Page 110 of All of You

Langdon is screaming at me to hang on and I can barely see, the wind is whipping my face so brutally. Every lump in the snow jolts us. Every divot in the grass beneath the snow has my teeth snapping together.

“Don’t let go,” Langdon shouts.

But it’s too late. I lose my grip on him and I’m air born. Floating. Suspended for a moment. Weightless. And then I’m not.

I slam to the ground—the wind knocked out of my lungs momentarily. I can hear Langdon cursing. Shouting into the wind. He sounds far away. There’s snow in the collar of my jacket. My left hand is missing its mitten. The sky is a blinding white above me.

“Jesus, that was spectacular!” Miles’ face appears over mine, grinning. He pats my head. “You okay?”

I shrug. I’m honestly not sure. Snow crunches in the distance, the sound getting closer and closer. And then, Langdon’s face hovers over mine, concerned.

“Why did you let go?” He asks. “Are you alright?”

Langdon helps me sit up, his expression a mix of worry and relief. I manage a weak smile, attempting to brush off the impact of the fall.

“I—I don’t know. It happened so fast,” I stammer, feeling a bit disoriented. Langdon examines me, checking for any signs of injury.

Lyra skids to a stop nearby, her laughter echoing through the winter air. “That was insane! You guys looked like you were flying!”

Langdon shoots her a playful glare, but his attention returns to me. “Seriously, are you okay?” he asks again, concern etched across his face.

I nod, doing a mental inventory of any aches or pains. “I think so. Maybe I should’ve held on tighter.”

Miles helps me find my missing mitten in the snow, and I pull it back on, grateful for the warmth. Langdon lets out a sigh, a mixture of relief and mild frustration.

“We should probably take it easy on the next run,” he suggests, casting a wary glance at the sled. “Or maybe skip it altogether.”

Lyra protests, “Oh, come on! It was just bad luck. We’ll be more careful next time, right?”

Despite the tumble, there’s a shared sense of exhilaration among us. I look up at Langdon, appreciating his concern. “I’m up for another try, but maybe we can go a bit slower thistime?”

Langdon nods, a small smile returning to his face. “Slow and steady it is. We’ll make it down in one piece this time.”

***

“What’s everyone doing for New Year’s?” Miles asks as we load the sleds into the car with frozen fingers.

“Uh, nothing, my parents want to stay in and do a family movie night,” Lyra whines.

Miles gives her a pout.

Langdon looks at me then to Miles and Lyra. “Delia and I have a family party to go to.” In confusion, I slide my eyes to Langdon who just smolders at me like he’s hiding something. “Right, Delia?” He raises an eyebrow, his eyes locking onto mine, and I realize he might be playing along with some secret plan.

“Yeah, definitely. Family party,” I reply, my voice trailing off with uncertainty. Langdon’s mysterious demeanor makes me curious, but I decide to go with it.

Miles, catching on to the peculiar exchange, smirks. “A family party, huh? Sounds fun.”

Lyra, still pouting about missing out on a more exciting New Year’s Eve, chimes in, “Well, at least someone will be having a good time.”

With the sleds securely loaded, we pile into the car, the cold air outside making the warmth of the vehicle all the moreinviting. Langdon shoots me a sidelong glance, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and I can’t help but smile.What?I mouth at him. He doesn’t answer, just pulls me to him.

As we drive home, I can’t help but wonder what kind of family party awaits us. Langdon’s secrecy adds an air of anticipation, and I find myself looking forward to a New Year’s celebration with a newfound sense of excitement. Whatever surprises await at this mysterious family gathering, I’m ready to embrace them with open arms. The car hums along the snowy roads, carrying us toward the promise of a memorable New Year’s Eve.

***

My phone pings as I set the final plate on the table for dinner with Mom and Gramps. I phish it from my back pocket.

A text from Langdon.