Page 52 of Snow Stuck

Once I heard that, I lost it.

I hadn’t laughed this hard in years, but Alden was always so put together. He was my big brother’s best friend, always above me somehow.

But the snow reduced him into a pile on the ground.

Slowly, he got up. “You gonna go, or what?”

“Fine,” I called back. “But if I fall, you can’t laugh.”

“That doesn’t seem fair.”

“Life isn’t fair,” I said as I got on the sled.

Because of the ice, I wentmuchfaster than I thought I would. I could see what tripped up Alden—a dip in the ground—and I was able to avoid it, though barely.

“I survived!” I yelled as I finally slowed down.

“Lucky you. My hip hates you.”

“Let’s do it again.”

“I might die.”

“I thought you were immortal,” I mocked.

“Not when you’re around.”

“At least you’ll have fun if you meet your end.” I grabbed his arm. “Come on. I’ll race you to the top.”

I took off without waiting for a response.

“Stella!” he groaned. “I’m still recovering.”

“So I’ll have a chance of beating you!” I called back, a laugh escaping me. Moments later, I heard snow crunching and saw him catching up. He beat me to the top, like I knew he would, but I didn’t regret the race.

“Best two of three?” I asked.

“Survive the trip down first,” he said. “Your turn.”

“I just went.”

“I want to see the view from up here this time.”

I rolled my eyes but threw the sled into the snow. I flew down the hill with a smile on my face.

And as I reached the bottom, it hit me that I felt like myself for the first time in years.

“T-that was fun,”I said as I took off my soggy jacket. I shivered from the temperature, but even that couldn’t stop my grin.

“It was.” Alden was at the fire again, making sure it was burning.

“S-shouldn’t you be cold too?”

“I am, but you’re still smaller than me.”

“I’m—” I paused when he stood at his full height.

Okay. Maybe he was.

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