Falling Into Winter

Chapter I Not Quite Winter

  My youth, my youth is yours
Trippin' on skies, sippin' waterfalls
My youth, my youth is yours
Runaway now and forevermore

Youth by Troye Sivan  

I laughed as I packed a fresh snowball in my gloved hands. Despite the gloves, my hands had gone quite numb from the cold air. "Alec you don't stand a chance against me!"

Alec peaked out from his little snowden, like a hare popping out of his home after hibernation. "We'll see about that, Noelle." And he tossed another snowball towards my fort. I ducked and threw the ball I had prepared before he could hide behind his wall. It hit him square in the face, and I burst out in a fit of laughter. His face, now covered in snow, did not share the same smile.

"Funny." Was his only response, wiping white flakes of snow from his dark brown hair. He narrowed his mocha colored eyes.

Before I could react, Alec had reached behind himself, and threw a barrage of snowballs. I squealed in fright and joy as I was hit with an onslaught of cold balls of powder. Then before I could dust myself off, Alec had run up to my fort and had tackled me in the snow. I smiled as he now pinned me to the ground, right on top of our town's small hill.

"I could roll you off this hill." Alec smirked, looking satisfied with himself.

I feigned worry. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh I would dare." He answered, adjusting himself so he could easily shove me down the steeper part of the hill.

"Oh my!" I gasped, pretending to be frightened as I looked over to where he was going to roll me off. Without a hint of a warning, I felt a soft yet sturdy push on my side and before I knew it I was rolling off the hill.

"Alec Mallon!" I cried out, but was muffled by my face meeting snow. I tried to sit up, but ended up rolling down head first. I nearly ran into a tree before stopping just short. Not too long after I had sat up, Alec had rolled in next to me. I stood up immediately and kicked him right in the side before he could stand up. My whole body was covered in snow and it had grown extremely chilly.

"Ow! Hey I warned you!" He laughed, standing and dusting himself off.

"I thought you were bluffing." I retorted, trying to bring the warmth back in my arms. Alec rolled his eyes. "I'm not apologizing," and I gave a little huff. I turned my back to him and looked up to the top of the town hill. Our two forts had now been occupied by two kids who looked to be in the middle of a very intense snow battle.

The breeze picked up and I tucked a strand of my nearly black hair behind my ear. I felt Alec wrap his arms around my waist. Then he picked me up and hoisted me over his back like a sack of potatoes.

I exclaimed in anger. "Put me down you oaf!"

"We're going home." He responded, carrying me over to his car.

"Only because I want to, not because you are forcing me." I answered, crossing my arms again.

I could feel his eyes roll.

We reached the car and Alec immediately dropped me face first into the snow. I jumped up and tackled him before he could reach the driver side door. I was successful in knocking him down and had him nearly pinned. "I gotcha!" I shouted in victory, but he immediately flipped me back over. He leaned in and put his hand on my cheek as he lifted my face to kiss him. It was only a moment yet it had felt like an eternity.

"No, I gotcha." He stated once he had pulled back. I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him back down for another kiss.

"It's a draw." I said, a satisfied smirk crossing my face. Alec cracked a smile, his eyes crinkling in the corners.