The Snowflake

I played with the glass in my hands, twirling it, to match the sky. It caught the light a little bit, and shone with such intensity, it was unbelievable I could stand to look at it. I looked up and smiled, eyes crinkled shut just that little bit.

I tied the last ribbon on my blue and white gifts, and tucked the last of them under the tree yet to be filled. I stepped away, looking up at the star with Opus inside of it, and smiling, proud of finishing the last of what I had to do. My cell phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, only to have an alarm remind me to run to bed.

It was 5:30 am.

I skittered across the wood floors, almost hitting a wall, and slid into my room. I threw my pajamas on over my tights, not really feeling like getting dressed, and dried my hair with a towel excessively. After running for some last minute things in the snow at midnight, behind my parents’ backs, I’d been coated with cold and ice. I washed my hair quickly after I came home, in the kitchen sink, and slung it heavily behind me in all its blackened glory so it wouldn’t get the soon-to-be-wrapped gifts wet.

That was at about one.

So therefore, it had taken four hours to wrap all gifts for my parents, my family members, and my friends. All were tucked away in separate corners, labelled and ready to be pulled out when the time was right.

I did a quick checklist through my head as I climbed into my Jack Skellington blanket and checkered comforter. I snuggled close with my pillow, and, without much hesitation like a normally stressing day, I fell into a deep sleep.

◊ ◊ ◊

I woke up to my stepfather, the man who adopted me after marriage to my mother, but lost who he was, yelling. “Wake up!” he yelled. “It’s eight o’clock! Get in the shower!”

I slunk up sleepily, rubbing my eyes. He continued to yell as I sat, cross legged, on my mattress. “You’re gonna wake Mom that way...” I groaned, knowing very well my mother would be less than pleased. She’d be pissed. I got up and pushed past him, dragging my feet as I did so, and closing the door tightly behind me. I turned on the shower, putting it on just the right amount of hot water, and began to lightly wash my body, careful not to get my hair wet.

After almost an hour, I cut off the water, wrapping myself in a towel and quickly drying off. I curled my hair a little bit at the ends, much like I had previously been doing in holiday season’s past. It took about three minutes to do, and by the time I was done, all of my hair’s ends were lightly twisted tornadoes made of shadow. I grinned in satisfaction.

I got dressed quickly in my usual tights and skirt with a fun little top, and ran to grab money from my top shelf for last minute gifts and coffee from Milk & Sugar. I flipped through, noticing ten dollars were missing, and groaned with great intensity. It wasn’t hard to figure out who took it. Obviously, I’d have to reprimand my own stepfather for taking my money again without asking just for bagels and coffee down the street. I sighed, not wanting to deal with this now, and pocketed the remainder of my holiday money, and headed off to a honking horn that was Emily’s mother.

Even though I could drive and did have a car, I always took the option of carpooling. It was funner, I felt much safer, and it eased holiday jitters, it did. No one could drive with such high paranoia and pressure of getting the greatest gift. 'Twas hard to accomplish, you see.

It was a half hour drive and a two hours class, and not much, in my opinion, had been accomplished. We fooled around at the theater class and ate cookies Lorraine, our musical director, had made. I nibbled lightly, knowing very well I’d only throw it up with all the excitement and fear I had raging through my body, not to mention my stomach.

After actually working on an acting exercise and reviewing an old group song, it was time to leave. Em went through the back, bidding me a ‘goodbye’ and ‘good luck’ along the way. I waved and thanked her graciously, heading out through the side door a few minutes later.

The second I stepped out, something caught my eye. It was a dark haired boy I vaguely recognized from my peripheral vision, but could tell in an instant with his silver eyes who he was.

I sprinted over to him, almost stumbling on the light ice on the ground from frozen rain, and embraced him tightly. “You didn’t tell me you were coming!” I cheered. I snuggled myself into his jacket, happily and lost in emotion.

“It would spoil the surprise then, wouldn’t it?” he smiled at me cutely. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek, not able to contain my smiles any longer. I’d lost all control of my face, for my heart had taken over.

I took his hand and walked him away from his car. “So, what brings you to this neck of the woods? It’s not every day I’m graced with your presence.”

He laughed. “And I yours.” He smiled at me again. My heart instantly went into the state of slush. It was intangible. “And I wanted to visit you.” he looked at me. “Would I have any other reason to be here?”

“What? No.” my mind stayed sold and alert. It had to, otherwise, nothing would get done. “I was just...” I stopped and laughed at myself. There was no use in fixing my wrong words. They were simply done and over with.

