This Winter

Chapter 18

Junior Year

The last day of school I'm finishing my final exams. The wedding is next weekend and it seems so far, yet so close. I can practically taste white frosted cake and imagine blue eyes in a proper tuxedo.

Crammed in a tiny wooden table at the back of the library, I sit with Ashley. The two of us and Stephanie had studied together, up until today when Stephanie ditched us to 'actually' study. According to her, we talked more than we studied and she really needed to pass her Geometry exam.

I only had an art exam last, so studying wasn't really required. A simple sketch was all I needed to get an A on the exam, and artistic abilities were unnecessary.

My stress for the year was over.. well in school.

"Asshhhlleeyyyy! I'm bored," I groaned, throwing my arms and head dramatically on the table.

She huffed, hitting me with her note cards. "Ethan! I need to study!"

"But I'm bored." I snatched her pastel pink cards from her hand, shuffling through them as she attempted to win them back. "Gorge- a deep ravine-"

"Give them back!" I put my arm out, shifting the cards to my left as she tried to shove her way passed to her precious note cards, that were too perfectly written for its own good. I tipped my head back, laughing as the practically 90 pound girl was determined to push passed a football player. She shoved her whole body into my single, outstretched arm to get her cards back. "Ethan," she tried to mask a smile with a frown.

"Okay, okay.. here you go." After finally having enough fun I gave the cards back.

"Jerk!"

"Ow," I obnoxiously yelled when she elbowed my side. "What is this even for?" Gesturing to her cards in her baby-blue nails.

"English, we have a vocabulary portion."

She goes back to her frantic note reading, green eyes scanning the cards quickly before flipping to the next. I rest my head against my arm, watching her as she studies and trying to find comfort in bored-em.  Only ten minutes to go and I'll be off to win my easy A in art.

"Should've studied with Stephanie," she mutters bitterly, just to annoy me.

With a raised head I perk up from my daze and respond, "Hey! That's not nice." She laughs and shakes her head, still concentrating on her note-cards.

"Ethan," a soft voice speaks behind me.

My body freezes over his voice. Eyes looking at Ashley as she raises her head to look at the boy behind me. She smiles stiffly and eyes look down at mine as I convince myself that this is a reality.

I turn around in my chair to see Noah, standing a few inches away from me. My eyes staring at a gray cotton shirt, loose enough to gap around his stomach. The cotton lifting from his pale skin, and visibly soft- that I want to reach out and touch him. My eyes rise to his blue ones, he's looking down at me uncomfortably.

It's the first time we've talked.

"Yeah?" My voice comes out hoarse and I have to clear my throat. I'm caught off guard, he caught me off guard.

"Do you want to ride with me? So we can get there early on Friday?" His voice holds no emotion, he's stiff as he stands in front of me. Takes a step back when my stare in his eyes are too long and he breaks eye-contact quickly.

"Y-Yeah, yeah, that's great. My mom can only take off Saturday anyways."He nods and takes another step back.

"Cool.." he breaths out. He takes another few steps backwards, his eyes bouncing from me to Ashley before finishing with a smile.