Live Your Life

Eight

Thursday, the week came around fast and Christmas was coming closer and closer. The reminder of Damon not being with her again on Christmas wasn't the first thing on her mind anymore. For the first time in four years she didn't worry about spending Christmas alone. She didn't worry about not opening a present from Damon. She didn't even worry about going shopping and then finding something that she would've bought for him. Many other things went through her mind. Like, buying presents for the people who have been the closest to her since she moved to this town, being the family that she'd never had. Having a fresh start by buying new Christmas decorations. Putting up a brand new Christmas tree when the time comes. All the things that she missed when Damon passed away, for the first time in four years, had disappeared and it was ever since she felt comfortable around Caleb. Who she could speak to about her past. Tell things that she could only tell Damon. Being around somebody who has been through the same amount of pain that she has and for the first time since Damon, who she can be completely and utterly honest with.

The large flakes of snow fluttered through the air, falling down onto the knee high blanket of snow that covered the streets of the town. The snow from the sidewalk was pushed up against the wall of the houses and shops. The grey, brown, sludgy snow on the road had turned into mush as it pressed up against the curb. Every time a car drove down the road, the screeching and squashing of the tires against the snow splattered against the sidewalk, changing the colour of the white snow to specks of grey and brown.

Elena, who had her arms wrapped around her, her long brunette hair, frizzed from the wet snow falling down on it fell over her shoulders with the top of it covered by a red, wool, bobble hat with a matching scarf wrapped around her neck. Her blue tartan coat was closed with large buttons and a matching belt wrapped around her waist. Her hands were trembling underneath the matching thick, red gloves and her teeth chattering. Walking through the entrance of the salon she shuddered and shook the snow off her shoulders.

Nora, who was sitting in her usual place by the window, wore a thick wool jumper with a pair of calf length boots that were placed on the chair opposite her. She held up a magazine in front of her face as her eyes scanned across the page.

"Cold, honey?" Nora asked.

"You think that I would've been used to this weather by now but I'm not. God, it's freezing out there."

"Tell me about it." Nora dropped the magazine down in front of her as she leaned forward. "I can tell when it's freezing outside." Nora whispered. "You know who actually came into work today not wearing shorts."

Elena gasped. "You're kidding!"

Nora shook her head. "No. She came in today wearing a pair of leggings. Fair enough they're still showing off her amazing legs. But I never thought that I would see the day that that girl would show up not wearing shorts. Last year she just wore a pair of thigh length boots. Today, those are still on but the shorts are gone."

"Just shows how cold it is."

Elena walked over to the coat hanger where she hung up her coat with the winter accessories up next to it. She patted down her hat hair that had become static and stuck up in the air. She stroked her fingers through her frizzed hair to make it look presentable.

Elena looked around the salon to find that there were no customers in sight. "Slow day then?"

Nora shrugged her shoulders. "Like normal."

"People don't tend to think about their hair when the weather is like this."

"They know that the weather will just damage their hair. Like someone's I can see right now."