“A double red,” I smiled, moving my game piece on the board. “All I need now is a purple, and I’ll be at King Kandy.”
“Stop being so cocky,” Emily laughed, picking a card from the pile. She looked at it momentarily, smiling. “Queen Frostine. That moves me up.”
“Not to the end. Soon I will have found the Candy Castle!”
“Just pick up your card.”
“Oh, it’s a purple. I can feel it.” I reached down, ready to win the game of Candy Land. “Here comes...” I looked down, disappointed at my draw. “Plumpy?”
My girlfriend burst out in a fit of laughter as she moved me to the beginning of the board. “You gonna lose now, Chasez.”
“How can it be Plumpy? It’s supposed to be a purple,” I whined, looking through the deck for my card.
“Stop! You’re cheating, JC.”
“There’s a purple in here somewhere.” She jumped up from her spot and tackled me, holding my arms down so I was unable to continue my quest for the Kandy Kingdom.
“Stop!”
“I’m gonna win! I have to. I always win Candy Land.” I freed my hands from Emily and began tickling her sides. She doubled over laughing and started kicking at me.
“No, Josh, don’t. Come on, don’t tickle me. You know I hate it,” she screamed as I continued.
“Do I ever stop when you ask me?”
“Yeah, when I...” Her voice trailed off as a sly look spread across her face. She leaned into me and kissed my lips softly. As predicted I stopped tickling her and wrapped my arms around her, happily returning the gesture.
When we broke apart she smiled sweetly at me and rose to her feet. She wrapped a blanket around her as she walked to the window and stared at the snow falling lightly to the ground. “I’m glad we came up.”
“Me too,” I said, momentarily forgetting about the game and joining her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and set my head on her shoulder.
“It’s amazing that we’re here.”
“Well, my parents realized that we’re always around twenty other people up at school and even though we’re on break right now, at home we’d be visiting everyone else. We need some time to ourselves.”
“Not that you’re parents suggested we come here to the cabin,” she explained, turning to me.
“That me and you are here in our friendship, our relationship. It’s amazing.”
“I know what you mean,” I smiled, tucking a small wisp of hair behind her ear. I kissed her nose lightly before stepping back. “But I’m still not letting you win at Candy Land.”
“JC...”
“Yeah?” I asked, continuing my walk over to the game board.
“It’s been five months now.” While she spoke Emily sat down on the hearth, the fire glowing behind her. “And there’s something I wanted to tell you.”
“What is it?” I asked, suddenly nervous. I didn’t like the serious tone in her voice.
“You suck at Candy Land. I always let you win.”
“What?”
“You heard me. We have never played a game that I didn’t let you win.”
“Liar!”
“Don’t let that ego of yours get the best of you. You suck.”
“This is ridiculous. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark about this for so long. I just didn’t want to hurt your feelings.”
“Oh yeah, well, uh, you suck at making macaroni and cheese. You put way too much milk in.”
“You’re dorm reeks of dirty laundry.”
“Well at least I’m not afraid of clowns.”
“You have a big nose like a clown.”
“You have long toes.”
“Like that’s something that I’m really in control of.”
“And my nose is? It’s not like I can just take it off and switch with someone.”
“Good. I like your big nose right where it is.” She reached over and tapped it playfully with her finger. I grabbed her hand and puller her into me.
“And I like you exactly where you are.”
The End.