Falling in the Dark | ✓

15 | Snow

"Thanks." I climb into the passenger seat and Liam closes the door with a soft click. He walks around the car and settles into the driver's seat.

I pull the backpack off my shoulders and drop it in the backseat next to a gray Ivy University sweatshirt and a pair of folded jeans. The comfortable black upholstery of the seats has grown soft with age, but the car smells clean, a mix of aftershave and freshener.

"Ready?" Liam asks, his hand wrapped around the keys in the ignition.

"Yeah." I nod, taking off my beanie and pushing my hair behind my shoulders.

The sound of our seat belts clicking into place echoes through the silence inside the sedan. He drives at a comfortable pace through the campus, the Christmas lights on the trees and buildings passing by in a slow blur. Soon, we pass through the large wrought iron exit gates and onto the wide, fairly empty street that leads away from college. The air is heavy and cold; it chills our skin despite our sturdy winter coats. Liam turns on the heater before rolling up the windows.

If not for the streetlights and the three other cars on the road, the night is dark and calm. As we drive along the traffic-free road, Liam leans forward in his seat to turn on the sound system. A range of buttons surrounding a small screen comes to life and glows a shade of bright blue. Slow music starts to play so softly that I have to strain to hear the tones of the piano.

"Is this classical music?" I ask incredulously, turning in my seat to face him.

Liam shrugs his shoulders in a defensive gesture, his eyes leaving the road to meet mine for a second. The streetlights cast eerie shadows across his face, turning his bright hazel eyes deep and mysterious.

"I like it, it's calming," he says, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. His fingers are wound around the steering wheel in a firm yet relaxed grip. "I listen to it when I'm coding, too."

"Speaking of coding," I say. "Can I ask if you ever sorted the mess?"

"Huh?"

"You know, that day at the pool when you told me that . . . that it was you," I clear my throat, peeling my eyes away from Liam's hands. I lower my voice in an exaggerated impression of a panic-stricken Rick. "The source code's a fucking mess, dude."

Liam bursts into surprised laughter when understanding dawns on him. The carefree abandon in the sound is infectious; I can't help but join him.

"We're building a website," he says finally, his voice filled with obvious passion and excitement.

"What's it about?" I ask, leaning forward in my seat.

"I can't say too much about it," he admits, "but it's about swapping skills online. We're testing it with a small group in our class right now. That day at the pool, the website crashed for the first time. That's why Rick was so freaked out."

I nod, curiosity tickling the back of my mind about this secretive website. Just then, as I'm looking out at the street stretching ahead of us, I notice a few small white flakes drifting towards the ground.

"Is that snow?" I ask, craning my neck.

"Yeah," Liam replies, his face lit up with the same childlike delight as mine.

I roll down my window to extend my open hand. Harsh wind whistles into the car, turning my ears cold. A moment later, I manage to catch a snowflake in my palm. Pristine white and delicate, the ice crystal is perfect.

"Hey," Liam says, turning his intense gaze to me. "Thank you."

I smile at him confusedly. "For what?"