First Snow

Lennox sat in her scallop-backed chair, her long, tight-clad legs hanging carelessly over the armrest as she studied the magazine dangling from her nimble fingers. Boys chattered in the background, a common occurrence that she had grown accustomed to. She simply tuned out their words as she hummed soft melodies to herself, reading the latest article claiming to know the key to relationships. Yeah, right, Lennox thought dryly.

In her experience, there was no one formula for a successful relationship. Every person and every couple had their differences and there were too many factors to be taken into account for someone outside of the relationship to know how to make it last. Lennox had watched her parents’ marriage fail horribly; causing enough tension and heartbreak to deter her from believing love was even real. Her older brother believed more than she did, but Lennox thought that was only because he was old enough to remember the happy times when their parents claimed to be in love.

Due to her skepticism, Lennox didn't put too much stock into the relationships she had with the opposite sex. Boys only wanted one thing from Lennox, she wasn't unaware of how the hormonal male brain functioned.

"Lenny!" A familiar male voice pulled her away from her thoughts.

"Yeah, Matt?"

"It's snowing," he informed her, knowing his little sister loved the first snowfall of the year more than anything.

Lennox jumped from her chair, her magazine floating lifelessly to the floor, the pages in disarray as she ran for the door. She barely stopped to pull her furry brown boots onto her feet. Throwing the front door open wide, she stopped momentarily to stare in awe at the white fluff falling in a mechanically unorganized fashion before she bound into the street.

She didn't care that she stood amidst dirt tainted tire tracks in the freshly fallen snow, nor did she care that she was wearing a sleeveless, barely there shirt-dress and tights with stockings. All that mattered in the moment was the pure bliss she felt only once a year as snow dusted every surface for the first time. It was a sign of new beginnings, a sign of starting over. The world was given a fresh, stark white canvas to make it’s own.

Lennox ran into the falling snow, letting it wet her cheeks and hair as she faced the sky. Spinning in a circle, her arms stretch wide on either side of her, she seemed to dance through the fluffy white flakes.

As she danced without a care in the world, a handful of boys stood on the porch watching the eccentric girl with amusement and slight wonder. Most of the boys had known Lennox for years. They had observed her mild temperament and lack of communication skills. For lack of a better word, she was in their eyes, a loner. Never did she try to engage in conversation with anyone other than Matt. And never did she acknowledge that, yeah, she knew each of the boys better than they would ever dream.

One boy, though, was not surprised. He had secretly watched Lennox from the corner of his eye from the moment they were introduced. She fascinated him, intrigued him. For years, he watched from his peripherals as she finished high school, took a meaningless part time job and enrolled in the local community college. He watched people come and go from her life, none of them boys. She flew through friends, not one of them finding the urge to remain in touch. But boys, they never got past the front door—metaphorically, and literally.

Lennox’s apparent emotional walls were strong as bricks. She didn’t glance twice at a boy, never did. And there were plenty of them. Boys, not just Alex, were intrigued by the seemingly shy, introverted, tall, rail thin girl with long wavy hair. They called, they visited. But Lennox always turned them away.

And Alex took note. He didn’t want to be one of those castaways, though he too wanted to get to know the girl. So, instead, he stood in the shadows, observing. Keeping track of Lennox became like second nature to Alex. He would be taking mental note of every move she made while carrying on conversations with his friends.

Though he’d never admit it, and though he didn’t feel a need to make it known, Matt noticed his friend’s preoccupation with his little sister. And even though he didn’t like his friend’s seemingly harmless infatuation with Lennox—he had reason to be weary—he could tell that not only would Alex not do anything—not anytime soon, at least—but Lennox would turn him away like everyone else if he did. So, while he stood next to Alex as they both watched Lennox twirl in the fresh snow, he shook his head at the spark in Alex’s eye.

Watching Lennox let herself go in front of everyone brought a smile to Alex’s face. He always knew she was a carefree, fun, simplistic girl behind her tough, uninterested persona. And seeing her layers fall away, something flipped within him. He no longer wanted to stay on the sidelines. He wanted to approach the girl, to build a friendship—at the very least—with her. And he figured it would be easier now that she had let everyone see a part of her that she had never wanted to share before.

Their temporary bewilderment past, everyone, save Matt and Alex, joined Lennox in celebrating the first snowfall of the year. Attempting to put together snowballs, they tossed the air light snow, creating a mist of white around them. Jack ran and flopped down on the barely covered grass, his arms flailing around him as he created his own version of a snow angel.

Lennox, too preoccupied with her own wonder and joy at the occasion, didn’t notice the commotion around her. She was in her own world—one of pure bliss and revelation. When the boys’ noise finally broke through her bubble, Lennox’s already rosy cheeks flamed. Embarrassed by her display, she ducked her head as she sidestepped the grown boys as they played like children.

Alex and Matt stepped aside as she walked up the steps and through the doorway. Matt wasn’t fazed by his sister’s actions, but Alex was confused. Just a moment before Lennox had been carefree but now she was back to her careful, self-conscious self.

Matt joined his friends as they horsed around in the barely there snow while Alex slowly followed Lennox back inside the house her and Matt shared. Lennox was back in the scoop chair she had occupied earlier, her eyes trained on the window.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Alex asked as he leaned against the doorframe, his hands stuffed casually in his front pockets.

Lennox’s head snapped at the sound of Alex’s voice in the silent room as it pulled her from her thoughts. She nodded, her eyebrows pulling down as she thought of the reasons why Alex would be talking to her.

