Frost Bite

Chapter 6

Josie

We're back in Jack's house, eating what's left of the food in his house, when I look at Ryan and I know that this is harder for him than it is for me. Ryan is close to his family. They're like The Brady Bunch, the Weasleys, the Cleavers. They are close and connected and every minute that Ryan spends out here is endless, agonizing worry for him and them.

I am not close with my father.

I love him in an abstract kind of way, but I don't understand him. I don't spend hours at the dinner table talking to him the way that Ryan sits with his family and talks and talks and talks as if there's a limitless supply of things to discuss, subjects to broach and topics to debate. Ryan is used to the sprawling family that's always up in each other's faces and in each other's space and laughing and shouting.

My mother died when I was eight. I have no other siblings. My father is not a stranger but definitely estranged. Talking to him is like getting into a crowded elevator: awkward and filled with long pauses. I am alone except for Ryan.

And I'm beginning to think that there's a reason for that. That maybe some people just aren't meant to have relationships, and that I'm one of those people.

I was never attached to any of my boyfriends, never have had anyone I ever truly trusted the way I trust Ryan. I am slightly warmer than Jack. I have a refrigerated core and possibly abandonment issues. So even though it should bother me to have to leave my life and the existence that I've carved out for myself in Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America, Earth – it doesn't.

"Can you do anything with the phone?" Ryan asks. "Track whoever texted last or anything like that?"
 Jack stares at Ryan like he threw up on his favorite shoes. "I'm not the FBI. I have a laptop. If you happen to have the equipment necessary in that small backpack of yours – or maybe up your ass like your head – then by all means, share it."

Ryan flushes an embarrassed shade of red and I can't help but smile a little. Jack's unnecessarily — purposefully, I think — rude but he does have a way of putting things into perspective. I keep my head down to hide my amusement from Ryan, who would be hurt.

"So then we have nothing to go on?" I ask, focusing very purposefully on my food.

"Not until they attack again. Which, I assume they will." And there's something about the way Jack looks at Ryan that makes me think he would be grateful if they took Ryan.

Ryan's face is set like stone. "So we just sit and wait?"

Jack motions to the door. "If you want to go back out into the cold and risk it on your own, then be my guest. It'll be one less mouth to feed."

"Ha! I'm not leaving her alone with you," Ryan says with a bite.

My eyebrows nearly touch my hairline. "Hello? 'Her' is sitting right here. Don't talk about me like I'm not here."

Jack looks at me with an amused expression that I'm not quite sure how to interpret all the nuances of. Jack is an ancient language everyone forgot and I'm trying to learn, slowly, by inches.

"Well I'm not," Ryan says, like he doesn't notice the fact that I forgot about him a little in the seconds between my speaking and his. "I'm not going to leave you alone with him. He's says he's Jack Frost? Like what the hell?"

Jack rolls his eyes. "What ever happened to seeing it and believing it? Humans are obviously devolving," he says, shaking his head at Ryan.

Ryan glares at him. "You're such a prick."

Jack smirks. "At least I have one."

Ryan opens his mouth but I interrupt him.

"Enough with the pissing contest. I swear, if I find the two of you with your pants down, I'm walking out that door. They can kidnap me – I'm not watching that."

Jack raises his eyebrows. "It's been my experience that girls can't wait for me to take my pants off."

I look him up and down while Ryan sputters. "I don't think there's anything in there that would impress me," I say coolly, even though everything about Jack is purposefully put together to be as inhumanly gorgeous as possible.

Jack grins. "I wouldn't be too sure if I were you," he starts but Ryan interrupts.

"Stop flirting with her."

Jack snickers. "That wasn't flirting. If I flirt with someone, they know."

Ryan starts to argue but I step in between them.

"All right, enough." I turn to Ryan. "Let's watch a movie or something." I turn to Jack. "You have movies, right?"

"Lots. I'll make sure you don't wander into the adult section," Jack says wryly as he motions for us to follow him.

Ryan grumbles something under his breath about assholes and how obviously immortality turns people into narcissistic megalomaniacs so it can't be worth it. I look down at my feet to hide my smile because focusing on the imminent danger in all of this is just going to drive me crazy so I will focus on everything else. And so I think of the spark of humor in Jack's eyes and my smile grows wider.

This is going to be very interesting.