Stacy McMillan’s nose was growing red from the cold, as she sat beside her close friend Daniel, on a bench in Central Park, sipping a hot chocolate. Her boots made marks in the ice as she slid them off her feet, and fixed her socks. She looked over at Daniel. His pale blonde hair matched the confetti-like snow as it tumbled from the sky. Daniel has nice hair, she thought to herself. In fact, he had the kind of hair that could win you a modeling contract, but it’s not like Daniel would ever want something as superficial as that. That was why Stacy liked him; he didn’t hide behind walls of plastic, he was real and tangible. He wasn’t designer handbags and new sports cars. He was just her Danny.
Stacy had walked a few blocks from St. Catherine’s School for Girls to meet him here. She shivered, finally realizing, after all that walking, that she needed a new winter coat. Daniel broke the silence. She let her mind wander as she listened to him talk about AP exams and the importance of college applications. She was too stressed to think about those things right now. It seemed like her whole life was falling apart. Her parent’s divorce, her fall out with Bestfriend Cara, and her breakup with Boyfriend Joshua all added to her list of things she wasn’t ready to deal with.
She sighed. She held out her palm, catching a miniscule snowflake. She wondered what it would be like to be a snowflake. Just drifting along, your whole life, happy and carefree, making so many people so happy, she thought to herself, watching it slowly melt in her hand. She caught another, and another, and they blurred into one in her palm. She stuck out her tongue, catching thousands in her mouth.
……………………………………………………………………………………………“Do you believe in reincarnation Daniel??’, she asked eagerly. No, he thought immediately. He never put much trust in anyone but he, for he had been let down too many times, and Stacy knew this. Yet, he couldn’t bear to let poor Stacy down. Daniel turned towards her, masking his emotions. He sensed this was very important to her, although he couldn’t say why. Her pretty green eyes challenged his, waiting for an answer. “Yes.”, he responded, though it was a lie. “Do you think I could come back, in my next life, as a snowflake??”, she asked, her eyes crinkling at the corners. Daniel hesitated. “Sure.”, he finally responded.
She seemed relieved, like something very important about the meaning of life had been justified for her, and it had, but Daniel couldn’t have known. He figured that it had to do with something about him being able to say that, he of all people, believed it too, but he wasn’t sure. He watched her stand up quickly. “I have to make a call.”, she said, “so I’ll see you tomorrow!!!!!!”. She threw her hot chocolate in the nearby trash bin, and brushed snow off her coat. She was so happy, and Daniel felt guilty. He wanted to call the truth to her before she left, but she was already walking away. Stacy was one of the few people he had never lied to. It was too late now. One more regret.
……………………………………………………………………………………………“Hi, Cara. It’s me, Stacy. Can we talk?”