Nope on the Slope (ONC 2024)

Chapter 1: Ski Forms (Kelsi's POV)

January is the worst month to be a senior. It's cold and bleak as if the spirit of Christmas has been replaced with depression. It's the beginning of the last semester until our diplomas are handed over. Everyone is excited for the senior Valentine's Day ski trip, everyone but me. I'm the loser who still has crushes but nothing to show for it. It's the start of the new semester and ending a break makes me want a new one all the more.

Everyone knows how to ski, and ice skate, and likes making out by the fire. My sister, Orla, showed me her ski trip photos from two years ago. She lost her virginity on that trip. But she had a boyfriend back then, and was one of the most popular girls in her class. I'm the quiet soft spoken type, with only two friends to speak of Levi Baron and Scarlett Simpson. Levi and I have been friends since kindergarten and he's never had a girlfriend.

"Kelsi, you have to come on this trip," Scarlett, my other best friend begs as she violently shakes the ski trip forms in my face with urgency. The forms are due in four days and I was hoping that day would come and go. I was hoping Scarlett would forget to ask me to attend.

"I'm not interested, Scar. I'm not my sister. You know I can't ski or snowboard. I'm clumsy."

"But Levi's cousin is going. Aren't you interested in Justin?"

I hate it when Scarlett pulls the crush card on me. Anything that has Justin's name on it gets my attention. I've had a lame crush on Justin for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure when it started. It might have started during a group presentation during the third grade in which we made a solar system model together. It might have started when Levi brought him to my house for me to meet him in the second grade. Either way, Justin's a drug that I've longed to take. One little sip and I'm sure I would be high.

"Of course, I'm interested if Justin's going. But making an ass of myself and being the biggest loser in the ski lodge isn't motivation enough for me. Sorry, Scarlett, I'm not going."

Scarlett looks down and starts tugging at her hair with such guilt. One more pull and her braid might come out. I remove her hand from her hair. 

"Well...what would you do if I filled out a form for you and already had your mother sign it? Would you come then?"

I slam my books into my locker. Of course, she would. Of all the brilliant ideas she's come up with, she just had to bring my mother into this. My mother always sides with Scarlett when it comes to social events. Scarlett has forced me to go to three homecoming dances, two football games with parties included, and spin the bottle games in middle school. I made out with guys during those middle school games. I never got a boyfriend out of it.

"No, I am not going. Take Levi. I don't want to go. I don't like being cold."

Scarlett knows I hate cold weather. I've been begging my parents to let me go to University in Florida or Hawaii. They have commented that my studies would suffer and I'd become a beach bum. They might be accurate in their assumptions of me, they usually are but it's not my place to let them know that.

"Who doesn't like being cold?" Levi says as he wraps his arm around my shoulder. He has a way of budding into conversations without permission, typical Levi. If I didn't know Levi as well as I did, I might actually consider dating him. We've been friends too long for that to ever happen. Scarlett's been trying to get me to like Levi for years since Justin is so obviously out of my league.

"Me stupid. I hate being cold. Scarlett over here had this genius idea of forcing me to go." I roll my eyes at Scarlett and her red hair makes her blushing cheeks more prevalent.

"Yeah, I know. I was there when your mom signed the forms." Levi fucking Baron...I can't say I'm surprised.

"You both suck you know that? What kind of best friends are you? Who the hell signs their best friend up for a ski trip knowing they hate the cold? Apparently you two dingbats. What the heck am I supposed to do all weekend? I'm a total klutz."

Levi removes his arm from around my neck, I almost got used to it being there for a moment. He hooks his arm through mine and starts walking me to math class.

"I'll teach you, Kelsi. It's only January and this trip is during Valentine's Day weekend. You'll have plenty of time to embarrass yourself in front of me."

Levi offers as he lets go of my arm almost instantly. His eyes stare past me at his cousin, Justin Baron. They share the same last name, and attend the same school, but are polar opposites. Justin's a popular jock and although Levi is athletic he never joined a sports team. He decided to get lost in his band. They still don't have a name.

"Hey Levi, are you coming over after school?" Justin asks.

"Yeah, why?" Levi's posture changes from playful to defensive. He's never had issues with Justin that I'm aware of and they've always gotten along for the most part. They are competitive with each other once in a while, the way brothers would be. They are both only children.

"Bring that pretty thing standing next to you, if you want." He points to me and my heart does all the backflips. If my heart were a gymnast it just won a gold medal.

"Her name is Kelsi, and she's with me."

Levi's never referred to me as his girlfriend before, but even Scarlett is taken aback by his comment. Scarlett decides to leave likely to lessen the looming embarrassment which is soon to come over Levi.

"Whatever, bring your girlfriend. We have a lot to discuss."

Before I can clear the air that I am not Levi's girlfriend, Justin heads into the classroom.

"What the hell, Levi? I'm not your girlfriend. We aren't together."

"I know. I panicked. Please don't get mad at me. He's been a dick to girls lately. I'm doing you a favor. I know you like him, even if you'd never tell me."

"You knew and still you made him think I'm your girlfriend? Great, that makes this even better, Levi." I start to storm off into math class, but Levi grabs my wrist. It startles me how touchy he is with me today of all days.

"He's beneath you, Kelsi. You can do much better than that. Trust me. He's a good cousin and friend. But he is not romance material by any means." Levi holds my hand even harder and attempts to pull me toward him. My heart starts getting flustered. It does this on occasion when Levi gets in defensive mode, but I push it down because I can't like Levi Baron, it would go against the best friend code we set up back before high school started.

"I'll be the judge of that. If I go on that ski trip, then Justin Baron is going to be touching me in all the right places. And cousin or no cousin you can't force me to do anything that I don't want to. I'm going to do something with your cousin, and I will set the record straight that I am not your girlfriend."

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Levi asks as he lets go of my hand and looks down. His face gets red as he starts to head into the classroom.

"Would what be such a bad thing?" I ask completely confused at this point.

"Being my girlfriend?" The bell rings before I can answer. We head into class and don't speak about his question for the rest of the day.

But I already know the answer to Levi's question...it wouldn't be a bad thing, no not at all. In fact, he'd be a really great boyfriend if given the chance. But I dare not let my best friend know that I've thought of him in this way, otherwise it could ruin the rest of our senior year together and I can't have that.