Chapter 1: January

 She’s sitting at her desk at work, staring at the computer screen with idle fingers against the keyboard. Nothing feels exciting anymore, not even her weekly dinner and movie time with her friends. Guys pass by her office, all of them wearing the same suite, speaking in the same manner and taking smoking breaks that last far more than intended. 

Is watching movies such as Thor where the guy is gorgeous and over six feet tall making her set unrealistic standards when it comes to guys? If Australia was the home of ridiculously hot guys then she should definitely consider relocating to Sydney or maybe Italy. 

It was finally time to leave the office so she packed her tiny briefcase shut down her computer and switched off the lights.  The rain outside was typical of a day like this, matching her mood perfectly. Her red umbrella rose like an inverted tulip among a field of black and grey as she stepped out onto the sidewalk. The smell of coffee wafted from a nearby café and for a second, she contemplated walking in and ordering a decaf cappuccino to warm her fingers.  

Her phone vibrated inside her purse and she completely forgot about the coffee when she read the text message sent by one of her friends. A new club was opening tonight and she was invited. January was no party girl but she loved dancing, especially if the music was good and the DJ accepted requests from the audience. She loved watching guys burn holes through her dress while she danced. Look but don’t touch was her rule. It worked well at her usual hangouts and her guy friends knew that.

So that night, she pulled out her brand new satin dress and slipped it on. It was red and black, swirling around her body like second skin. She straightened her long hair and applied mascara and her favorite blood red lipstick on her heart-shaped lips. Summer, her best friend was waiting outside in her Rover so she hurriedly put on her high-heeled black Louboutins and locked up her front door. 

The club was in the downtown district where most A-list people lived and all the good restaurants were always fully booked. January followed summer past the bouncer at the door and into ‘Frostbite’. Everything inside the club was made to resemble ice, including the bar which looked like it was carved into a snowflake pattern. The dance-floor right across from it was packed with dancing and swaying bodies. 

‘The music is awesome.’ Summer shouted over the thumping beats. 

January nodded in agreement and they both sat at an empty table overlooking the bar. There were a lot of familiar faces, mostly guys looking for a hot girl to take home for the night. A blonde waitress with a blue glow-in-the-dark dress took their drink orders and glided past the throngs of people looking for a place to sit. Smoke mingled with the new leathery smell of the booth January sat on. There was something different about tonight, she could just feel it. 

When it was time to dance, Summer dragged her by the arm and they made their way to the dance-floor where laser beams lit the glittery ceiling and a smoke-machine embraced the crowd in a cloud of white.  January lost herself to the music and just drifted away to a different world. Minutes later she was swaying with her eyes closed, letting the drums lead her footsteps, she didn’t notice a pair of eyes watching her closely.  

They kept on staring at her slender form, mesmerized by the way she moved her hands, tracing patterns into the air. Her long hair still reminded him of rich, dark chocolate, framing her delicate face. She looked sexy but he knew it was a role she liked to play, especially when routine kicked in and she’s bored with her life. He also knew that she hated to be touched while dancing, every guy in the vicinity knew that unspoken rule and he was just about to break it. 

January felt a very familiar presence around her as she continued moving to the beat. It sent chills down her spine. Next thing she knew, a pair of strong arms were circling her waist, bringing her closer to a warm, hard chest. It was all so sudden that her legs halted to a complete stop and her rhythm faltered. She knew who it was but she was afraid of turning around and getting disappointed in case it wasn’t him. Maybe those arms and the warm breath on her hair were a figment of her imagination. 

Each and every year, ever since she turned fifteen, she’d sometimes wait in the same spot where she last saw him, hoping that he’d show up, but he never did. There were days when she’d turn around and catch a glimpse of white hair and it would turn out to be some old lady. It was hard to just forget about your very first love. The boy you thought you’d end up marrying. Of course said boy never knew about her feelings, January always kept them to herself. 

“Ocean?”  She whispered, feeling tears well up in her eyes.

Her heart almost jumped out of her chest when he slowly turned her around to face him. At that particular moment, everything stood still, or at least that’s how it felt like when she managed to look up at his face. 

‘Hi.’  

His voice still had that melodic tone to it but it was much deeper and a lot huskier. It sounded better than music and it definitely matched the rest of his features. Cat-like eyes gazed into her brown ones; topped with dark lashes and a strand of jet black hair. 

