Lila Mae the Wildflower

Cold Snap

Lila Mae shrugged into her pink jacket. She wrapped a fluffy white scarf around her neck and pulled a matching hat on top of her head. She pulled her balled up, paired fluffy white gloves out of the jacket pocket. She unpaired them, put one on top of her white dresser and the other back into her pocket. 

She left her room, walked carefully down the steps in her heavy snow boots, and left out the front door. 

The cold air harshly stung across her face. She buried her chin farther into the pile of scarf wound around her neck. 

It was still technically autumn, but it had gotten drastically colder in the last few days. 

Of course, Lila Mae still insisted on wearing a dress. It was thick and pink, with buttons up the front. Underneath, she wore thick, knitted white stockings that kept out the wind. 

She was meeting Jacy down by the creek. They were going to try  seeing if the newly formed ice would hold their weight.

Jacy was already dancing like Bambi on top of the ice. Immediately, Lila Mae couldn't stop herself from smiling. They looked up, flop of hair bouncing in their eyes, and smiled back.

"Hey Lila Mae," they grinned, slipping slowly to the ground. 

"Why did you fall down??" Lila Mae giggled and stepped gingerly onto the frozen creek. 

"You're so cute, it knocked me over," they said and tilted over so that they were flat on their back. Lila Mae rolled her eyes and held out one hand. They grabbed it and leapt to their feet. She was surprised they didn't slip and actually fall over. 

"Where are your gloves, Lila Mae?"

"Oh," she looked down at her hands. She dug one hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out the single white glove, "I only have one."

"Well, I'll take the other," they said brightly and enclosed her hand in their's. 

They were very warm. Lila Mae felt her heart speed up. She swallowed and tried to think of something to say.

"Skate with me," Jacy sang and pulled her arm. She let them pull her across the bumpy ice. She laughed at the goofy, happy look on their face.

"Ah! It's bumpy! I'm going to fall!"

"I'll fall with you! You can fall on me and then it won't hurt so bad!" 

Lila Mae gasped, "You wouldn't catch me!?!"

Jacy smiled and swung her around, "I'll try, but I don't want to make promises I can't keep!"

Lila Mae laughed and looked up at the flat gray sky. 

"I think it's going to snow more," she said. 

"Maybe," Jacy said, dipping her over one arm. Her hat fell off and her long hair spilled over their arm. It was very graceful considering how sure they were about not being able to catch her if she fell.