Paper Stars

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I vigirously rubbed my hands together, trying to regain some blood flow in my fingers. Suppressing a grimace, I wiped down the fog that was beginning to cloud my windshield while desperately trying to hit my dying heater.

"You really hate the cold don't you?" Jackie laughed, shaking her head as she buckled in her seatbelt. "Maybe if you just accepted the weather instead of trying to fight it, you'd learn to like it."

I stopped hitting the heater and shrugged, turning around to grab an extra jacket.

"Well...I think cold weather is just you know," I quickly put on the grey parka and racked my brain for words that I never seem to form properly, "...kinda one of those 'you like it or you don't things'."

Jackie rolled her eyes at my hastily thrown excuse, her fingers dancing on the dials of my radio station after quickly giving me a look silently askinf for my permission. Of course permission was already given to her long before she entered my car.

"You like country?" Her eyebrows rose up, surprised by my choice.

Pushing up my glasses, I turned the ignition on, once more having to shrug at the girl who seemed to take all the wit I ever had and toss it out the window.

"Well, just 'cause the radio station plays country, doesn't mean I like country."

She tilted her head, smirking at my blatant lie.

"Sure Tony. Alright. That's why the rest of your preferred channels are all playing country songs." She replied as she pushed every single one of my radio buttons, all of them shamelessly blasting the familiar sound of an acoustic guitar. "But of course, just because every radio station that you have saved plays country, doesn't mean you like country."

My face warmed at my failed logic and I remained quiet, preventing Jackie from taking all of the amusement for the day. She had a habit of hoarding all the teasing which left me with all of the blushing. An unfortunate situation for someone who has a ridiculous amount of blood vessels up their face. 

"No but really, thanks for waking up this early to take me to the Paper Stars." Jackie coughed out after a couple minutes, sounding uncomfortable about initiating conversation that discussed her recent dependance on me. "It's just, Eva made it sound like it was this magical underground place and I've never visited anything that sounded so...out there. And I would've taken the bus, but it seems better if I go with a friend."

I nodded, casually noting the fact that she found me trustworthy enough to be considered a friend, and let her continue with what seemed to be an oncoming emotional purge. My mom always told me that I had a gift, and that gift was knowing when it was appropriate to talk, and when it was appropriate to shut up. 

Jackie began fidgeting in the red windbreaker she borrowed, and looked out the window, observing the thin layer of snow that protected the sleeping trees. Sheets of endless white covered the horizon. Minutes of driving passed before Jackie finally decided to pursue a conversation.

"You know, this is one of the few times I've actually gone days without being bothered by my parents?"

I made a sound of acknowledgement, keeping my full attention on her even though my eyes were on the road. 

"They're always smothering me."

I sat silently. After a while, she stopped looking out the window and slightly faced me.