Follow Me Back (complete first draft of the published book)

Chapter 40: Snowflakes

{Credit to witchcrafter3 for her version of Eric's song "Snowflake" in Multimedia}

Chapter 40: Snowflakes

Tessa watched in puzzlement as Eric's whole face changed. In the blink of an eye, his expression went from shuttered darkness to a look of childlike delight.

She followed the direction he was pointing and saw the reason why. The night sky had suddenly filled with snowflakes, dancing through the air in all directions as they fell.

"It's snowing" he said, his voice full of wonder. He turned to look at her. "I didn't think it ever snowed down here."

She shook her head. "No. Not very often."

He reached toward the windshield and touched the glass where one of the snowflakes had stuck. Then he glanced back at her face again, with a silent question in his eyes. She knew what he was asking. The same question he'd asked her over DM last night. She'd re-read that conversation enough times to commit the whole thing to memory.

Taylor: What songs are you hoping Eric will play tomorrow?

Tessa: I assume he'll do the set list from the tour.

Taylor: You never know. He might be open to special requests. . . .

"Go ahead," she said to him now. "Sing it."

Eric cleared his throat to buy himself a moment, as he ran through the lyrics inside his head. He couldn't afford to mess up the words. Not tonight. Not in front of this audience. He felt his heart thrum inside his chest in a way it hadn't done in years - not since back in the old days, back when he actually cared what the audience thought of his performance.

For once, he wished he'd listened to his manager. He could still hear Maury's shrill voice calling after him as he dashed in the direction of his car. "Eric wait! Take a guitar or something. . . ." But no. He didn't have a guitar, or anything else to hide behind. He only had his own voice, a cappella, and the words that he had written just for her.

He skipped over the song's opening and came in on the second verse.

The wind, it started whipping.

It slammed my window shut.

My snowflake left a teardrop.

I guess she had enough.

But I won't forget my snowflake.

Can't melt her from my mind.

I'll watch here from this window.

For the love she left behind.

Tessa listened to his rich, full tenor voice - so strange and yet so soothingly familiar. She didn't dare to look at him. She kept her eyes glued firmly to her lap. But she felt the gentle pressure of his hand against her elbow, and a shiver passed through her at his touch. His fingers were freezing cold.

I'm made of ice,

But I'm melting.

You fell inside.

Now you're melting.

Don't say goodnight.

I'm still melting.

I'm melting....

He took a breath before he hit the chorus, and Tessa darted a glance at his face. He looked back at her with an intensity that sent another shudder down the full length of her spine. She couldn't bear the scrutiny. She ducked her head away.