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"Oh my God, Rose!" Jade shouts, leaping over the last few steps in her rush to reach you. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"What should I have told you? You don't seem to have found the scarf I knit you judging by your continued lack of winter wear. And I can't fathom what other secrets my closet holds that you wouldn't have known about." You're already neatly bundled up in warm clothing, ready to accommodate Jade in her request to play in the snow, which she'd issued as soon as she'd seen your yard. It's making you grumpy, since your mother's idea of welcoming Jade included cranking the heat to match the temperature of her island.
Jade laughs. "This, of course!" 'This' turns out to be a battered notebook that she had tucked into her waistband. You recognize it, of course. The cover is in your signature lavender and you'd neatly labelled it with your name and an identifying number in the upper right corner, as always. But you can't imagine what she's learned from your old writing, aside from your embarrassing penchant for beards.
Well, there is one notebook that might have, but you'd made sure to hide it where she wouldn't have a chance of finding it. You squint to read the number on the cover - 73. Shit! Had you somehow managed to hide the wrong one? Or had Jade somehow been looking in the back of the elegantly crafted cabinet full of never used cleaning supplies when you thought she was in your room?
However it happened, she's seen it, and you can't hide it again. Time to downplay it. "Oh, you mean that I was branching out from wizards? I didn't think you would be particularly interested unless I began dabbling in furry fiction."
Jade shakes her head, smile fading. "No, no, no. C'mon, Rose. Unless it's just an incredibly stupid coincidence that Lady Rosalynd is in love with Princess Jadelia and that they act remarkably similar to the two of us, I'd say that this story is saying you like me. And I don't know why you didn't say anything about it to me!"
"Well, I mean..." It's not rare for Jade to leave you tongue-tied, and this isn't something that you were prepared for. Your answer comes out rather plaintive. "I thought maybe you wouldn't visit if you knew."
"Rose Lalonde, you are the densest person I've ever met, and John still hasn’t figured out why that girl in his Geometry class keeps asking to ‘study’ with him." She leans forward and brushes her lips against yours before you can react. "I've been flirting with you for months!"
It's a moment before you're able to speak, and even then "What?" is all you manage.
"Jeez, did you think I told everyone that I was going to have to kiss them right on the lips if they didn't stop being so adorable?"
In retrospect, you suppose she makes sense. At the time, however, you were certain she was joking, and you tell her as much.
She sighs. "I don't think anyone could like you without finding your skepticism charming, and I still think it's really cute, but some people actually say what they mean! Or at least make it clear when they're joking. You could try it sometime."
"But Jade," you start to grin, "how would you know it was me?"
She scowls at you before breaking the act and dissolving into giggles, and your own laughter follows shortly. The relief that she likes you back, combined with the ridiculousness of the whole situation means that you're both collapsed into the couch laughing for minutes, and each time you stop, it just takes a glance before the snickers start again.
You're still trying to catch your breath when she's grabbing your hands and pulling you back upright. "Now, where did you say the scarf was? I want to get outside before the snow stops!"
"Trust me, it will keep snowing until even you are tired of waking up to white flakes, but it's on the end of my bed. I'd have to be heartless to keep you from your true love any longer." She rolls her eyes at you and starts back up the stairs. "Grab the gloves and hat there too," you call after her.
She finds them without incident this time, and you help her layer up. You have an old, comfortable sweater of yours for her to use, since you weren't sure anything nicer would be able to reach her wrists. You're just hoping she'll ignoring the misshapen cats on it. Instead, she loves them, and it takes you a moment to register that she's completely sincere - she's happy you're lending it to her, and she thinks the sweater itself is cute. You don't understand, but seeing it on her, while she complains cheerfully about all the layers that are necessary here, Rose, how do you stand it? almost makes up for all the fourth grade teasing you'd endured over it.
Once she's effectively bundled up, you find yourself herded outside. The gust of freezing air that slams into your face as soon as you open the door has you rearranging your scarf for better coverage while Jade is completely unphased, whooping and running outside immediately. You follow more sedately, but her enthusiasm soon has you joining her in her attempts to do every classic snow day activity at once. You've only made one and a half snow angels before she's pulling you off to construct a snowman, and while she's putting the finishing touches on it's dog ears, you drag your old toboggan out of the house.
It's a hassle to trudge through the snow to where the good hill is (the one that doesn't lead straight into the river), but having Jade with you makes it seem much shorter. Once you reach the top, Jade commandeers the front, which allows you the chance to wrap your arms around her waist once you've got the sled moving. The wind streaming past means you also end up with her hair in your face, but it's a small price to pay to be able to feel her relax into the ride.
You've barely reached the bottom before you're both out and clambering up the hill to ride again. This time it's moving too fast when you hit the bottom, and you're both tumbling off while the toboggan races ahead. You're fine, but after you've gotten up, Jade's still laying on the ground and you panic. It only takes you a moment to get over to her, but it's one of the longest moments in your life. When she's not hurt - she was too busy laughing to get up - well, what else can you do? You kiss her.
It's exactly what you imagined your first kiss would be like, even if it's technically your second. Unfortunately, this means you're thoroughly distracted when Jade dumps a handful of snow down the back of your coat, and she's already running before you can take revenge.
---
Later, after you've laughed at Jade's attempts to defog her glasses before they'd properly warmed up; after you've left all the snow-covered things on the floor in the entryway because you're too happy to play the good daughter; after you both take hot showers and change into pajamas (and you laugh at Jade's froggy slippers); after you drink hot cocoa on the couch, watching the Squiddles openly for the first time in years, and finally, when you're both yawning widely, after you show Jade to the guest room and leave her with a kiss, you aren't even annoyed to see a 'your welcome' note left on your desk, scrawled in your mother's handwriting.