Underneath the Snowfall: From Banter to Heartfelt

CHAPTER 1

Sam, Lisa, Jordan, and Mia, Emma's four companions, had all become accustomed to the comfortable turmoil of Canadian university life. They had many experiences together, from spontaneous dance parties to late-night study sessions, while living in a busy dorm. Emma had gone to a high school reunion party one breezy autumn night, and she felt that the night had gotten away from her.

After a few too many glasses of wine, Emma became tipsy and staggered out of the celebration. She was on her own to brave the freezing night while her friends stayed behind due to other obligations. Little did the cool air do to calm her down; she started babbling incoherently about her crush from high school and how "pineapple was totally a legitimate pizza topping."

Alex, a face Emma recognized but wasn't quite a friend, greeted her as she strolled down the street. There had always been a lighthearted rivalry between Alex and Emma, a kind of rivalry centered on petty disagreements like who got to go first in line at the cafeteria or who had to clean the dishes in the shared kitchen.


From a distance, Alex, who had been driving home, recognized Emma's shaky figure. His first thought was to ignore her and go on, but he couldn't help but notice how vulnerable she looked. Sighing, he pulled over and rolled down the window.

"Hi Emma! In need of a lift?" Trying not to let the chaos get to him, he asked in a firm voice.

Emma peered at him as she wandered along the street, her vision swimming. "Alexa? Whoa, that's just who I needed to see! By the way, pineapple on pizza is a farce."

In spite of himself, Alex laughed. "All right. Let's transport you home."

He activated the location on her phone and gently assisted her into the passenger seat. Between inane remarks, Emma murmured directions, and Alex, attempting to maintain his eyes on the road, could barely contain his laughter at her antics.

"I swear, if I hear one more thing about pineapple, I might just ban it from the planet," he joked.


Emma leaned her head against the seat and giggled. "Only if you promise to give my pineapple-loving self a ride home every time I get drunk."


Alex was oddly happy to see Emma safe as they got closer to her dorm. After parking the car, he assisted her inside. They walked to the building, her arm slung over his shoulder as she leaned on him for support.

"So, what's the plan now?" With a humorous tone, Alex posed the question.

Emma gave him a naughty smile and half closed eyelids. "Well, you've prevented me from ending up without a pineapple tonight. Perhaps you could stay on and assist me in making sure that the discomfort of my dorm doesn't cause it to blow up."

Shaking his head, Alex laughed. "You know, I think I might just take you up on that."

Emma watched him go, looking curious and appreciative at the same time. Tonight, Alex had a newfound glow in his eyes that was not present before. Something told her that their frenzy was beginning to change into something more... intriguing, perhaps it was the unexpected generosity or their shared laughter.

Ultimately, while Emma slept, she couldn't help but wonder whether her late-night antics had simply marked the start of something new between her and Alex. There were moments when only a little disarray could reveal what was beneath the surface.