Little Miss Grinch | ✔️

A New Beginning

Paisley woke up the next morning and knew an apology was yet to be given. After eating two cream cheese filled bagels and drinking half a glass of eggnog, they had stocked up during the season, she mentality prepared herself for what she was going to do. It had snowed lots last night, almost four inches of snow covered the streets. She got dressed in her winter clothing and a heavy red coat, fuzzy socks and combat boots for slip resistance on the icy ground. Done brushing her hair down, with gathered up confidence she sent him a message telling him to meet her at the park.

Moments later he replied and denied her request. Instead, he responded with a different location if she wanted to meet up. She felt dubious, but sucked it up and gave him the okay. Thinking of the best route to take she made sure her phone was in her pocket before heading out quietly.

It was time to stop being such a grouch; a real killjoy, a spoilsport, a stick in the mud, a wet blanket, pessimistic.

A little miss grinch.

:::

"Happy new year..," she greeted him, making her way over to where he was standing.

She saw his lips twitch as a sign he wanted to smile, but didn't, "Happy new year, Paisley."

He leads her closer to the back of the courtyard of the old elementary school they both knew well enough was vacant. She didn't really want to ask why he chose to meet here, but she was curious. They continued walking until they hit a dead-end sign across the street. On the left was the empty road and adjacent to them the gated community houses. They turned right and stopped at the farthest side of the school building. It had unattended vines growing on one side with snowflakes all over and the edge, very high discolored grass peeked up that hadn't been cut in ages. It seemed like the entrance of an ally but was just the space between the back of the building and the rotting fence of the courtyard surrounding it. They weren't too close into it, but enough to see the sunshine on the other side.

Her curiosity getting the best of her she tapped his shoulder, "Why'd you want to come here?"

He turned to her, officially stopped walking as they reached their destination.

"I want to show you something.," He pointed to the other side of the building, the back wall where the fence tucked in closest.

Paisley sighed before standing in his personal space, catching all his attention immediately.

"I'm sorry, really sorry," She said firmly looking at him straight in his eyes.

"I —" he tried to interrupt.

She raised her hand up and hushed him, eyebrows coming together in frustration, "Let me finish."

He nodded, swallowing and making his Adam's apple bob.

"Sorry for ignoring you, being a b*tch to you, taking my anger out on you...forgetting you..."

She swallowed a lump in her throat she didn't want to get caught up in emotions and start tearing up in front of Jacobi, breathing in carefully through her nose and out her mouth she continued, "you were my friend, best friend and.."
Paisley shook her head unable to voice anymore of her thoughts.

"Can I say something?"

She nods, bowing her head, now feeling shy.

"I know you didn't remember, but I didn't remember much either except when I was in your room and saw your toy fox, I remembered, Folly"

"Folly.." She looked up at his face with a tiny smile, making his smile wider in return.

"I forgive you, so stop being sorry," He told her placing one gloved hand on her shoulder.

She chuckled, cheeks rosy from the cold wind blowing, strands of hair falling on her face making her lift her hands from her coat pockets and push them behind her ears.

"And thanks for the text..on, well you know, it was nice," hesitantly spreading her arms a bit inviting a warm hug.

"N-no problem, you're welcome I mean," Jacobi mumbled back as he embraced Paisley, turning his head to the side to hide his recent blush.

"You're supposed to be off your foot for a while," he reminded whispering into her ear.

"It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Still...," he took her hand as they broke off and turned the corner of the building, he showed her the gift he had for her that he'd been planning for days now.

They stood next to one another just staring at the back wall of the old elementary school. She let him keep his arm on her waist with her hand on his shoulder for balance as she leaned on his side to keep weight off her ankle as he pleaded. She was shocked by what she saw painted on the school building. There were strokes of blue with an underlining of gray. The lightness of the purple tone was delicate, it reminded her of her feminine side. It looked like the yellows centered in between the other two hues was chalky and none too bright, but it was beautiful.

The greatest gesture she'd ever been given made her heart swell when she saw it. It was truly a work of art, with her name on a small corner, but it was so sweet. She was overwhelmed with some emotions she couldn't describe even if she tried. It was like a mural for her eyes only, she adored it.

Paisley

"Wow... Th-this," she was kind of speechless for a minute, she didn't even want to blink.

"Th-thank you for this, doing this..,"

"You're welcome," he looked at her, taking in her whole reaction, pleased.

"And with no red or green," Smiling because she was so happy her cheeks were hurting a bit. It was the biggest smile he'd ever seen on her face. He was glad she liked it, that he made her happy, again.

"You're pretty talented, did ya' know that?"

Brushing off the wetness in the corners of her eyes, so it didn't spread down into dumb tears, "I didn't peg you for the artsy spray painter type, vandalism isn't in the golden boy description."

"You're pretty...mean, did ya' know that?"

She rolled her eyes while Jacobi chuckles pointing at the pink nose she was sporting now. She pulled at his hair with the arm she had looped around his neck, but a never banishing smile was planted on her face.

They wanted to stay, admiring, but they have to get ready, for tomorrow's Tuesday, school's a new beginning.

You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut. -Dr. Suess