Frostbound

Chapter three

Eve couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching her.

It started out small, the way she would catch the faintest glimmer of silver-blue eyes in her peripheral vision.

At first, she convinced herself it was just her mind playing tricks on her—the exhaustion from her return to Winter Hollow and the stress of trying to adjust to a town that had never really felt like home.

But as the days passed, it became harder to ignore. Jack Frost was everywhere, like a shadow that never quite disappeared.

She noticed him first in the town square, his presence a cold gust of wind that seemed to follow her wherever she went.

At first, it was subtle—just a swirl of snowflakes that danced around her feet as she walked. She'd look around, only to find the street empty, the wind carrying nothing but the faint echo of a distant laugh.

The second time it happened, she was walking out of the bakery with a loaf of bread in hand when she caught the unmistakable flicker of movement in the corner of her eye.

She whipped around, and there he was—Jack Frost, lounging casually on the bench by the fountain, staring directly at her with a grin that sent a strange heat rushing to her cheeks, despite the freezing air.

He didn't say a word. Just watched her with those silver-blue eyes, glowing with amusement. As soon as she turned away, she could feel the weight of his gaze on her back, like he was following her every step.

She tried to ignore him, quickening her pace, but the cold breeze seemed to carry his presence with her.

The snowflakes swirled, making her path harder to see, and she couldn't help but wonder if he was somehow manipulating the weather to stay close.

"Is this really necessary?" she muttered under her breath, shaking her head in frustration.

"I'd say it is," a familiar voice called from behind her.

She spun around, the loaf of bread slipping slightly in her hands as she came face to face with him again.

Jack was standing in front of her, his hands casually in his pockets, his face alight with that playful, infuriating grin.

"You again?" she said, her annoyance rising. "You've got to be kidding me."

Jack raised an eyebrow, taking a step closer. "Come on, Eve. You can't really say you don't enjoy a little winter magic now and then."

Eve glared at him. "I enjoy my life just fine without your magic, thank you very much."

"Ah, but you can't resist it. You should see the look on your face when I'm around," Jack teased, clearly enjoying himself. "You don't smile much, do you? I'm not sure you've cracked a grin since I met you."

Eve felt a flare of frustration. "Maybe I don't want to smile. Maybe I don't need you and your ridiculous pranks—"

"I'm just trying to brighten your day," Jack interrupted, his tone teasing but somehow warm. "You've got this wall up, Eve. It's like you're trying to hide from something. And I'm just trying to help you... let it go."

The words hit her in a way she wasn't ready for. A sharp pang of something—pain, anger, maybe both—shot through her chest.

It was a feeling she'd been running from for years. She bit her lip, trying to fight back the rush of emotions that always followed when she was forced to face the past.

But Jack wasn't letting up. "You know," he said, his voice quieter now, more curious, "I can see it. The way you hold yourself. You've been carrying a lot of weight, haven't you?"

Eve swallowed hard, fighting to keep her composure. She refused to let him get under her skin, but the truth was, his words were starting to chip away at the walls she had built around herself.

"I don't know what you think you know," she said through clenched teeth, "but I'm fine."

"Are you?" Jack's eyes softened for a moment, and his tone was unexpectedly gentle. "I don't think you are, Eve. And I think you know that deep down."

Her heart hammered in her chest as his words hit her harder than she wanted to admit. "Stop it," she muttered, taking a step back, not trusting herself to look him in the eye.

Jack let out a small chuckle, the sound light and teasing. "I'm not going to hurt you, Eve. I just want to get to know you. Maybe even make you smile." He gave her a wink. "It's not as impossible as you think."

Eve shook her head, trying to dismiss him. "I don't need your help," she said firmly, though there was a tinge of doubt in her voice.

Jack's smile never wavered. "You'll come around. I'll show you. You'll laugh. You'll see that I'm not just a cold, distant prankster."

With that, Jack turned and disappeared into the mist of swirling snowflakes, his figure fading into the horizon like a dream.

Eve stood still for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. Why did he always seem to know exactly what to say to get under her skin? It was maddening, but at the same time... there was something oddly compelling about him.

His persistence, his warmth hidden beneath the layers of frost and ice, something about him made her wonder if maybe—just maybe—there was more to him than the pranks and playful jokes.

But she couldn't let herself get distracted by him. Her life was too complicated already, and she didn't need another complication. Especially not from someone like him.

—

The next day, Eve tried to focus on the mundane tasks of her day. She had to go to the post office, get groceries, and prepare for the oncoming winter storms that the weatherman had predicted. Yet, it was impossible to ignore the constant sense of Jack's presence around her.

Every time she turned a corner, she felt his eyes on her. Every time she stepped outside, there was a swirl of snowflakes at her feet, as if he were following her everywhere she went.

It wasn't just the snowflakes—he seemed to have a way of appearing wherever she went, at the most unexpected moments. In the crowded coffee shop downtown, she caught a glimpse of his reflection in the window as he passed by.

He was leaning against the lamppost, watching her with that same mischievous glint in his eyes, the wind swirling around him like he was part of the storm itself.

"You've got to be kidding me," Eve muttered to herself, her irritation building. "Why won't you leave me alone?"

As if on cue, Jack's voice floated to her from across the street. "Because you're impossible to ignore, Eve. And that's half the fun."

She glared at him, shaking her head, but despite her best efforts, she couldn't help the faintest twitch at the corner of her lips.

"Come on, admit it," he said, his voice louder now as he walked toward her. "You can't get enough of me."

Eve opened her mouth to argue, but before she could speak, Jack flicked his hand, sending a flurry of snowflakes swirling around her, coating her hair and shoulders. She sputtered in surprise, wiping the snow off her face, her heart racing as she realized she was standing far too close to him.

"See?" Jack said, his grin widening. "I can make you smile without even trying. You're welcome."

Eve's lips parted in shock, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. It wasn't just his pranks—there was something else about him, something about the way he made her feel alive in a way that she hadn't felt in years.

But she couldn't let herself fall into whatever game he was playing. No matter how drawn to him she might feel, she couldn't let him in.

She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and forced herself to walk past him, doing her best to ignore the pull she felt toward him.

But as she walked away, she couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, Jack Frost wasn't done with her yet.