Frost

14. December

If weather had a mood, this would be depressed.

As she drove carefully down the roads, heading home, she passed by buildings and houses where she through the window could see families eating, watching television, cozying up on the couch in front of the fire. Tonight, Summer would come home to a cold home, a cold fireplace and a cold bed.

'I promise I will keep you warm this winter. I promise.'

'We promise we will come right back home, sweetheart. We'll only be gone ten minutes, tops.'

Promises. Summer couldn't help but scoff silently. Why were they never kept? What was the point of them anymore? Nobody could stick to them. Her parents, the weather forecast, Jack... nobody.

And yet still... all she really needed right now was Jack. She had gotten addicted to his cold, but oddly warm body. His sweet smiles and twinkling eyes. His passionate kisses and his electrifying touches. She missed him. God, she did.

As if God heard her and granted her an early Christmas wish, a flicker of silver caught Summer's eye. She nearly skidded on the road as she hit the brakes and pulled over on the curb when she saw Jack sitting on a bench by a bus stop. He was resting his hands on his cane with his head on top, looking as if he was praying over his cane. Or sulking. He looked miserable and cold.

"Jack!" Summer called the minute her car was safely secured on the side of the road. She immediately jumped out of her car and skidded towards him. "Jack, dear God, what are you doing out here this late, it's freezing! You're soaked, aren't you cold?"

Jack didn't stir for a moment and it made Summer briefly fear that he in fact had frozen to death in the blistering cold, until he slowly lifted his head, the layer of snow that had gathered on top falling off. As his face came into show in the harsh light of the street lamp above, she had to hold back a gasp.

He looked ghostly pale, more so than ever. His eyes were red and the twinkle within them was gone as if it had never been there. His hair fell flat against his forehead and everything about his clothes said wet and worn out. All in all, he looked like someone who just got told someone close to him died.

"Summer... I'm so sorry."

She had to blink to remember what she was really there for when he spoke. "What? Why are you apologizing? You know what, it doesn't matter. Please just come into the car with me, you look close to death, Jack." She didn't care how much he said the cold didn't affect him. She would be damned if his ego was going to get him killed.

But Jack didn't move an inch. Instead he lowered his head again and closed his eyes. "I can't see you anymore."

That took her completely off-guard, and for a moment, she thought she misheard him. "W-what? Why? Please don't tell me it's because of what happened earlier," She said, regretfully. She was ashamed of how she had reacted. Once again, Jack had only tried to help her, and once again, she had pushed him away. It was no wonder he wanted to break things off, but she wasn't ready to give up yet. "I'm sorry, Jack, just please don't—"

"No, I'm sorry, Summer," He said and looked up again. He met her eyes and she saw the deep grief in them. "This is all my fault. I can't be around you anymore, it just doesn't work. I'm sorry for giving you hopes."

She couldn't believe it. He was ending it, just like that? "Are you serious right now? That's it? What about yesterday? What about that thing you wanted to tell me? It wasn't... this, was it? If it was, then why go through all the trouble if you were just going to break it off anyway?"

Jack just silently shook his head and averted his eyes again. He squeezed them tightly, then let out a sigh. "I wanted to... leave it on a happy note, but the truth is, I obviously can't keep you happy and warm, so I..."

"You what?" She said, tasting bitterness on her tongue. She couldn't believe this was really happening this sudden. She thought they were good again. Apparently she was wrong. "What about you, Jack?"

He sighed again and pressed his lips together. "I just don't have the time for your problems."

That one hurt, but Summer was a big girl. It wasn't her first rejection, it was just a long time ago since she had felt that sort of pain. The kind she had been avoiding. "That's great. That's brilliant, actually. Make a girl feel special for a moment, spend a few nights in her bed, then break it off. Great one, it's definitely new."

"Summer, it wasn't like that—"

"Just... save it," She said and held her hand up, closing her eyes for a brief moment. "Even if it wasn't, I don't want to hear it. I can't use it for shit. If we're over, then were over. Heck, we weren't even a thing to begin with, so where's the fire? Merry Christmas, Jack."

And with that, she turned around, got back into her car and drove away, leaving him there.

And the worst part was, he didn't stop her.

• • •

Okay, I'm making an early New Year's resolution; I'm quitting the cigs. My lungs are so fucking dead, I currently sound like Louis Armstrong.