Love Like Winter ❄️ Xavier Thorpe

Chapter 11: Painting by Numbers

Soundtrack:

"waiting on the weekend" by YUNGBLUD
"we fell in love in october" by girl in red
"Don't Give Up On Me" by Andy Grammer
"Sweater Weather" by The Neighborhood

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Friday morning, I text Enid first thing about the Poe Cup. She's always trying to involve me in social activities, no matter how much I protest. To be honest, I probably would have absolutely no interest in something like the Poe Cup, but I didn't want it to be another thing that Xavier did with Wednesday without me. I'd already lost too much time as it was.

Enid texts back fairly quickly. "OMG! I was afraid to ask you because I knew you were hurting, but I guess my plan worked!"

I smile at my phone, remembering that Enid was the one who reached out to Yoko and the other members of the Nightshades to help me pick up my broken self and set Xavier and me up. We would've reconciled eventually I'm sure, but every day that we weren't talking was like another knife in my heart. I'm just glad we were back to normal. He snores softly beside me and I can't help but stare at him, wondering how I was so lucky.

"Yes, thank you, Enid. You basically saved my life. Literally," I text back.

"Glad to do it, bestie!"

Bestie? That's a new one for me. I like it though.

She sends another text. "But about the Poe Cup, it's tomorrow morning and our team is me, Wednesday, Yoko, and now you! Our costumes are these really hot blood red wetsuits and we have these cute little skeleton half masks! I'm so excited!"

I send her back a grinning emoji, not really sure what else to say over text. It sounds like it will be fun but also overwhelming, but as long as Xavier is there, it will be worth it. I glance up at the clock Xavier recently hung on the wall and see that we are definitely missing class, again. I haven't been in almost two weeks and am genuinely starting to get concerned I might fail. My mental health really was in severe distress though, if Yoko hadn't came to the rescue when she did ... I don't know.

Xavier stirs beside me and I watch his eyes slowly blink open. "God, I missed waking up to you," he says with a sleepy smile.

"Guess what?"

"What's up, Princess?"

"I'm in the Poe Cup tomorrow," I grin. "Enid says our costumes are hot."

He laughs. "I look forward to seeing that."

I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and assuming it's Enid, I answer without really checking. "Hey, Enid."

There is a long pause before the person on the other end says, "Ms. Meadows?"

I shut my eyes and bite my lip, bracing myself to reply. "Y-yes Mrs. Weems?"

I see Xavier's eyes widen beside me and he places his hand reassuringly on my leg, stroking it with his thumb.

"You are aware that you have to actually attend class here, right?"

I part my lips to speak but only get out a few syllables and I can feel hot tears brewing in my eyes. Xavier scoots closer to me and snakes his arm around my waist, holding me close. I take a deep breath and try to form words.

"Yes. I was struggling with my mental health. I literally couldn't move," I say, feeling more confident in my voice with Xavier holding me.

She sighs. "Okay. Nevermore are huge advocates of mental wellness and we even have a relationship with a therapist in Jericho, well, we did."