|| LOVE AT THE LODGE ||

PROLOGUE - 1 YEAR EARLIER - "A stupid little girl"

I grinded my teeth together, the metal of my braces clacking loudly against one another. My hair, a mess from the tiresome day of skiing that I had just endured. My brothers hand-me-downs fluro green and dark red ski-gear made me stand out, and not in a good way. I looked like an absolute idiot, my acne beaming almost brighter than the fluro, and worse, I looked like a fat pig, the clothes fitting me like shit. As I sat by the window, gazing at the snow-covered landscape, I couldn't help but daydream. I had been waiting for this day for months—the annual family ski trip to my families lodge. The lodge was a cozy retreat nestled in the mountains, surrounded by towering pines. My family had spent countless winters there, creating memories of laughter and warmth. I loved the crackling fire, the smell of hot choccy, and the excitement of hitting the slopes. But the only reason I love going was seeing my brothers totally gorgeous friend Jack, we'd never even said a word to each other, he didn't even know me apart from the 'little sister' I looked on instagram, the girls with their polaroid photos, friends and partying. I looked at my room in the lodge, covered in posters of authors, book covers and different posters. My room was a dumpsite. I just wished I could be like them, they would've gotten his attention in a heartbeat.  

Jack was always around but I always seemed to blend into the wall. It's like I was invisible. He was a olympic-level skier, which I always enjoyed about him. (It also helped earn him an invite every year.) Because he trained every day, Jack was built like a greek god, his toned body hosting a hard set of abs. I had always thought he would never go for his best-friends little sister, so I kept content with stolen glances and the occasional conversation, I wished that someday he would look at me like I look at him, however I knew he only thought of me as a stupid little girl. Thats when I hatched the plan, the plan to make him drool, the plan to turn my life around. This time next year, he'd be drooling over me, this time next year, I'd be the one pretending he was invisible.