For no reason at all, he joined in. We walked to the stores together, hand in hand, and crossed the LIE, and a few other main roads. I finished all but the last of my last minute goodies for friends, and was still missing one gift. Of course, it was his.

As the day passed on and we spent it looked at the clouds and escaping the wind by running in and out of shops and alleys, I grew that little bit more tense. But with him, it all washed away before it could even show.

At the end of the day, we walked back to his car. He drove me to right in front of Suzanne’s, due to our promise to hang out that evening. He stalled the car and looked at me before I left.

“I’m gonna try my hardest to spend Christmas with you this year.” he said. “I know how much the holiday means to you.” He kissed my forehead. “I’m gonna try my best to make this the best Christmas you’ll ever remember.” My eyes teared up with joy, but I hid it well, sniffling back, ready to say it was from the cold.

But he never asked. He just continued to hold my hand on the shifter like he had been doing the entire drive here. He rubbed my knuckled with his thumb. His hands were ten times warmer than mine.

“You’re okay with that, right?” he asked. “Me, spending the holidays here?”

I looked towards Suzanne’s front door, to see if she’d be peeking out. I could vaguely see her shape up in her bedroom window upstairs.

“Sure.” I said. I looked down, debating if I should say what was on my mind or not, and then turned to him.

My mouth won the battle. “I just hope nothing comes up and your promise can be kept is all.” I looked down, ashamed I even said a thing.

“Love...” he started. He sighed, just a little. “Love, I’m sorry about the past. I really am. But, we’ve been in this for a while. I really am trying...”

“I know.” I explained. “And you’re doing a great job.” I smiled a little.

He continued. “I’m trying to do the best I can with this. It’s hard not living here. And not ever have lived here.” He broke off his sentence lightly and looked towards the window, in thought. “I won’t leave unless I have to.”

I nodded. There was quiet, for a long while. I tried to break the icy atmosphere first. “I love you.” I told. He turned to me from the window and smiled.

“I love you too.” he went and kissed my lightly. I smiled through his lips.

We pulled apart just as I felt a stare on my back. “So, I’ll see you later?” I asked, turning towards the door. He smirked, and his cheeks turned red, possibly from the cold or from my loving stare at him.

“Yeah.” he said, looking right into my eyes. “Of course.”

“Great.” I opened the door, pushing it open with my leg and waved gently. I turned around after closing the door and say Suzanne was already standing on the steps.

She waved as he drove away. As soon as he was out of eyesight, she turned to me and smiled widely. “Well?” she asked. I nodded.

“He’s really trying this year.” I said. “I know he is!”

She squealed with joy and jumped up and down, clapping. She ran down the stairs, which got my scared, but only for a moment, until she embraced me. “This is so exciting!” she said. She pulled away. “And is he staying for the Peasant’s Feast too?” I shrugged. She smiled again.

“He will.” she stated. “If he doesn’t, I’ll rip his liver open.”

“And eat it too?” I asked. We both laughed a little, going inside, arms around each other, still.

Eva was inside already. Her purple jacket was draped over the banister and her scarp was wrapped around the decorative headpiece of the ending rail. She was nibbling at a piece of brownie when I walked into the kitchen.

“Hey love.” I said. She waved, mouth full of chocolate, and hugged me back as I held her. She was tiny and frail as ever, even though all three of us were now eighteen. She swallowed her mouthful and lipped her lips with her tiny fingers are she spoke.

“So, is it official? Is he gonna stay?” she asked. I nodded. Obviously, from their reactions, they’d gotten my text message I sent them while hiding in the stuffed animal department at Toys ‘R’ Us.

Eva nodded smoothly. “Cool.” she said. She smiled and laughed a little. Then, Suz caught our attention away from the conversation.

“What the fuck?!” she yelled through her teeth. We all turned, to see her motioning towards a pot on the stove. “There’s no water in it, guys!” Pause. “I’m trying to boil water without water.” She started laughing. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”

We laughed and laughed as Suzanne poured water, slowly, into the already heated pot. Smoke rose, and caught her mother attention. Nonchalantly, she asked what we were setting on fire this time.

And we all burst into hysterics.

For the rest of the night, it was like that. Random outbursts, with a touch of conversation and food. We went on webcam with Ben, and after freaking him out some, we walked to the bagel place down the street in the freezing cold.

