Swain Mountain

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8am and I was boarding a plane without knowing my destination. Bucket list? More like heart attack list. Amaan would not tell me where we were going. Granted the topic did help us break the silence a bit and be a little less conscious around each other. Still though! The suspense was ridiculously painful. Amaan didn't allow me to look at the boarding passes or the notice boards. We boarded the plane and found our seats. I had never felt such lack of control about my own life. I wasn't liking this. Upon take off, the air hostess finally announced the destination as "Swain". I'd never heard of the place before. I looked at Amaan from the corner of my eye, without saying a word. He gave a slight smile and said nothing as well. We were 15 minutes into the flight and I could feel the tiredness of yesterday dawn upon me as my eyelids grew heavy. It wasn't long before I was fast asleep. It didn't feel like two minutes before I felt a hand upon my shoulder. "Malaa'ika... Malaa'ika," came Amaan's voice. I opened my eyes slightly to find him inches away. "We're about to land," he told me and moved backwards. As soon as Amaan shifted, I felt a swoop of icy cold air engulf my body, setting my spine alight. Amaan was looking at me in smiles. "Welcome to snowy Swain Mountain," he announced. A snow mountain? I looked out the plane window and my tired eyes jolted open in excitement. Oh my... heaven. I looked back at Amaan to find his questioning eyes, "So... did I do good?" I laughed , "You did amazing."

We landed at the airport and got into a shuttle vehicle which would take us up the mountain to the resort 30 minutes away. Lofty white snow blankets covered the ground below while falling snowflakes dressed the barren trees. It was pure absolute magic Subhanallah (all praise to the creator).

"You're shivering," came Amaan's voice amidst my thoughts. In actual fact, I was. "You told me to pack warm, not pack for Antarctica," I told him awaiting a sarcastic remark. But it didn't come. He was silent. More silent than usual. With my long sleeve top and jacket over, I could still feel the cold pierce through. Amaan pulled off his fleece jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. The warmth was so soothing that I mechanically clutched on tighter before realising that my gain was his loss and all he had underneath was a t-shirt.  "Amaan... You're going to fall ill, I'm really not that cold." I said, still shamelessly clinging to the fleece material. I reluctantly started to pull the jacket off. Amaan's hands found mine before I could. "I won't fall ill, I have great immunity and your fingers are turning blue." I hated being weak, or didn't I mind it when he was around? Ugh I wasn't sure anymore. I needed hot chocolate. "Wouldn't hot chocolate be the most amazing thing right now," Amaan said out of nowhere. I looked at him and nodded with a smile. How on earth did he do that? What was he? A mind reading, heat sharing snow angel? Well he certainly had the eyes of an angel.. oh my word Malaa'ika shut up. My mind was so loud what if he could hear me? I need help. We finally reached the resort after about 45 minutes. The resort consisted of multiple log houses spread out into a village-like structure. It was quite stunning. We drove up to one particular cabin with the digits 21 written across a plank on the front door. "This is your cabin Mr and Mrs Malik", the driver announced in the most Southern accent I've ever heard in real life. It was a beautiful, old fashioned cabin with a fire place in the middle of the room, a tiny kitchen, a bed and a couch facing a large window that overlooked the mountains. I couldn't quite move my gaze from the view out the window and stood there for a few moments, starring in awe. "Beautiful isn't it?" Amaan's voice came from right behind me. "It's unbelievable," I replied truthfully. "Well we better gather supplies before it gets dark."
"Supplies?"
"Firewood, food... those kinds of things. There's a store about a kilometer from here."
"Do how do we get there?"
"We walk"
"You're not going outside without your jacket." I told him seriously.
"No I won't," he said and removed his jacket from my shoulders. C..cold... The weather and the gesture...
I was glad that he took his jacket but I had nothing warmer than a Cardigan in my bag. I was a little hurt... "Shall we go?" Amaan asked. "Umm sure, I'll just grab a Cardigan." I told him, heading to the bags. Amaan blocked my way, "We don't have time for that, you'll be okay." Excuse me? I so badly wanted to say. Who does he think he is? I furiously stomped towards the door, heat ran through my veins and I wasn't cold anymore. "Malaa'ika could you grab my wallet from that chair over there?" Amaan asked, still standing behind me. The nerve. I had half a mind of continuing to walk but stopped and walked to the chair. There lay no wallet but rather, a long velvet coat, purple gloves, a purple muffler and long black boots. Amaan stood next to me and picked up the pair of gloves. "Your hands almost match these purple gloves so you better put them on before that happens." He handed me the gloves and walked to the door. The heat in my veins mellowed into warmth as donned my new attire. We walked into the deep snow pathway which covered almost my complete boot. It was snowfall and the chill was a little too extreme to stay outdoors and we quickly bought what we needed and returned to the cabin. Amaan started on the fire and I brought him a mug of hot chocolate. "Thank you, " he said and sipped at the chocolatey deliciousness all at once. Amaan's fire making skills were on point and it wasn't long before heat seared  throughout the cabin. "Thank you for my new wardrobe pieces," I told him. "I wasn't really sure if you'd like them," he said slowly. "Seriously?" I said with no filter, "winter clothes are a combination of my two favorite things, winter and clothes." Amaan couldn't help but laugh. I couldn't help but join him. We sat by the large window, watched the sunset and couldn't stop staring into the darkness, sipping away at our 3rd cups of hot chocolate. "Tired?" Amaan asked me. "No... you?" "Not at all," he said, " So tell me some things?" "What things?" I asked him curiously.  "Anything... everything. What's your favourite colour, what's your work about? Any hidden talents?" He asked.  "Okay how about we play 20 questions? 10 for you 10 for me and have to answer honestly. I mean we don't have to finish today. We can ask slowly... " I suggested. "Or... hachooooo", Amaan sneezed aloud followed by a alhamdulillah. I said my yarhamukallah while muffling my laughter. "What's so funny?" He questioned. "Great immunity my purple gloves," I laughed. "Hey... give a guy a break," he protested. "Okay okay I'm sorry. What were you going to say before your immunity failed you? " I asked. "I was going to say... let's talk until the sun comes up."

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Thank you so much for the continued love and support. My writing thrives upon your encouragement! Please let me know what you love, what you don't really like, your predictions for the story ahead. I want to know Everything basically! I look forward to the interaction. All my love. Happy reading x

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