Second Chance Snowmance

7.

Twelve years ago

"Go to prom with me." 

I glanced up at Lydia, or tried to—I had to shove strands of her long, blonde hair out of my eyes first.

"You're serious?" I asked. 

I searched Lydia's flushed face for that hint of a smile which indicated she was kidding. I did get a smile, but not because she was kidding. 

"What?" Lydia asked. "You're okay with getting me off in your room with only a hand slapped over my mouth to keep me quiet while your parents are right there downstairs, but not with going to prom?" 

I blushed. "Those are two completely different things!" 

"Right. Because one involves directly telling people we're together, and you don't want to do that."

Lydia's smile had vanished and I propped myself up on my elbow to look at her properly. "It's not that," I argued. "It's just..." 

It was exactly that. Lydia had hinted at wanting to go public before, but telling people meant being scorned. Lydia could handle that, but I wasn't sure I could. But I also didn't want to see the disappointment flickering in Lydia's eyes at my hesitance.

"I mean, yeah, we can go to prom together," I found myself promising. Just to see Lydia smile again. 

Prom was a month away. I'd figure it all out before that time. Lydia didn't mention prom again after that night, and it was a problem for future me, right up until the future was suddenly the present. Time had a way of sneaking up on you like that. 

One week before prom,  I walked into the music room with my friends and found Lydia there, a beautiful flower corset in her hands and a track by Slayer (an inside joke between us when I pretended to know metal music and said they were my favourite) playing from the CD player. My friends gasped in shock, but Lydia only looked at me. 

"Will you go to prom with me, Darcy?" she asked with a confident smile, fully expecting me to say yes. Why wouldn't she? I'd already said yes almost month ago. Saying yes implied we'd finally date openly. Doing so a one week earlier wasn't strange, and Lydia liked surprising me in fun little ways. 

All my friends stared at me. I heard murmurs, but I couldn't make out words over the pounding of my heart and the ringing in my ears. It was too sudden.  

I stood there, frozen, until Kimberly grabbed my arm and yanked me away. 

"Ew, no, she does not want to go to prom with you," Kimberly snapped, probably thinking she was standing up for me. 

I let Kimberly drag me out of the room, Lydia's look of betrayal burned into my retinas. I let my friends tell everyone what happened in the music room. I let Lydia ignore my texted apologies while she suffered the consequences. I went to prom with my friends. 

I left town as soon as I could, and ran with my tail between my legs. 

Present

"You know what? Fine. I'll finish your car tonight if that'll make you leave," Lydia said, snapping me out of my pondering. "And I do want the double pay." 

I crossed my arms. "Fine." 

"Fine," Lydia repeated one more time. 

Lydia got to work on my car right away while I sat myself down in the corner. Her movements were jerky and hasty, and I had to press my lips together to prevent myself from telling her to slow it down. She wouldn't listen to me. She also wouldn't listen to me if I'd apologise to her again for what I did twelve years ago. Not that I wanted to. It was all so long ago now, who cared? 

I looked away from Lydia. I certainly didn't care. 

I cared.

Fuck, I cared. 

I turned back to Lydia. But just as I was about to open my mouth, someone at the door cut me off.

"Darcy! Here you are!" Mom came marching into the garage, followed by Potato Peter.