Mr. Lodge sniffles when he hugs me goodnight and every part of me, every nerve ending has to fight he tears pooling in my eyes. I don't blink, don't emote, patting a hand on his back, pulling away and turning to the door.
Before the waterworks can come, I'm two steps out the door. The steely night air freezing the tears as they fall. Kellan doesn't point them out whether he notices them or not, easily he takes my purse in his hand, leads me around the car and opens the door for me.
The snow is light but each flake is a ball, full and heavy, a white weight on our shoulders. Seeing my childhood home next door, knowing Nate and my parents are inside, watching Elf for the thousandth time makes the tears impossible to hide.
"Why are you crying, Ash?" I sniffle, louder and more disgusting tha
