#spindelmannen

“Wouldn’t want your hands to become ice before Aunt May can scold you for not wearing mittens.” I watched how a white cloud with words flew from my mouth, and proceeded to hide my red cheeks in my scarf. Peter laughed and grabbed my hands even tighter. “I guess not.”

We settled quiet, just watching people dealing with the unexpected cold and snow. After a few minutes, he said: “I’ve got something to tell you.”

I closed my mouth, having opened it to say something myself before he cut me off. “Ok”, I raised an eyebrow, “Shoot.”

“I’m…”, he took a shaky breath. “I’m in love.” He looked at me, his hazel eyes glistening.

“But that’s great!” I exclaimed, smiling at him. Quickly dropping his warm hand, I flushed as I realised what this meant. The one whom he loved was probably, most definitely not me. He looked a little disappointed, before settling his hands in his pockets. I kicked a pebble on the ground in front of me, missing the his warmth of his smooth hand, but far too shy to do anything about it.

“She’d never like me, anyway”, he later added, kicking the same pebble I’d just attacked with my own snow-boot. Sure, like anyone could dislike you, a voice in my mind objected.

“Sure, like anyone could dislike you”, I heard myself say. Damn it, mouth, don’t eavesdrop on my brain!

Peter snorted a short laugh. “Ha.”

I felt myself go red, and tried my best to hide my face in my scarf. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

“Anyway, like I said; The girl I like would never like me in that way, so it’s kind of a closed case”, Peter continued, adding an adorable sigh at the end.

Smiling sadly to myself, I said: “Hmm. It’s kind of the same thing for me.”

“What?” he exclaimed, looking at me.

“The boy I like doesn’t like me back”, I rolled my eyes slightly, “Not in that way.”

“That’s absurd, you’re the best!” He blew out a cloud of white air through his nose, looking at me with kind, sad eyes.

After laughing a little at his reaction, I said: “No, no, really. It’s a lost cause. Guess it’s just my usual bad luck.”

“Who’s the lucky guy, anyway?” Peter asked with eager eyes.

This was an insanely tricky position. I decided to go with the easiest way out: lying.

“It’s… someone.” I tried to be as vague as I possibly could, but Peter wouldn’t have it. He kept on asking, and I kept on giving uncertain answers.

“But if I can’t have you, then please let me know how can!” Peter blurted out, his brown eyes glazed over with tears. I stared at him, my mind racing with all kinds of thoughts in the style of Oh my God what is happening.

Peter looked at me, his face apologetic. “Shit, I’m sorry-”

“No, no. Don’t be”, I breathed, feeling how my cheeks grew even hotter. Summoning all of my courage, I intertwined my fingers with his. “Because I think you’ll find that it’s not quite so impossible that the girl likes you too.”

Peter turned his head to me, a goofy smile stretching out his mouth as he said: “You do?”

“Hmh.” I nodded, looking deep into his eyes, before focusing on the snow-covered road before us.

“If you say so”, he smiled, grabbing my hand in his fully and swinging our arms together. I laughed at him, feeling how an exciting feeling lit a fire in my blood. My mind was buzzing with happy thoughts, and I couldn’t contain my smile.

“Don’t mind if I do.”

We walked down the streets together, our hands carefully twisted together. The both of us knew that if we’d only known each other, we would have confessed about our feelings earlier, but I couldn’t bare to feel regret as I felt how his steps melted into my pace. Snow covered up our footsteps, and no-one would know about this moment and this feeling, except us two.

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