Tis the Season || Seasons of Love

13

↿♥︎.∞︎︎.♥︎↾

Like he promised, Theo barges into my apartment right at eight in the morning. I happen to still be in bed, and he sighs.

    "Come on. Kodi. We're not wallowing in self pity today, remember?"

    Faye steps into the room, her hair up in a towel. "Why would Kodi be wallowing?"

    I groan, stuffing my face under my pillow. Faintly, I hear them talking about me, and cold hands slip around my feet to pull me out from under the covers.

    "Fine, fine I'm getting up, just let go of my feet." To show I'm being serious, I roll off my bed, and drag my blankets to my closet. "See? Leave me alone."

    Theo and Faye give me matching long looks before stepping out of my room. I may or may not stare at my closet for fifteen minutes before dressing in my warmest leggings and a sweatshirt over a long sleeved shirt. I have no idea what Theo planned, but this should work for most anything. A low ponytail is the only hairstyle I feel up to putting the effort into, and a bagel sums up my entire breakfast.

    Theo and I say goodbye to Faye, and leave closer to nine than eight. We sit in silence for a good portion of the drive, and I stare out the window without really seeing anything.

    "So, what are we doing today?" I ask quietly.

    "We have a couple of options. I'll take you shopping in SLC, or we can spend the day in the snow."

    "Anything but shopping," I answer, my mind flashing for a moment to the day Henry and I spent Christmas shopping.

    "Alright then. Snow day it is."

    Theo throws on some soft Christmas music, somehow knowing that I needed more time in my thoughts. About a half hour later, we pull up to the ski lodge we've always gone to since we were little. I step out into the cool air, feeling something inside me settle. I think I'm ready to share with Theo what's going on.

    We rent snow clothes and skis, and head out onto the slopes. It feels great to feel the rush of wind, and lose track of everything else in life. To be completely honest, it's freeing to only think about Henry at the end. And that's only because I was imagining spending the day with him. I make my way to the top and do it all again until I don't think about him when I reach the bottom.

    Theo and I stop for lunch, eating at the restaurant of our childhood: Rowdy Rudy. The jungle gym at the back was a hit, and our parents constantly used it to bribe us into being good. Despite it not having the best adult food options, we still come here every chance we get to relive those childhood memories. And it's never failed to put me in a good mood.

    "So," Theo begins, sipping at his milkshake. "Are you ready to spill?"

    I sigh, setting my burger down. "I think so." Pausing, I try to figure out where to start. "What did I tell you last about Henry and I?"

    "Oh, so this is about Henry..." Theo purses his lips, gazing over my shoulder. "You went on a date with him."

    Oh. There's a lot to fill him in on.

    "But Faye mentioned you guys were basically dating."

    I glare at him, crossing my arms. "I still can't believe she gives you updates about my life. But we were casually dating. Going out every once in a while... Do you want all the details or just enough to get by?"

    Theo looks me dead in the eye. "Don't you dare give me all the details. I would like to be able to finish this delicious food and not have my appetite interrupted by graphic details of your boyfriend, thank you."

    "He's not my boyfriend," I mumble, focusing on the food in front of me. "Well, I realized I loved him and was about to tell him but after his hockey game last night another girl kissed him, and he didn't pull away."

    As I say it aloud, I realize just how little it sounds. Another girl kissed him. That's all that sent me into this spiral.

    "Wow. Have you talked to him about it?" Theo slurps the last of his milkshake loudly, his eyes not leaving mine.

    I shake my head slowly, picking at my burger. "I may have overreacted. A little."

    "A little?" he scoffs. "No offense, but you my dear are the Queen of overreacting most of the time. And that's not always a bad thing. Maybe this will be good, maybe it won't. You'll never know until you talk. to. him."

    I sigh, nodding my head. I knew that all along, I just wasn't ready to accept it. "I think I still need some time to process before we have that conversation."

    "That sounds like a good plan." Reaching across the table, he sets his hand on mine, waiting to continue until I meet his eyes. "You'll do the right thing, Didi. I can feel it in my bones."

    "You'll feel it in your bones if I don't."

    He grins, snagging one of my pickles.

    "Hey!" I slap his hand away when he tries again, scooping up the burger to stuff it in my face. Things will work out.

    Theo laughs, throwing his head back the same way Mom does. We take our time getting back to my apartment, just catching up and enjoying each other's company. With Theo an hour away, we don't often prioritize days like these, and I've missed it. He fills something inside of me no one else can because he grew up with me and knows me better than anyone else.

    When we do get back to my apartment, Theo and Faye convince me to treat myself to a face mask and bubble bath while they make dinner. I put up a good fight, but eventually relent. Just like on the ski slopes, something inside me clicks into place with the warm, sudsy water up to my chin. Everything is going to be okay.

    I almost fall asleep in the bath, the warm water relaxing me to my core. Thank goodness for Theo who pounds on the door forty minutes in that dinner is ready and spurs me into getting out and dressed. Somehow, I still manage to catch my roommate and brother on the couch in front of a romantic Christmas movie. A pizza box rests on the coffee table in front of them, and I chuckle.

    "Wow, great dinner you two," I joke, settling down on the couch next to my brother. Reaching over, I rub my knuckles in his hair.
He grunts, shifting away. "Stop that. You needed a junk food day."

I grin, grabbing the biggest piece and stuffing my face. We sit together in silence, munching on the pizza and enjoying the Christmas spirit from the movie.

Maybe one day my heart will be whole again.

↿♥︎.∞︎︎.♥︎↾

A/N: Have I mentioned how much I love Theo? xD He makes my heart happy. So! Kodi's doing a little better now, she's so dramatic lol (I based her on me in case you didn't know xD I'm totally a crybaby). She's getting ready to try again with Henry. Will this be a good idea? We shall see...
Leave me your thoughts!
---->

↿♥︎.∞︎︎.♥︎↾