Lights Out

3 - Aprés falling-down-the-mountain

"Well then maybe I owe you an apology, why don't I buy you a drink to make up for it?"

An hour later and the Oliver Taylor lookalike had bought her many more than one drink. In fact, they had done so many shots together that Thea was now sure she had reached her alcoholic capacity. Deciding to get some air she looked around for Vivi and spotted her in the corner kissing a handsome stranger - best to leave them alone, she thought.

"I need to go outside," she said to the faux-Taylor, fairly sure she was slurring her words.

She was definitely slurring her words because he refused to let her go out alone and took her by the hand, leading her out of the hot and sweaty après-ski bar.

It had started to snow again while they were inside so she pulled on her hat and gloves, looking around to take in the beauty of the snowy alps at night. Then it hit her, her best drunk idea yet. It was official, she'd had five too many jägerbombs, because in that moment Thea didn't care about the handsome and bewildered stranger observing her and flung herself onto the ground to make a snow angel.

"22 or twelve?" she heard with a laugh as the Oliver doppelgänger joined her, much to her surprise.

"I'm 21 actually," she retorted giggling before got up out of the snow and sat down on a bench to admire her work, sticking out her tongue to catch snowflakes.

She looked to her left and saw him smiling at her through the swirling snow. The cold air had sobered her up and outside the flashing lights and sweaty bodies of the bar she was able to appreciate just how good looking her companion was.

"Old enough for me to do this then," he said, and the next thing she knew he was leaning in and they were kissing amidst the falling snow and mountain twilight.

Thea couldn't tell how long it was before they pulled apart, and she struggled to meet his gaze. 

"I don't even know your name," she said shyly, and to her surprise he almost looked surprised, taking a beat before he answered.

"It's Finn," he said quietly, "and you?"

"Thea," she quipped back with a smile. "I'm studying on exchange here in Switzerland so I came here to try skiing with my friends. As you saw earlier, I'm really not very good at it," she said with a laugh.

Finn looked at her with his intense blue eyes and said, "oh nice. I'm here with a few friends too while we have some time off work. You shouldn't worry about skiing - once you get the hang of it it becomes second nature, kind of like driving a car."

Thea nodded, "too bad I can't drive a car then!"

Finn almost looked bewildered but then said with a laugh, "well I guess if your affinity for skiing was any indication, maybe it's better you avoid getting behind the wheel."

Thea reacted on instinct, elbowing Finn in the side and laughing while shouting an exacerbated "that's hardy fair!" Then all of a sudden things got intense when the pair made eye contact, neither seeming willing to look away first.

"Nice to meet you Finn but I should really be getting back inside." Thea scrambled to her feet, brushing the snow off her salopettes.

"Wait!" Exclaimed Finn, "can I at least get your number, I'd like to see you tomorrow."

Thea hesitated for a minute before inputting her number into Finn's phone. This clearly couldn't go anywhere, they were two strangers on a ski holiday. But what was the worst that could happen if she went on a date? She decided to figure it all out tomorrow once she was sober. 

"Bye Finn," she said with a cheeky smile, before disappearing into the crowded après ski bar without waiting for a reply.