forget-me-nots [h.s.]

nine

Winter 2011

I sat in the university's library in a warm woolen sweater. I had consumed about three cups of coffee and was jittering away as I tried to study. My eyes were tired and my hand ached from writing flashcards; finals began tomorrow and I was far from where I wanted to be. I pinched the bridge of my nose and rubbed my eyes. Harry was playing some PC game and was obviously losing according to the sounds of aggravation he was making.

I peered over my psychology book and glared at him. He appeared completely oblivious and continued to play his game. When I studied, I could not have noise... I had the attention span of a squirrel and it did not help to have Harry cursing under his breath every five seconds. I shut my book and held it above the floor before dropping it. Harry jumped, the headphones falling from his ears.

"Why?" He asked simply.

I shot him a smug smile before picking the book up off the floor. I returned to my studies and shook my head. Harry shut his computer and waltzed over to the window that looked out over the entire campus. It was dark out, the grey clouds had blocked the sun which made it look like night. My mother had called me earlier to tell me that it was snowing back home, and I was secretly praying that it would snow here too.

"Are you almost done, Petal?" He asked from his place by the window.

"No," I mused softly. "Do you need to go?"

"Nah," he murmured. "I'm just hungry is all."

I sighed and shut my book. He grinned at me and began to stuff his things into his backpack. I stacked my books and placed them neatly in my bag before I stood and pushed in my chair. "I'll just study after we eat."

"You are a God's send," he joked. "Let's go get some waffles."

"Waffles?" I asked as we strolled to the elevator.

"Breakfast for dinner," he informed me.

"Ah," I mused.

Harry hit the button and we waited a moment before the doors parted. We crowded into the nearly filled elevator and waited for the doors to shut. We arrived at the main floor and walked out into the bitter cold. Harry pulled his dark coat tighter around himself and breathed warmth into his hands. I adjusted my scarf and we began our route to dining hall.

It was the type of cold that made your skin hurt; every time I would crinkle my nose, I would feel the motion. My hands were bright pink from the biting cold, thanks to my negligence for not wearing gloves. I tugged at the knitted hat on my head and pulled it over my ears. The sky was dark and overcast, making the cold appear far drearier.

He flinched beside me, and looked suspiciously up at the sky. "Is it raining?"

I stopped in my stride and waited to feel something. Pricks of cold nipped at my skin. I opened the palm of my hand to the sky like a small child; a shard of ice fell onto my hand. "Oh my goodness! It is snowing!"

"Seriously?" Harry questioned before looking up at the sky. "Maybe finals will be moved."

I laughed, "I extremely doubt that," I beamed as I waited for icier flakes to fall from the sky. I grinned exuberantly. Snowflakes fell and melted the moment they touched us.

"This is so much better than studying," Harry exclaimed.

"You weren't even studying," I joked, as the flakes fell faster and harder.

The pale white snow began sticking to the ground at our feet and melting under our footfalls. Instead of going to the dining hall, we headed to the dorm. We dropped off our stuff and piled on more jackets and cold weather clothes. Harry and I met in the lobby. He shuffled through his pockets and held out something to me.

"What's this?" I asked as I took it from him. I held the device in my hands and noticed a lens.

"It is a polaroid camera," he explained. "I found it the last time I was home in the attic. I thought we could snap some pictures."

I grinned at him, handing the camera back to him. He shoved it in his pocket, and amazingly it fit. We embarked back out into the snowy cold and joined the congregation of students that had began to accumulate outside. The snow was sticking now, and some students had taken lids of bins and had began to sled down hills.

The snow was falling harder with thick flurries. I had to blink to keep the flurries clear from my lashes. My heart swelled with joy as I gathered snow in my gloved hands. I tossed it at Harry, hitting his square in his chest. My skin grew red and my cheeks ached from the cold. Harry's cheeks were red too, and I could see his breath.

The snow flurries made the campus street lights glow with an ethereal light. The soft yellow glow radiated a lovely color over the students as they frolicked about. A ball of snow hit my back and I turned to see Harry with his dimples grinning widely at me. I stuck my tongue out at him, and fell back onto the snow covered ground. Harry joined me with a laugh. I could feel the prickle of cold through my coat.

A group of students sang carols as we let the snow stick to us. I turned my head to look at Harry; the snowflakes dusted the lashes of his shut eyes. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath of the crisp air. I heard the snow crunch as Harry shifted; I opened my eyes to see him standing above me. He took out his camera and took a photo of me lying in the snow. The flash was so bright that it left dark spots dancing behind my eyelids.

My hat grew heavy with melted snow and my face was so cold that I could not feel my facial expressions. Harry helped me to my feet and I took the camera from him and snapped a picture of him--the flash blinding him. I handed the photo and the camera back to him; he held the photo between his fingers.

"Not bad, Petal," he mused. "You should consider a minor in photography."

"Rule of thirds, baby," I joked. He laughed as he shoved the photo into his pocket. Snow decorated his hair, and he tried to remove it by shaking his curls repeatedly. My teeth chattered as I shoved my gloved hands into my coat pockets.

"You still hungry?" He asked. I nodded eagerly. "Good."

We returned to our original mission and headed towards the dining hall. Around us, students were building snowmen and making snow angels. We retreated from the outdoors into the warmth. The smell of breakfast filled the air, and I looked out the window at the falling snow and the blanket of white that now covered everything.

It was quite literally a winter wonderland. 

______________________________

Sorry this took so long! 

My past few weeks have been projects, assignments, tests, etc. But now it is summer! Yay! 

All the love,

L.