A Nobody's Notebook

Social Dance

Relationships
Ashely: 5/10
Beth: 8/10
Chris: 7/10
Emily: 4/10
Hannah: 7/10
Jess: 5/10
Josh: 8/10
Matt: 5/10
Mike: 5/10
Sam: 7/10

Traits
Honest:5/10
Charitable: 7/10
Funny: 6/10
Brave: 5/10
Romantic: 4/10
Curious: 7/10

I cross one of my arms in front of myself. I shudder and my breath floats out in a small cloud. As I sketch the tree line, my pencil scratches against the paper. We just arrived at the lodge, but I'm standing outside. I hear the door open behind me. "What the hell are you doing out here?" Chris laughs.

"Sketching," I simply say. I've only known the group for four months, but they have already become my best friends.

Chris walks up behind me and looks down at me. All I'm wearing is a thin, baggy shirt and jeans. "Here," he says. I hear him shuffling. I look over to see him handing me his hoodie. I look at him, then back at the hoodie. "Just take it. It's cold," he rolls his eyes. I nod and take it from him. After I adjust the hoodie, the sleeves hang off my hands and the bottom hem reaches my mid thigh. Chris begins laughing.

"What's so funny?" I ask, my face turning red.

Between laughs, he replies. "You're... so... tiny!" He says. I look down, noting how big his hoodie is on me. I begin laughing as well. Soon, we both sigh. I push the sleeves up and return to drawing. "Just, come inside soon. Josh is starting a fire," he says. I nod and he retreats back inside the warm lodge. After about 10 more minutes in the snow, I return to the warmth. I'm greeted by the smell of burning wood. The main room is empty. Everyone must be getting settled in. I take a seat at the bar with my notebook. I begin sketching 10 figures in front of the tree line.

"What's this?" A voice asks from behind me. I jump, closing my notebook. Josh is standing over me, holding a bottle of booze.

I stutter. "I-It's nothing."

"Come on, Lilah. Nothing you do is just 'nothing'," he sits next to me, setting the bottle down. I eye it for a second. "Let me see," he demands with a soft voice. I pause for a second. He sighs and shakes his head, taking the notebook from me. He flips through the pages before landing on the most recent drawing. "Is this...?" he looks at the page with a smile. I look at his soft face then at the drawing. It's all of my friends, Hannah, Beth, Josh, Chris, Ashley, Emily, Mike, Jess, Matt, and Sam. They're all wrapped up in hugs together. "Something's missing," Josh says after a moment.

I look at him, confused. "What's missing?" I ask.

"You," he scoffs with a smile, sliding the notebook back.

I shake my head. "No, no. I don't belong-"

"What are you saying?! Of course you do! Right there!" he points to the blank space in the middle. Since Emily is hugging Mike and Chris is taunting Ashley by holding her hat out of her reach, causing her to stand on her toes, there's adequate space to fit me in. "Would you like a drink?" Josh asks. I look up to see him holding two cups. I look back at the bottle. My mouth starts to feel dry as I remember my father.

I shake my head. "N-No. Thanks," I press my lips together. He shrugs and puts the second glass back. I haven't told them about my home life. I don't want to. "I think I'm gonna go finish over there," I say as Josh opens the bottle. I point to fire and he follows my eyes. He simple nods as I stand.

"Good luck, Da Vinci," He says in an odd voice. I laugh softly and walk over to the fire. I sit on the floor. I place my notebook in front of me before laying on my stomach. I feel someone's eyes on me. I blush, knowing exactly who's watching me. I begin to sketch my small figure into the scene. I hum to myself. My humming soon becomes soft singing. (Song is Social Dance by Dodie Clark. Thanks to the amazing person who requested this story, I have found this song. It fits this character perfectly!!) "There are some who don't even need to try. Born with a warm heart, a twinkle in their eye. Glitter in their words, perfume in their breath. Souls of sunshine and lilac pastel skies..." I hear footsteps walk up to me, so I stop singing. Beth sits next to me.