Sweet Tea

     I watched her skeptically as she spooned sugar into the empty pitcher. The tea in the pot simmered, making the plump tea bags dance. She quickly filled two glasses full of ice, then pulled the pot off the stove and poured its conents into the sugar pitcher. I could feel my lip curl as I watched the sugar at the bottom become molten before she stirred. Then, she poured the hot tea straight into one of the glasses, and the ice cracked and melted in protest. She smiled as she handed it to me,
     "Just try it."
     I looked down at it for several seconds and hoped that time would be enough for the tea to chill. But, the glass was still warm in my hand. My lips met icy drink, and the sweetness of it made be wince, but I tilted the glass a little more. The cold tea eddied from around the ice, accompanied by the warm tea just beneath. The sensation of warm and cold at the same time made my head swim a little. I'd never had such a sensation. Even with the sugar it was oddly...pleasing.