The Silent Snow

Chapter 12

-Kristen’s POV-

May 12, 2013

Just do it Kristen! Seriously, what’s the harm?  He’s a security guy, not an axe murderer! I say to myself.  I was contemplating on texting Chase.  I looked at the crooked writing on the piece of paper I held between my fingers.  What is the harm? Why was I so nervous to text this guy?

“Hey Chase, this is Kristen…the girl you practically saved in the mall?”

There.  I did it.  I texted the guy.  I sighed a sigh of relief mixed with frustration and sat back on my bed - where I was currently shopping online for those last few items of clothing I would need for the summer.

*vmm vmm*  *vmm vmm*  *vmm vmm*

I glanced down at my phone, expecting it to be Jordan, and was surprised to see that Chase had already texted me back.  I quickly unlocked my phone and read what he had to say.

“Kristen! I though you were never going to text - it’s been what? A week?!”

I silently laughed and typed my reply.

“Haha, yea.  Around there.”

“Well, late is better than never eh?”

“You’re so Canadian eh?”

“Well…I WAS born here.”

“Same same.”

I looked back at what I had written as realization had hit me.  No.  I wasn’t born in Canada.  I was born in Ireland.  I am Irish.  I am a European.  Sure I have a Canadian Passport, and am a legal citizen, but I was not born in Canada.  I don’t know why that hit me so hard, but it did.  Just one more piece of me that I thought was 1,000% true, was in fact, 0% true.

And that kind of stung.

———

I sat on a park bench, writing in my phone again.  This time, it was about what I was about to do, and what I was thinking.

“So, here I am…in a park.

No, not because I’m visiting my ‘inner child’ or anything - but actually because I’ve decided to meet someone.  His name is Chase.  No, I don’t think anything romantic or whatever will come out of it, but I DO want to thank him.  He practically saved me in the mall last week, and I wanted to say thank you personally.

I don’t know how I feel about him to be honest - I don’t know if I can trust him or not.  Will we become friends? Strangers to never meet again? Will I become his next victim? (Just kidding).  Either way, I’m still going to say thank y-“

“Hey! Kristen!” I hear a voice call out.  I look up from the note I’m writing and smile.  It’s Chase.

“Hello! How are you doing?” I say in return.

He smiles and says “Meh.” and gestures to the swings.  “Want to sit on those?”

I look over to the swings that are probably 3 sizes too small for us, but smile and nod.  We make our way and sit down - I was right, when I sit my knees are almost to my shoulders.

“So, what made you decide to text back?” He finally asks, looking at me.

I shrug, “I thought I would thank you in person.  I really do appreciate you saving me in the mall.  I don’t know what I would have done.”

“It was nothing, just doing my job.”  He pauses then to pick up a handful of sand from the ground.  He was sifting the tiny rock wannabes in-between his fingers when he looks up towards me.

“To be honest though, I was really glad I was the one on shift - I’m glad I was the one to save you.” He quickly looks back at the sand running through his fingers again.

Oh crap.  What do I say?!  Do I say thank you? Nothing? What?  This is something from books or movies - NOT real life.

Why me.

“Oh uhm.  Thanks.” I squeak out.  That was lame Kristen.  Real lame.

“Anyways” he coughs out, “what do you like to do for fun?”

“I like to walk by the river.” I said, not missing a beat. “It’s so calming and peaceful.”

“So I take it you’re the poetic/aesthetic type that spends 15 hours a day on Tumblr reblogging pictures of kittens and coffee with glitter in it?” He retorts in a friendly way.

I smile and shake my head. “Exactly that person.”  He laughs at my answer and we sit chatting for another 20 minutes or so.  Chatting about particularly nothing to be honest.  We talked about his job, his car; my university, my pitiful car; his family and mine; clouds in the sky - and that is when he suggested I show him where I like to walk by the river.

I agreed, but as I was getting up from the too small swings, I tripped over his outstretched legs - sending me straight to the ground.

I did the only thing I knew how to do in an awkward moment - laugh.

And so did he.

Then he stretched out his hand towards me - still laughing - and I gratefully accepted the help up.

And somewhere in the bushes - a camera clicked.