perfecting the cloud nine

seven

"i don't want this to come across as too personal, but every time i ask you about coming with me up the mountain, you say no. is my breath that bad?" will's eyes softened as he looked up at me before they squinted shut as he laughed. he shook his head slightly and looked at the floor.

i was currently sitting criss-cross on his bed while i waited for my clothes to dry. he had taken me to his house and given me a pair of his old sweats and a hoodie to wear while he threw my sopping wet clothes in the dryer. the loosely hung off my five-foot-nothing frame. he stood in the corner, his back resting against his tall desk. a picture of him smiling with his snowboard slung over his shoulder rested on the desk behind him.

"i just...i don't think i'm ready. i know everyone thinks i'm being overdramatic and that i'm throwing away my prime years but-"
"will, nobody thinks that. i don't mean to rush you at all. i have mad respect for you and your talent, and so does everyone else." the corner of his mouth lifted into a small, gentle smile and i soaked in how vulnerable he looked.

at school, before his accident, will was one of the most popular kids. probably the most popular. he was extremely handsome, wicked talented, intelligent and funny. girls constantly fawned over him, though he never seemed too interested. everyone wanted to be his friend just to say they knew him.

after his accident, nobody really knew how to regard him. most people smiled at him sadly or avoided him entirely for fear any interaction with him would be too awkward to bear.

i never saw him that way. to me, he was never fragile or broken. he was the same old will i had known professionally and personally all these years, just with a cast around his leg. but i knew, mentally, he wasn't the same. his ego had been bruised and his pride had taken a hit. his self-confidence suffered and he was too scared to ride again for fear of getting hurt just as bad or even worse.

he was smiling at me, but before he could respond, his phone went off. he checked it and groaned.
"your sister just keeps making things worse. let's go." he reached out for my hand and pulled me along with him before i could protest. as we neared the front door, he threw one of his thick jackets over my shoulders and pulled one of his beanies over my ears.

i felt a blush creep up my cheeks at the thought of wearing all of his clothes. i silently breathed in the scent, relaxing into his oversized clothes. they were extremely warm and smelled like teakwood.

after opening the front door, will reached behind himself for my hand. instantly knowing what he wanted, i fit my gloved hand into his large hand.

will was at least a foot taller than me. all of his features were much larger than mine. his hand was almost double the size of mine and all of his clothes barely fit my frame. but i appreciated the effort he had made to keep me from getting cold. it was an easy thing to do in the mountains after all.