Underneath the Snowfall: From Banter to Heartfelt

CHAPTER 5

The gap in communication between Emma and Alex got larger as the days passed. Their study sessions were over, and their once-friendly exchanges had devolved into forced smiles and courteous nods. Emma's friends saw that she was growing more and more alone and made an effort to cheer her up, but the unspoken tension with Alex was all that was on her mind.

One cold evening, Emma happened to be strolling close to Alex's house as the first stars appeared in the twilight sky. Though she had been making an effort to ignore her emotions, the sight of his house made her feel something. She made the snap decision to face her feelings head-on.

She approached Alex's front door and knocked after inhaling deeply. Alex pulled open the door after a little while.

He moved aside to let her in and said, "Emma?" "What's off?"



Emma's heart was racing as she glanced down. Is it possible for us to speak? I have some stuff to sort out.


Alex nodded and walked her out to his home's rooftop, a peaceful place he frequently went to meditate. The tension between them appeared to be heightened by the fresh night air and the breathtaking view of the city lights glittering below from the rooftop.

The only sound as they took up residence in a corner of the rooftop was the gentle rustle of the wind. When Emma did speak, it was tentatively but firmly. "Alex, I must tell you the truth. Recently, I've been experiencing a lot of conflict. I've been feeling a little emotional ever since I saw you with that girl at the restaurant, I think. I became aware of my jealousy, although I didn't know why until now.

Alex's surprised eyes grew wide. "You've been avoiding me, Emma. I didn't realize that my relationship with someone else was the reason I felt like I did anything wrong, but I had no idea it was about me being with someone else."


Emma blushed, embarrassed and frustrated at the same time. "Alex, it went beyond that. Everything mattered, including your behavior and your growing estrangement. It seemed as though you were no longer concerned for us."

With a groan, Alex combed through his hair. "Emma, I never gave up caring. I was also perplexed. However, you ignored me. How could I possibly know what thoughts you were considering?"

Emma threw her arms across her chest. "Alex, I wasn't sure how to tell you. I didn't want to part with you.

"You never could," Alex moved in closer and gave a quiet response. "Emma, I was also hurt. But my desire for you never went away."

Emma glanced up at him, her determination faltering. "I simply didn't want to acknowledge how hurtful it was to watch you with someone else. I reasoned that perhaps it would be best if we remained friends."

"But we're not just friends, are we?" With a soft voice, Alex met her eyes with his own.

Emma whimpered, "No," tears gathering in her eyes. "We're not."

Alex grabbed her by the arms without saying anything more, and they shared a long-overdue, passionate kiss. When they gave in to the emotions they had been suppressing for so long, it was as though the world just vanished. Their bond rekindled like a flame that had never really gone out as their kiss grew deeper and more intense, containing years' worth of unsaid feelings.

Upon their eventual separation, they were both out of breath. With a lighthearted smile tugging at the corners of his lips, Alex turned to face Emma. "I've been waiting a long time for that."

Emma traced the contours of his face with her fingers as she giggled quietly. "Me too."

Alex gathered Emma into his arms, a playful twinkle in his eyes. With a startled cry, she threw her arms around his neck and let him carry her to the bedroom. "Alex, what are you doing?"

"Compensating for lost time," he jokingly said as he cheerfully kicked open the door.

When they finally gave in to the joyful ending they both deserved, they fell onto the bed, laughter and love filling the room.

THE END