A Snowflake's Kiss

A Snowflake's Kiss

“I’m cold…”

         The winter air – it would be an understatement to say it was “brisk” – billowed past the windows of the old cabin. Luckily the windows were glass, but unluckily nothing in this cabin, not the walls or the window sills, was sealed properly enough to prevent the foreboding temperatures outside from reaching the two warm-blooded bodies trapped inside. The flames flickering in the smallish fireplace shook with each brief gust of wind that squeezed through the thin cracks in the walls.

         “So get closer to the fireplace.”

         Samantha’s brow furrowed, her lips pouted with a quirky irritation. Huffing dramatically, she scooted herself across the bed’s chilled blankets and leaned closer to the fire. Her silky chocolate hair glittered in the warm glow, looking lighter than usual, but still thick with the delicious brown color. The hair grew an average length, drifting just barely below her shoulders; her bangs swung to the left of her forehead, the strands sliding lightly over one of her eyes and merging with their companions at the higher point of her cheek bone. Her eyes were like a summer meadow, bursting with exuberant shades of green; interrupted only by small slits of a pale daisy yellow and a fade of hazel circling her pupils. They warmed the room just as much as the nearby fire could.

         Samantha’s shivering body was smothered by a hefty brown winter coat to match her hair; faux fur lined the garment’s hood, tickling her cheeks. Below the coat, the girl wore a normal pair of pale blue jeans, covered halfway up her shin by the stylish brown boots warming her feet. Samantha moved her hands up and down her thighs with a light pressure, trying to warm her legs. She regretted going for appearance over comfort now; despite the fact that her jeans were somewhat tight, showing off the figure underneath, her legs were freezing and almost numb.

         Teeth began to chatter quietly against each other between a pair of purple-tinted lips. Samantha bit her lip down and let out a lengthy exhale. “How cold is it outside again?”

         The fire clapped angrily as a chunk of moist wood was tossed in. “Not sure,” sounded the young man’s reply as he shuffled back across the room, “at least ten below, I’d say.”

         Samantha glared at the back of the boy’s head. “You could look at me when you talk, yaknow.”

         Daniel’s short light brown hair fluttered over the top of his forehead, breaking into brief curls that scattered across his head from top to bottom. He kept his ocean-filled eyes on what he was doing, not shifting once to glance at Samantha. As much as he wanted to take up her offer, as much as he wanted to stare deep into her eyes and be warmed more than any fire could, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Not after what he did. Not after getting the two of them trapped here.

         It wasn’t supposed to happen. It was just supposed to be a hike through the multiple feet of snow that had drifted across the mountainside the evening before. The temperature wasn’t supposed to drop so fast, it wasn’t meant to snow again, and his father certainly was not meant to leave them alone while he tried to get home – in the middle of a blizzard – for supplies. The cabin they both built together several years before wasn’t even meant to be involved, but they needed a shelter while they waited for his father; the man didn’t want to risk all three of them getting lost. So there they were, sitting in a one-room cabin together, waiting the night out and waiting for Daniel’s father to return.

         “Danny?” Samantha’s voice filled his ears.

         Daniel’s head fell, look at the floor and shifting side to side with disappointment. He set the mediocre meal he’d been preparing on the table and turned to face Samantha. His stomach danced – just as he expected – when their eyes met, sending the warmth he needed straight up his chest and into his throat. He coughed softly, clearing his throat, and leaned against the table. “I’m sorry, Sam.”

         Samantha did her best to smile; her blue lips were becoming more chapped by the second. She eyed Daniel up and down. His jaw had squared out evenly since the last time they were in this cabin together; his ears were rosy from the temperature. His puppy dog eyes sliced into hers with a startling passion, his distress pushing so deep that it almost choked her up. He wore a bulky white jacket with fur lining similar to hers, a pair of baggy and faded black jeans, and tan hiking boots. She could tell that he was more focused on comfort when he got dressed. She pushed her pathetic regrets away with a blink and looked up at Daniel once more. “It’s not a big deal. You don’t have to look at me.”

         He wanted so badly to deny her claim, to declare that he did – in fact – have to look at her. That he didn’t want to not look at her. He wanted her to know how just looking at her kept him warm enough to take off his coat; probably even warm enough to stand outside and look through the window. But now wasn’t the time. He shook his head, “No, I mean I’m sorry for getting you into this mess.”

         Her smile faded and her eyebrows curled curiously, “What do you mean?”

         “You could be back at home right now, watching a movie or talking on the phone in your bed.” Daniel moved his hands in motion with his words, “but instead you’re stuck here,” his arms swayed backwards as he showed her the cabin, “in the bitter cold. I should have anticipated another blizzard. And since I didn’t, I-.”

         “Shut up Danny,” Samantha smiled, shaking her head, “It’s fine, really. I chose to come with you, didn’t I?”

         “And with my dad.”

         “No…” she shook her head again, “with you. Your dad was just brought along for extra help, right? You originally wanted it to just be me and you, and I was ok with that.”

         Daniel raised an eyebrow, “Are you changing the subj-.”

         “The point is,” Samantha grinned as she interrupted her friend, “I wanted to come, with you. I wanted to have fun like we used to. Do you remember how we used to have fun together? We hung out almost every weekend, and we talked almost every day.” She added with a laugh, “Everyone accused us of dating behind their backs.”

