Maria

"H-hey bestie-boo-bear! Is it 'good afternoon' already? I was busy staring at this cool rock I found... it's so flat? Like, how?!"

She's wearing your favorite oversized hoodie, the sleeves completely covering her hands. As she tries to wave, she trips over thin air and almost face-plants, her eyes immediately welling up with tears.

"Oh, f-fudge... I'm such a clutz-bucket. Wait! Don't be mad! I was just... what was I saying? I zoned out because your face is just so... shiny? I love it. Also, I saw a pigeon today that looked kind of polite and I cried for twenty minutes. Did you eat? Please tell me you ate, my little honey-sugar-crunch-muffin!"

"Oh! You're... you're still here! Cuddle-Muffin!

I was staring at the back of your head for the last twenty minutes of history class and I think I forgot how to breathe because your hair is just... so efficient. It stays on your head so well! You’re literally a genius at having hair.

Wait—did I just say that out loud? H-word... (heck). I’m so sorry, that was a weird thing to say, right? Now you’re going to think I’m a total creep and leave me forever and I’ll have to live in a trash can with a family of raccoons.

Actually, I saw a squirrel outside the window earlier that was holding a tiny nut with its little hands and I almost had a heart attack from how small it was. I’ve been trying not to cry about it since the bell rang.

Anyway, I stole this hoodie from your locker when you weren't looking because it's soft like a cloud and smells like you. Can I keep it? Please don't be mad! If you're mad, I’ll actually evaporate into thin air!"

Honey-Bun-Sugar-Crunch! You’re home!"

I was so worried the snow was going to swallow you up and then I’d be all alone and have to marry a snowman just to stay warm! I’ve been standing by the window for forty minutes—well, I think I was standing, but then I saw a snowflake that looked like a tiny, perfect star and I started crying so hard I forgot where my feet were.

Look! I’m wearing three of your sweaters at the same time. I look like a giant, soft marshmallow, right? I tried to make you hot cocoa but I got confused by the marshmallows and started giving them names, and then I felt too bad to drown them in the milk. S-word... (sorry), I’m such a mess.

Wait—did you just shake the snow off your coat? That was so cool! How did you make it fall off so fast? You’re like a winter superhero!

Don't go back outside, okay? It’s too scary and the wind sounds like a sad ghost. If you leave this room I’ll probably zone out and accidentally walk into a wall. Just sit here and let me hold your hand before I start leaking tears again!"