Mia peered closer at the screen. Sure enough, Leo’s breath made a faint puff of vapor in the chilly air. And behind him, she spotted a frosty patch on the grass near the fence.
Mia blinked. “Freezing? But it’s July! July is summer.”
“Nope. We’re having hot chocolate and movie weather,” Leo said, holding up his own mug. “But don’t worry—while you’re having a heatwave in December, I’ll be sending you pictures of our summer barbecue.”
“Brrr,” Mia said, shivering dramatically. “It’s so cold here, Leo. I can’t feel my toes. Tell me something warm.”
“So you’re not having beach weather?” she asked.
“Exactly,” Leo grinned. “Now stop hogging all the cold—send some snow my way.”
It was the middle of July, and thirteen-year-old Mia was video-calling her cousin, Leo, who lived in Melbourne, Australia. Mia was in Toronto, Canada, wrapped in a thick fleece blanket, a mug of hot chocolate steaming in her hands. Outside her window, snow was falling heavily, piling up on the cars and sidewalks.
Mia smiled and watched a snowflake melt on her windowpane. The world was big and upside down in the best way.