Big Girl Boots

Fifteen

Chapter fifteen! 

Because I wrote this a while ago, I was a little worried when I went to edit it. Overall, I'm happy with the outcome, though, and I hope you are, too! 

Enjoy! 

***

"Are you gonna be okay? I mean, two weeks with your mom and nowhere to go is a long time." I gave Dustie a skeptical once-over from an arm's length away.

She shrugged and sent me a half grin. "I'll be fine. And if not, I can always beat on Wayne a little bit to make me feel better."

I laughed when she threw an arm around her younger brother and reached up as high as she could to ruffle his dark hair. He'd stopped wearing the cowboy hat after I warned him about the danger of confiscation, but still seemed to feel naked without it.

He smiled shyly and brushed his sister off with an ease that made me wish I was a guy.

"Are you gonna be okay spending two weeks with your mom?" Dustie asked, releasing him to prop both hands on her hips. Her round face went serious as she turned to me.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. They're coming up here for Christmas so we'll at least have a mediator," I chuckled.

"Alright, whatever you say," she conceded, pulling her coat a little tighter and glancing out the glass front doors of the school. Snow was falling softly, adding a fluffy layer to the already well-covered ground.

"What's 'a matter, Dustie?" I smirked and followed her gaze outside. "You aren't scared of a little snow, are you?"

She cringed and I laughed. Since the first storm of the year that came the week before Thanksgiving, the Gibbs siblings had come to school with an extra layer every single day. They were learning fast that Idaho winters weren't all fun and games and fluffy snow. The real kicker had been the Monday two weeks ago when Dustie had to shovel her pickup out of a drift and they both got to school soaking wet, freezing, and half an hour late. I thought it was funny.

My plan for her Christmas gift was a heated ice scraper, and for Wayne, a pair of ski gloves that would actually fit his giant hands. I had yet to come up with anything decent for Coda, which sucked because Christmas was only a week away.

"Yeah," she drawled, fiddling with her zipper, "I'm actually kinda excited to go back to Oklahoma. It gets cold, but at least it's not in the negatives."

Again, I laughed. "You're just a wimp. But anyway, we gotta get going. See you in two weeks!"

In the whole three months I'd known Dustie, she'd never shown affection towards anybody but Wayne, and even that was fairly rare. I was incredibly surprised when she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and squeezed tight. "Have a good break, and text me if you need anything."

"Back atcha," I replied, patting her back rather awkwardly. The only person I was used to hugging was Coda, and even then, I always managed to make things uncomfortable. Growing up with Kellan, I'd never really been showered with affection by my peers. Being friends with these two was a whole new experience.

I clapped Wayne on the shoulder and shot him a grin while Dustie and Coda hugged, much to my satisfaction. "Have a good break, Wayne."

The shy underclassman sent me a little smile and I caught a glimpse of his beautiful hazel eyes. "You too, Blake."

"Now let's get this show on the road!" I hollered over my shoulder at Coda. She was giggling with Dustie and it made me smile. I loved the way they'd learned to get along.