Jack Frost Fanfiction: All Alone Chapter 1

Chapter 1
 “Aren’t you cold already?” My best friend, Stephanie asked. “You sure you should be drinking ice-water? It is winter after all.”
               “Nah. I’m fine, Steph.” I assured her.
               Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her stick out her lip.
               “Still thirsty.” I said, my eyes on the glass that had the last drop of water flowing down towards my mouth. Stephanie sighed, crossing her arms. She soon gave up, however, and locked her arm in mine.
“Geez your arm is burning up!” She said, lifting her hand to feel my forehead. “Your forehead’s burnin’ up too!” She said, frowning. “Go home right now and take a long nap!” She demanded.
“Yes, Mother.” I teased, rolling my eyes.                                
“I’m serious!” Stephanie said, with a teasing tone in her voice.
I smiled, “Fine!”
Steph brightened up, and started walking away leaving me to walk home. “Oh, do you have plans for Christmas dinner?” She yelled over her shoulder.
“No!” I yelled back, smiling.
“Do you want to have dinner with my family?” she called.
“Is it ok with your parents?” I called, teasing. I knew they were actually the ones that wanted to have me over.
Stephanie laughed. “When is it not okay with my parents?”
“Okay! I’ll be there!” I called, my hands to my mouth to amplify my voice.
She waved, and turned, running towards her house. I put my hands in my pockets and walked the opposite direction to go home to follow my “doctor’s” orders.
I crossed the street, and walked by the park. I was just about to turn at the corner of the sidewalk into my neighborhood, when I felt someone bump into my legs. I looked down.
“Oh, hello Jamie!” I smiled down to him.
He grinned back, “Hi Miss Elizabeth!” He called up.
“Where’s your parents?” I asked, cautiously looking around for them.
He shook his. “Don’t, know, and it’s almost night time! What happens… if…” He trailed off, looking at me nervously… and almost… cautiously… like I wouldn’t believe him.
“Don’t worry, Jamie! Since I kid-sit you, I know their number.” Grinning at our inside joke, I took my cell phone out of my pocket, flipped it open, dialed his mother’s phone number, and held it up to my ear.
“Hello Mrs. Be- Yes, about that, I found Jamie -. Ye- Yes, Mrs. Bennett. We’ll stay. Uhm. We’re near the par- Well he was on the outskirt of it-  that may be why you couldn’t fin- All right. “We’re on the corner going into my neighborhood. All right, see- okay, Oh no it’s fine! No problem at all! Oka- all r- Yes ma’m.”I sighed, blowing air in my cheeks as I hung up after Jamie’s mom did.
               I bent down and smiled at Jamie, who was smiling back. “Your parents are coming soon, but she told us to wait, okay?” Jamie nodded and hugged me softly. “Thank you, Miss Elizabeth.”
               “No problem!” I said. Jamie smiled but then a frown slowly started to creep in, staring nervously at the ground around us, the dark sneaking in.
               “Hey! What about we practice our secret handshake?” Jamie brightened and nodded. Avoiding the feeling, that I was being watched, I held out my hands, and we started the shake.
               It wasn’t long before Mr. Bennett, holding Abby’s leash, and Mrs. Bennett, holding Sophie found us. “Oh good! We were worried sick!” Mrs. Bennett cried out, gently hugging both Jamie and Sophie at the same time.
               Mr. Bennett patted his son’s back and said, “Thank you Elizabeth. We were looking everywhere! I’m so glad you found him!” He smiled apologetically. “Sorry for the panic and worry.”
               “Oh, no problem at all!” After a few minutes of them insisting more thank, and perhaps a reward like money or ice cream with them, I said that I needed to get home because it was getting late.
               “To your mommy and daddy?” Sophie chimed in. I smiled softly, bent down, and said, “Yep! To my mommy and daddy!” I stood back up again, blinking the tears away.
               “Oh, I’m sorry. Sophie didn’t mea-” The Bennett parents said almost at the exact same time.
               “Oh no! It’s fine! Have a wonderful night!” I said waving. Jamie hugged me with Sophie running right behind him, doing the same, saying, “Abby, hop hop hop!”  I smiled, and said, good night to all three of the little ones. Waving one last goodbye, I turned the corner, and started walking home.
               Even though the sun was setting, and it should have felt cooler since the sun was going down and the moon was coming up, my fever was getting worse. Sighing, I started taunting the snow to make me feel cooler. I picked up a handful and played with it in my bare hands. Letting it go up high, I let it fall down on my head, which felt slightly refreshing. “I still feel warm.” I muttered. I turned to go down the street my house was on, when I suddenly felt a freezing cold snowball thud against my hair and neck.
               I gasped. “Okay, who threw that?” I said, smiling at first. But when I realized no one was there, panic was creeping in.
               “I have CPS, 911, the police, etc. on speed dial!” I called out, to the empty blackness. “Either my fever’s making me delusional or this kidnapper is not stupid.”I sighed. Dialing Stephanie’s number, so I’d have someone to talk to, and so if someone did kidnap me, at least one other person would know.
               “Hey, Steph!”
               “Can’t sleep?”
               “Uhm. Well Jamie was lost, so I found his parents for him. He’s SAFE by the way!” I called out to the person that I felt was watching me.
               “I’m not deaf, Liz. What’s going on?” Stephanie asked. Even though she sounded like she was joking about the deaf part, her tone was serious when she asked the question.
               “This is going to sound crazy, but someone just threw a snowball at me, and I don’t see anyone who could have. Well there is a dogwalker, but she’s wearing earphones, and probably doesn’t notice that I’m here.” I said trying to wave to get her attention. No such luck.
               “Okay. That’s kind of creepy.”
               “Yeah a little bit.”
               “Should you walk home? Or do you need me to pick you up?”
               “Uhm. I don’t know. Maybe if I’m not home in ten minutes? Just stay on the line, in case something happens, or I feel too freaked out.” I forced a chuckle, and Stephanie did the same.
               “Ok. Caleb and I are just eating at a fast food place, but it’s pretty near where you are, so I’ll be able to get there in a few minutes.” She said. Caleb was her older brother. I always forget that she’s (17) older than I am (just turned 15) and can drive.
               “Okay, thanks Steph- Ah!” I felt another snowball, but this time in my face.
               “WHAT?! That’s it- I’m coming- I’ll be right back Caleb.” She called.
               “No, it’s fine! It feels safe somehow.”
               “You gotta be kidding! How do I know that’s not the kidnapper forcing you to say something reassuring?”
               I laughed. “Because would I say this – I know who your crush is!” I said singsongy, avoiding a rock which was on the sidewalk.
               “Okay. So, not kidnapped then. I’m still a little worried though. I’m in the parking lot.”
               “Don’t worry, my house is right here. Whoever it was, is gone now. It was like he was invisible or something. Bye Steph!” I said, as I unlocked the door and waltzed inside, taking a minute to look around once more, before going inside.