Strolson Twins

Chapter III (Snowboarding Gear)

Asher's POV

I walked in, and an Asian woman greeted me, smiling, and asked, "Anything I can do for ya?"

I nodded, and asked, "I need a snowboard."

She nodded, "Any budget?"

I shook my head, seriously saying, "I need the best of the best."

"You came to the right place, then..."

"Asher."

"... Asher," she finalized.

She started towards the last isle, and I followed, eager for a board to ride again. My fingers twitched, my movements jerky. We stopped at the middle of the isle, and she looked at me.

My eyes were already scanning the boards, and I pulled out a wicked blue and black board. The design was flawless, the pattern intricate. It stood a few inches above my head, my perfect length.

I tried the width, setting it on the floor, and lightly putting my foot on the waist, and an inch, possibly inch and a half was between my shoe heel and toe from the edge. Putting a little weight on it, I found a slight camber, but not too much.

Looking at the label, the weight recommendation was my range, and the edge was the style I rode for. The flex was right, and the style was All Mountain/Freestyle, also matching.

I smiled.

"This is it," I declared, "It's perfect."

"Looks like it," she said, "Now let's look at measurements for gear and such."

I nodded, following her with the board to the front, where we can take measures and sizes. I also needed gear, so that added. We measured my chest, waist, hips and sleeves. Then we looked for hats and gloves. I had my old, gently-used boots, helmet, and mask. I had almost forgotten bindings.

I still had Alex's wallet, but as soon as I won some prize money I would pay him back.

"One thousand, six hundred sixty-seven dollars and four cents," she concluded, standing behind the counter, with the board, goggles, gloves, jacket and pants between us.

I took out his card, and signed his name. This worked every time - Alex's and my handwriting were so similar, no one looks twice. Angela, whose name I finally had found out, looked at me, then signature.

"Aren't you Asher?" she asked.

I nodded, saying smoothly, "He's my brother." I decided against lying to this one. Angela was a good woman. Even for a college student, too.

"I understand," she said, looking up from the screen at the register, "But humor me why."

"He let me use his card, because I'm kinda broke. I plan on paying him back when I get some prize cash."

"Ah," she said, "This winter, there's a competition with the neighboring resorts, and I think you could put this place on the map. You seem like you have it in you." Her face showed sincerity and hope.

I nodded, smiling. "I'll see what I can do," I tried.

She nodded, and handed me Alex's card.

"Have a nice day," she said, handing me the humongous bag, and my snowboard.

I took them, holding my board several inches of the ground with my right hand, and the bag over my left shoulder.

As I was walking out, I heard her call, "Good luck, Asher!"

I was smiling as the door shut behind me, and it got wider as I spotted a sleeping Mable behind the wheel of her car. Opening her door quietly, I grabbed her keys from the cup holder, and shut the door. I popped the trunk, and put the gear in it, keeping the board.

I didn't want to risk the wood chipping on the sides. The $600 Expert board was too important. I reopened the door, and sat down, putting the board in the back seat; one end against the window, the other one the opposite seat, diagonal.

Turning back to Mable, I touched her arm, and shook her. She woke, slightly sputtering, and focused on a smiling me.

"Did taller one find everything?" she asked.

I nodded, saying, "Yeah, could we get back? Alex's a sad drunk."

Her face fell, and she muttered, "Dammit," as she looked for her keys. I handed them to her, and she shot me a grateful look before starting the car and speeding home.

When home, got no help with my board and gear, because she rushed in, and I heard her yell at him inside, and a chuckle came out of my mouth before I could stop it as I walked in.

Alex, in his boxers, was lying on the floor, a bottle of pre-mixed Sex on the Beach next to him, along with a bottle of wine and vodka.

I grunted, and Mable glared at me, my sentence running through her head, visibly.

"Taller one's punishment's to carry smaller version to room and care for it."

I grunted again, this time in annoyance. Her glare hardened even further, and I started moving.

"Can I put down my stuff first?" I asked.

She nodded, and I went up to my room and put it all there, the gear on my bed, and the board next to it. I quickly went back down, and threw away all the bottles, after finishing off the last few swallows of the Sex on the Beach. Apparently he had passed out beforehand.

I threw him on his bed, and left him to mumble nonsense for a few hours. Or several. I have no idea. Alex isn't drunk too often.

Heading back to my room, I started thinking about getting back to snowboarding. I was thinking of going to the least popular resort. I didn't need feedback on how rusty I was.

Opening my door, I looked at my gear. Then, I thought of trying it all on. With that, I walked towards the bed, hoping against hope it all fit, cuz it wasn't cheap.

Once it was all on, minus my old helmet, boots, and mask, I looked in the mirror, and I looked like a green and black piece of a thousand-dollar bill. Which, is about what it all costed, minus the board. I smiled at my reflection.

"Fuck," I spoke to myself, "I look amazing."

"Yes, Mable thinks taller one does look amazing," Mable spoke from the doorway.

I turned towards her calmly, her surprise entrance not being enough to make me flinch, and said, "Really?"

She nodded, smiling.

I looked back at my reflection, starting to take off all the gear, because it was getting hot in it. Mable left, leaving me to change.

Now, it was around six when Alex woke, and started to get interesting.