His Winter Heart

"What's the deal with you?" I inquired as my gaze locked on his. "We're not even in a relationship."

He came to a halt, his emerald eyes peering into my soul from the dimly lit room. "If we are..." he paused, his jaw clenched, "then am I allowed to be angry?"

"No way, Eion. I have someone I love already, and he is someone who is always kind to me." I said to him, wanting to add, "Not like you," but my voice wouldn't let me.

"Then say you love me as well," he continued, leaning slightly so that we were both the same height. The air feels different as the tension circulates throughout the room, engulfing and suffocating me.

His deep voice was commanding, but there was a hint of weakness in it as if he was begging me to listen. He clasped both of his hands around my neck, almost enclosing me and preventing me from fleeing.

‌ This got me thinking, he's really that drunk to say that to me now. Gosh, what is happening? I feel really sober now...

"I'm not joking. I'm on the lookout for you." He was so close to me that I could feel his breath fanning my cheeks. I could smell his expensive, strong perfume, which exuded his masculinity.

He looked at my soft plump lips, making their way up to my hazel eyes, and then back at my lips again. He bit his own lips as he gulped.

As I suddenly remembered how much I despised his arrogant and demanding personality, my heart pounded and my stomach churned. He was bad news for me, very bad news and I knew he'd never stand a chance against my fiery side.

If I give in to his temptations, there will never be a good outcome. We did not even get off to a good start, but hearing that voice of his..... Goodness. I knew deep down that no matter how hard I tried to hide it, I could never stand up to him because he was both my weakness and my strength.

It was calming me down, beckoning my soul to come closer and undress from all my hatred and rejections. Moreover, I had no idea how badly I needed it until now. He's going to be my undoing.

There was silence between us. Neither of us said anything so we talked using our eyes. His emerald eyes searched for an answer, his eyes filled with emotion that I couldn't understand. I couldn't stand the intensity of his stare, so I looked down, away from him.

According to a song from a certain artist,'Hips don't lie'. However, I beg to differ. It should be stated that the eyes do not lie.

Because it's true. Whatever the emotion, the eyes convey what the heart desires. Eion was the emotionless type in this case, but now that he's standing in front of me, he's like a totally different person.

"You called me a strawberry guy, a robot, and other names I couldn't even come up with. But why can't you address me as yours?" He asked.

What are you talking about? Am I yours? After everything he's done to him? I couldn't stop the rage that was building up inside of me. I dared to look him in the eyes and say, "You were never mine, Eion, and I was never even yours."

I forced my feet to remain still because they had been trembling for quite some time, almost turning into jelly. I escaped from his cage and took everything I needed from the chair.

"Stop behaving in this manner, you already know what I'm going to say." Saying that, I was about to make my way towards the door when he stopped me by grabbing my hand.

"You know, I wish I hadn't met you." I came to a halt, turned around to face him, and glared at him. I was about to slap him when I heard him say the next words.

"There would be no need to impress you then. There's no need to want you. There is no need to love you. There's no need to cry over you. There's no need for heartbreaks." I opened my mouth in surprise and gawked. Did I understand correctly?

"I used to despise you. You're nosy, loud, blunt, childish, and irritating; you make me yell and drive me insane."

I was about to protest when he approached me and put his fingers to my mouth to stop me. "I can say 100 negative things about you, but I can also say 101 positive things about you. You are everything I desire, and I was completely unaware of it. I didn't realize it until that fateful day.

Because I want to ignore my feelings and I despise myself for not being able to do anything about it."

He looked down at the ground, pausing for a minute before continuing. "I didn't know how to express how I felt about you, Snow. That's why it's the only option I could think of." His voice clings to one emotion...despair. "And I'm sorry about that."

I swallowed the lump in my throat hearing that, "I understand. Thank you for informing me of this. But you must put an end to whatever you are feeling right now, Eion." I warned him. He really needed to stop before I gave in to every cell in my body screaming at him.

It's just the alcohol thinking, it's just the alcohol, Snow...I whispered to myself.

