Waiting For Winter

A New Mission

So stupid.

What was I thinking? Why would she fall for me? I KIDNAPPED her.

I threw my shirt on, almost tearing it while forcing my arms in. I looked forward into the mirror, but it wasn't the mirror I was looking at. It was the girl in the picture taped to the inside of my wardrobe behind me. It was late in the summer, and she was relaxing by the pool. The shot was close-up. You only saw her face shrouded by the shadows of the straw hat on her head and the umbrella above her. Her eyes were covered by a pair of circular sunglasses. Her pouty lips were slightly open like she'd fallen asleep. It wasn't a very good picture; it was also the only one I was allowed. I grinned. She was cute, though. I just want to bury my face in those bouncy curls.

I redirected my attention to my own reflection. I had to admit, I looked pretty sexy. I buttoned my white collar all the way up, then walked over to the wardrobe and searched for a black suit. No...maybe a light blue? My fingers flipped past a dozen different coloured suits. Red and white; tan with a white hem; navy blue; solid black; plain white; pastel pink; baby blue--there. I yanked it off the hanger and slipped it on. Afterwards, I smoothed it down. Everything had to be perfect.

A soft knock at the door. "Who is it?" I called, swiveling to look at myself once more in the mirror. I'd left my wavy, dark brown-almost-black hair down this time.

Whoever it was came in while I was busy checking myself out. Who in the hell--!

"Have you seen him?"

Kate.

She's just as stupid as me. Falling for Alexander. No, she's sick.

"How about you check Kim's room," I growled, combing through my hair one last time. She looked depressed. How could you let him break you so easily?, I thought, pushing past her and slamming the door behind me. So pathetic. But we're gonna need you later, too.

***

It was a beautiful night. Peaceful and quiet. But hot, too; the winds took care of that. I stepped on the gas, sending my Dodge Charger faster up the winding roads of the mountain. The scenery was amazing. It seemed a thousand lights lit up the vast expanse of forest covering each mountain surrounding me. The light I was headed to now, which was increasingly getting closer, was the light of a large, elegant cabin.

I nonchalantly drifted into the parking space beside a Mini Cooper. So it's a chick. I pulled out my phone and reread Tim's text.

Tim: URGENT NEWS BRO

Me: What

Tim: I kinda set you up on a date

Me: Explain

Tim: well..I told the guy Alexander was too busy to meet up with him. He wants to see about the place ya know. Check it out n stuff and he's not even a regular. There's a procedure to this. so anyway I just told him I'd get a guy to talk to him

Me: I'm that guy

Tim: well yeah man

Me: 'k whatever. Where?

I looked up from my phone when I heard someone calling out to me. A tall woman wearing a very revealing, tight red dress was waving to me from the porch of the cabin. I nodded at her, then popped the door open and got out. I stuffed my phone into my back pocket.

"Bonjour!" the woman said to me as I approached her.

I ignored her outstretched hand and barged through the door. "This is America."

"Yes," she said, her voice darkening,"it sure is."

I turned to face her right as she slammed the door shut behind her, making the entire cabin shake.

"I can already tell you're going to be a tough one."