A Year of Winter

two

September 5th, 2012

I’d never thought that standing in front of the high school I’d attended for three years already would ever feel so intimidating.

But then again, I’d never been a senior in high school before.

And no matter how hard I told myself to calm down, the inner workings of my mind were running off the tracks. This was my senior year. This was the last year I’d ever have inside the hallways of high school and actually be a student; the last year I’d have trying to prepare for college; the last year I’d have to spend with my mother, father, and sister just down the hall from me; the last year where Andrew and Noelle’s houses were just five minutes away by walking distance.

And I was fucking terrified.

Though, I knew I really shouldn’t have been. I was a senior, and therefore, I’d already pushed all the hard crap out of the ways. SATs were a thing of the past, fewer classes, more freedom, and everyone I’d ever known always said that senior year was a breeze. But if that was so, why was I practically shitting my pants at the prospect of even taking a single step inside the school?

Luckily, I wouldn’t have to just yet, because I already could hear my name being called by two familiar voices.

“Henry Arthur Carson, get your white ass over here!”

I spun around, only to see that Andrew and Noelle had just emerged from Andrew’s car, their hands interlocked as they walked across the green towards me. I'd seen Andrew the other day, but it’d been about a week or two since I’d last seen Noelle, and at the sight of her, I immediately felt my heart clench and all my breath escape from my lungs.

I eventually decided it’d be wise to comply to Andrew’s command, and I began to stride across the field, planning to meet them halfway. Upon seeing Noelle, I noticed that she was wearing a new sleeveless white sundress that reached her knees; the one she’d asked my opinion about via phone message when she was at the mall, and I was underneath my blankets with a copy of Great Expectations.

She looked even prettier with it on in person.

Her shoulder length brunette hair tied up into a bun, it made her dark chocolate eyes look even warmer against her olive toned skin, lit by the sun’s rays. She and Andrew stopped just in front of me, and Noelle released Andrew’s hand to tackle me in a hug.

I nearly had a heart attack.

“Henry!” She exclaimed, squeezing me with all the might in her thin little body, “I’ve missed you so much!”

I hugged her back, but not so hard as to make things uncomfortable. I did, however, take the opportunity sniff her hair for the good portion of the hug. “I’ve missed you too, Noelle.” I said, just as she broke away from the hug, leaving me to feel like I’d lost a limb.

“We have to talk later today,” Noelle said with a smile. “You have to tell me everything I missed!”

I chuckled under my breath, exchanging a knowing glance with Andrew. “You didn’t miss much.”

Noelle pouted, looking overdramatically upset, “Aw, nothing?” She arched an eyebrow playfully, “No sexy summer romance?”

I tensed at that, feeling my cheeks get red at the mention of such a thing. Immediately, Andrew began to laugh hysterically, even going as far as to slap his thigh, “Elle, this is Henry we’re talking about.”

As I blushed, Noelle stared reprehensively at Andrew, “Well, I don’t know,” she said with a shrug, looking at him flatly. Her eyes then turned to mine, and though she was speaking to Andrew, she was smiling at me. “I think Henry’s capable of finding love anywhere.”