You Are the Shell to My Tortoise | ✓

66

There was nothing quite like being enveloped in Nolan's warm arms. I felt so safe and protected, as though nothing could get to me in this cocoon that was his arms.

His soft lips were cold, but it didn't matter—tingles danced giddily through my chest, pressing the sensations deep into my heart. At this moment, I was sure I was the happiest girl in the world. My whole body felt so light, it was like I was a helium balloon floating up into the sky.

After only a couple of seconds, he pulled back. I tried not to be too disappointed.

He kissed my forehead before giving me a soft smile.

I returned it, albeit shyly.

"That was nice," I said. "I wouldn't mind another one."

He laughed and kissed me again.

Whoa, his lips really were cold. I caught a hint of his minty breath, and I loved that I could detect a faint taste of apples from it. It made this kiss even sweeter than it already was. My body went from feeling light to weightless.

I wasn't sure what I expected my first kiss to be like, considering that I hadn't even given any real thought to having a boyfriend before I started falling for Nolan, but this experience was a lot more pleasant and less awkward than I thought it would be.

"Thanks for making the first move," he said, when we finally pulled away from each other. "I'm glad you did that."

"You are?" I said, trying to shove down the residual feelings of embarrassment. "Why didn't you kiss me sooner?"

"I just never found the right time," he said. "Seemed weird to do it when we had an audience around most of the time."

"I get what you mean," I said. "I sort of felt that way too."

At least it wasn't that he didn't want to kiss me. I couldn't seem to stop smiling. Despite knowing that the air around us was still cold, I somehow no longer felt it in the lingering warmth spreading through my body.

"Your face is kind of cold, though. Are you okay?" He always felt warm when we hugged or held hands, and I was feeling super cozy right now in the warmth of his body as his arms were wrapped around me, so I didn't know why his lips were so cold today.

He looked down. "Yeah. I haven't mentioned it yet, but I don't generate body heat on my own. I wasn't sure you'd like how cold I can get."

"Wait, you don't? But you always feel so warm."

"I think it's another consequence of ... you know." He unzipped his hoodie and took it off. "Here."

I watched in confusion as he turned one of the sleeves inside out. There was a white patch slightly larger than the size of my palm attached to it.

"What's that?"

"I use these," he said. "They're body warmers you can stick to your clothes. The cold doesn't affect me much in terms of mobility or physical capabilities, but I miss the feeling of being warm."

"Oh," I said. "What about your hands?"

They were so warm each time we held hands. That didn't make sense.

"I have hand warmers in my pockets, too. I usually heat my hands up a bit before holding your hand."

"Does that mean your face will always be cold?"

"Not during warm summer weather. My body temperature tends to fluctuate depending on my surroundings."

It was difficult for me to imagine what it was like to be cold all the time during winter, no matter how much clothes I had piled on.