The Silence Between Us

The Magical Wonders of Snow

Chapter 32:

"Louisa!"

I stopped even though I was probably two seconds away from stepping on the bus to take me home. If I didn't get on now, then I would have to wait for another ten minutes in the cold. But Mae was calling me and I couldn't just ignore my best friend. The things I do for her.

Turning around, I flashed her my widest smile. "What's up, Mae?"

She stopped in front of me, almost knocking me over in the process since she was running and decided to use me to slow down her momentum. Panting, she forced out the words to let me know what was on her mind. "Okay, now don't freak out Lou but we have something incredibly serious on our hands."

Something incredibly serious? I shifted my heavy backpack and shuffled my feet nervously. Did it have to do with Noah? Was something wrong? Was his mom... "What's going on Mae?"

It must've been my face scrunched up with worry that set her off laughing. She lightly jabbed me on the shoulder, throwing an arm around me. "Geez, Louisa, it's not that serious!"

My eyebrows furrowed closer together out of sheer confusion. "Well when you tell me there's something incredibly serious-"

"Oh shush, I was only kidding!" Mae interrupted, taking my hand and steering me away from the bus.

I heard the bus driver ask me if I was getting on and I shook my head with a small smile on my lips. I've learned by now that Mae is probably the most spontaneous person as it gets and that I should just go along with whatever crazy schemes she has going on in her head. It's more fun that way, to just let life take you along whatever adventure it has planned. And when I say life, I really just mean the wonderful person that is Mae.

"So..." I said, now that Mae had officially gotten my attention. "What is this super serious news and where are you insisting on taking me today, Mae?"

"Haven't you heard?" She gasped in mock horror when I shook my head, still utterly confused as to what she was talking about. "It's supposed to snow!"

"Wait...actually?" I didn't know how I felt about the snow. On one hand, it was awesome. My dad and I used to make snowmen all the time and go sledding together since my mom was always at the hospital. It was always just us two. But he's not here anymore...and now I can't make more of those memories with him. Not to mention that the crash...it was snowing then too.

"What's with the frown, Lou? Don't you like the snow?" I picked up on the hint of concern in Mae's voice. There wasn't anything to be concerned about...I was just overreacting. Per usual.

I shrugged, forcing a smile on my face and trying to pretend like it wasn't that big of a deal. In reality, it felt like my heart was caving in on itself. "No, I love the snow. It just makes me nervous sometimes driving and all that."

Mae jabbed me playfully in the sides. "But you don't drive, Lou!"

Yeah... I don't drive but my dad did. My shoulders drooped a little as I thought of the accident before I forced myself to clear my head and stay on topic, just trying to make side talk with Mae. "You can never be too careful with bus drivers. I mean who knows with those long buses they could potentially very easily topple over."

She laughed, quickening her pace to the other side of Westview High's parking lot while dragging me along with her. "I think bus drivers know what they're doing. They get paid to drive buses for a living."

"Uh huh, sure. Whatever you say, Mae."

Together we walked hand in hand towards the complete other end of the school. I hugged my sweater a little closer, trying to keep warm despite the frigid air circling around us. At this rate based on how cold the air was, it wouldn't take long to snow at all.