Aurora

6.

This time I was bringing mittens.

Wool mittens that could keep my hands warm.

Connor was in the front yard, waiting. I stepped outside, the frosty wind spearing through my coat. I shivered.

I walked over, my feet sinking deeper and deeper into the snow with every step.

"Hurry up," Connor said. He grasped a handful of snow and hurled it towards me.

He missed. I smirked. "Nice try."

He rolled his eyes and then threw another. This time it hit me, directly in my face.

My cheeks froze as the snowflakes melted and burned the surface of my skin. I heard Connor laugh.

"You little..." I took a handful of snow and pressed it together.

Then I pitched it towards him. It crashed into his forehead. He backed up and slipped on the ice. With a thud, his head knocked onto the ground. It was a horrible sound - one that made me freeze up with a sudden, overwhelming fear that I had accidentally hurt my little brother.

After a moment of staring and hoping he'd get up, I spoke.

"...Connor? Are you okay?"

He stayed still, not making a single movement.

Horror bolted through me. "Connor!"

No reply. Oh my god, what did I do?

"Connor, please! Say something! Are you hurt?"

Nothing.

"You'll be okay, Connor. Stay here. I'm going to get help."

I spun around and rushed to the house, but something stopped me:

A series of giggles behind me.

I spun around. Connor was sitting up, a grin stretched wide across his face.

"Ha! You thought I was hurt!"

"Connor! What's wrong with you? That's sick!"

He kept laughing. "I got you real good didn't I, Rory?"

"It's not funny!"

"I know! Your reaction, though! It was priceless!"

I cupped snow into my hands and tossed it toward him.

Suddenly, a dog barked at us. I flinched, startled, and I twirled around, only to see a familiar face. I sighed. "You? Again?"

Landon cleared his throat. "Snowball fight?"

Connor looked up at him. "Landon! Hey! What's up?"

"Walking Tucker," he said, gesturing towards his dog.

"Is that all you do all day? Walk Tucker?" I laughed. "Didn't you walk him like less than twenty minutes ago?"

"Yeah." He shrugged. "I've honestly got nothing better to do."

"Sounds pretty lame."

"That sums it up."

"Well, we're gonna build a snowman. Wanna join?" Connor asked.

"Sure."

"You can ask Julien if he wants to join too."

"Um, yeah. Okay." Landon said. Once again, I found the slightest hesitation in his voice.

"What's with you?" I cut in.

"What do you mean?"

I thought about interrogating him some more but stopped myself, figuring I was just over analyzing.  "Uh, never mind. Go get Julien. I'll get Natalie."

He nodded and went back into his house.

Minutes later, he returned with his infamous brother.

Julien.