Before I knew it, I was being grabbed by large hands and having his lips smashed against mine. It happened so quickly that I did not have the time to object. I could almost swear that I fought as hard as I could, my defense was up, but it took only a few seconds for me to give up.

All of my fightings would have vanished, as would my doubts... And right now, all I had to do was enjoy it.

His breathing became ragged, and I let out a moan. I opened my eyes from the kiss to see him close his eyes and smirk with his lips. He kept doing it to me, ignoring my complaints. He looked at me intently as he broke the kiss. "Give me another chance; you'll fall in love with me soon."

If only he'd said all of this sooner...

We could have been happy in each other's arms. If only we had started out normally, rather than in a hate-love relationship...

Sighing, I wiped my lips with a cloth. No, this is wrong. I should stop.

Hello. Leizel Snow Garcia Waterstrings is my name. How did we arrive at this point? Let me tell you about our adventure. Everything was a blur to me, and the only thing I remember from the past was a man named Eion Hudson, whom I referred to as strawberry guy and robot.

He is not a cigarette smoker. He does not drink alcohol. And he doesn't skip classes like bad boys do, but he despises everyone. He glares, he tests my nerves and willpower, and most importantly, he loves me.

Me, and only me.

"I've got to go, Snow," Emma said, grabbing her bag as her shift came to an end and it was now my turn. "Be careful not to irritate your customers."

I made a peace sign with my hand in reply, "I can't promise you that." She simply laughed at my answer and waved at me as she walked away. ‌

I'm not going to lie, I have a tendency to irritate people here and there, but only because they irritate me. Don't get me wrong: I'm a nice person. I simply follow my guiding principle of 'Treat me right and you'll be fine, but treat me wrong and you'll cry.'

Today's sales seemed to be quite frequent, as the shop was buzzing with activity. A group of teenagers younger than me was occupying a corner of the establishment. They'd been there for almost an hour, but no one seemed to be leaving because they were having a good time talking and laughing about something.

My eyes flickered shut as I watched for a customer to show up. I jerked up, opening my eyes wide as I struggled to stay alert. Fighting the urge to sleep had been a splendid battle with myself - an achievement.

Just the mere thought of getting fired from my job caused my skin to crawl, the feeling of dread was overwhelming that I fought the urge to puke.

Although it might have been a bit dramatic...everything in my life is dramatic. And slowly, without a warning, I got used to it. A memory soon flashes back in my head. After my father's sudden death, our once colored life had faded into emptiness. The house that was filled with laughter and giggles was taken over by an eerie quietness.

Everything happened so fast that I couldn't fathom everything- I was lost between reality and fantasy. I couldn't see anything the way I used to before, I loathed everything in the universe. Everyone.

Life may be cruel but we have to stay strong. And so I did. If only I could just get popcorn and sit on a comfortable sofa while watching everything in the movie- which is my life. And if I hate a part, I could just fast forward or pause it or delete everything. If only there's a chance...

Eventually, my mother decided that we'd move into her hometown, which led us here, in Springfield, to start something new. It's hard, but we managed to adjust to life without a father. Slowly, we tried getting back to how we'd been, but there were still missing pieces that pulled us back into remembering our loss.

I'd never let anyone see me break. Never.

Springfield is a wonderfully refreshing and peaceful town. Me, my mother, and Nathan moved here two months ago after my father died... and I've been working at this ice cream shop for a few weeks now. It hasn't been that long yet, and I just took this as a summer job since school would be coming for the next two months. I just wanted to earn and save money so that it wouldn't be a burden to my mom. She's raising us on her own after all. I have to be responsible.

The lingering scent of vanilla lingered in the air. I took a look out the window to my right. The late afternoon sun shone through the glass doors as I turned on the air conditioning to keep the shop cool. My shift starts from 1 in the afternoon until 6 in the evening.

The door chime jingled, making me stand up straight as a reflex, my posture perfect for work. A redhead girl with bright blue eyes walked in, and my face broke up into a bright fake smile.

"Good afternoon, miss. What would you like to have?" I asked in a cheery tone.

