A Winter Without Ice

Chapter Three: Girl Problems...

     The next day, Kayla couldn't eat. She stayed in her bed all day and never came out. Cole finally got worried about her. Cole walked to the girls's room and knocked on the door.

     "Kayla, are you okay?" he asked.

     "Go away, Cole," Kayla said loudly.

    "Hey, I just want to talk to you," he says. He opens her door and there she was, cuddled in her bed. Her head was covered. She had been crying most of the day

     "What do you want?" Kayla sniffled.

     "What's wrong?" Cole asked softly.

     "Everything," Kayla cryied some more.

     "Like...?" Cole said as he sat on her bed.

     "You wouldn't understand anything I'm going through right now," Kayla sniffed. She wiped her eyes and sat up. Her hair wasn't too much of a mess, but her eyes were red and wet from crying.

     "Are any of the boys messing with you?" Cole asks.

     "One will be when I tell you..." She mumbles.

     "What?" Cole misunderstood her.

     "It's just..." she sighs, "We've had sacrificed something we love and haven't seen that one thing in seven years. For you it's cake, for Lloyd it's candy, and for me it's Aqua..." A tear rolls down Kayla's cheek. Aqua was Kayla's huskey who she was the best of friends with. But when they left the city, she left P.I.X.A.L and Cyrus in charge of him.

     "And for all of us it's Zane," Cole looks down trying to hide his tears. "I know that you miss them both, but we all miss something. Even Sensei Wu."

     Kayla nods then looks back up at Cole who had a tear rolling off his nose. Kayla wiped it off. Cole looked back at her and smiled. Kayla smiled back.

     "What's troubling you?" Cole asked softly.

     Kayla sighs. "Zane isn't responding to us. I worry about this. What if there's a whole winter without ice? What will we do?" Kayla looks out the window by her bed. "And if I told you the other thing... You would just fight with someone..."

     "Kayla, I promise that I won't fight with his brother just because you like him." Cole smiles softly.

     "You know about that?" Kayla looks at Cole surprised.

     Cole nods. "Go ahead. He likes you too you know?"

     "He does? Why hasn't he told me?" Kayla asks.

     "He's nervous. He barely talks at all rememeber?" Cole smirks.

     Kayla nods, gets out of bed, brushes her hair, and tries to make herself look presentable. Cole smiles at her and leaves her room.

     Kayla rushes out the door once she is ready and sees Austin smiling and training with Jay. Fresh snowflakes scattered in his bangs that stop right above with sparkling brown eyes. Kayla thought he was cuter than ever today and blushed as she walked slowly towards him.

     "Hey, Jay can I talk to your brother for a minute?" Kayla says softly. "Alone."

     "Um... sure, I guess," Jay replies then goes back inside.

     Kayla slowly walks to Austin.

     "What cha need?" Austin asked.

     "Can I ask you something?" Kayla blushes even more. She can feel butterflies in her stomache.

     "No," Austin says. Kayla looks disappointed. "I need to do somethin' first." Austin put down his weapon. Kayla was leaned against a tree. Austin approached her slowly with a soft smile on his face. He puts one hand on the tree behind Kayla, still facing her. He leans closer to her. Kayla is blushing even more now. The snow starting to fall slowly once again. Austin loses his smile, closes his eyes, and kisses her. Kayla was shocked. If he was so shy, why did he do that? Kayla closed her eyes and just went with it. After  a few seconds, Austin pulled away. Kayla was smiling and found that her arms were wrapped around him. She didn't know what to do or say.

     "Well, say something," Austin said.

     "I don't know what to say," Kayla replied still smiling.

     "Did that cheer you up?" Austin asks.

     Kayla nods and puts her arms back down. She backed away and then picked up Austin's weapon and handed it to him. They both smile. Kayla walks slowly back to the house thinking of what just happened. Maybe Cole was trying to say that you should only focus on the good things in life. Not the bad things.