[Evie]
Snow flurries drift outside my window and I can't make anything in the neighborhood out. With everything drowning in white it all looks the same.
My breath fogs up the window when I sigh and turn away.
School? Cancelled.
Lacrosse season? Postponed.
Power? Out.
Mia? In.
In where? I'll tell you where, in Brandon's conveniently candlelit room. The three of us stuck here all alone and they're baking cookies behind closed doors. And I'm left to rot.
The cell towers are down along with, did I mention? The power. The last I heard from mom she was being put up at the hotel across from her office. Her commute is too far to drive through the blizzard.
Just before the storm warnings came in the other night, Ollie and Sam wasted no time scurrying away and no one else came in the first place.
Brandon thought it would be dangerous for Mia to drive over the bridge when it was snowy and dark so she stayed. And like a fool I agreed.
Hopping off the window seat I stomp to down the hall and raise my fist to Brandon's door. A faint buzzing sounds within and I groan. How stupid do they think I am?
"Brandon Joseph Walker!" I bang, "Open this door!"
A loud thump and a squeak follow.
"E! Hi, hey, what?" My brothers eyeball pokes through a slit in the door. I have half a mind to jab it.
"I said open the door," I hiss.
Nervously he does, glancing behind himself before stepping into the hall with me. Wise choice.
"You two have been in this room for 48 hours! Let her breath! Eat something, have some water!" I complain.
"Iâ"
"Or better yet, come out of your room and keep me company!"
"You are seriously cockblocking me right now."
"Consider it payback for winter break! Tell Mia to come to my room , she and I have a long overdue chat."
I grump back to my room and huff. I don't know why I'm so moody, honestly. Maybe I'm sick of being cooped up while my best friend literally. . . bleh. . . uses her skills on my brother.
I promised myself I'd take my life back, and I've been spending too much time on Pinterest. . . but either way, I have some soul searching to do.
What better time then during the worst blizzard Somerset has ever seen?
[Lauren]
"I'm going! Leave me be." I yank my gloves on and growl at Sean.
This bloody fucking storm will not keep me from celebrating six years with my best friend. Me and the candles under my trench coat are going next door.
"Lauren, come on. Dad, stop her. This is ridiculous." Sean crosses his arms and scowls.
"Suck my dick, Sean. I'm eighteen you can't boss me anymore." I mutter.
"Lauren, maybe you shouldâ" Dad starts.
"No use stopping her, Thomas. She'll go through the window if we don't let her out the front door." Mom butts in.
"THANK YOU" I wave my arms to prove my point. "Goodbye."
I shut the door and immediately start to shudder. The wind and sleet isn't screwing around. As quick as I can I trudge slowly across the street.
With the power out it's really hard to tell if I'm going the right way, but when I stumble into Mrs. Ava's rosebushes I know I'm good.
I feel my way up to the porch and ring the doorbell. Snow came up to my knees as I stumbled here, and my brown uggs from seventh grade are soaked.
"Lauren!" One of Boston's mom opens the door.
"Hi Mrs. Jamie." I chatter.
"Come in!" I'm practically shouldered into the house. "I imagine you're here to see Boston. Poor boy's been out of his mind about how he'd make up the anniversary to you."
"He doesn't have to, I brought dinner for two!" I pull a thermos out of my bag.
Strategically placed flashlights illuminate the cozy house in light of the power outages. I had to warm my soup up over a camping grill.
"You think of everything dear," Mrs. Ava smiles kindly shaking her head. "Although, walking over here in that storm was not your brightest decision. Go on."
I beam and head down the hall. Deep breath.
"Boston?" I knock lightly and walk in.
He bolts out of bed wide-eyed. "Baby."
I'm crushed in a split second and his lips meet mine. How familiar it all feels. His hand on my cheek, my knees still weak like the very first time.
"I was gonna come to you." He says softly.
"It's for the best, Sean still hasn't left. We couldn't have properly enjoyed our anniversary." I take the candles out of my bag.
"You're wicked."
"You like it."
[Mia]
"She wants what!" I whisper-shout.
"To talk to you in her room. What did you do?" Brandon asks.
"Hmm I don't know. . . maybe it was swallowing your children."
"Oh."
"Yeah, oh. I've been such a bad friend." I groan. I didn't want to have the 'I'm dating your brother' conversation.
So naturally I've been hiding out and hitting leg day since the blizzard started. What? I have to keep warm somehow.
No! No Mia, mala. Vete a decir lo siento. Tu eres una puta. Basta! Ir a su sala.
(No! No, Mia, bad. Go say I'm sorry. You are such a bitch! Enough! Go to her room.)
I deserve it. But it is my personal motto to ask forgiveness not permission. Let's see how far it gets me.
I walk into her room and sit on her bed.
[Camille]
"Shh," I rock a NICU newborn in one arm and try not to jostle the needle in the other. In all the excitement of the last 24 hours, my fever broke and some medicine brought me back to normal.
People have been pouring in left and right with frostbite and some nasty cat accidents. My parents are being worked to the bone and the nurses are stretched thin. It's difficult for the on-call trauma surgeons to get to the hospital.
I volunteered to Kangaroo care while I donated blood, holding the FAS infants and giving up my precious O negative.
The baby I want to be holding is holed up in room 424. I hadn't felt real hurt in a while, but when Ash called a family meeting without me. . . it sure showed me my place.
I was almost family, but I'd never make it all the way. Ash would never tell me the inner-workings of what he did for a living. He was quiet about his childhood, and what's more, he expected me to not ask questions.
Whatever they were discussing seemed awfully important. I've never seen such a serious look on Ash's face. It was almost scary.
Whatever it was, it was serious. A blizzard rages all around us and Liam has 37 stitches and 12 staples holding him together. Who would do this to him?
I've been down and out for the last week. In utopia hanging out with Ash, watching Real Housewives and doing homework. He'd been taking care of me, only leaving once I fell asleep for the night.
He always shuts me out. I didn't see him once over winter break, not until his parents left. And now? He'd be leaving me this summer. My grand plan to determine if I liked him just as a friend or wanted more was washed.
Ours is an interesting. . . thing. I stay at his penthouse a lot, having been brought on as his nanny. We bonded over his baby sister and spent many a long night collapsed against each other, begging her to sleep.
What we have is special, and I do love him, so much. What I can't decide is if I love him platonically. Or. . . is it possible that I'm beginning to see him as more. He certainly kisses like he's worth the fall.
My biggest worry is that he's becoming too big a part in my life. I grew up alone a lot, my parents always work. To have him and Audrey Rose as a constant in my life now. . . I just don't know. I don't want to be left feeling worse than I did before if they leave.
Because they could. He could go anywhere in the world. So why stay in Somerset?
As promised, here's one update of many to come! Full book out in March!