"One mint chocolate chip ice cream please," she answered, glancing at the flavors plastered above the counter.

"Coming up," I replied, grabbing a cone. I filled it with the ice cream she'd asked for. The monotonous routine continued -I gave her the ice cream, she paid, and I returned her change before she walked away towards a booth.

And my afternoon has always been like that.

Bored, I rested my left hand on the counter, leaning my head against it. When a thought occurred to me, my fingers began drumming on the table, itching to do something. It can't hurt to give it a shot, right? I'll play for a few minutes before stopping when a customer walks in. I'm sure I'll hear the doorbell...

I mean, I'm a hard worker, but we all have bad days...right?

I took out my phone and began playing a racing game while remaining silent. The hours and minutes flew by. A few minutes quickly turned into an hour.

I was so engrossed in my work that I didn't notice the bell ringing. Someone from across the room clears their throat. I brushed it off, knowing that the next turn would be critical...

Yet another coughing fit. This time it was loud enough to get my attention, and I snapped back to reality. I looked up to see if there was anyone there.

And when I saw that there was really someone in front of me, waiting to order, I immediately stood up, my face flushed with embarrassment at having been caught playing in the middle of my shift.

"If I were the owner, I could have fired you for playing in the middle of your work," he snarled. Despite his harsh tone, his face was emotionless and calm. My brows drew together. I was taken aback by this.

"Excuse me?" I asked, uncertain whether I had heard him correctly. I drew my brows furrowed. Is he being serious? But that's beside the point; I need to concentrate and not let him get to me again.

"Psh, workers and their services..." he muttered under his breath, which I overheard.

So I wasn't just hearing things. This person was having a problem with me. Sure, I've met a lot of people who were far worse than him, but that was just plain rude. I gave him a quick once-over: jet black hair, green eyes, and a red hoodie covering his head.

‌ He looked like he was around my age, 18 or 19 years old I guess. And although I hate to admit it, he's handsome. But what can that handsome face do if his attitude is rotten?

I resisted the desire to punch him in the face. Instead, I forced a smile on myself. Besides, I was only a worker, and this kind of situation was normal, even expected.

"Are you going to ask for my order or what?" he demanded, this time, his voice getting louder. His expression remained neutral, the same as it had been before, almost as if he didn't have one.

I could tell he was irritated. His slightly clenched jaw suggested as much.

"Wait, do you mean Aunt Maggie?" I exclaimed. With the tone he used to speak down to me in this shop, I couldn't help but go into full beast mode. Be patient. Snow, you need to be patient.

"Thank you for your time this afternoon, sir. What exactly do you want?" I asked, a little more cheerfully than usual, trying to keep my rage at bay.

"Strawberry ice cream," he demanded. He squared his shoulders as he crossed his arms as if he despised the idea of having to speak at all. I tried to suppress the urge to roll my eyes. Customers who are impatient are a real pain in the neck. ‌

And he requested strawberry, which is unusual for a guy to like... guess he has a distinct taste. I shook my head and reached for a cone.

"Do you want it topped with anything? Any add-ons?" I inquired and realized I had forgotten to ask in a polite manner. "Uhm, Sir," I clarified.

He scowled as he shook his head no. "Just the plain one." I nodded my head in agreement and handed him his order. ‌ ‌

He slammed his money down on the counter rather forcefully, as if the thought of handing me money was too irritating to bear.

When I was about to give him his change, he was gone; I looked around and saw no one. While eating his ice cream, a silhouette walks away from the shop as quickly as he can and as far as he can from my workplace.

I stared at the money, wondering if I should just keep his change. I'd feel bad knowing it wasn't a real thing.

In addition, I believed in karma. ‌

"No beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart." Suddenly, a memory soon came rushing back to me. A sense of deja vu embraced me as my mind searched for an answer.

My mind reminisced to the deep and comforting voice of my father that never failed to soothe my uneasiness. His words of wisdom left me in wonder how he managed to form those in every conflict we encountered.

Guess I have to wing this then. Go with the flow then.

When I finally decided what to do next, the boy was probably quite far away, but close enough for me to pursue him. Through the glass wall, his figure began to fade from my sight.

