Zoe doesn’t know I have this hiding spot.It’s really not to hide anything from her; it’s more to keep it all safe until the right moment. I reach into my pocket and retrieve my knife. The edge of it is just thin and strong enough to pry the panel free and expose the combination lock. Now, what was that number again? Oh right, now I remember. The date we met, 3-31-7. Well, it’s a version of the date, but close enough. I won’t ever forget it. Even back then her hair was like silky black ink. Her father had helped her pull it into a messy ponytail high on top of her head. Pink ear muffs covered her ears and she wore a bright blue fluffy coat with matching mittens. It was somewhat of a rare day for the end of March. Brilliant white snow covered the whole city, and school had been canceled. We could easily see our breath but it wasn’t cold enough to keep us from sledding. My parents had brought us to our favorite hill and it was full of sledding families. Through all the people I could pick her out.First it was a glint of silver and blue that caught my eye, and then it was the quiet giggle of joy when her father set her on his lap and they slid down the hill for the first time.
