The Greene Effect - REWRITE!!

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE - FROSTBITE

Amelia Greene -

The first snow happened on the first of December. It was beautiful if you ignored the fact that your fingers felt like they'd snap off.

We left our tent and froze at the sight of white covering the ground, and gentle snowflakes still falling on top of us. Aiello's morning cigarette was quickly burnt out; serves him right.

No one smiled or joked about it as we would've with the rain or a heatwave. It was known that snow was no laughing matter, especially since the sun would need to shine to melt it. We haven't seen the sun in days.

Maine is no stranger to a harsh winter, but this German weather went above all of our expectations. Not in a good way. At least back at home, I had a house, and a fireplace, and as many blankets as I please . .

Here, we have the same uniform we wore in the summer, cots, and the chance to sit around a fire only after working hours. I never thought I'd miss summer so badly.

We all talked about it many times, but in the back of our minds, hoped that we'd be home by then, or at least on the way back. We haven't even gotten close to the Rhine.

I began to wear my hair down. It provided more warmth for me, draping over my shoulders like an orange blanket. Aiello would've said something about it, but he couldn't anymore. I did see him glance with distaste in his eyes. I don't know how to feel about that. I'd only do it every so often, but it helped when I did.

Stiles, Daniels, and Zussman have been doing a pretty good job at still talking to me and reminding me I was still their friend, too. Aiello, however, was doing an even better job at pretending I didn't exist. We can stay mature and all stand together, but all of us know somethings off.

I don't know how to face him if I'm honest. I won't be able to know that I've partaken in exactly what he accused me of -

Which was what exactly?

Falling for Pierson? Is that what it is? Is that what frustrates him so badly?

I've fallen down the rabbit hole already. I made the first move, not him. I initiated the one type of relationship that could get us both written up or sent back home. There is no door to back up through, only the fact that neither of us can deny its existence anymore.

It's the elephant in the room whenever we're together, those intimate times scarce. I don't trust myself around him, refusing to get closer than two feet. He stays on one side of the world, and I'll be on the other. We can't move any closer.

The breath I let out creates a small cloud in front of me. The cold is the least of my worries when I stand outside of his tent, a place with too many walls and too little space. I'd rather stand with him in the damn open now, regardless of the weather.

Everything about him is dangerous.

I step through, keeping my eyes down. His eyes pierce into me instantly, narrowed in a gaze I need to avoid.

Orange locks float around me, giving me curtains to hide behind. He needs to look away.

"I did as you asked, sir." The same damned sentence that somehow leads us into this situation in the first place.

His eyebrows scrunch together as he takes my form in. "Why is your hair down?" I'm sure he's seen it before. I never tried to hide it.

"Warmth," I reply dryly.

I think he's set on provoking me now, a rightful punishment. "I should make you cut it."