“You looked like you were having fun out there,” he commented, not deterred by her lack of speech, as he nodded towards the window.

“Yes,” she stated simply.

“Then why’d you stop?” he wondered aloud.

She shrugged, not able to formulate a response. Truthfully, she didn’t know how to interact with any of Matt’s friends. Though she knew them well, she also knew they wouldn’t know what to do if she did come out of her shell to interrelate with them.

“They’re all having a blast,” Alex commented, noticing the gist of her thoughts. “Why not join them?” He angled himself to face the still open door as if he were about to approach it, but he waited for Lennox, silently hoping she would join him on her own.

But she stayed where she was, her eyes trailing from Alex to the window, where she could see and hear the commotion taking place, and back again. Though she felt the urge to join them, to partake in their fun, her legs wouldn’t move. She stayed rooted to her spot.

Alex turned back to her expectantly. “Not coming?” His tone expressed that he wasn’t asking, rather he already assumed the answer. His large eyebrows bunched together in frustration as he turned his back and joined his friends on the front lawn.

“Dude, where have you been?”Jack complained as he jumped on Alex’s back, causing him to stagger under the unexpected weight. Alex let out a breath of air before reaching behind him to grab the boy’s legs, adjusting the new weight as he carried Jack toward the rest of the guys.

“Inside,” he answered vaguely.

“You missed all the fun,” Jack grumbled, feeling Alex’s responding shrug. “What’s with you?” he asked, finally noticing Alex’s demeanor.

“Nothing.”

Although the rush of excitement had faded and everyone was nearing the point of abandoning the rapidly melting snow in favor of the warmth of the house, Matt’s head snapped up, focusing on something in the distance.

Turning around everyone, including Alex, found the object of Matt’s distraction. Lennox was slowly descending the front stairs, about to join the mass of friends standing idle in the driveway. Noticing their stares, her step faltered before she pushed herself forward again.

She didn’t stop until she was standing at Alex’s side, her eyes taking in each surprised face before landing on her brother’s. “Hey,” she greeted, voice small.

“Nice of you to join us,” Matt teased. Lennox smiled faintly before looking up at Alex, her smile growing. His eyes locked with hers before she looked away and he couldn’t help the feeling in his gut as she smiled up at him.

The group soon retreated into the heated house where Lennox hurried to the kitchen. “I’ll make us some hot cocoa,” she called over her shoulder before disappearing. While she was gone, Matt and his friends settled into the living room, the couch overflowing with bodies while others sat on the floor. Alex was the only one standing; he leaned against the doorway, his mind drowning with his most recent revelation.

A few minutes later, Lennox reappeared, four mugs in her hands. She offered one to her brother, then the rest to the boys on the floor. She made a second trip, distributing the rest to the remainder of boys until she was left with two mugs in her hands, one for her and one for the boy standing on the perimeter of the room.

Lennox stood in front of Alex, his gaze finding hers. Her left hand extended one of the mugs to him, the other still wrapped tightly around her own mug. Alex took the beverage graciously, a hint of a smile forming on his lips.

“Thanks,” he murmured.

“You’re welcome.” She sipped delicately from her mug, watching the boys amidst their individual conversations and typical rowdy behavior.

Alex watched as she observed her surroundings. When she pulled the ceramic cup from her lips, a foamy mustache sat above her upper lip. Alex smiled lazily, a laugh passing his lips. Lennox looked up to an amused Alex, cocking one angled eyebrow in question, wondering what she had missed.

Alex motioned to his own lip. “You, uh, you have something…right here,” he explained. She swiped the side of her mouth, but came away with nothing. Alex shook his head, another laugh emanating from within. “Let me,” he urged, raising his free hand slowly. He expected her to back away, but she stayed firmly in place, waiting. Alex wiped the milky foam from her lip with his thumb. Their eyes locked on each other’s.

Lennox froze in place, everything around her fading. The only sound she could hear was the beat of her chest as Alex leaned close. “There,” he exclaimed, licking his thumb briefly. “You’re good." Lennox smiled appreciatively, but neither seemed to move. It was as if they were stuck in place.

Suddenly, from somewhere within the room, Rian’s voice rose above the rest. “Hey, mistletoe!” he exclaimed. Everyone’s heads turned as conversation dulled. Eyes followed Rian’s outstretched hand, pointing at the doorway.

Lennox and Alex’s heads both snapped to the sound. When they saw that Rian seemed to be pointing in their direction, they simultaneously looked above them where mistletoe was indeed hanging. Right where I put it, Lennox thought before peeking at Alex.

He was staring at her, his eyes wide as if he didn’t know what to do. Lennox smiled faintly, an unspoken consent. Alex returned her smile as he leaned in to place a soft kiss on Lennox’s pink lips. He didn’t want to overstep any boundaries, keeping the kiss superficial and short.

When he pulled away, a chorus of exclamations ringing in his ears, Alex’s eyes snapped to the one person whose voice he hadn’t heard. Matt sat on the couch, sandwiched between two of his friends, mouth agape, eyes wide, in shock.

Lennox didn’t notice any of this. She was watching Alex, no idea what her expression held, only aware of her newfound trust. Trust that maybe not every relationship was bound to end like her parents’; maybe there was hope. Hope that love did exist. Hope that love could find her, and maybe already had. Hope that love could last, and would last for her, with the right person. Hope that, maybe that person was standing in front of her.

On the best day of the year, the day when it snowed for the first time, a day she cherished, she found love.