spoken. Mr. Anderson loudly placed his glass down on the table and Mrs. Anderson began criticizing her son about his 'awful' behavior. "I told you to study." "That damn Xbox." It was weird to me to see someone so ashamed of a 'C' when I often was praised for that grade. To say dinner became awkward after that would say the least. The 'birthday party' was a complete mess and the rest of dinner was ate in utter silence.

Once dinner was about wrapped up, his parents excused the two of us and I caught the slight mumble of 'happy birthday' from his mother. Once in Noah's room he sat on his bed, staring numbly at the wall.

"Hey, Noah... umm.." I awkwardly stood by the door, not sure what to do as I stared at his trembling lip. Noah looked at me and soon his calm ocean eyes were overcome with a hurricane. Tears ran down his face as he turned his attention to his hands, clasping and unclasping them. "I'm a failure," he cried and buried his face into his hands.

"Noah, you're not a failure!" I told him sternly. At that moment I finally got the courage to comfort him. I sat beside him on the blue duvet and wrapped a single arm around him. "One mistake doesn't make you a failure."

He sniffled as his crying died down. His head turned to look into my brown eyes and he nodded slowly at my words. "Sorry my birthday party sucks."

I smiled softly before coming to a conclusion, "I never gave you your present!" I abandoned his bed and instead began shuffling though my 'Power Rangers' back pack and pulling out a sloppily wrapped gift. I handed it to the crying boy proudly, his small hands held the gift.

"Thank you, Ethan," his eyes shined with happiness behind the glossy tears. He unwrapped the gift to reveal a high-tech race car that came with a remote control. I stared at the toy proudly, I had used my own money to buy it since it was over my mother's $20 gift limit. Noah was excited to use it, so the rest of the night we spent driving the plastic car around the house and getting scolded by his father.

Eventually we had cake and then retired back to his room for bed. I laid in my sleeping bag, staring into the dark. I was left with my thoughts as I heard the soft breathing of a sleeping boy laying in his bed. I realized laying there why Noah made me feel how I did. I liked Noah. I didn't understand why, confused to why I liked a boy since I had only ever seen boys and girls like each other. I didn't know what it meant, I didn't know what that meant about me. In that moment the only thing I knew was I liked Noah and I didn't want him to cry ever again.

I haven't edited this yet. Sorry, lol. Also the 'm' word was a true story I heard in elementary school, still don't know what the word is. Tell me if you do, lol.