The Silent Neighbour ✓

Chapter Eighteen

"It's snowing, you know that right." I point out the absolute obvious.

"You better not be thinking anything Nova." He warns me, I smile to myself.

"It is five in the morning, which means no one has touched the snow. Please." I beg, holding two hands together.

"No." I give him the puppy dog eyes. "No Nova, don't do that." It seems to have some effect on him, I have no clue why but who cares.

"Do what?"

"You know what."

"One snowball fight."

"No, it's cold. You'll get a cold and die of hypothermia." He folds his arms; I roll my eyes.

"But would that not be a good thing? Then you won't have an annoying neighbour anymore."

"Okay, now you're talking."

◾◾◾

Snow from a strong blue-grey cloud formed the most joyful of flash mob scenes. Snow danced in the light; a ballet directed by the gentle wind.

They say we live in the present, that the past is always gone, and that each day is a fresh beginning, a steppingstone into a future we imagine even when it's chilly outside. That is snow, those wintry days of bluster and ice for me.

I see yesterday's ground as white as any new page, and the toddler in me rises, armed with a rainbow of crayons, eager to right that wrong.

The snowball slams right into my back, I immediately fall face flat onto the ground. The cold snow hugging my body, this man is not going easy on me at all. I sit up with a shocked look on my face as he rolls another snowball, I immediately grab some snow but before I could roll it- another snowball slams me into the stomach.

"Stop it!" I scream loudly, "let me at least fucking get up." Alexander stood a few metres away, he wore a black puffer jacket and lent me this huge coat, he shoved a scarf around my neck and wrapped it many times so I wouldn't get sick. He made sure I wore more than two layers of socks in case my feet get cold. And I would lie if I said I did not like this side of him; caring.

He chuckles.

Hang the fuck on. Hang on. No. Hang on. Is he-did this man just laugh? I just made him laugh! I made Alexander Solonik laugh! I felt like I completed a life goal, I stand up to tell him and then another snowball shoots at me.

"Alexander!"

"Alright, alright I'll stop! I'll give you a chance to stand." I gave him a death stare; he raised both hands in surrender to prove to me that he isn't holding another snowball in his hands. I sigh, lifting myself off the ground and before I know it.

I shoot right back down.

This time.

I stay on the fucking ground.

I do not make any attempt to get up again, "alright that was the last one."

"No. I didn't get to hit you once! It's not fair!" I told my arms and stare into the sky before his figure blocks me. He kicks me with his foot gently, and I glare at him.

"I won't hit you."

"Promise?" He sighs nodding his head, "pinkie promise it." I stick out my pinkie, and he gives me a disgusted face for a moment.

"I'm not doing that." He argues.

"Pinkie promise me right now or I'll stay on the floor all day."

"Stay on the floor then." He shakes his head with a smile and is about to walk on-

"I'll eat all your cereal in just two days!" I shout to catch his attention.

Alexanders jaw tenses and he looks down at my stuck-out pinkie, he sighs and accepts defeat before wrapping his pinkie around mine. He offers me a hand; I slip mine into his and he helps me on my feet.

I took the chance when I had it, I slammed him in the face with the snowball before attempting to run for my life only to not be running anywhere.

I look behind me to see Alexander grabbing the back of my coat hood at an arm's length.

"We're basically even, no?" I chuckle awkwardly.

He releases my hood; I raise a brow as I try to figure out his next move. "Let's go get warm now, enough playing about." I sigh, nodding my head.

We begin to walk towards the apartment entrance.

"Hey, that was fun-"

Suddenly, he pushes me right into the pile of snow with one hand and walks away, I lift my head up from it and wipe the snow away from my mouth. "Bitch."

"So fucking fun." I hear him from the entrance.