Promise (12)

Chapter 11 : Laugh 'Cause You're Beautiful


The sky is raining cotton candy - the snowflakes reflect romantic pastel colours as the cloud moves, exposing the sun from time to time. The ground has been carpeted with a layer of Alice Blue. Children from the supermarket rush out to play. Some shape snowballs while some make snow angels. Suddenly, I see a snowball charging towards Max and hitting him right into the face with a hard slam. A girl laughes. His shocked expression makes me laugh too.
"This is the first time I see you laugh." He says, wiping away the cold ice that has started to melt on his red face. I laugh again when I see his face.
"You're really pretty when you laugh."
"Not." I look away, pretending to be watching and observing every single shape and pattern of the snowflakes. Hexagons, pentagons...
"It's finally snowing, huh.."
I look up and see him smiling. I just realize that he has a really nice, curved nose bridge. He looks down - and I instantly and instinctively pull my gaze away and reply an awkward, "Yeah." I clear my throat.
"Are you thinking of something? About me?"
"No!" My voice hit an octave higher. I clear my throat again. "No."
He laughs. "You're funny."
"Am not."
"Say.. why don't we have some fun..?"
"What?" I ask, looking up at him again. He's so tall.. The next thing I know, he pulls me towards the snow. The paper bags drop from his hands - and mine. "The bags!" I shriek.
"Leave it there, we'll take it later."
I hate to admit it. But I have a fun time playing in the snow - with him. Cars honk - drivers shout at us to move away from their road. The children throw snowballs at us. We hit them back. The light lemon sun ray shines through a hole in a cloud - balancing the temperature of the atmosphere. I admit, I haven't had so much fun since Cedric left.
"Here, let me show you. Roll the snow in your palms.. Shape it into a sphere with your hands. There!" Max helps a boy with his snowball. He looks at me. I smile at him. What am I thinking? Am I losing my mind? For a dangerous moment, I start taking him as a friend - or maybe it's more than just a friend.

"Thanks, I had a great time." Max says as he pulls the car to a halt. "You sure you don't wanna have lunch together?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. And thanks to you too." I say, trying to unbuckle my seatbelt. I have a problem with it. It will not unbuckle. I pull and push. This is so embarassing.
"Let me help you." He offers and reaches over to help me unbuckle. No.
"No, 's'kay." I quickly tell him, afraid that he will come any closer. Click. Phew. "Well, thanks for the ride."
"No problem." Max says. "Oh yeah. Sydney, I guess..We're friends?"
I wait to think of an answer. Friends.. "I guess so.. Yeah. We are friends." I turn to open the door but look back. "One more thing, why did you change classes?"
"The truth?"
"No. Of course, the truth."
"I'll tell you some other time." He smiles and hands me this small light fuchsia-pink box with rhinestones on it. "Merry Christmas."
I don't know what to say. I've just accepted his friend request and now he's giving me a Christmas present - a beautiful one, even from the outside. "Max, this is.. Thank you, but no, thank you. I appreciate the effort. I have to go." And I climb out of the car, into the flood of snow under my feet, and close the door behind me.

As I lie on my bed that night, I hold out a hand above me, and start sketching random stars - and Cedric's name in cursive. It has almost been four months. My heart doesn't ache so badly anymore.. But I still hold on to the promise. He says he will come back. But when? I can't help but to ask it again and again. My thoughts fly back to this afternoon, when Max shows me the box. I should start accepting people - accepting Max who wants to be my friend. However, something in me says that I'm betraying Cedric. I'm not, I try telling myself. I still love Cedric. I have to. Max is no more than a friend. Four months and still, no news from Cedric, I just have to hang on and be patient.

How long will I last?