With Love, from Cold World

by Alicia Thompson

“You have no idea. And it was actually more like orange snow, which was very concerning from a hydration standpoint. Before I kicked him off the premises, I sold the guy a couple bottled waters from the gift shop.”

This is when I decided Asa was awesome.

Asa waited for Lauren’s reaction, but the back of her neck gave nothing away. She scooped her hair in one hand, gathering it to one side. The green tie of her bathing suit top dangled down above her black tank, the bow crooked and double-knotted. “I think I’m going to stand in the water,” she said finally, and pushed herself to her feet. She brushed the sand off her hands onto her shorts and headed down toward the shore without looking back at him once.

Full empathy with Lauren, here I started really relating to her more than I expected I would.

But I know that there are a lot of things that pull people’s attention these days, ticking tock videos and whatnot. It can be hard to keep up.”

“Did you feel left out?” she asked. “When you were a kid, I mean, and couldn’t read what the other kids were reading.” “Sure,” he said. “Although maybe I should be grateful, when it comes to that particular example. I have a feeling I would’ve been a hardcore Potter fan, and then when the author showed her TERF colors it would’ve broken my heart.”

“Lauren,” he said, cutting her off. “No matter what it is, I know I’ll love it. Although you did wrap this like you own stock in Scotch tape.” Okay, she’d gone a little crazy with the tape. She’d tried to use the three pieces he’d recommended in his tutorial, but they’d ended up being very long pieces. Wrapped around the entire present, mummy-style.