Cold Hearted

Chapter 1

It was cold. Even with the heaters on, there was still a draft blowing on my face. We were driving back from hockey. I watched out the window as the houses disappeared as quickly as they came. One minute they're here, then all of a sudden they're gone. Just like that. We took the usual route home. Up 57th, left at Jonson, and around my old elementary school that burnt down last April. Nothing like seeing the ashes of an old memory. I live only a couple blocks from there.

The car turned down my street and into our driveway. It was the middle of December and we had just received a fresh layer of snow. When I got inside, Bear jumped up and licked my face. He always waits at the door for me to get home. I put my bags in the closet and ran upstairs with him at my heels. The first thing I did was log onto my laptop. One missed Skype call. I took out my blond hair and let it fall down to my waist. It's a tangled mess so I quickly brush it out. While searching through the pile of clothes on my floor I found a cute sweatshirt and pulled it over my head. Finally I settled at the edge of my bed and called him back. It took him only a few seconds to answer.

"Hey loser." His hair was spiked up as it usually was and he was wearing his favorite shirt, the navy blue one he wears three times a week. "Just get back from hockey?"

"Yeah, game against the Predators."

"You win?"

"Obviously."

"Sweet!!!" We continued to talk about hockey for the next hour until his mom yelled at him to get off the phone. "See ya Miller!" Rylan and I have been best friends since the first grade when he stole my last chocolate chip cookie. I still get mad at him.

After he hung up I decided to have a shower. I grabbed my little blue speaker from my desk and walked down the hall. I had to throw a treat into my room so Bear was distracted. In the tiny window of time I had before he realized what I did, I slipped into the bathroom and locked the door behind me. I plugged in my phone and turned on the top 40. I let the water run for a bit first so it had a chance to warm up before stepping inside and closing the curtain. I stood there for a awile, letting the water soak my skin. I sang along to "Love Yourself" as i rinsed the soap off my legs and out of my eyes. Once the water started to turn cold, I reached out and grabbed a towel off the shelf. I put up my hair and left with my robe wrapped around me. As soon as i opened the door, steam flooded out as if it had been a prisoner finally released. A wind of cold air instantly hit me and sent goosebumps crawling up my spine. My toes sank into the carpet while i made my way back to my room, leaving behind a trail of damp footprints. Bear was lying on my bed with his head buried in his paws. I stepped through my door and the floor creaked, causing him to jump up and glare at me. Knowing I would have to make it up to him, I put on some new clothes and walked towards the door.

*******

Bear and I were walking down the old path when I heard someone call out my name.

"Liv!" I turn around to see my neighbor Maddy.

"Who is this angel?" I bent down to get a closer look at the golden retriever puppy.

"This is Chloe. We got her a few days ago." Once bear started inspecting her behind i figured it was time to go. I waved them off and made our way back to the house.

The second I walked through the door I could smell mom's lasagna. I ran into the kitchen and started grabbing some plates. Once the table was set I called dad. The three of us sat down and started passing the food around. I noticed Bear out of the corner of my eye, his dark brown tail wagging. Lasagna scraps are his favorite. The meal was pretty quiet. We always sit together for supper to encourage "family time" but we end up eating as fast as we can so we can get on with what we were previously doing. Once everyone was done I scraped the extra food into Bear's bowl and threw the dishes in the sink.

Mom and dad went out after everything was cleaned up so I had the house to myself. Me being the sassy bitch I am, dramatically tore off my clothes down to my bra and panties and scattered myself across my bed. I unplugged my laptop and placed it in front of my face. It took forever to start up. When it finally did I went right to Netflix. I searched through the shows for a few minutes before settling on FRIENDS. I continued to watch until my eyelids were so heavy the Hulk wouldn't be able to hold them up. I slowly drifted off.

*******

The clock was moving so very slowly. There was still 32 minutes of health class. Ugh I get it. It's a penis. PENIS. Oh look a cucumber. And a condom...? Oh, she's putting the condom on the cucumber. Great... Finally the bell rang after a brutal 20 minute lecture about why to be safe and not get pregnant with Mrs.Lamourly. I followed my class out into the cluster of hungry students. I passed by my locker and headed for Rylan's. There was a group of guys standing in my way causing me to have to push through the pack of sweaty bodies.

"I predict 6." He looked at me confused. "Number of STDs each of them have." He burst out into uncontrollable laughter, inviting some glares from the douche squad.

Once the laughing turned into quiet chuckles he asked "Where do you want to go?" Which was pointless because we go to the same place everyday. A coffee shop three blocks from the school called Taza. It was a sunny day in the little town of Deluth, Minnesota, warmer than yesterday and my black converse shoes were sinking into the slush. The café was empty other then an older couple, maybe in their 50's, at a table beside the window. We walked to our usual booth in the far back corner and slid onto the leather benches. This is the only part of my days I actually like. Escaping the rest of the world and sitting there with him... Nothing is better. He got me. I never had to tell him what I was thinking because he already knew. As great as a best friend gets. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't realize when the waitress brought me a mug of coffee. A tapping on my shoulder brought me back. I smiled sheepishly and could feel the sweat in my palms.

"What's wrong?" He asked. I looked him dead in the eyes, I never realized how blue his eyes were.

After too many awkward moments of staring at him I managed to reply, "Nothing."