The stores were starting to release their hold on winter even as it refused to let go of Destiny City proper. The snow still clung to the ground, but inside the windows the fake snow was being tossed aside for cloth covered in heart confetti. The snowflakes were tossed out in favor of cupid silhouettes, and it looked like everything had been dipped in pink paint or chocolate. On the store fronts, the christmas lights were taken down, leaving the awnings looking bare and pale. All over it seemed like everyone had finally had enough of winter, and were determined to scare it away with the coming of Valentines Day. 

The pink haired woman was wandering past one of the windows that had yet to be completely transformed. A mish mash of Christmas and valentines day was sprawled about behind the glass while someone worked to hang up pink and red streamers. She watched as the person wobbled on the chair before rushing inside to help. She held the chair long enough for the woman finished hanging the streamers, then offered her a sweet smile and waving away her thanks with a gloved hand. Then Amarilla was back out the door, boots crunching in the frosty afternoon.

Her window shopping took her by the mall, where they were already done carrying away winter. Santa's workshop was no more; the tinsel and fake snow placed unceremoniously into garbage bags that would soon join the tons of other Christmas refuse at the landfill. She stared up at the new giant hearts a little woefully. Valentines Day was well and good, if you had someone to share it with. But it seemed like this year, she and her roommate were destined to be alone together. Ah well, that meant they could just have a movie night or something. Oh God that sounded cliché!

Amarilla sighed. Cliche or not, they were still going to have a good time! She pulled out her cell, hitting the 2nd speed dial button. It rang a few times before Dylan answered. “Dylan? No plans for V-Day right?” she said, listening to the answer. “Well, we're gonna hang out then. I'm thinking daiquiris and House marathon. I could even make some veggie dip!” they chatted for a few more minutes, finalizing the details before she bade him farewell and hung up the phone.

Now she was excited. This wasn't anything new; Amarilla often went from one emotion to another rather quickly. Her grandmother worried sometimes about it, but the young woman thought she tended to worry too much. She was just an excitable person, not bipolar or anything!

She started a mental list. They didn't have the daiquiri mix, but they did have the rum thanks to Dylan's birthday the week before. She started to mutter to herself..walking through the crowd. “Ok, not I'll need a packet of ranch...and maybe...”



Word count: 481