The Circumstances of Love [One Shot]

Circumstances

"It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight."
-Vladimir Nobakov; Lolita

***

It wasn't winter, but it may as well have been. The howling winds and the relentless icy drafts that blew every few minutes were cold enough to put a freezer to shame.

The bitter weather seemed to match Aspen's mood, for he was just only turned out of his hammered father's home, just for attempting to cook dinner and accidently messing the household up in the process.

In all honesty, Aspen didn't even recognize his father anymore, what with the yellowing teeth that he seldom brushed, and a shaggy beard that he refuses to shave. It was a sight for sore eyes, and sore was exactly how poor Aspen felt after getting on his father's wrong side.

Walking briskly; scratch that, furiously, away from the wretched place he didn't even call home, he wanted nothing more than to kick at a few things. And hopefully at all the breakable items.

The sounds of shattering glass or vases seemed to make him feel better.

The clouds in the sky were so dark, you almost couldn't see it. Aspen felt quite the same, for it was a horrendous day to be thrown out, yet again.

Through his peripheral vision, he thought he saw movement on his left -though in the unfaltering dark of the night, he couldn't be sure. Upon taking a few cautious steps closer, he realises it is a girl.

She was hunched over, hair falling over her face, as if she were searching for something. And to him, she was just about as beautiful as any girl he had seen in his life. He knew then not to question the literal power of love at first sight.

Granted, she was no model - with a petite build and common light brown hair with matching eyes, she wouldn't have attracted the attention of the fussy. But Aspen sure wasn't fussy when it came to feelings - he showed little and received none.

He debated introducing himself, and his curiosity won over his self-consciousness.

However, upon closer inspection, he realised she wasn't bending down to pick something up.

No, she was having trouble breathing, and a mighty one at that - almost to the point of violent convulses.

Snapping out of his fantasical reverie, he bent down to help her, but Athena didn't expect a stranger - a beautiful one at that - to pop up in front of her, and she fell onto her behind.

Oh, if only he knew how much worse he made it for her.

The pain in her chest swelled, her lungs began to constrict, and she started to gag uncontrollably.

In a sudden but swift move, the beautiful stranger picked her up; as if he knew exactly where she began and ended, and set her down on the nearest bench.

Her cheeks were flushed in multiple shade of crimson, and every breath she drew in was ragged. Her eyes were as wide and innocent as those of a deer caught between the headlights of an oncoming car.

The worry was beyond evident in his eloquent blue eyes, and he squat to meet her eye level. "Put your head in between your knees. I heard it helps," he gushed, guiding her head down gently. She clenched and unclenched her fist by her sides as she did it, and it was clear just how much in pain she was.

Right then, he knew he'd give anything to be able to help this girl. He let out a slew of profanities, rubbing his neck with such ferocity, Athena was genuinely surprised it didn't leave any marks of that sort.