         Daniel smirked when he thought of the times they shared the years before. The last time they were together in person was over a year ago. The last time they were alone together was even longer. After Samantha started dating a boy she met at camp, the two drifted apart. They stopped calling as much – well, Daniel stopped calling as much – and they became too “busy” to meet up. Three months ago Samantha had called Daniel in the midst of an emotional breakdown. They boy she had been dating broke off the relationship, claiming that it had gotten boring and that they had lost their “spark.” Daniel was there for her then, as he was now; he walked to her house and comforted her, simply holding her without a sound. She had calmed down after soaking both of his shoulders, and they began to catch up. They talked long into the night, and before they knew it the sun begun to rise. They bid one last farewell, hugged one more time, and Samantha asked him, “Are we friends again?” Daniel smiled as he remembered his answer.

         We always were.

         Samantha watched Daniel, almost staring, as he drifted through his memories. She had no idea what he was thinking about, but she didn’t mind. It gave her time to think as well. She thought of the promise he’d made her. She thought of how it was like he had always made that promise, even before she had needed it the most. She thought of the intense juggling of her gut when they made eye contact and his eyes tore into her like that. And she thought about slapping herself in the face right then and there. Despite how long they had been apart, Daniel was right there to help her. Despite how she later realized that he had been heartbroken, he was still there. He was…always there.

         How could she not have noticed? Perhaps it was her ignorance. Perhaps it was her immaturity. Or perhaps it was the fact that they had been best friends since they were little. She just didn’t expect it to be possible. But it was so obvious to her now that he cared about her; it was so blatant – at least to her – that she couldn’t go more than an hour without it crossing her mind. Maybe it was because she finally felt the same way.

         Samantha was woken by a warm body sitting down next to her. She jumped.

         “Woah, don’t worry,” Daniel said, “Just me.” He eyed her lips, and their quivering, “You look really cold.” Samantha’s jump had sent both bodies closer to each other; their legs were pressing against each other with each other’s weight. The minority of their contact had no effect on the powerful surge that pulsed through both of their bodies and echoed off of their walls. Samantha blushed lightly, her eyes shifting from her leg to Daniel’s. “You know,” Daniel muttered, “they say a good way to keep warm is to huddle up with other people.”

         Samantha didn’t look up, but her eyes widened and her cheeks burned a little warmer. “That was smooth.”

         Daniel chuckled for a moment, retorting, “No, I’m serious. You don’t have to, I’m just saying, you look really cold…”

         Samantha raised her head and just barely curled her stone cold lips into a smile, “Just for warmth?”

         “Just for warmth,” Daniel smiled.

         Both were thinking the same thing, though neither would say it aloud. They started slowly, almost awkwardly, inching closer to each other. He wrapped one arm around her, she leaned her back against his chest, and they “huddled.” It was intoxicating; with each touch they had, each movement they made, their stomachs waltzed and their muscles quivered ever-so-slightly. It was like a pair of children with their first crush. Samantha closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as Daniel cautiously moved his hands to meet around her waist. Neither said anything, enjoying the tingles and the chills of their touches for what they were really there for. Warmth became more of a perk than a necessity.

         It was then that Daniel decided to answer the question that had hovered in their minds, quietly whispering into her ear. “I…might kiss you.”

         Samantha’s face torched itself redder than it had been; she spun her head and looked at him. “What did you say?”

         Daniel was desperate to say “nothing,” but he couldn’t keep his face from showing the truth. He was just about as red as Samantha was, and clearly nervous, but he looked her straight in the eyes and answered. “I want to…kiss you, Sam.”

         Her eyes widened once more as she stuttered helplessly. “B-But…” His eyes were digging into hers again. She hadn’t noticed that their faces were slowly moving closer to each other, as if they were being pulled. She couldn’t bring herself to look away, or even blink; the mystical waves that danced in his eyes were like a magnet. She felt her lips pulse as if they were swelling, pursing up for what was about to happen. It was then that she knew she couldn’t stop it; she wanted it to happen, because deep down she knew it was always meant to happen.

         Their lips touched lightly before pushing into each other. The surges that were being sent through them earlier were tripled in force; nearly every part of their body shook with the feeling. The muscles began to move, slowly and in unison with each other. Their eyes closed, their guts leapt for joy, and their limbs went numb. Suddenly nothing else mattered. The clicking of the fire and the clapping of the windows as the wind pounded them fell to a murmured applause before vanishing completely. They only thought of each other.

         The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like hours. When they finally pulled apart, their lips smacking with gratitude, the sounds of wind and fire returning to their ears, and their eyes opening and locking on each other’s once more, neither said a word. Samantha exhaled heavily, like a sigh, and Daniel just kept meeting her eyes. They couldn’t think of anything to say.

          Their lips met for a second time. A more sudden touch, filled with a newly realized passion and excitement. The powerful sensations echoed through them once more, only fueling them to continue. Daniel raised his hand, cupping it around the back of her jaw, his fingers lightly stroking her skin. A single tear protruded from Samantha’s eyelid. Her arms lifted, wrapping around his neck and resting on his broad shoulders.

         Once again the seemingly eternal kiss was broken, and Samantha lowered her head to rest on Daniel’s chest. His hands rested on her back, linking her in his embrace. A single question escaped Samantha’s lips.

         “Are we friends again?”

         Daniel smiled, “We always were.”

         Two friends woke up the next morning and ventured home, warmed by a loving embrace.

         And they always were.