14th of December, 2002
“Are you sure you know where we’re going?” Emily asks from the passenger seat.
“I’m fairly certain if I know how to get to the woods,” I said, lying through my teeth.
“But do you know where to park?” She retorted, smugly.
“Of course I do. How hard can it be to park right here!” I said after pulling to the edge of the road and stopping the car. Emily shot me a glance, a mixture of frustration and mockery. Getting out of the car, we started towards the woods; it was as cold as hell and there was at least a foot of snow on the ground. We were bundled up as warm as we could possibly be. She was wearing a pair of black leggings, a sky blue puffy jacket, and pink mittens with a matching knit cap. I was wearing a pair of sweatpants with a black wool jacket, grey gloves, and a pair of nice boots I had had for years. I started towards the woods. Thinking Emily wasn’t far behind, I lit a cigarette. My breath condensed to a color that was so white, I wouldn’t be lying by comparing it to the snow. I kept moving forward and moved deeper into the woods. In the summer, this would all be green and lush, but in the winter, it looks like the back of a freaking Hallmark card. There’s a slight tint of blue everywhere and a certain quietness about everything; no wildlife, only leafless trees, cold air, and the two of us.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” I said, as I reached the crest of the hill. I got no response.
“Emily?” I said curiously and then I felt something cold and wet go into my shirt. I made one of those noises that you make when you jump head-first into cold. I turned around and saw Emily with an ear to ear smile.
“How could you do that to me?” I asked as I discarded my snowball and bending over and made another one in my hands.
“I don’t like messing with you. It’s too easy!” She said laughing as she gets into a brisk run.
“Nuh-uh! You don’t get to do that and get away with it!” I yelled, throwing the snowball and missing as I bent over, picking up a clump of snow and moving to chase her.
“You can’t catch me, ya slowpoke!” She yelled back at me as I began to run as fast as I physically could. She was fast, but I was slightly faster and before long I had caught up and I threw a snowball towards her which she dodged. I managed to catch her and before long we’re both there on the ground and I shovel snow in her face. She rolled us over and shoved snow in my face and I kissed her. We were there for what felt like hours, just kissing, and then she pulled away.
“We better get that tree” she said gently.
“Oh man, I forgot the handsaw!” I said frustratedly.
“You idiot!” Emily joked, hitting my shoulder.
“Eh, let’s just enjoy the scenery here for a moment.” I said gently, placing my arm around her shoulders.
“But wasn’t our whole goal here to get a Christmas tree? My parents are coming for Christmas and-” I didn’t let her finish her sentence and interrupt her with a kiss. After a few seconds I break it.
“Point taken.” She says, brushing her hair out of her eyes and blushing like mad. I pull out a camera. It was one of those disposable ones and told her to go back by the big pine tree at the top of the hill. Slowly muttering something inaudible under her breath, she made her way up. Her black hair ran down her sky blue jacket and her hat neatly hugged the top of her head as she walked over to the tree and stood in front of it, dwarfed by the gargantuan pillar of bark. She smiled and leaned on it. I still have that picture. It’s a nice one--reminds me of her.
I walked up to her, shoving the camera in my pocket and pulling out a small black box I had in my pocket.
As I walked up to her to meet her, I said: “Y’know, Emily, we’ve been dating for years… in fact we live together now.” I said, hiding the box in my hands and running my fingers along the leathery exterior. It was one of those cold days where you could even smell cold and everything about the day felt like a freezer.
“It’s been what, four years we’ve been dating? Sometimes I wonder how I’ve been able to deal with you this long, Frank.” She said back, jokingly. I moved closer and bend my knee, holding the box towards her and clearing my throat. She spun on her heel and looked at the distance for bit, maybe a split second, but everything felt like it lasted forever. Every breath drew like a knife and every millisecond felt like a day. It was cold as hell, freezing, and the snow was seeping through my sweatpants, the cold water rubbing against my leg. Suddenly, something in her head clicked and she flashed her glance downwards. First to me, then the little open box in my hand which I held up towards her. In the center of it was a small gold band with a clear stone in the middle. The world seemed to move in slow motion; I felt like I was choking and I couldn’t speak, almost as if I was trapped under the ice in the lake at the foot of the hill. Quickly, her gloved hands moved up to the sides of her face and covered her freezing cheeks and her mouth contorted into a expression that can only be described as completely surprised while I flicked the box open with my hand and began to choke out the words.
“Emily Victoria Summers, will you marry me?”