By Sunday, I was running on a half hour of sleep, and only that. Immediately, he noticed something was up. “You didn’t sleep, did you?” he asked. My head, immobile from its resting place on the headrest of the passenger seat, just moved back and forth, eyes shut tight.

“Didn’t think so.” he stated. He drove slowly, but fast enough so no one would honk. He avoided speed bumps best he could. After twenty minutes of silence and us almost reaching my house, he pulled to the side of the rode and turned to me. He stalled the car so the heat would stay on.

“Do you wanna sleep at home?” he asked. I looked at him.

“Not really.” I said, really not wanting to deal with my stepfather’s rants and my mother’s insistent typing.

He nodded. He pulled the shifter backwards. “All right.” he turned around.

I sat up. “Where are we going?” I asked. I looked behind me as he pulled off of the curb to turn around.

“You’ll see.” he said. We kept going in the opposite direction of both my house and Suzanne’s.

We kept going for almost an hour, and it was nearly dark when we reached our destination. He unbuckled his seatbelt and pressed the button on mine to undo it also. We exited the car together. He headed for the trunk to grab something.

“What are you doing?” I asked, tired as ever. I dragged my feet begrudgingly. “What shenanigans are we getting into?”

He took me over to an house with a sunroom. We pried the screen door open and went over to the floor, laying down one of the many rolled up blankets he was holding. He flattened it down on the concrete, putting another blanket over it, flattening that one as well, and pulled out a thick comforter. He walked over to me, while I stood in the doorway, and wrapped that and his arms around me. He kissed the top of my head.

My eyes started to well up again, but he went and kissed my head again. “Shh.” he hushed. “Just sleep baby. Sleep until you want me to wake you up, okay?”

I nodded quietly, and got onto the blankets. I curled up on them, tracing the cartoon patterns with my finger, thinking about why he brought me here. Then, it hit me: it was quiet, and no one was going to bother us. He drove an hour just so I could get away from all of the paranoia. All of the stress. All of the fear.

I sighed and blinked, slowly.

By the time my eyes were open again, he was already laying next to me, falling asleep himself. I smiled at him. “I love you.” I told him.

He smiled. “I know.” he replied. “I love you too.”

I blinked, but never bother to open my eyes again.

By the time I did actually open them again, his were closed. He was a soft sleeper. His breathing was light, but you could see he was alive. His face was calm and serene, his mouth open just that little bit, almost like a little kid’s. I smiled and kissed his forehead.

“Goodnight, love.” I told him.

And with that, I curled into him, falling asleep once more.

◊ ◊ ◊

The next few days before Christmas went smoothly. Somehow, I managed to stay out of trouble for going off to the other end of Long Island and missing curfew, but figuring that one out wasn’t hard. People hinted at texting my parents, saying it was me from a friends phone. Saying I was sleeping over another night.

Goddamn Suzanne.

Either way, it didn’t change the fact my parents were still bitching at me all the time and the love of my life was going to be there for a whole two weeks. In fact, it didn’t change anything.

On the last day of senior classes before vacation, he picked me up by the steps that led to the second floor from outside. “Hey.” I said, entering the car. I leaned over to kiss him, throwing my tan messenger bag into the back seat. Even after seeing him all week, I still was glad to see him. Of course I took advantage of these moments. Wouldn’t anyone?

“Hey.” he said lightly after I pulled away. His voice was soft, a little emotionless. “How’d your Lit club meeting go?”

“Good.” I said. “Mel and Ashie are almost done with their paintings for the cover. They look amazing so far.” Pause. “And I got one of the first page spots, according to the higher editors.” Pause. “What’s wrong, baby?”

“Nothing.” he said right out. He pulled the shifter backwards and looked behind him. He backed into another parking spot and I moved the shifter to park. The car jerked, but remained okay. He turned to me.

“What’s wrong?”

He sighed and gripped onto the wheel, much like he always did when he was nervous. “God...” he hung his head and balanced it against the middle of the wheel, but above the horn. He sat up and took in a breath. He exhaled, long and heavy.

Uh oh.

He closed his eyes and gripped the wheel tightly with his hands. His knuckles turned white with fear. And I could only understand why only after he said what he had to. He breathed in deep again, held it. “I can’t stay for Christmas.” he told. He sighed and looked down, ashamed.

I looked down at my hands, trying my best not to cry. I rubbed my life line on my palm as I started to speak, weakly. “Why?” I asked, voice hoarse with emotion. I gulped and looked up.

“Why can’t you stay this time?”

