The Snow Wish

Prologue Have you ever noticed that last bit of snow? It’s the snow that just doesn’t seem to melt when all of the rest of the snow has melted. I’m not talking about the big pile in the parking lot where the plows pushed all of the snow. I’m talking about the little bit of snow on your back deck or under the shadow of a big tree or on the park bench…the little bit that stays longer than all of the rest of the snow and doesn’t want to melt. I didn’t realize how powerful that little bit of snow was. When I was little, I heard a tale about that last bit of snow. In the story, you had to make a guess if the last little bit of snow was going to stay until the next snowfall or melt. If you thought it was going to stay, then you should make a wish on it and it would come true when it started snowing. If you thought it was going to melt, then you should share a fear with it and your fear would melt away too. Just a child’s story, right? No, it’s true…and it’s powerful. Chapter 1 It’s early November, and most of the leaves have fallen off the trees by now. I live in Michigan, so some years our winters come early and some years it’s late. I think it’ll be early this year. We’re supposed to get snow this week, so I’m starting to do my snow day dance. I don’t think we’ve ever had a snow day this early in the year, but I can hope. Today is the first day I’m going to wear my new scarf to school. I made it with my aunt by making knots in yarn, and I love it. Scarves are all the rage, so I know my friends are going to love it. It’s definitely cold enough today to wear it, too. Mom gave us a ride to school today since she had an early meeting. A ride is so much better than the bus! On my way to school, Mom reminded me that Aunt Leigh is picking me up after dance practice today. I go to her house every week to get some help on homework. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t. But, I always like hanging out there – we have good food and my aunt and uncle are just silly enough to be fun. They even let Marli and Leo come over sometimes too, as long as we’re focused and get our homework done. Bryant, my older brother, is really smart, so he’ll just go to hang out sometimes. Polly and Jason, my twin younger sibs, do okay in school, plus elementary school isn’t that hard yet. I bet they’ll spend a lot of time with Aunt Leigh starting next year…when they get to that dreaded middle school. Did I mention that I’m glad to be done with that? I wish Polly and Jason didn’t have to go there, but I guess we all have to suffer through those years. Ah, there he is. Leo. My boyfriend. Just seeing him brings a smile to my face. He’s leaning against the trashcan by the stairs up to the front door. He’s always in the area waiting for me. Even if we don’t have anything to say or I don’t need help carrying my books, it’s just nice to see him there. I wish he could actually pick me up at home and drive me to school, but Mom doesn’t like that idea yet since he just got his driver’s license a few weeks ago. Sometimes I just wish we were already married. I know it’s crazy to be married in high school, but life would be so much easier if I didn’t have to get permission from my parents to do everything and I could just hang out with Leo instead. “Hey, Tay. Need any help?” Leo asks as he points to my bag. “Nah, I got it. I gotta go find Marli, though, so let’s stop by the band room.” Marli is my best friend, and she’s so lucky that she gets to spend time with Leo in band. Marli plays trumpet, so she sits near the percussion section, which is where Leo is. Man, I wish I were in band! Leo and I head to the band room. We hold hands for a bit, then don’t. It’s kinda cool. We’re not the gross couple that is all into public displays of affection, but we do like to be with each other and show that we belong together. Sometimes I wish I was that girl who kissed Leo all of the time, but then better sense gets a hold of me and I realize how much trouble that could get me into at school and at home. “Omigosh! It’s awesome! I love it! You gotta show me how to make one,” screeches Marli as she runs into me grabbing the ends of my scarf. “But it does cover up your necklace.” “Ya, I’ll show you. If you wanna come with me after school, I made it at Aunt Leigh’s house. You could make one too,” I said. “Besides, it only covers up my necklace when I’m outside, so I can deal with that.” My Aunt Leigh and Uncle TJ gave me the necklace I wear every day. It’s got a really pretty blue stone in it, and they got it when they went to Italy last year. “That would be cool. Would she help me on my math, too? I just don’t get oblique prisms,” complained Marli. “You don’t think she’d mind?” “I could use some extra help, too, but I have a drum sectional after school today,” moaned Leo. “We’re getting ready for solo-ensemble, and I want to make sure we’re as good as we think we are. Maybe I’ll stop by later.” “That’ll work. I wish we never had homework, though, then we could just all hang out and do whatever we wanted,” I told them both. “I could live that life,” laughed Marli. “After school we could shop every day at the mall, watch every new movie as soon as it comes out, spend hours on MySpace instead of my limited ½ hour a night…that would be the life.” “Keep dreaming you two. We better get moving,” suggested Leo. “You know Mr. Abrams doesn’t like it when you guys are late for first block...which seems to be quite often!” I punched Leo in the arm, grabbed Marli’s arm, and we headed off to Social Studies.