diary of a teenage girl

Chapter 11: my favorite snowman (Iris' pov)

I unclothe myself and take a second to look out of my window, which is so high I don't have to worry about anyone seeing me. The backyard is no normal backyard. It is bigger than the entire estate itself. I assume it is at least fifteen acres. I can't even see where it ends. I look at the ant-like tiny people trimming hedges, riding around on golf carts, cutting grass, cleaning the massive pond, and more. James is much richer than he let on. If his mother is living like this, why on earth does he live in a one thousand square foot apartment?

I dress in waterproof black cargo pants that make my waist look nearly invisible, a tight long sleeve red shirt, and a very large, warm coat. I put on my waterproof boots and I let my hair down. I spray my sweet and addictive Billie eilish perfume that I just bought and headed out into the hall just as Tia does. James stands up and takes my hand. "You look amazing, Iris." He says sweetly as we walk down the stairs. We walk outside and it looks even better than it did out the window.

I stick my tongue out as a large snowflake lands directly on it. I hear Aspen complain about the cold weather, despite him wearing two thousand plus layers. Three sleds are lined up for us, and Aspen tells us he will be right back as he is going to put on layer one thousand and one. I sit on the sled and James sits in front, and my heart screams at me as his back presses against me and as I lay my head on him. I wrap my arms around his waist and it reminds me of our first date on the Vespa. "I love you more than you know," I think to myself.

Cold snowflakes melt on my hands as he circles his thumb on them, making me close my eyes and imagine that we are the only people left on earth. I look over to Tiana and Hikaru throwing snowballs at each other and think, "I love everything about today." "Hey princess," James says, and I can feel that he is grinning right now. "Hmm?" I say, pressing my cheek into his back. "Sorry about what I'm about to do," he says, and he leans forward.

I scream as we race past the falling snow, barreling towards the bottom of the hill faster than it can land on the ground. My heart beats into his back as I dig my hands into his coat, the winter air freezing my ears as it tries to catch me before I am still again. We skid to a stop, snow shooting around us like confetti and spraying my coat and face. I tumble off of the sled with him, and he lays sideways with me, holding me into him as he tries to control his echoing laughter.

I laugh until my stomach hurts and I fall on my back, sinking into the icy snow collecting on the ground. I don't know how deep it is, but I do know that I can't feel the grass under me. I feel the soft tingle of snowflakes landing on my skin. James peeks his head over me like a shield from the airborne snow. He kisses my chilled nose. His eyes comb over me and I worry he can hear my heart beating through my jacket. "You have snowflakes in your eyelashes," he says, pulling me up from the snow.

I stand up and see a converter belt going up the hill. "James, you have got to be joking," I say, stepping on the escalator. I look up to see Aspen being shoved, tumbling down the snowy slope like a cartoon character. I ride upwards as he falls down, and I almost fall off as I laugh without end. I see Tia and Hikaru making snow angels at the top as I start walking upwards.

I lay down next to them and spread out so that I make a snow angel with them, and James plops down next to me. I hear Hikaru getting up and so I pop my head up just as a snowball comes flying at my face, punching my skin with the icy snow falling into me. The ice melts into cold water on my skin, and I gather a humongous snowball in my palm, lunging it at him, watching as it pelts him in his side, pushing him to the ground.

James snorts and another ball of snow hits the back of my head. I twirl around to see Aspen dying laughing in the snow, holding his stomach. I grab Tiana's arm and say with my lips, "come here," pointing to the Aspen on the ground that's still laughing uncontrollably. She nods mischievously and I motion to James and Hikaru, and we all gather snowballs into a pile as Aspen finally stands up. "Now!" Tia yells, and we all pelt snowballs at Aspen as he shields himself with his forearms without success.