He didn’t move. “Work called. They said they needed all the workers for this week.” he turned to me. “I’d get fired, otherwise.”

“Baby,” I started. My heart reached its breaking point. “Baby, you promised!”

“I know!” he said, almost as frustrated as I. He lifted his hand slightly off the wheel, showing his untimely surrender. He exhaled, heavily and full of sadness himself. “I know...”

I leaned my head on the window and kept silent, looking out at the school I’d be leaving this year. I didn’t want to leave him behind with it. After all, bad endings came together easily.

“Baby, I’m sorry.” he cooed.

I didn’t look at him. “Just take me to Suz’s.”

“Baby-”

“Please.”

He kept his mouth tightly sealed and pulled the shifter back, looking behind him. As he pushed it forward again, he looked at me, putting his foot, slowly, on the gas, and taking me on the worst forty minute drive of my life.

My heart wretched with sorrow. I knew I couldn’t be mad at him forever, and sure, I knew it was bound to happen. But just the thought of him holding me next to the Christmas tree was... beautiful. It was just something about the thought that haunted and broke me every year. But this year was the pinnacle of all of them. I couldn’t have fallen deeper, unless I was back to square one, in eighth grade.

We finally pulled up to Suzanne’s place. I pulled out a key she’d given me for emergency cases. Emergency meaning emotional chaos. I pulled at the door handle and stepped out.

“Baby, wait.”

I stopped, not turning. “... What?”

“I’m really sorry about this.” he paused. “Really, I am. I just... I need this job. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to be with you like we can be.” Pause. “I understand you’re upset. I am too. Can you just find it in your heart to at least let me spend Christmas Eve afternoon with you?”

I sighed. “I need time to clear my head.”

From the silence, I could almost hear him nod. “Okay.”

And with that, I shut the door, walking quickly up the stone steps and pushing my key into the lock. I slammed my body weight against the door to open it, letting it close behind me as I made a beeline towards the kitchen.

Suzanne was in there, making pasta again. She didn’t look up from stirring. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

I didn’t make a sound. My heart did. “He’s not staying.”

She looked up, slowly. “Figured, just that little bit.” she let go of the spoon. “No big deal, right?” she walked over quietly and wrapped her arms around my form. My head fell onto her shoulder. My eyes began to release salty raindrops, which fell with pitter patters to the floor, and soaked Suzanne to the very bone of her shoulder.

“It’s okay, love.” she said, rocking me back and forth.

I sobbed a little. “I can’t take it.” I said, pulled away. I wiped my tears and running nose away with my sleeve, much like a lost child. “I need him Suz. He takes good care of me.”

“I know he does.” she said. “I’ve seen it.”

I hiccuped a little. “I hate him for how much he loves me. He loves me so much, and I love him back, and then he has to leave.” I stomped my foot, hard, on the tile. It echoed with my scream. “I hate long distance relationships!”

“I always liked that boy.” she said. She traced her fingers across the stove. They found their way back to the wooden spoon quite easily. “He’s understanding, sweet, compassionate... much like you. Being alike can be good. I’m sure him leaving is as hard as him as it is on you.”

“I know.” I said, swinging my arms with that little bit of fury left in me. “I just wish I could be selfish and steal him away from that rotten job and his life alone. He’s too good for it, I tell you.”

She took the utensil out of the pot. She shook it dry. “Just give him time.” She put the spoon on the counter beside her. “Let me talk to him.”

“I don’t know.” I sighed. I rubbed my arms through my long sleeve shirt.

She turned to me. “Please?”

I shrugged and sat down. “I don’t know if yelling at him would work.”

She raised a brow at my words. “Who said there’d be yelling?”

I looked at her curious blue eyes, and couldn’t help but smile. I nodded, laughing a little through my swollen eyes. She laughed too, and soon, we were in hysterics for little reasons. She walked over and hugged me.

“This boy won’t break your heart.” she said. “He can’t hurt you. I know he can’t, and wouldn’t even dare to try.” She threw a pleaded dishrag at my face. “Now, get yourself cleaned up! We’re gonna have you looking like a princess for Christmas Eve Day with that boy!”

I smiled, wiping at my face with the soggy dishrag. I smiled into its softness and relished in the moments of Suzanne putting curlers through my hair and doing my makeup the next morning. Putting snow decals on my fingernails, which had since grown since freshman year, and were painted a lovely shade of sapphire. Making my eyes shine like the gold they could turn, and making my pupils really pop and lock.

