Page 62 of Cross Check Christmas
His laughter echoes across the empty landscape as he wipes tears from his eyes. "Hold on, I have an idea."
I watch him trudge through the snow back to the driver's side, still chuckling to himself. He returns with a metal thermos, and relief floods through me.
"You had that this whole time?"
"I grabbed some coffee for the road." He unscrews the cap, steam rising in the frigid air. "It's probably lukewarm by now, but it might work."
"Just pour the coffee already! And don't look!"
"Okay, but... where exactly should I?—"
"Hendrix!"
"Right, right. Eyes closed. Though technically, I should keep them open to aim properly?—"
"I swear I will murder you and hide your body in these woods."
"Sorry, sorry. Okay, here goes nothing."
I feel the first splash of warm coffee and yelp at the sensation. "Warning would have been nice!"
"I literally just said 'here goes nothing.'" He continues pouring, and after a few agonizing seconds, I feel the metal's grip on my skin start to loosen. "Almost there. Just don't move yet."
The coffee does its job, and finally, FINALLY, I'm able to peel myself away from the fender, yanking my pants up so fast I nearly lose my balance in the snow.
"Freedom!" I announce, trying to salvage what's left of my dignity.
Hendrix hoots, throwing a fist in the air.
I smooth down my clothes, trying to regain some composure while avoiding eye contact with Hendrix. My cheeks burn despite the freezing temperature.
"Can we please get back in the truck and never speak of this again?"
"Are you kidding? This is the highlight of my year." Hendrix grins, shaking the empty thermos. "And here I was thinking that instant coffee was completely worthless."
"It was truly awful,” I agree
He helps me wade through the snow back to the passenger door. "Well, it was good for something in the end." He snorts. “Get it? In the end?”
“Har har,” I say sliding into the front seat. "If you tell anyone about this, I swear?—“
He sprints around to the driver's side and shuts us in the warm truck. "Tell everyone about how I saved your… behind?"
"The puns never stop with you, do they?"
"Nope." He starts the engine, cranking up the heat. "And now you owe me a dance at the school’s winter ball."
19
COLETTE
As I step into the transformed gymnasium, suddenly I'm seventeen again. The familiar flutter in my stomach, the way my hands smooth down my dress - some things never change. Except everything has.
My heart skips as memories flood back – that winter ball senior year, when Hendrix Ellis asked me to dance. Back then, I'd been the quiet bookworm, clutching the wall like it was my only friend. Until Hendrix Ellis, star hockey player and certified heartbreaker, approached me. Popular, charming Hendrix, who could have danced with any girl, chose the bookworm who spent lunch periods in the library. And then that kiss...
Now, seven years later, the memory of that kiss still burns. I'd convinced myself it was a cruel joke, that someone had dared him. It was easier than believing someone like him could actually want to kiss someone like me. I'd run away before he could laugh at me.
But now, looking around at the twinkling lights and delicate paper snowflakes, I see evidence of a different Hendrix.
