The Rebound Agreement ✔

nineteen

[unedited;
make sure to leave me some comments as you read!!]

My only memory of sledding as a child is of me plummeting down a steep hill with Cole hot on my trail in his circular blue sled when we were really young. Eventually, Cole caught up with me, rammed into me, and made me fly through the air only to land head first in the frozen snow. I knocked out one of my canines which was quite a bloody mess all over the crisp, white snow.

That missing tooth made my first grade self feel like a pirate, and I dealt with my pirate centered insecurities all the way until second grade when my adult tooth finally came in. So I can't help that I associate sledding with knocking my teeth out, and it's vain, I know, but I really don't want to live the rest of my life with no front teeth.

I had not voiced these worries to Liam, because I knew him well enough by now to know that my concern about losing teeth was not something that was going to talk him out of this adventure he had cooked up. If Liam's anything, he's stubborn. That's for sure.

Liam grabs my mittened hand and we walk towards the hill we're going to sled on. His sister Hailey and her boyfriend stand there waiting for us, watching us as we walk up.

Liam conveniently failed to mention that I was going to be meeting his sister today until five minutes before we got here, and I can't decide if I appreciate this because it gave me less time to worry or if I if I'm annoyed because I didn't have any time to mentally prepare myself.

As we reach them, Liam smiles and gives his sister's boyfriend an enthusiastic man hug. When they separate, Liam steps back. "This is my favorite guy in the whole wide world, Preston," he tells me, gesturing towards him with his hand. "And this," he continues, gesturing towards me,"is my girl, Katie."

I raise an eyebrow at being defined as "his girl" but don't say anything. Preston and I offer awkward an awkward "hi" to each other.

"So," Liam says as if introductions are done while he grabs a sled from the pile next to us. "Let's go!"

I glance at his sister who is purposely bumping Liam's side. Liam pretends like he doesn't even notice. Preston picks up a sled, and the two of them walk a few yards off and start preparing to fly down the hill.

She rolls her eyes, pushing her brown braids over her shoulders. "You'll have to excuse my dick head brother. I don't know why Liam's ignoring me."

"It's because you never brought me those cookies," Liam hollers as he pushes off and begins flying down the hill.

"I made no promises," she yells before turning back to me. "Anyways, my name's Hailey."

I smile. "I'm Katie," I tell her, "but I think you already know that."

Hailey smiles, her lips turning upwards and her eyes lighting up in a way that reminds me so much of her brother. "Oh, believe me. I've heard some things about you."

"Good things?" I hesitantly ask. I have no clue what Liam's told her about our relationship, and not knowing whether or not she knows that Liam and I aren't a normal couple makes me nervous. In the snow my feet shift back and forth, clearing away the top layers of snow where I stand.

Hailey's smile widens. "It depends on if you consider the fact that he couldn't make you like seafood and that you wore Hello Kitty panties when you were little to be good things."

I groan, covering my face with my hands. "I'm never going to live down my childhood underwear choices."

Hailey laughs. "Well, if it makes you feel better, I wore My Little Pony underwear. And Liam was awfully fond of his Bob the Builder boxers. It would make me really happy if you blackmailed him with that information."