THE FIELD, BALL PARTY
Trent's POV
She stared at me intently, her arms still around my neck, even as the song ended.
Her breath carried a faint aroma of alcohol, and my mind wandered about how she could have possibly obtained it.
Silver-grey hair, braided and pinned to her scalp, framed her delicate features, with loose strands caressing her flushed face and neck, softly illuminated by the room's lighting.
"Snowflake?"
Her words slurred a bit, all fingers pointing to the alcohol she had somehow ingested.
She gazed back at me with her crystal-blue eyes, undeniably beautiful, akin to a snowflake.
"You are not sober," I stated the obvious to her surprise and her wide-eyed expression seemed to confirm my suspicion.
"Drunk? I am not drunk. I haven't drunk anything today... Okay, that's a lie. I did drink something."
Her animated head tilting sideways suggested that she was deep in thought. I couldn't help but chuckle at her childlike behaviour, even though she was clearly not herself.
"But you left it on the table," she gasped suddenly, " you! It was yours."
That explains a lot.
"Next time, you won't take things that belong to anyone."
"But, but, you aren't just anyone. You are my friend, Trenty."
The nickname she had concocted for me in our first year of high school, "Trenty," made me cringe, and the word "friend" cast an odd shadow over my mood.
We were friends, yes, but for some reason, that label seemed to dampen my spirits.
Before the change, I would have been okay with that term "friends". However, a lot had changed but how I saw her hadn't.
The last time we met before the earthquake left a dent in my heart through the four years that I watched her lay in that bed in a coma.
Shaking off those thoughts, my main goal was to get Elise sober.
"Let's get you hydrated."
I interlocked my fingers with hers, repressing a peculiar spark of emotion, and led her to the refreshments table.
I wanted to hold her hand longer, but my primary concern was helping her recover.
Handing her a bottle of water, she exclaimed with enthusiasm, "Water! Hey, that's my ability. Let me show you a cool trick."
"Elise, wait. I need you to drink–"
Before I could stop her, she had frozen the water solid.
"Ta-da," she announced enthusiastically, seeking my approval.
I sighed, taking the frozen bottle from her and warming it up.
Dealing with a drunk Elise was proving to be quite the challenge.
"Hey! No fair!"
"Elise, drink it. All of it," I commanded sternly, and she begrudgingly complied, muttering something in a mocking tone that I chose to ignore.
"...AlL oF iT..." this little... minx
She massaged her head, her face in visible discomfort.
"Can we go somewhere quiet?"
I nodded in response and walked her out of the hall.
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SWIMMING POOL AREA, GYM BUILDING
Captivated by her, I inhaled the sweet scent of blooming flowers mingling with her presence.
The sight of the petite girl, her dress blending with the tiles of the pool, evoked a rush of emotions.
My heart quickened, caught in the enchanting spell she cast.
As she removed her heels, a chill of anticipation filled the air.
One foot on the surface of the water and it turned to ice, freezing at her touch.
Watching her delicate feet glide gracefully on the frozen surface, a tender smile crept onto my face.
Every move she made felt like a dance, painting a picturesque scene that left me breathless.
The sound of her voice, a melody in the breeze, snapped me out of my reverie.
"Trent, come here."
Her hand reached out, beckoning me to join her on this icy canvas.
At that moment, the world became a symphony of emotions—her scent, the touch of anticipation, the sight of her dance, and the sound of her calling my name—all weaving together drew me closer to her.
"Elise, be careful."
I made my way to her, removing my shoes to walk on the ice.
Just as I reached her, she slipped, but I caught her in the nick of time.
Her hands instinctively shot to my shoulders for support, and her tiny waist felt delicate in my grip, her initial tension relaxing.
"Stupid, I warned you."
Unexpectedly, Elise pecked me quickly on the cheek and gave me a smile.
My heart raced, and my mind seemed to stand still.
"You always catch me when I fall. Promise to always catch me?"
Her crystal blue eyes sparkled with warmth and joy, making me realize that drunk Elise had a charm of her own.
With unwavering conviction, I whispered, "I won't let you go, Eli."
It was a promise I intended to keep.
Her hands moved to push my hair from my eyes, and she focused intently on the task.
"You are handsome. You make me feel things... funny things. How could white look so pretty on a person?"
Her compliment made me feel unexpectedly pleased, and her words illuminated my day.
The softness of her fingers brushing my forehead sent shivers down my spine.
I wished her hair were down so that I could run my fingers through it. My hands trailed down to her lace-adorned sleeves.
"It looks more beautiful on you, snowflake."
Halting in her grazing, she darted up at me with scrunched eyebrows,
"Meanie, it's not a snowflake. See my Iceland?", gesturing to the area of ice beneath them.
I laughed at her misinterpretation, knowing better than to argue with her in this state.
"Okay, Ice Princess."
Her head tilted, pondering the distinction between the nicknames.
She finally accepted "Ice Princess" somewhat begrudgingly.
Nestling into my arms, she purred up to me doe-eyed,
"Good. Now, hold me again. I'm cold."
I bent down to embrace her tightly, her body moulding into mine, her heartbeat aligning with mine.
Snowflake, you will be the end of me.
*************
FEMALE DORM, 5TH FLOOR
ROOM G5AB
MAX AND ELISE'S ROOM
Carrying Elise to her dorm felt surprisingly right—her drowsy form light against me.
The growing attraction was undeniable, but keeping my composure was essential.
It was a real struggle between the urge to act on desire and the need to maintain a level head at that moment.
I gazed at the sleeping girl before gently laying her on her bed.
I looked around the room, which was clearly divided between their spaces, the stacked books revealing Max's territory.
But where was Max?
Speaking of which, where was she?
"Don't go."
Elise's hand weakly grasped my shirt, preventing me from leaving.
I surrendered to her plea, settling beside her, hanging my coat and jacket over her bedside table.
She cuddled closer, her head resting on my chest.
I softly patted her back, coaxing her to sleep, and brushed stray strands of hair from her face.
Before I knew it, I placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
She mumbled incoherently, "Mean Trent."
I smiled to myself. I didn't mind being called mean, not if it meant I got to stay with her.
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