Charlotte

Chapter Two

  "Good luck on your test," I tell Rose right before she goes to meet up with Lissa. She had missed her Qualifiers last year because of being in Portland, so she was making them up today. Dimitri was going with her to see how she does out in the field. My neck still stung from Natalie's bite even though it was healed over by now, and I rubbed it. It'd become a new tick of mine, and I saw Dimitri staring at me anytime I did it in his presence. He'd taken it hard, all of his emotions that he kept locked away in order to be better at his job, they showed on his face whenever I showed I was in pain. 

I watched her go with a content smile. I was glad to have my friend back. The way we fought for each other just solidified it back into place for us. No matter what, we would get through our bullshit and pull together. If we stayed together, we would survive anything, even our own heartbreaks. 

I didn't know what to do with myself after she left, so I went to go find Lissa and Christian. It. Was. Cold. The snow was up past my ankles, and I was wearing leather combat boots, not snow boots, so my toes felt frozen within seconds. I was also tired from a day of classes, but Rose was gone, and so was Dimitri, so I was left on my own. Usually, I would hunker down with some ice cream and watch an old T.V show like I Love Lucy, or Bewitched, but I was out of ice cream, and I didn't feel like laughing alone. 

I found the two out in the courtyard near the Moroi dorms. Lissa had a pink parasol open above her head to protect her from the sun, but she was only holding it with one hand because the other was throwing a snowball into my face. I stopped short, partly in shock, and partly because the front of my coat and my neck were now soaked from the snow. My muscles tensed up from the cold, hard enough to hurt a little bit, and I heard Christian's cackle coming from somewhere behind me. I glared at Lissa. "You're brave for a girl who can't outrun me," I growl playfully. 

Lissa squeaked and took off immediately. I gave her a five second head start before I took off after her. I scooped up a handful of snow without pausing and packed it into my hand before speeding up and grabbing ahold of Lissa by her hand and spinning her to face me. Simultaneously, I took my snowball and smashed it in her face, making sure it got all over her neck and melted down onto her chest. She shrieked in between our laughter. Christian tried to come up and defend his girlfriend, but I'd heard him coming and I was faster. 

I ducked out of the way of his barrage of snow, hiding behind a tree while I gathered my own ammunition. I laughed as I gathered my snowballs in my arms and stepped out of my protection, taking only half a second to take my aim, and sending my attack. They all hit their target, Christian's chest and face, and soon enough I had both of them trying to get me at the same time. I evaded, tucking and rolling to avoid some, and firing back with just as much enthusiasm. Our game lasted for about an hour before all of us were soaked to the bone and exhausted, and we went to the Moroi lobby to warm up. 

"That was the most fun I've had in... I think forever," Lissa huffs, trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard. The three of us had plopped down on one of the brown leather couches.

I agreed. My cheeks were burning from the cold, but also from grinning so long and so hard. Christian was pink in his face, his blue eyes sparkling with the most joy I'd ever seen in him. 

"Same time tomorrow?" Christian chuckled. Lissa and I shared a look. He noticed. "What?" 

"We uh...actually," Lissa said nervously. 

"We're going to go see that Beau guy about...whatever it is I am," I answered. Christian sat up a little straighter, his expression changing. 

"And you were going to tell me this...when?" He asked, looking between us almost angrily.