Page 52

Once I heard that, I lost it.
I hadn’t laughed this hard in years, but Alden was always so put together. He was my big brother’s best friend, always above me somehow.
But the snow reduced him into a pile on the ground.
Slowly, he got up. “You gonna go, or what?”
“Fine,” I called back. “But if I fall, you can’t laugh.”
“That doesn’t seem fair.”
“Life isn’t fair,” I said as I got on the sled.
Because of the ice, I wentmuchfaster than I thought I would. I could see what tripped up Alden—a dip in the ground—and I was able to avoid it, though barely.
“I survived!” I yelled as I finally slowed down.
“Lucky you. My hip hates you.”
“Let’s do it again.”
“I might die.”
“I thought you were immortal,” I mocked.
“Not when you’re around.”
“At least you’ll have fun if you meet your end.” I grabbed his arm. “Come on. I’ll race you to the top.”
I took off without waiting for a response.
“Stella!” he groaned. “I’m still recovering.”
“So I’ll have a chance of beating you!” I called back, a laugh escaping me. Moments later, I heard snow crunching and saw him catching up. He beat me to the top, like I knew he would, but I didn’t regret the race.
“Best two of three?” I asked.
“Survive the trip down first,” he said. “Your turn.”
“I just went.”
“I want to see the view from up here this time.”
I rolled my eyes but threw the sled into the snow. I flew down the hill with a smile on my face.
And as I reached the bottom, it hit me that I felt like myself for the first time in years.
“T-that was fun,”I said as I took off my soggy jacket. I shivered from the temperature, but even that couldn’t stop my grin.
“It was.” Alden was at the fire again, making sure it was burning.
“S-shouldn’t you be cold too?”
“I am, but you’re still smaller than me.”
“I’m—” I paused when he stood at his full height.
Okay. Maybe he was.