Just Like Fire | J. Saltzman - Legacies [2]

F I F T E E N

Soft tufts of snow float down on the Salvatore School, covering the once green grounds in a layer of white. Most students sled down the sloping hills or make snow angels by the large oak trees. Stella rushes onto campus with Alaric Saltzman by her side, swatting the snow from their shoulders.

"It's not even Halloween yet!" Stella exclaims as the two part to find Dorian. Alaric heads to the office while Stella makes her way to the kitchen, the smell of gingerbread and cinnamon in the air. As she walks in, she pauses with a sigh. "There you are. I was hoping to run into you. Can you believe everyone thinks it's Christmas?"

Josie turns around with a grin. "I know! It's amazing, right?"

Running her eyes down Josie's striped socks, plaid skirt, and fluffy sweater, Stella forces herself to clear her throat. "Control yourself, Stel," she mutters before she grips Josie by the shoulders. "Josie, it's October." The girl nods innocently. "In Virginia. And it's snowing."

"It's a Christmas miracle!" Josie giggles. She spins around and plucks a sugar cookie from her platter. "Cookie?" She shoves the dessert into Stella's mouth. Crumbs fall from Stella's lips as she chews on the surprisingly delicious cookie. "Now, what did you want to talk about?"

"I honestly don't remember." Stella laughs. "Can I have more of these—"

Josie smacks Stella's hand away from the cookies. "They are for Hope and Lizzie. I'll make a separate batch for us because I know you like chocolate chip more than this."

Stella claps her hands with a grin. "Yes! I love your cookies! I'll help you make them! I take after my dad's ability to not burn stuff, ironic given my magical specialty. Everything is usually undercooked, but you'll cancel that out."

"Perfect! But first..." Josie scans Stella's clothing with a mischievous glint in her eye. "We need to get you into a festive outfit, don't you think? Oh! We can twin!"

Stella purses her lips. "But I'm not your twin."

"But our outfits could match!" Josie tilts her head with a blush on her cheeks. "You know like a..."

Stella nods but her eyes still hold confusion. "Ok. Sure. Whatever you choose. What do you have in mind, Jo?"

Grabbing the cookie platter and Stella, Josie drags the two to Penelope's room. "After Lizzie and I had that big fight, I stored some clothes in here, like an 'in case of emergency' stash," Josie explains as she places the cookies down and opens the closet. "I have the perfect thing."

In the twins' room, Hope sits on Lizzie's bed as the blonde grabs her winter clothes from the drawer. "A little locator spell, and then off to Mordor I go," Lizzie sighs.

"Ho, ho, ho!" The two witches turn to the door as Josie and Stella walk in, Stella's mouth full of cookie crumbs. "We come bearing gifts," Josie says as Stella reaches for another cookie. "More like a peace offering—Stella! I promised you your own batch!"

"But your baking is so good!" She whines and stomps her foot but does not take another cookie.

Lizzie and Hope stare in horror at the two. Matching with Josie's outfit, Stella wears knee-high socks with green stripes, a red skirt, and an off the shoulder shirt. Despite what the witch would normally wear, Stella does not seem uncomfortable at all.

"I thought that the four of us had already made peace," Lizzie says, her voice hesitant.

"Well, this whole school year, I've been really naughty," Josie says as Stella nods along with her words. "I haven't been the supportive sister that I want to be. I abandoned my best friend when things got tough. And then there's Landon." Josie shakes her head. "It was wrong of me to be jealous when his subconscious just chose you. But, thankfully, Christmas is all about forgiveness, right? Cookie?" She thrusts the half-eaten tray forward.