I didn’t even look in the mirror when I left. It was three, and I went straight for the car. He was standing outside, leaning against it. He froze when he saw me in my attire: a sapphire, knee length dress, black knitted tights, my white jacket, and my black hat.

His cheeks grew a tad rose as he stumbled over his words. “You look, wow.” he bit down on his lips. “I-” he cut himself off, trying to catch a hold of his tongue. He smiled. “You’re an angel.” he told me, kissing me gently, almost asking for permission to do so as he did the action. “You leave me speechless.”

I smiled as he pulled away and said this just as he withdrew back into his normal position. “Good.” I said, not really able to say much else. He grinned back as we got into the car and drove.

I forgot he was leaving, just for a moment as we held hands and smiled like nothing happened. It was only a half hour later, when we got to the airport that I remembered. My heart sunk from its high as we walked, slowly, inside.

I brought my gift with him with me, in my messenger bag. I’d texting him to bring all the bags of gifts hidden under my computer desk. He did so, unsuspecting of what was to come. I dropped the bags off at the front desk, saying it would only be an hour or so, and secreted the tiny box in my bag pocket.

And it rattled a little with each movement, so I put my free hand over the bag to stop it. My other hand was too busy locking me with the love of my life, and our final moments until the following year.

We stopped at the window after going up the escalators, and sat there. I looked at the sign for a moment. There were no delays, despite reports of snow. I pouted inwardly. I selfishly wanted something to keep us there for at least another hour.

He rubbed my knuckles gently as we sat in silence, despite the crowds insistent buzzing. He spoke first, but without words. He handed me a box, wrapped in starry silver paper and had a white ribbon tied around it. “Open it when you’re ready to, okay?” he said. He smiled at me, hoping I wasn’t too mad at him.

I could have reached for the present in my pocket, but I didn’t. I stared at the paper, rubbing it in my hands. Its texture was smooth, like I thought it was. “Yeah.” I said. I looked up at him. “Thank you.”

He held my hand, still, and we remained quiet. I held the present in my hands, scared to open it. I didn’t make a move for my bag. I knew it would get to be too much if I did.

His flight was called, and we both stood up. He put down his bag and wrapped his arms around me. I hugged me, gently, back. I couldn’t get emotional then, and I didn’t want to. I wasn’t going to make it harder than it had to be.

“I’m gonna miss you.” he said.

“I’m gonna miss you too.” my voice dropped to a quiet melody. We pulled away. I smiled, to comfort both him and myself. He kissed my forehead, which almost sent me sinking down the deep end.

“I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Yeah.” I replied, crossing my arms around my torso. “I’ll see you.”

And with that, he turned and left, dark hair and all.

◊ ◊ ◊

I walked towards that familiar, straight hallway I was so accustomed to by now. A man nodded a pilot’s cap at me, and a woman in white and blue ripped my ticket and handed me the stub. I nodded, in thanks.

I didn’t want to leave the person I loved: no one would want to. But without work, I was nothing. I wouldn’t be able to live anywhere, do anything, be anything. Work got me going.

She got me going.

I shook the thought out of my head, and with it, came a thin girl with long blonde hair and curious blue eyes, staring at me. I was somehow back in Suzanne’s kitchen from that morning, while the others were asleep. It was back when I first arrived.

She was making coffee while she talked to me. “You love her.” she said.

I stopped sipping my share of coffee immediately. “I’m sorry?”

“Don’t pretend I can’t see that look you give her.”

“What look?” I was curious as a girl chasing rabbits.

“You know. When your eyes glaze over just that tiny bit, cause those eyes of hers just get toy you?” she tried to explain. “You give her that look every time she says something. You know, the puppy-love look.”

“I wouldn’t call a relationship that’s gone on for three years ‘puppy-love’.” I told her. “I get what you mean, and I kind of understand the whole ‘look’ concept, but I really just wouldn’t call it puppy-love.”

“Penguin love, then?” she asked. My blood boiled just that little bit. I was irked at the fact she was comparing our love to something that was too difficult to explain. She noticed this in an instant and sighed. “You know, the kind of love where you want to stay with that one person forever?”

I nodded, calming down a little bit. At least that part I felt was right. But still, it wasn’t quite how I knew it in my head. “Kind of.” I said. She raised a brow at me. A classic look. “The love we share is... difficult to explain.”

“Try me.” she poured herself the fresh coffee and sipped.

