Chapter ~ 7 : Sleety Heart

"Because it's the only happy place I can find to spend my days now," Norah startled me when she suddenly spoke up, her face still turned away from me.

"Excuse me!?" I frowned. Even though she wasn't looking at me, I'm sure she could sense my curiosity from my voice, 'cause when she finally turned to face me, she had the saddest expression I had ever seen her wear.

"You asked me about my big dark secret relationship with the oak tree right? That's what I'm telling you about idiot. You showed me your scars now I will show you a bit of mine," she winked. Trying to lighten the mood I suppose.

"There was once a time, when the shade under that oak used to bring me happiness and dreams. It was the usual meeting place for us. But now, all it ever brings me is heart aching nostalgia. But I think.........without it, I just won't be able to keep moving forward." She muttered.

Her eyes, glassy with tears.

I wanted to ask who was the reason for her tears. What exactly happened for her to break down like that all of a sudden? What anguish had torn her apart to such an extent. I had so many unanswered questions.

But I couldn't.

I just couldn't bring myself to ask her to reopen a still fresh wound. I was frozen to the spot. I didn't know how to console her.

I didn't know what to say to lessen the pain she was going through. I didn't know anything. That, I think was the most helpless I ever felt in my long long snowy life.

But then, I remembered how Mist used to lull me to sleep when I woke up crying at night.

"When I was little and alive,

You picked me up in the night

Cause I was crying then

Way back when only you can remember it right.

Though you were witty and wild,

You always wanted a child,

And you forgot your sleep

Just to keep me in bliss.

You gave it all to me,

When you could've been dancing in the street.

You gave me all your time,

But you could've reached the happiness you always had in mind.

You have been petite,

Died collecting all my fears in bliss."

I could see that she was utterly stunned when I saw her shell-shocked face. Well, was not expecting anything less. She must've thought me to be a retard of the feudal era.

"Mama, you Angel,

They will ring all bells,

And you will get your wings."

But slowly, she started to relax. And the so very fleeting smile returned to her ever pink lips. And that, was a relief.

"Though there's enough grey in your hair,

You don't look as such,

whereas still a beauty queen

Just as green as I can remember.

And when I see you away,

I never know what to say

Cause you still forgot your sleep

Just to keep me in bliss;

You gave it all to me,

When you could've been dancing in the street.

You give me all your days,

When you could've been racing the runways.

You held back your tears

Till I remembered the good years.

Mama, you Angel,

They will ring all bells,

And you will get your wings."

"I didn't know you could sing." She grinned widely and I gave her a flat look.

Seriously! This girl really had no bounds to the surprises with her moods. Wasn't she crying a minute ago! How come she was all teasy squishy all of a sudden? (sigh)

"I manage." I replied in quite a dull manner.

"I like the song." She smiled goofily at me and my lips bloomed into a full smile, "It's the song my sister used to sing me to sleep. She said that she composed it for the mother we never had." I smiled at the melancholy of my sister's serene voice.

Norah placed her warm ungloved hand on my cold ones and said, "I also happen to like the guy who sang this sweet song for me."

"Yeah, I .......What!?"

I was stunned out of my wits, and I abruptly snapped my head up to look at her, beyond astonished. Suddenly I felt a change in the atmosphere. As if things were not like usual. Norah held my eyes, and all of a sudden I could see a look of intense longing in her dark grey orbs. It was so passionate that I couldn't look away. And she slowly approached me.

We were now millimeters apart, our breathing raged, from feeling each other's breaths. And maybe something else.

And even with her eyes closed, Norah had the power to petrify me to the spot. Her lips, they were slowly, but surely approaching mine.

Wait a minute; was she......trying to kiss me?

But wasn't a kiss supposed to be given to the one they loved?

Or was I wrong?

I was curious, so I couldn't help but ruin the moment. "Erm...Norah! What are you exactly trying to do?"

Her beautiful stormy eyes fluttered open in a flash and she started to blush furiously, as if her cheeks were on fire.

"Erm.....were you......perhaps...trying to kiss me?" I asked in a sheepish voice and she sent the deadliest glare she could muster my way.

"Do you have to be such a stubborn blunt man all the freaking time? Spare me some slack already, would you?" She fumed and I silently gulped.

Guess I just stepped on a landmine.

Now she was muttering silent curses under her breath, probably dooming me to my ugly death. But Oh No! I was not done digging my grave yet.

"But why?" This curiosity was going to be the death of me one of these days. I don't even know where I found the gall to actually ask her that. "Isn't a kiss suppose to be the essence of one's love to another?" Maybe the waitress in the restaurant had mixed something in my drink.

She whacked her head to look at me and I could see her eyes demonically glow with red hot anger. Or was I just hallucinating in fear?

"Err.... How about you just pretend to have never heard me? Y-You know the forget and forgive policy?" I tried one last time to save my skin, but I guess, it was already too late.

"Oh No! Please go on. There's absolutely no need to hold back your astounding curiosity on my account. So you want a blunt answer? I'll give it to you then. Yes! A kiss is supposed to be the symbol of love and affection. And yes! I do have romantic feelings for you. When I said I like the man who sang the song, I meant as in love the man in question. But I should've trusted you to not have a clue to my words. With you, one always has to be blunt, don't they?" Her sudden outburst startled me greatly. For a moment there, I didn't know how to respond to her abrupt declaration.

"What, I ........ how could you be...? I mean, I'm a winter sprite Norah."

"So? What's that got to do with me loving you Rhiam?" She frowned and I looked at her with anxious eyes. "In my eyes, you're just a boy and I'm just a girl. Is it wrong for me to think like that?" She sighed.

"I ......I didn't mean that. It's just that, this is all too sudden for me." I mumbled, utter shyness veiling me. And it was. I never would've imagined that Norah Fitcherburt, the moodiest human girl I had ever had the fortune to come across would profess her love for me.

Or was she just being her usual moody self?

"Eh.....Yeah, That! I never actually meant for it to come out so suddenly. I never meant to trouble you with my feelings Rhiam. It just sort of happened, you know. All of a sudden, that is." She answered quite sheepishly.

Though I was mostly busy coping with myself and was only paying partial attention to her, I could tell of her embarrassment of the situation.

"I can understand if you don't feel the same way as I do. And it's completely rational too. But I just don't want your experience with humans to be any bitter than this. And I want you to know that you are loved too."

I think....that was the moment I actually, really lost my heart to this crazy human girl.

To be Continued........