It takes no time to find the store I am looking for. What I had planned to give Deluca is in oversupply this holiday season; whether it be because the cold weather had put it in high demand, or because the so-called ‘Christmas cheer’ prompted the stray, desperately lonely consumers to increase their purchasing habits.
After briefly thanking the retailer, I exit the store and slip his gift into my pocket. Immediately I am blasted by the heavy, icy wind - fire against my cheeks. Ignoring it, I trudge up the winding road to the chalet, struggling to keep my balance as I battle against the blizzard.
My hands are numb by the time I enter the chalet, shaking off the coat of snow covering me. I hastily remove my outer layers, burning as the heat of the indoors collides with my icy skin.
Chelsea seems irritated when I join her by the fire in the living room.
“You could’ve at least told me where you were going, Annie!” she splutters, a worried look adorning her delicate facial features.
I do not argue against her, instead apologising and swearing, “I promise I won’t do it again, Chels.”
She seems content with my response, but I can’t ignore the strange hint of suspicion in her words. Whoops.
We sit there, huddled around the fire for a while. Chelsea flicks on the TV and watches a rerun of Italy’s Next Top Model, while I grab my copy of The Catcher in the Rye again, deciding to resume it at the bit where Holden catches a train to New York City. The voices of the Italian models drown into the depths of my mind as I loose myself in the words of J.D. Salinger.
Dinner that night is an elaborate occasion; Chelsea’s mom has the chalet staff decorate the dining room in holly and tinsel in preparation for Christmas tomorrow. My heart skips a beat once again as I notice only six places have been laid on the table, but I sigh in relief when I realise that the missing seventh place is Deluca’s.
“Annabella, my dear,” speaks Tanya, “I apologise for Deluca’s absence once again. I believe he has a ‘hot date’ tonight - which is utterly absurd, in my opinion, seeing as it is Christmas Eve.”
A date? A pang of jealousy strikes me as I struggle to imagine what gorgeous Italian girl he has chosen. It shouldn’t surprise me, seeing as he is a reasonably (extremely) attractive twenty-two year old male, and yet it does.
I try to push these thoughts away, unsuccessfully, as we eat.
After dinner, I retreat to Chelsea’s room to wrap my presents for everyone. Deluca’s is small, and I decide I’d rather not have his family see discover what it is, so I shove it into my bedside draw and carry the rest downstairs to the Christmas tree.
After I finish that, Chelsea tries to convince me to play charades with their family, a Christmas Eve tradition, but to be frank: I really don’t feel like talking to anyone, and so I apologise, telling her I feel tired. Returning to our room, I resume reading The Catcher in the Rye. I am asleep before I know I am.
On Christmas morning, Deluca’s voice wakes me.
YOU ARE READING
Kiss Me In The Snow
Fiksi RemajaWhen seventeen year old Annabelle Hart goes on a three week holiday to the ski slopes of Italy with her best friend Chelsea, she was not expecting that her life would completely change. When Chelsea unexpectedly breaks her arm on the slopes, Annie i...
