Sunshine and Frost

4. The Winter Spirit

My shoulders sag as Jamie runs after his sister, "Nice job Sunni, you just pissed off your one potential friend." I sigh before walking back home, my appetite gone.

As I walk the wind seems to be blowing harder than it was at the park, I look around realizing that it only seems to affect me. The trees further away from me remain still as the leaves and branches around me scatter from the harsh gusts.

As I start to cross the street, I see the leaves move with me as I continue walking across the road. They seem to mock my suffering as they dance in front of me without a care. When my foot meets the side walk I slip on a patch of ice. I land awkwardly, and trying to break my fall I end up tearing open my jeans at the knee.

I adjust to a sitting position as my shoulders sink with exhaustion, "Can I just get a break?" I whisper to wind that continues to whip my hair and face.

Tears begin to sting my eyes, "I know what I did was wrong, alright?" A leaf hits my cheek as I continue, "It's probably for the best that I don't make any friends anyway. They would just be a distraction, I know that, but it would be nice to talk to someone."

The breeze continues but it almost hesitates somehow, a single sob escapes my lips, "I just don't want to be alone anymore."

I notice my finger tips getting numb and realize that I should get home soon. As I trudge up the driveway I feel the wind swirling around me again, making my beanie fly off.

I frown before leaning down to get it, "Thanks for nothing." I walk into my house, feeling the warmth seep into my body.

"Mom! You home?" I call out, my voice echoing off the walls. When no reply greats me I make the assumption that I'm alone.

I kick off my boots and hang my coat, scarf, and beanie up. I take another look around my house, trying to get used to the new environment.

Having nothing else to do I decide to go to my room to check something. I walk up the stairs into my room and hear the wind beat on my window.

"You don't give up do you?" I say to the glass as leaves continue to hit it. I sigh and go to my bookshelf, "Jack Frost huh?"

I pull out the book Nonna gave me, go to my desk, and search for the character. I find his page, disappointed to see that its only a few sentences long, "Jack Frost, the personification of ice, snow, and of course frost."

I roll my eyes at the children's book's poor attempt at humor, "He is behind the feeling you get on your nose when a burst of cold wind hits you in the face. Jack also is in charge of snow days and freezing over windows."

I look at the picture in the book seeing a elf-like boy with a medieval look to him. He wears a shawl with a old shirt, brown pants, no shoes, with a reindeer by his side. His face is very angular, a long nose, with pointed elf ears sticking out of his white hair, and his blue eyes narrowed. He looks like a teenager, but the picture makes him seem different than the book describes him. His smirk in the illustration makes him look more devilish than the spirit who makes snow days for kids.

I stare at the picture thinking out loud, "For the person in charge of the best parts about winter, he doesn't look very friendly."

I frown thinking about what Sophie said before running away, "It's not like we could make you see him anyway because you obviously don't believe!"

I lower my head in shame, as the memory replays in my head. Why was I so determined to deny any chance of Jack Frost existing? What did I have to gain from proving Sophie wrong? Maybe I'm more like mother than I thought, crushing younger people's dreams seems to be my thing too.