Primo tempore nix ~ The first snow of the season
Sawyer

I stare out the window longingly as I watch the first snowflakes of the season softly kiss the ground. The frost tints the edges of the window as I drown out my teachers rendition of Macbeth. The fact that I'd already read and analysed this Scottish tragedy for extra light reading doesn't help my feeling of being confined to sit in this stuffy classroom.

"Sawyer! Am I boring you? Or is the view outside just much more interesting?"

I glance outside before turning to my teacher once again before saying, "I mean do you want the truth or-"

The ear splitting screech of the final bell, pierces through the air and most definitely saves my butt from a detention. And on the last day of school as well, that would have been a bummer...

"Don't forget to finish the essay on Act 3 Scene 5 over the Christmas break!" Mrs Lambeth shouts over the sound of bustling students eager to leave the classroom. "I'm looking at you Ollie! I don't want any BS excuses on the first day back"

"Hey Sawyer! Stay behind for a second!" I groan internally. "Since I know you and that smart mouth of yours already did the reading, I'm setting you an essay to do on another book" Mrs Lambeth then hands me Catcher in the Rye.

"It's all about figuring out your own identity and purpose in life, so really think about what you're writing when you're writing it. Internalise it."

As much as I don't like teachers as a principle, Mrs Lambeth really is the coolest teacher I know. The fact that she's also the only teacher that isn't white at this predominately white private school probably influences that decision as well.

"Thanks miss, Happy Christmas"

"Happy Christmas"

***

"Okay! Remember we all have to open our presents at the same time!"

"Darcey, you're acting like we haven't been doing secret Santa together for years." Quinn scoffs. "We get the premise."

Emma and I can't help but to start laughing at the absurdity that this. This is a conversation that happens every year when doing our annual secret Santa. We're all sitting around our regular table at Beans after having ordered their special Christmas hot chocolates. And I am telling you they are divine.

The winds whips furiously through the door, every time a new customer walks in, as the snow starts to pick up. We all instinctively grip our puffer coats tighter around our school uniforms to try and keep in the warmth.

"Come on! Let's just get on with it" I decide, as I'm eager to find out what's inside the little red wrapped present.

We all dive to open our gifts.

I instinctively tear through the wrapping paper to eagerly grab the gift awaiting me inside. I break into the biggest smile as I hold up the cutest Christmas themed set of hooped earrings I've ever seen.

"Aww thanks guys I love these!" I beam as I eagerly put them on.

"Hey, I deserve all the credit! I had to dive through so many charity shops to find those!" Emma huffs with a mischievous smirk.

"Why thank you Emma I love it" My smile becoming contagious towards the rest of the group; well except Darcey.

"Guys come on! We aren't supposed to know who got what!" Darcey reprimands us, as though we were little kids caught with our hands in the cookie jar.

Christmas is Darcey's favourite holiday.; if you can't already tell. The pageantry of twinkling Christmas lights, the ten foot high Douglas fir, the millions of presents under the tree. She loves all that stuff. It's actually a long lasting tradition that dad and I spend the holidays at Darcey's house with her family. This was something that I always enjoyed and looked forward to every year. But it's been over a month and I still haven't spoken to River since that night...

"Ooo butterfly clips, thanks Santa!" Darcey winks at us as she starts arranging them in her hair. The rest of us laugh at her antics as our hot chocolates finally arrive.

We spend the rest of the afternoon laughing, talking and  sipping our drinks as we watch the snow slowly fall outside the window.

The chill of the snow against my neck almost became unbearable as my dad and I wait on the doorstep for Darcey's family to finally let us in.

"God I'm freezing my butt off here" Dad grumbles shifting side to side.

Our prayers were finally answered as the front door swings open. I felt like a deer caught in headlights as I stand frozen staring at those deep blue eyes. I can almost feel them freezing over as Rivers face turns into a hard stare.

"Merry Christmas" He greets, looking anywhere but me. "Come on in."

Dad rushes ahead, desperate to feel his toes again; but I hang back.

"Merry Christmas River"

He looks at me for the first time and fixes me a look I can't quite decipher. He turns around to walk off before saying,

"don't you mean Atticus."

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Ahhhh!! I felt such writers block when trying to write this chapter! Now it's finally done :))

Sparklenightmare