Winter Air [H.S.]

Six

November was slowly coming to an end and December was commencing. As the days went on, the temperature dropped lower, lower, and lower. Soon the air became crisp. Bone chilling. With every movement, the chill found a way to cut through. Far away were the days of summer. Winter was coming. Hell, it was already here. Outside, all that could be seen was a sea of wool jackets and tartan scarves. Every breath visible, each nose perished. 

The days are slowly becoming overcast and dark. The moods of every passerby sullen and dull. The sunshine has become dispersed. 

Ava's skin tingles as she walks outside of her apartment building. She tugs her jacket closer to her body. Quickening up her pace, she hurries to where she knows Harry is waiting. The past week their friendship became stagnant. A phone call here and there, asking how their day was going. Neither one feeling the desire to do anything more. To them, this was a friendly relationship. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Soon their eyes met, smiles lingering. 

"Hey Harry"

"Hi," he says lightly, "Ready to go?" She nods as they make their way to a small coffee shop. 

"How was your day?" 

Ava looks up from where she was walking. "Good. Busy, but there's nothing new there. How about you?" 

"The same. I've been writing most of the day."

Their coffee meetings were something that Harry had grown to enjoy. He was finding himself interested in Ava's life. He was intrigued by her. He found himself drawn to the way that her eyes lit up when she talked about her favourite book, or how they dimmed when she talked about the stray cat she saw outside her apartment. He didn't understand the emotions that he was experiencing. Harry knew he wasn't falling in love. He pushed those feelings away long time ago. Love was foreign to him. However, the way that Ava caught his attention in the little ways was unknown to him. 

Each week, Ava and Harry found a way to make time for one another. This friendship was something unknown to them. But even in the unknown, they felt a sense of familiarity. 

"You've never had an Icee before." She looked at him in shock, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. "Did you not have a childhood?" She asks playfully, still in shock. 

"They don't have those in England!" 

"Well clearly I need to get you one. This is unacceptable." Harry smirks while he watches her eyebrows furrow in thought. 

"I'm pretty sure they sell them at the local gas station. We will have to check this out. You need to experience a frozen soda at least once in your life."

"Okay" he answers her while suppressing a chuckle.  

With each passing day, their friendship grew. Each learning more about the other and enjoying the friendship that was blossoming.

"No. Betty was way better for Archie. She was caring and gentle- she was the perfect girl next door." Ava protested. 

"Yeah, but Veronica was sexy." 

"What a typical guy response!"

"What! She was. Plus she made him go crazy, in the best way possible. Betty was only good for fixing a car and baking cookies. Veronica had the whole package." 

"You're disgusting," she giggles. 

"Yeah well, you know I'm right." He smiles triumphantly. 

"No. You're not. You're just a chauvinist." She rolls her eyes at him, while pulling her blanket closer to her chest. 

"Let's just agree to disagree, okay?"

"Fine."

And this is how their conversations went. They would debate on which character was the better one, which author was the better author, and whether tea was better than coffee. It was friendly. Both were willing to let down their guard for the other- something they were unable to do often. Harry was subconsciously beginning to feel happy again. Ava was subconsciously beginning to feel warm again. They would not admit it to themselves though. They weren't ready to do so. This didn't mean that they wouldn't one day. But for right now, they were enjoying the moments they spent with one another  unknowing to what the future holds.