So there was no turning back now. I groaned in annoyance and marched to the door, clutching the money tightly. I took one last look around the shop to make sure everything was okay. Mr. Tim is going to kill me if he finds out I left the shop unattended. ‌ ‌We don't even have any security...

I have to hurry. Besides, it wouldn't take much longer than a minute. As soon as I stepped outside the shop, the sun's rays blazed down from the sky, burning my skin. The suffocating embrace of the humid air engulfed me. Immediately, sweat began to form on my brow. I didn't expect it to be this hot in the middle of summer at four o'clock in the afternoon.

Taking my handkerchief from my pockets, I dabbed my forehead with it while walking, my cap almost falling off my head. My eyes squinted in response to his towering stature.

His long legs were moving quickly, and he seemed to be moving forward with each step. With each step he took, his pace quickened. I dragged my feet and tried to imitate his stride. ‌ ‌

I came to a halt, exhausted, to catch my breath and call out his name. As soon as it occurred to me that I had no idea what to call him, my mouth snapped shut. I cursed out of frustration. Beautiful. Snow, you are simply stunning.

His steps slowed as if he sensed someone was following him, just as I was about to lose all patience and give up. He came to a halt in his stride and slowly turned around to face me.

I went completely still. I tighten my grip on the handkerchief, shuddering with nervousness. It would be ineffective as a deterrent to what was about to happen.

"You‌, again?‌ ‌Are‌ ‌you‌ ‌following‌ ‌me?"‌ ‌he‌ ‌snapped,‌ ‌as‌ ‌I‌ ‌locked‌ ‌my‌ ‌eyes‌ ‌on‌ ‌his.‌ ‌ ‌

I came to a halt in front of him as we walked the distance between us. "I'm not following you... I came here just to give you this," I said, holding a crumpled three-dollar bill in my hands. He remained motionless, his gaze fixed on me and the money.

What had he been waiting for? I don't have all the time in the world, and I need to get back to the shop as soon as possible! When he was still standing there, his face slightly annoyed, I realized he wouldn't even do anything, so I reached out and clumsily opened his left palm. ‌ ‌

I quickly placed the money in his hand, feeling the electricity from our touch. "It's your change, you forgot it," I explained quickly, turning around to return to the shop. But before I could take a single step, he grabbed my arm.

"Wait a minute." He spat as he handed it back to me, but I refused to take it. His brow furrowed, clearly irritated at this point. "Are you really that stupid? I'm giving it to you in order for you to learn a lesson. ‌ ‌ What the hell is the matter with that guy?

I exclaimed. "Do you have a grudge against me or something?" I feel compelled to inquire. Why is this such a big deal for him?

"No, you don't feel special. I simply despise people like you." I was irritated, but I realized that this guy's problem isn't with me; it's with his attitude. I sighed angrily.

"Don't worry, I don't like guys like you either. And I don't accept money from strangers, especially money I didn't earn and didn't have to work hard for." I explained.

"Oh, and by the way, have a wonderful day." I turned around and walked back to the shop, leaving him with his mouth wide open, his strawberry ice cream now melted and fell on the ground.

I sighed, hoping not to run into him again, noting his features so I wouldn't run into him again. Oh my goodness. If only I knew what was going to happen next. ‌

After that, a few customers came in, and by 5:30 p.m, I was cleaning the shop. It was 30 minutes before my shift was over. It's always like this, from Mondays to Fridays, and it's become my routine.

I looked out the window and noticed that the sun was almost setting, the blue sky turning orange and blending with a shade of pink. ‌ ‌

Going to the staff closet, I changed into my clothes and grabbed my bag from my locker on the way out. I slid my neatly folded work clothes into my locker before walking to the key cabinet, eager to get out.

After securing the parlor, I shut it down for the day. As soon as I stepped outside the store, the freezing cold breeze cut past me, and I wrapped my jacket around me. ‌ ‌

A few cars honked as they passed through the streets, and the streetlights shone a dim orange light. I put on my helmet, started my motorcycle engine, and drove away.

