Never Winter Again

Chapter One - Last Minute Rearrangements

19 February, 2020

Lydia

"I still don't get why Matthew and Diana got the Mercedes and we ended up with ... this.."

My dad scrunches his nose at the brand-new, bordeaux Fiat van that he is driving. Mum takes a deep breath, not willing to go down the path of arguing with him. He's been irritable the whole journey so far, ever since we left the flat in the morning. First, it was the driver of our Uber and his driving skills, then it was the seats on the plane, and "Where's this country headed to, if AlItalia have better service than British Airways!?", and now it is the fucking rental.

It is a bloody rental, dad! I want to scream at him. You're not gonna die, if you swap the BMW for a fucking top-of-the-class van, for four fucking days, while on a ski trip in Italy...

But I just put my earphones back in and turn ZAYN all the way up.

As much as I am excited to spend the weekend with my best friends in the Italian Alps, I am dreading any situation, which requires me to spend more than fifteen minutes within a confined space with Colin.

A part of the reason is the condensed tension, oozing off of him all-the-fucking-time. That is, if he hasn't had a drink. It's like he's made up of strings, that are too wound up, threatening to break any minute. Being around him feels like running on empty all the time. I hate how it makes mum feel. I can see it in her eyes, the way she's glancing at him, as if in anticipation for him to lash out on her or me for no reason. I have been trying my best to keep her distracted most of our journey, but now, I'm fucking exhausted and I need some me-time to prepare myself for sharing the same small hotel suite with my parents for four fucking days.

Time of my life...

I really hope that, between hitting the slopes, steaming up at the spa and hanging out with Gloria, Mark, Alex, Nate and Patrick, I'd be occupied enough not to see Colin much.

Patrick... I couldn't help but notice the way he was looking at me during the flight, when he thought that no one was looking. When he thought that I wasn't looking. Gloria thinks he has a crush on me. She's certain that he's been hitting on me ever since he joined our class.

I've never been hit on before, I guess, so there is the possibility that I just don't get it. He has been acting a bit odd recently, blushing every time we get to be alone, and asking me some really weird questions...I am sure he even tried to take me by the hand once, but then instantaneously dropped it. I didn't think that was awkward or something, because Mark and I hold hands all the time, and we're just friends. We have been friends for literally ever, and taking his hand, or hugging him doesn't feel weird in any way or form.

Even though I've never had a boyfriend before, I have always had guy friends. I have always found it easier to bond with boys, than with girls. I have two girlfriends and they are more than enough. I love Gloria and Alex to pieces, but sometimes, Gloria's sass and Alex's girlyness get a little too much for me.

Also, there's a certain air of intrigue and gossip, whenever more than two girls gather together. Boys, however, are so easy to communicate with. They are much more straightforward. Yes, there's a lot of bullshit going around in boys' talk, but I'll take it over gossip and intrigue any day.

Anyways, I think that Patrick's cute. He has the palest complexion I have ever seen. It is really cute how his ears turn bright red in the cold. He is also a true gentleman, even at sixteen. I guess this is because of his upbringing. His grandfather is the Earl of Casterly, and he is going to be Lord Casterly one day. His parents are the epitome of elegance and stuck-upness, but his dad has one of the dirtiest mouths that I have ever seen...