Penalties

It's the Frisson - Chapter Thirty Four

I think it is safe to say that this years Christmas presents were quite extravagant.

Tiffinay, Carson, and I all got new smart phones. Mine was gold, Tiffinay got silver, and Carson got black.

Mark got a new gaming system, and his traditional pair of headphones from his dad. Maisey got a new iPod and her first pair of diamond earrings. Tucker got a new pair of golf shoes and a new club.

Emily received a new phone, and her brother the same.

But I think I might have gone over the top with Alex's gift.

Carson and I own our ATV's that we keep in the backyard, so when Alex comes over we usually ride them.

Since Alex's parents had never let him get one, my parents said that we could get another one for the house, but Alex could choose what it looked like.

When I told him about this, he didn't let go of me.

"Okay Alex, you can let go now," I said, pushing him out of our hug.

"Thank you so much Taylor!" He said excitedly. I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile.

"Can we ride them now!?" Alex asked excitedly. I thought on the subject for a moment. The only time I had ever been on the ATV by my self in the woods was when I had to rescue Tif and Maisey from the waterfall out back. And even then, Mark was trailing behind me.

Now that I think about it, I had never been on my own ATV without Mark watching me. Weird.

But I don't need Mark anymore.

"Why not?" I said, and Alex grinned at me. Something I hadn't seen since before I found out about his brain tumor.

I lead him through the house where my mom was chattering with Mark's mother and Maisey and Tiffinay played on our Xbox contently.

I unlocked the garage and pulled out Carson and I's helmets for Alex and I to wear, and we headed out back.

Light snow was falling, making the ground look as if it was sprinkled with powdered sugar. I smiled as Alex turned the keys in his ATV, powering the engine and grinning his face off.

What? That's what it looked like!

I did the same, placing the helmet on my head, but felt a nagging feeling in my stomach. I turned around one last time and look at Mark's house. I could see through the window a Christmas movie was playing, and Mark and Paisley sat happily on the couch holding hands. Paisley leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, and he returned it a smile.

Ugh, PDA. I thought as I turned back to where Alex was riding around him circles waiting for me.

"You ready?" He asked.

I nodded, and I took the front, leading him into the woods.

That was my first mistake.

We had been driving for about three hours now, and the snow had gotten to the point where I couldn't even see ten feet in front of me.

"Hanging in there Alex?" I asked, I heard a muffled reply, followed my the noise of his engine approaching. I took that as a good sign, and kept going towards the way I though the waterfall and the hideout was.

My second mistake.

We kept going for about thirty more minutes, until I was about to give up and admit that we were completely lost.

But I'm not really that kind of person, so on we went.

I was shivering in my sweater, leggings and purple gloves and boots. The snow had almost blinded me to where I couldn't even see the trees around me, which I knew were there.