Sam had never tried to ask Carla for anything, but this was the exception.

Snowflakes dance on wayward gusts of wind as Carla’s gaze scans his profusely sweating face.

“I ne-need you to tell Leah why I can’t go to a...um… party with her.” Sam clasps his gloved hands together, his head bowed as Carla takes small sips of scalding, aromatic coffee from a thermos. Her eyelashes lower for a moment on her driving wheel, obscuring her steely gaze from view.

“No.” Her voice is a command, but one barely heard above the car speeding through the icy road behind him. She looks at her brother, regarding him for a moment before speaking. Sam feels his throat dry as he croaks out a response.

“What?” He laughs before her incredulous glance stops him.

“You’re going.” Her eyebrows arch and she rolls her eyes. “It isn’t like you have anywhere to be.” Sam feels his cheeks well up with embarrassment. He crosses his arms, looking away from his sister and pacing back and forth in front of the sleek sports car. The corners of her mouth pull into a slight, devious grin.

“This is why people are afraid of you,” pouts Sam.

“If people are afraid because I have the guts to act, then maybe that’s for the best.” Her eyes sharpen and from the corner of his eye, he can see her nails dig into the leather steering wheel. He looks away quickly, swallowing. “If you really don’t want to go, tell Leah yourself.”

“No!” He swerves to face his sister, who laughs heartily. His eyes are wide. “I can’t…tell her.”

“Oh my.” Her voice mocks him in a distinctly British accent, fanning herself. “You are sick with infatuation.” Her moods switch so fast.

“I’m not! She has a boyfriend who is going to come with us…”

“The more, the merrier.” He hears the click of the door unlocking. “We’re going to the mall.”

“But-“

“Or I will find Leah and personally tell her about how you want to avoid her.”

Sam wordlessly jumps in the car.

-----------------------------------------------------

A good pair of clothes, his sister said. That would make him feel effortlessly cool, as she slapped her hard-earned wage into the hands of an employee. Surprise, he wanted to scream. It didn’t work.

He paces outside the extravagant mansion of Leah’s friend, bare hands buried deep within the deep pockets of his tweed jacket and mind deep into worrying thoughts. His eyebrows knit together like a fine sweater. Sporadic cheers and yells of adrenaline induced acts echo from within the property. Every few moments, he stops to look up and into the street, but draws his eyes back to the inky pavement.

Another car pulls up at the end of the road. He hears a laugh in the wind, chimes crooning within the storm. Light banter swirls within the hurricane around him, only drawing closer every tedious moment. He swivels on the heel of his new shoes, cutting through the wind to greet her.

It takes a moment for her to notice, but her eyes seem to sparkle when she sees him.

His heart is set alight.

The clicking of heels against the pavement dances to an allegro melody played affectionately by his heart.

She stands in front of him, almost shivering in the cold. She wears a sparkling top and black leggings, paired with festive sneakers tied in a perfect bow. Her umber locks are secured by twin, intricate braids, with a lock of hair by her face which she twiddles with.

“I didn’t think you’d come.” She tilts her head. “You look nice.”

“S-So do you.” His hands shake, but he wonders if it is the cold or her gaze. An image of his grinning sister telling him to dress up flashes in his mind. Thank you.

“Hey.” A smooth, warm voice paired with an outstretched hand interrupts his reverie. “I’m Will.”

Will – this was Will himself. Tall, good-looking, and hopelessly kind – he was her perfect match.

He clears his throat. “Hey, Will. I’m Sam. Nice to meet you.” A short, polite smile plays on his lips, but he can’t help the pit in his stomach from growing every moment.

Will gives him a blindingly courteous grin. “Yeah. Leah’s told me so much about you!” He looks back at her for a moment, his eyes nothing but pure admiration and joy. She gives him a weak grin. Will sweeps his leg back, a hand on his waist, bowing to Leah with an outstretched arm. She giggles and takes his hand, her cheeks becoming as rosy as a fresh, spring bouquet from a flower shop. Sam laughs before pressing his lips together and following the couple inside the house.

The clamorous room closes on him at once.

The door shuts as he kicks off his shoes at the door. Teenagers, either sluggishly jumping up and down to the mundane, bone-shaking beats or up in the clouds, litter the room. Some hover in the living room close to the blaring television while others loudly chat in their respective groups, occasionally jumping to others. They are strange, embracing the constrictions of this hierarchy or conspiring to rise within it. 

But he doesn’t know anyone and the familiar ache of loneliness sets in once again amidst a sea of people.

The room only becomes smaller and smaller.

Someone taps on his shoulder. He turns around to come face to face with a specimen of the strange subspecies.

“Hey, do you want a drink?”