PROLOGUE

I sit across from her in the dirt. Me, in a navy blue winter coat and black snow boots, while she is wearing a sleeveless yellow dress and white sandals with the buckle on the side. We both sit cross-legged and draw pictures in the dirt with a stick. We look alike. Both have long black hair and brown eyes. The only difference is that she has almost pale white skin and I have brown skin.

"Why are you wearing a coat?" she asks in a strange accent.

"Because it's snowing where I'm from." I reply.

"Well, it's not here."

"I know." I say shrugging out of my coat. The hat came off a while ago with the wool mittens. "Where are we anyways?" I ask looking around me.

"My yard." She replied not looking up from her picture.

"Where's that at?"

"In Mississippi."

"Misississi.." I try pronouncing it.

"Mississippi, silly." She says chuckling.

"Never heard of it." I reply scrunching my forehead trying to silently say the word but can't.

"Where are you from?"

"Colorado." I said.

"Never heard of it."

"We live near the mountains. They're really beautiful this time of year with all the snow on them." I said trying to describe what Colorado looks like.

"Never seen snow before. Is it really that beautiful?" she asks looking up at me.

"You never seen snow before?!" I shout, big round eyes staring at her in disbelief. She just shook her head.

"Wow!" Was my only response. We both sit in silence working on our dirt masterpieces. It wasn't uncomfortable or anything like that. It almost felt like we both know what the other is thinking or doing.

"Do you have any sisters or brothers?" I ask.

"No."

"Me either."

"One day I will have a sister. She'll be very pretty and smart." She said.

"How do you know that?" I asked looking at her.

"I saw it." She said knowingly.

"How?" I ask again.

"I just do. I can see when it will rain too." She shrugs and watches for my reaction.

"Wow. That's neat!" I said. She smiles back.

"You really think so?"

"Yep. Wish I had something like that."

At that moment, my momma came out from the woods walking towards us. She did not look happy either. We both stand and wait for her to approach. Momma was looking from her to me. I stand there chewing my bottom lip and pulling on my fingers, knowing that I was in trouble for not staying the yard with Lucky Boy, our dog.

"Abigail Anne, I told you to stay in the yard." She scolded.

"Sorry momma." I say looking down at my feet.

"You had me scared. I didn't know if you ran off or was taken."

"Sorry." I whispered, still looking down.

"It's okay ma'am, I was with her the whole time. I won't let anything happen to her, promise." She said looking at momma without fear. Wish I could do that.

"Thank you Mary Alice. I hope you do." Momma said. With that, she grabs my coat and hand, and we walk back into the woods. I turn and wave to Mary Alice.

"Hope to see you again." I said over my shoulder.

"You will." Mary Alice said smiling and waving back at me.