Page 4 of My Savior Valentine

"Hey, Mom," I reply, tucking the phone between my ear and shoulder as I adjust my gloves. "Yeah, the cabin's great. Slept like a log, actually. Must be the mountain air."

"That's wonderful, sweetie. So, what's on the agenda for today?"

I hear the slight concern in her tone, but I brush it off. "I'm hitting the trails. Figured I might as well take advantage of the fresh powder."

"Okay, just be careful out there. You know how I worry."

"I know, Mom. I'll be fine. Promise." I assure her, trying to sound more confident than I feel.

"What time do you expect to be back?" she asks, always with an eye on safety.

I glance at the clock on the wall. "Probably around 4pm. I'll give you a call as soon as I'm back at the cabin, okay?"

"Sounds good, honey. Oh, your father wants to-,"

"Sorry, Mom, I gotta run, or I'll miss the shuttle bus to the slopes," I interrupt, not wanting to deal with Dad right now. "I'll talk to you later, okay? Love you!"

Before she can respond, I end the call, feeling a twinge of guilt for cutting her off. It's not the first time.

Not wanting to think about my dad right now, I snap my goggles in place and grab my gear, slinging my skis over my shoulder. With a deep breath, I step outside and breathe deeply. Snow crunches beneath my boots as I hurry down the path towards the bus stop.

But as I round the corner, my heart sinks. The bus is already pulling away, its taillights disappearing into the distance.

"You've got to be kidding me," I mutter, frustration bubbling inside me. First the car, now this? It's like the universe is conspiring against me.

I stand there for a moment, weighing my options. I could wait for the next bus, but who knows when that'll be? Or I could start walking up to Snowy Summit. It's not that far, right?

With a sigh, I adjust my skis on my shoulder and begin the trek up the mountain road. Snow is still falling, and I pull my scarf tighter around my face to ward off the chill.

I've only been walking for a few minutes when I hear the rumble of an engine behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I see the familiar Mountain Angels van approaching. Great, just what I need.

The van pulls up beside me, and the window rolls down, revealing Reid's face. He's got a rare smile on his lips, which only serves to annoy me further.

"Looks like you're having a streak of bad luck," he comments, his tone somewhere between amused and sympathetic.

"Oh, you think?" I retort, my words dripping with sarcasm. "What gave it away?"

Reid chuckles, unfazed by my attitude. "Need a lift?"

I hesitate for a moment, pride warring with practicality. As much as I hate to admit it, I could use the ride. "Fine," I relent, reaching for the door handle. "But only because I don't want to miss the fresh powder."

"Whatever you say, Willow," Reid replies, that infuriating smile still on his face as I climb into the passenger seat.

As we pull out onto the road, Reid clears his throat. "So, uh, I looked up what happened. With your injury and everything." He glances over at me, his expression unreadable. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. It must've been tough."

I bristle at his words, my defenses snapping into place. "I don't need your sympathy," I retort, my voice sharper than I intended. "That's why I came to Hope Peak. To get away from all the people who think they know me, who think they understand what I'm going through."

Reid raises an eyebrow, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Fair enough. I was just saying..."

"Well, don't." The words come out harsher than I mean them to, but I can't seem to stop myself. "I don't need people to be nice to me. I need to be left alone."

An uncomfortable silence settles over the van, broken only by the hum of the engine and the crunch of snow beneath the tires. I stare out the window, watching the trees flash by, trying to ignore the heavy tension in the air.

After what feels like an eternity, we finally pull into the resort parking lot. I grab my gear and hop out of the van, slamming the door behind me. "Thanks for the ride," I say, my tone clipped. "I hope this is the last time I'll be seeing you."

Reid's lips twist into a wry smile. "Likewise," he replies, his voice cool.

As he drives away, I'm left standing there, a mix of emotions swirling inside me. Part of me feels guilty for snapping at himlike that. He was just trying to be kind, after all. But another part of me, the part that's still raw and hurting, can't help but push people away. It's easier that way. Safer.

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