Page 53

She squeezed my hand.

“You don’t know that.” She said. “They’ve seen you play before, so why would one bad run knock your chances down?”

I managed a weak smile, knowing she was trying her best to cheer me up. My heart warmed by her attempts.

“I appreciate you.” I said, squeezing her hand. “I need this, though.”

Her gaze met mine with unwavering determination.

“One scholarship will not define your future.” She said, her voice filled with conviction. “You’re so talented. I know you’ll get tons of offers to play hockey.”

I felt a surge of gratitude wash over me. She was looking at me as if I were already a hockey star. Her unwavering belief in me would be enough to motivate me to keep on trying, despite any obstacles that may be in my way.

“How did I make it through anything before I met you?”

She smiled, her eyes sparkled with delight.

“Who knows?” She said with a shrug. “I’m not planning on leaving.”

I reached over the table to cup her face in my hands, brushing my thumb against her soft cheeks. We leaned in and shared a tender kiss. I pulled away, wary of us still being in public.

“Let’s go home.” I suggested, knowing she’d want to spend the rest of her day doing homework.

She’d get anxious if she left it for the last minute. We grabbed our stuff before bracing ourselves against the cold. I couldn’t wait to get home and get warm.

??

We stepped out onto her driveway, bundled up in warm layers of clothing. Our breath formed clouds in the chilly air. With a mischievous grin, I scooped up a handful of snow. I sent it soaring through the air towards Sawyer. She dodged it just in time, her laughter ringing like church bells in the crisp winter air.

“You’ve started a war.”

She scooped up a handful to launch at me. We danced around the driveway, our movements graceful as we launched snowballs at each other with reckless abandon. Our laughter echoed through the air, along with the soft crunch of sand beneath our feet. With each throw, we grew closer. Once she was close enough, I picked her up before dropping her into the snow. I fell beside her. The exertion made our faces flush as we tried to catch our breath and melted snow soaked through our clothes. We gazed up at the sky, watching the snowflakes fall as our gloved hands intertwined. It’s as if my fears and concerns melted away into the ice. Sawyer had a way of making me feel better without even trying, and I couldn’t be more appreciative. She was the only sanity in my insane world.

25

“So take your gloves and get out.”

I Don’t Love You, My Chemical Romance

Sawyer

The world awoke to a breathtaking winter morning as the first light of dawn painted the sky in hues of gray. A blanket of pristine snow draped everything in sight. Icicles sparkled like diamonds, adorning tree branches. The crisp air carried the faint scent of pine and wood smoke. I stepped out onto my driveway, waiting for Noah to hurry to school. My heart sank as I reached up to adjust my necklace, but the chain felt empty. Panic surged through my veins as I searched my pockets and around my feet, wondering where it could have fallen. In desperation, I dropped to my knees and sifted through the snow. I ignored the numbness in my fingers and dug deeper. It must have fallen off during our snow fight.

“Darling, what are you doing?” Josh called out, his voice tinged with concern.

Asher’s footsteps trailed behind him. Tears stung my eyes as I looked up, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“My pendant fell off,” I said, my voice trembling with oncoming tears. “I think it fell in the snow yesterday.”

Joshua dropped to his knees without hesitation as his eyes scanned the area.

“Don’t worry.” He placed his hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find it, but we’re going to be late if we don’t leave now.”

I shook my head.

“It’s important to me.”

“I know it is. As soon as school is over, we’ll come right back here and search everywhere.”