strangers.

c h a p t e r | 1 1

Soft flakes danced as they fell on that December day, the lightest of winds blowing. The snow glistened against the dim light coming from the cloudy sky. All in all it was a beautiful day, and waking up to the snow covered majesty just went on to brighten up Sofia's day.

She had just woken up, and was now padding around her room in her pajamas, when she pulled the curtain back, revealing the view outside in all its glory. The sight brought an oddly-childlike smile to her face, the smile almost reaching her eyes.

She hurriedly got ready and freshened up, practically buzzing with energy now. She was the farthest thing possible from a morning person, but she could make an exception this time. Soon enough, she was ready, and already out the door.

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"I'm so bored." Ian complained, dragging out his words in desperation. He had agreed when Sofia had asked him to come walk in the snow with her, and his sleep deprived, woken-way-too-early self was so close to saying no and snuggling back into his warm bed. He would have, he was going to, but then she had said please, and he didn't have the heart to say no to that.

Now, the two of them were just walking along the long, snowy pathway down his neighborhood, and Ian couldn't have been more bored. If she kept silent for any longer, he intended on leaving. She was so busy gazing at her flurried surrounding, that she wasn't even paying as much attention to her best friend. Truth be told, Ian did not actually want to leave, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.

"How about we play a game?" He asked, a mischievous smirk on his face. She couldn't see it (because of the height difference), but if she had, she would have immediately realized that he had something in mind.

As they turned the street corner, the cars and people no longer bustling past them, Sofia finally turned her attention towards him.

"What kind of game?" her eyebrows furrowed together in question.

"Truth or truth?" He suggested.

"What kind of game is that? Isn't it, 'Truth or Dare'?" She asked, confused.

"Yeah, except there's not much 'Dare' to do here, yeah?"

"Depends on who you're playing with." She added with a sly smile.

Ian raised his hands in the air in mock surrender. "Hey. I don't want any part of whatever it is you're planning right now. They chuckled, and thereafter fell into a comfortable silence. Sofia was gazing at the freshly fallen snow, falling straight from the sky.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" she asked absentmindedly.

"Yeah." He breathed out, but his attention was not on the sky or the snow. He was looking down fondly at Sofia instead. He admired the hazel of her eyes, the way her lashes looked resting on the curve of her cheekbones. He took notice of the way the tip of her nose was pink from the cold.

Before she could take notice though, he turned his attention to the sky. "Yeah, it is."

"Truth or Truth?" He asked, a goofy smile playing on his lips.

"Hmm, lemme guess. This is gonna be tough one."

He nudged her side with his elbow, the pair now laughing and playing around. When they finally settled down, she answered,"Truth."

"Alright then." He paused just a moment, thinking of a question he could ask her. "What are your biggest fears?"

He turned his face to focus on her upcoming answer, his attention having hanging off of her each and every word.

She stared straight-faced ahead, spaced in thought before she spoke in a lower tone. "Nosocomephobia, and Thanatophobia."

"What now?" He said. He knew wasn't a big reader, but he was pretty damn sure that even most people didn't have words like that in their normal vocabulary. No way. Her unique intelligence was definitely admirable.

"That's for me to know, and you to find out." She smiled devilishly, knowing she found a loophole. "My turn."

She took a cool breath, before asking her question, her heartbeat increasing just a little bit. She had overthought this herself many times before; she wanted to know what she thought.

"Do you really believe in love?"

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ooooh! a kinda cliffhanger! What do you guys think of this?

special chapter for all the love recently, getting us to 300+ reads?!?!? holy...

thank you all so much!

(p.s. their little game isn't over just yet. might have a little surprise in store for y'all )

ily <3

forever and always,

~ s.