Underneath the Snowfall: From Banter to Heartfelt

CHAPTER 4

Emma and Alex had their regular study session at Alex's residence the next evening. The familiar sounds of textbooks, notes, and keyboard clacking filled the room. Bella, the ever-friendly host, greeted Emma with her customary warmth, but Emma seemed strangely aloof this evening. She sat down softly, obviously distracted, and hardly recognized Bella's loving nuzzling.

Alex saw that Emma was obsessed. "Hey, you don't seem quite right tonight. Everything alright?

Emma shook her head, forcing a grin. "Yes, just pondering over a few things."

They got down to business, but Emma's focus faltered. She would cast a sidelong glance toward Alex as her thoughts wandered back to the incident at the restaurant. The thought of Alex with that girl was an enduring, unwanted one.


Emma sighed after a time and moved her books to the side. "Alex, is there anything I can talk to you about?"

With anxiety, Alex raised his gaze. Naturally. What's going on?"

Emma paused, her pen trembling in her fingers. "The other night, I saw you at the restaurant." Along with that girl.

Alex's gaze went from inquisitive to protective. Yes, exactly. My older brother put me up on a blind date. These are the dates I've been going on over the last few weeks. Well, it's been awkward.


Emma tried to remain calm in spite of her sinking heart. "I understand. I mean, it's not really my concern. Simply put, I found it a little awkward to watch you with someone else. It let me understand that.. I suppose my jealousy was.

Alex blushed a little, looking embarrassed and frustrated at the same time. "Envious? It was only a blind date, Emma. I was not even inclined to go. It's not as though anything significant is occurring.

Emma averted her sight, reluctant to face his. "I am aware. Simply put, I realized something about what I've been feeling that I didn't really comprehend until I saw you with her. However, I'm not at all ready to discuss it.

The admission felt like a weight on the wind. Emma tried to get her concentration back on her studies, but her face flushed with a mixture of regret and despair. The calm evening had an uneasy tension that neither of them knew how to resolve. Emma's concentration grew worse over the next few hours, and Alex finally made the decision to leave since he thought the session had come to a standstill.

Emma's thoughts was still fogged up by the revelations from the previous evening when she left for university the next morning. She was shocked to see Alex jogging alongside the girl from the restaurant as she was walking down the street. Her heart was stabbed anew by the sight. They moved in unison, seemingly at comfortable, laughing and conversing. Emma was so frustrated she lost it.

She came to a stop in mid-step, exploding with a confused and angry rage. She walked back to her car without thinking, wrenched open the door, and gave it a loud boom as she slammed it shut. Her companions, who were standing by, gave her a shocked look.


"What's wrong, Emma?" With anxiety in her voice, Mia enquired.

Emma inhaled deeply as she made an effort to relax. "I just never mind," I'm alright.

Emma avoided Alex throughout the day, her heart pounding from a range of feelings she was unable to comprehend. Distracted by her feelings and thoughts, she avoided him and missed their scheduled rendezvous. Bewildered by her abrupt retreat, Alex could only conjecture as to what might have prompted the behavioral shift.


In the days that followed, Emma avoided Alex more and more. Her feelings for him were becoming more powerful and perplexing, and she noticed that she was withdrawing more and more. Since discomfort had already developed, she was afraid that revealing her feelings might make matters worse.

Alex observed the change in Emma's behavior and attempted to connect with her, but Emma stayed aloof, her inner conflict preventing her from interacting with him as she used to. Their conversations, which had previously been informal, were now tense and full of lost opportunities.

Friends worried about Emma's abrupt behavior shift attempted to help, but Emma was too overwhelmed by her feelings to explain what was going on. She was finding it harder to move on from the developing understanding that her feelings for Alex were deeper than she had let herself know, and she was afraid of ruining their friendship.