When I got home, I noticed my mother, Evelyn Waterstrings, cooking in the kitchen. I inhaled the familiar scent that was lingering in the air. "I've returned home, Mom." I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. ‌ ‌

"How's your day going, honey?" Her brow furrowed. Her forehead wrinkles creased, making her appear much older than she is, despite the fact that she is only in her early forties. There was never a day when she didn't put her hair into her usual high bun on her head, her nurse uniform indicating that she had just gotten off work.

Despite this, I couldn't help but notice how the corners of her eyes crinkled when the motherly smile appeared on her lips. ‌ ‌"Gosh, you'll never believe what I just went through mom."

She raises her eyebrows at that, "Ooh, a rude customer?"

She makes an educated guess. I snorted, telling her everything, including the arrogant guy who'd been cold and harsh. As she laughed at my heroic 'change return mission,' I joined her.

"What about Nathan, mom? Where is he?" I inquired. Just then, a little curly-haired fur ball came running into me.

"Snowy!" Nathan, my younger brother, was beaming at the sight of me, his cute dimples showing on his cheeks, and I reached out to pinch it.

‌ For a seven-year-old, he's been through a lot... But he's still the kind who'd be happy with small things. Give him a chocolate and he'll love you. He nuzzled his teddy bear as I tucked him in. I heard him call for dad in a soft voice making me smile ruefully.

Even though he was only four when we'd lost dad, he clearly remembered him.

"Let's play, Snowyy!" he exclaimed, eager to see me but mom interjected. "Honey, your sister is tired from work; please allow her to rest for a while." Mom explained.

Nathan pouted at me, showing me his puppy eyes, which he knew so well that I couldn't refuse. I ruffled his black curly hair, "Then how about we play after you finish your dinner?"

"Sure! Yehey!" he exclaimed excitedly, grinning at me before dashing into the living room. I shook my head as I looked at my adorable little brother. I really wonder where do little kids get that kind of energy every day. Taking a seat at the dining table, I observed Mom as she cooked our dinner.

My fatigue from work is relieved simply by the sight of her standing there. When she was finished cooking, she placed it on a plate and invited Nathan to eat. I drooled at the sight of food and smiled gratefully at her. "That appears to be delicious." It was chicken with honey garlic sauce. The rich aroma of honey engulfed the room, tempting me to dig in right away.

"Bon appetit," she said with a smile. And then we started eating dinner.

Mom, as usual, never failed to surprise me. ‌ Her cooking abilities were incredible, and I was confident she could outperform those professional chefs if she tried. Well, not exaggerating it but that's how I see it.

"Wow, is this a new recipe? From an internet mom?" I took another bite hurriedly, too preoccupied to formulate complete questions.

"Be careful, Snow, you might choke if you eat your food like that," she warned, her voice tired. I could only give her a sheepish smile.

"Yes, I discovered it this morning and I thought why not try it. " She looked crestfallen all of a sudden.

With my mouth half full, I commented "Gosh, this is really delicious mom!" She chuckled at my response and handed me a glass of water as I swallowed the last bite. ‌

The cold water ran down my throat, making me shiver slightly as I walked to the sink and began to wash the dishes. When I was finished, I went into the living room and played with Nathan. I noticed Mom talking on the phone, and when it was over, she looked at me with a Cheshire cat's smile.

"Snow, guess what?" she asks, a grin on her face. I've never seen her so happy except on their wedding anniversaries or when dad surprises her... ‌ ‌

"What?" I inquired, my interest piqued. Is there something good that happened?

"She's getting married!" she exclaimed joyfully, interrupting my thoughts.

"Uhm, who?" I blinked, asking who she's referring to. We're still new here so I guess it's not our neighbors, is it?

"My best friend, Maggie!" She jumped in front of me in delight, clearly overjoyed at the moment.

"Your best friend, Maggie? Wow, mom! Tell her that I wish her good luck!" I was yawning when I said this, thinking of who the hell is Maggie. Mom only had a few friends before we moved in here...When I remembered who that person was, I realized who he or she was.