“Well,” I started. I gulped a little. “It’s the sort of love where you want to spend your entire life with them, but you can’t. In your heart you know you can’t, but you test fate anyways. You fight and keep pushing until that puzzle piece snaps into place. The kind of love where you don’t need to be next to each other, but you can just feel a connection, so you never miss them.

“The kind of love that’s allowed to be selfish, but it won’t be. It’s patient, and it waits too long. It’s quiet and it’s not much of a party, but more of a kaleidoscope, or a fun house. Every minute is something completely different and beautiful.” I paused, thinking of her eyes. “Especially beautiful.”

She smiled and crossed her legs while she sat at the chair across from me. “You need to marry this girl.” she sipped her coffee. “You’re her other half. I know it.”

“Well, marriage would be nice.” I said. “I’d like to save up for that though.”

She smirked. “I’ll let you in on a little secret.” she told. She put down her cup and leaned on the table. “She wants to spend her time with you more than you can ever imagine. She’s the type who wants every day to be a kaleidoscope. Charming, sharp, and curiouser and curiouser by the hour.” she smiled at the thought. “She needs a Neverland, an Oz, a Wonderland.... something. She needs a safe place to call home.”

“And you think I could give that to her?” I asked, almost in a whisper. I felt the secret could be kept away in a safe, and I sort of wanted to be able to smile and remember it, even fifty years from then.

“No.” she told, walking over to wash out her now empty cup in the sink. She rinsed it out, then turned off the water. There was silence, until she finally turned to me and told me, “I think she can give it to you.”

I sat there, not really able to process it all in that moment. She sighed happily, looking up at the ceiling's lights above her head. “I’m glad we had this talk.” she turned to look at me, her eyes wide with happiness, and somehow brimming a little with tears. “Now, don’t let her catch you wandering around down here, you hear?”

And I had run out, words still jumbled in my head.

It was only now, about to get on a plane and be gone forever, that I really understood. She can give it to you. She can give it to you.

I dropped my bags and looked behind me at the sign. My departure time said two minutes. I knew I’d never make it back in time, but I couldn’t see how it was worth it, especially with speed blinding me.

I sprinted down the third floor lobby, going down the up-escalator once, and almost falling. I didn’t care though. I just kept running. I was running to something better. Something I needed.

I was running back to her, because I was sure that she needed me more.

And I could almost imagine her smile.

◊ ◊ ◊

I played with the paper in my fingers and looked out the window at the plane as it left. He was on it, I knew it. I looked into my reflection and let a lone tear fall and stay there. I sniffled a little and sighed.

He was gone.

I curled in, shoulders shaking, ready to let out a huge sob. I wanted to cry, sure, but I wanted to scream more. Screaming is good for releasing emotion, right? I wasn’t sure anymore. My head was so foggy, I could swear I was hallucinating.

Then, suddenly, I heard someone call my name. I didn’t respond at first, thinking it was simply mind tricks from the chaos going through my head, but when I heard it again, I finally turned.

Running off of the escalator, there he was, smiling when we locked eyes.

I sprinted towards him, box flying behind me with paper following. My eyes started to tear, but I didn’t care. I jumped into his open arms and wrapped myself around him, right in front of the glass windows where you could still see planes departing.

“You missed your flight.” I said through tears, smiling.

“I know.” he told. He chuckled, tightening his hug around my waist.

“Why?” I asked, pulling away. He took my hands and unwrapped the styrofoam like wrapping around silver. He grinned as he did this.

“Because,” he locked the silver chain around my wrist as he did this, “I don’t think I need a plane to fly.” He leaned close to me. “I think I’ve been touched by angel wings.”

My eyes were now dripping with tears. “I love you.” I cried. I pulled him towards me while I was crying and kissed him. We both laughed through the kiss, his arms tight around my waist and my lips tight around his.

We pulled away after a moment. I smiled through the last few tears as he continued to hold me. He kissed the tears away, slowly and lovingly. “I love you too, Sakura.”

“Frankie...” I smiled, leaning on him. I curled into the crook of his neck, happy to finally have him back. The glass snowflake showed my reflection from my bracelet. And in that moment, everything was almost perfect.

And then, we both looked outside, and the snowflakes were just beginning to dot the sky and stick to the ground without melting. I pulled away from his shoulder and kissed him.

“I love you.” he cooed.

“I love you too.” I pulled away after the kiss and took his hands in mine, leading him outside, ready to run through the Christmas snow with him. Ready to spend my life with him. Ready for our love to finally start. “Baby...” I started, smiling with all of the love my heart could ever muster, plus more.

“Welcome Home.”