‹ Prequel: In Over My Head
Sequel: P.S I'm Dying,
Status: Finished(:

Loving The Jerk Who Might Have Feelings

Girl All The Bad Guys Want

Alexander D. Winters

The ski resort is right around the corner so it takes less than twenty minutes to get in, book a room, and go have fun.

Alex is thinking about buying some hot chocolate, when Athena passes by him looking lost and dazed. She stumbles over her snow boots and bumps into a lady, “Sorry!”

Alex suppresses the urge to laugh and rushes over to her as the lady curses at her and rushes off.

“Hey”

She spins around with wide eyes, “Don’t do that!”

Alex laughs, “I scared you, really?”

“No, I had a heart attack because I saw a fly” She rolls her eyes sarcastically.

“What’s got you so on edge, Princess?” he asks wondering why she isn’t freaking about being right next to him. He was expecting the rambling girl from thirty minutes ago, or maybe a cold bitch would be more appropriate, but she looked normal. Kind of. A little attractive. Or maybe a lot.

Okay, maybe she looked insanely hot as she ranted on and on about something about the thing bothering her. His eyes trail from her chocolate brown hair tied with a loose ribbon, to her flickering hazel green eyes, and then her mumbling bright pink lips.

“—and I don’t want to! Not because I’m afraid of heights or anything, but—“

“You’re afraid of heights?” he says amused. Well, this should be fun, then.

And before she can argue with him, Alex takes her hand and drags her over to the ski rentals.
____________

“How the hell did you manage to convince me to do this?” Athena exclaims when they reach the top of the hill. She’s holding onto her pink snow board very twitchy-looking while he straps on his black one.

“Um, because I’m amazing, now, c’mon, put on the—“

“No! No way! You can just go right ahead and plunge to your death, I’ll just wait right here” she says with utter seriousness.

Alex rolls his eyes, “Oh, c’mon, Princess! Have a little fun, will you?”

She grimaces at him, “Death isn’t fun!?”

He smirks, “I beg to differ”

Athena sticks her tongue out, “Nope, no way”

He sighs and stares up at her with his butt on the cold snow, “I’ll race you. If you reach the bottom before I do I’ll leave you alone. Come January you won’t see me anymore”

“You’ll transfer schools?” she says with mock hope. (he thinks)

“Nah, I’ll just hide when I see you coming”

She snorts and rolls her eyes at him, “Tempting, but what’s in it for you?”

“The thrill of seeing you lose your cool. Ha, get it?”

“Yes, I understand that was irony” she patronizes him and starts strapping on her snow board. “But really, what is it you want?”

You.

“I’ll decide when I win”

When she finishes she looks up at Alex with slightly frightened eyes. He reaches forward with his ungloved hand (he likes the cold) and grabs her gloved one. Hauling her up, he gets into position at the edge of the peak.

Unexpectedly, Athena won’t let go of his hand. He clears his throat and eyes her curiously.

“I’m scared” she admits, “Don’t let me go”

A little part of him dies when he realizes that promise has been broken before he can even make it, but he just replies sarcastically, “Then how is it a race?”

She takes a deep breath, “I’ll let go in a bit, I promise”

“Okay” he says softly and firmly holds on to her hand, “Ready?”

“No”

“Set”

“NO! Wait! Stop! I changed my—“

“Go!”

And all of the sudden they’re whirling down the slope, gaining immense speed together, and

Athena’s screaming at the top of her lungs. The cold wind slaps his face and forces his hair back from his face as it struggles to stay plugged into his scalp.

And then Athena’s hand is gone. When he turns his head he sees her flapping her arms around like if she’s going to take off flying. He laughs and turns back to the path ahead of him.

The boarding takes less than a minute, but it’s an immense thrill with the adrenaline rush taking your body on a whole new ride.

Alex leans over laughing when Athena crashes into the snow a second after he does, “You looked like a chicken!”

She laughs as well and Alex notices she’s bright all over; her cheeks blotched red and her nose probably numb. “Did not! Oh my gosh! That was so much fun! Let’s do it again!”

Alex laughs but stops her from climbing back up the hill, “Sure thing, but hold up, first, I believe you owe me something”

Athena’s still smiling when she looks back at him; probably high from all the adrenaline in her system, “Okay! But hurry up!”

“Kiss me” the words are out of Alex’s mouth before he even realizes what he wanted from her.

But it’s true; Alex wants Athena’s touch.

He’s expecting her to flinch back and accuse him of being a hypocrite or yell at him about breaking her heart and then demanding her to do stupid things with him. (yeah, that’s kind of what the good-Alex is yelling at the hormonal-Alex inside his head).

But without missing a beat her lips are on his. He closes his eyes automatically but he’s rooted to the spot in surprise. A confusion of feelings mixes inside him, but as Athena slips her now bare hands under his jacket, against his warm abdomen, his feelings thaw away like the coldness of her fingers.

His freezing hands travel along then nape of her neck seeking warmth and she gasps from the sudden chill, but then he’s holding her close to him. Even though it’s freezing cold and their stupid puffy jackets won’t let them get more than a foot close together he’s willing to rip his off in order to be closer to her.

Then she pulls away, “There. A kiss, now can we ride down the slope again”

And he’s completely dazed and confused “What? You only kissed me ‘cause of the bet?”

She smiles mischievously, “Of course, Alex, why else?”

And then he groans and kicks at the snow on the floor, “I can’t take it anymore. You are driving me crazy!” he exclaims in complete desperation and longing, but before she can tease him some more, he pulls her into his arms and kisses her deeply.

When pulls away she looks confused and slightly vulnerable, “What?”

“You’re mine” Alex says possessively, which in guy terms sort of means he’s claiming her as his girlfriend.

Athena realizes that and she laughs, “I’m not a piece of meat, Alex Winters!” but she’s giddy with happiness.

He rolls his eyes at her, “Whatever, you’re still mine” then he proceeds to kiss her some more for the longest time before anyone can notice the birthday girl gone.
♠ ♠ ♠
<3