Back To December

Two

1 Year Before

I am kind of a weird human being. I like  rain, a lot, but I prefer staying inside on the couch with a good book when it rains. Same with the snow. Winter is my favorite season, until I go outside. It's not that I hate being cold, but I hate being cold. But only because my skin turns red, my bones hurt and I shake a lot.

So it's December 4th, 20 days till Christmas,  9 days till my birthday.  God, I hate birthdays. They are so over-rated! Worst part at my birthday, is not that I get presents from relatives I see once a year, but that I get christmasy presents from relatives I see once a year. Not that I hate Christmas, I love it. But being born around Christmas is the worst thing ever. For exemple,  last year, mom sent me a very nice pair of boots; they were very very nice until I saw the snowman not-invisible-enough print on them.  Yeah, not going to be able to wear them in Spring.

So it's start of December and it's freezing.  I live in Alaska, USA, and everything here is already covered in white. I live in a really small town in a very isolated house right next to the woods. It is a big house I bought on my own and I filled it with old-fashioned furniture.  I love it.

I grew up in a pretty house in Juneau, the capital of Alaska,  with my parents,  my younger brother and two lovely cats. I went to the best highschool and I graduated from Toursim University. After that,  I worked for 2 years as a tour guide with a sallary of 200 euros per day. During highschool and university I had part-time jobs, and this is how I gained all the money to buy the house.

So as a tour guide, you work 5 months a year and then you stay 7 home. Right now, I am 24 and living on my own terms, I am my own boss and all I do everyday is read, drink, order books online and sleep.

I stand up from the couch and get myself another cup of tea. I notice how messy the living room and the kitchen are... Hmm how long since I last cleaned the house?  What's happening to me?  I shake my head and I start put things back at their place. After I finish, I search for a spray to get rid of the dust that's on the counters.

When I'm about to plug in the vacuum cleaner, I hear a knock on the door.  Weird. Nobody comes to visit me.

I try to shake off the of my clothes and I open the door.

The cold hits me like a thousand knifes in my chest and I almost close the door, but  there's this guy standing on my doorstep. He is tall, tanned and not warm enough dressed for a weather like this.

' Can I help you? ' I ask trying to be polite

' Yeah..uhm ' he starts 'I am like..uhm... the postman, like the new one and I am confused cause... I have this package... Uhm... Are you Taylor... Swift? '

' Yeah... That's me' I answer a little bit amused

'Oh, thank God' he says and he looks releaved. 'I have been searching for your house the whole day... Like who builds a house in the woods so far away from the rest of the town?! '

'Seems like I do'

'Yeah... Sorry... I am just really tired and cold. '

That's when I notice he is full of sweat probably from walking through snow to my house. I start to feel bad.

'Do you wanna come in? I was just making tea' I ask and immediately regret it

'A cup of tea would be nice' he says ' but I don't want to bother you'

'No, it's fine' I say smiling and welcoming him in

'I'm Taylor, by the way. ' he says handing his hand

'Oh, you're Taylor too?  That's nice.' I shake his hand 'My parents named me after James Taylor, what about you? '

'Uhm... I guess they just liked the name' he answers a little confused.

He must think I am crazy.  Inviting a stranger in my house and then talking crazy.

While he is taking of his shoes, I remember I was cleaning the house and everything is upside down.

Yeah, I am totally crazy.