Black not white.

His chiseled cheekbones and straight nose looked unearthly beautiful, even in the darkness of the club. He was also tall, almost dwarfing January in height. She remembered teasing him about his lanky posture back when they were twelve. The lankiness was gone now and instead, he was broad shouldered and obviously muscled if his biceps were any indication. 

“It’s really you…”

The words escaped her mouth in a breathless, disbelieving tone. 

He simply nodded and took her hand, leading her past the bar and out onto the side-walk. The cool winter air made her shiver and Ocean noticed, bringing her closer to his side. Tears flooded her eyes at the gesture, her fingers relishing the warmth radiating from his hand.  

“How?...When?…”

‘A month ago…’ He replied, walking her towards the parking lot.

“And your parents?”

‘They still live there.’ 

“You mean...”  She glanced up at him knowingly, afraid of saying anything out loud. 

Ocean’s irises flickered like flames of a blue fire, causing her to gasp in surprise. 

‘Sorry, I was just unlocking my car.’ He gestured towards a silver Ferrari coupe which looked like it was custom made to reflect his personality. The cat-like headlights blinked one more time before both doors slid open. Inside, the midnight blue leather seats looked invitingly comfortable. 

“I’ve never seen this model before.” January remarked, running her fingers along the chrome painted sides. 

‘Wait, you can actually see my Ferrari?’

She gave him a curious look before replying with an affirmative nod. “Yeah, why?”

Ocean frowned, and then called up one of the bouncers standing at the door. 

‘What type of car is this?’ He asked him.

‘A Toyota.’

‘Thank you.’ 

The blonde guy tossed them both a weird look on his way back to his spot.  He didn’t understand why someone would ask him such a strange question. January however understood why Ocean had done so. 

 ‘Do you want to get out of here?’ He suggested in a calm, unaffected tone. He’d always known that January was unlike other people. 

If only she could see that too. 

“Okay.” 

She slid into the passenger seat, her fingers shakily texting Summer to let her know that she’d already left the club. 

‘Are you alright? You’re shaking.’ 

Ocean’s words were slightly drowned out by the loud engine of his Ferrari.  Almost everything was automated with a blue-lit LCD screen hooked to the console. All he had to do was guide the steering wheel and press on a button which allowed the car to slow down or stop at traffic lights. 

J didn’t know if she was okay. The entire evening felt like an episode of the Twilight Zone, only she was the guest star. 

“You know. You kind of look like a vampire in this outfit.”

‘Really? How about the hair, do you like it?’ He asked, allowing his beloved Ferrari to auto-pilot its way to his apartment. 

“It’s fine I guess. Ocean! Keep your hands on the wheel!” 

He simply laughed at her panicked expression and told her it was unnecessary. 

To calm her down, he decided to bring up a distant childhood memory involving his hair.‘Remember how you used to comb my hair, hoping snowflakes would fall from it?’

Her face lit up instantly and she laughed. “Yes! I loved your hair so much back then.” 

I loved you, she thought.

She knew that they could never be together though; it was one of the reasons why she never told him. It was why she decided to get over him and dedicate her time to working, dancing and collecting snow globes. 

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t notice that they were already parked across from one of the tallest towers in the city. 

“I wonder what the view looks like from up there.” 

‘Well, I live on the forty third floor so…’ Ocean told her, trying to appear cooler than he actually felt. Deep inside, he was a tiny bit nervous for the very first time since God knows when. January was making him feel like the dorky, little teenager he used to be. 

“Oh wow, that’s so high.”

‘Would you like to come up to my place for a while? The view will be worth it.’ He suggested, watching her from the corner of his eye.

“Sure.” 

The glass elevator alone provided a dazzling view of the city lights and the full moon as well. January was still in a state of shock, even with Ocean standing only inches away from her. There was enough lighting for her to finally check out his attire. 

To say that he looked hot was an understatement, especially in that grey v-neck shirt he wore. It outlined his muscles in all the right places, drawing attention to his biceps which looked like they could easily lift her up and carry her around. 

‘Do you like what you see?’

Ocean’s tone was very flirtatious; it made her look up to find him staring at her. His blue eyes were a lot darker than before, even under the spotlights.

‘Maybe.’ She flirted back, giving him a tiny smile. 

The elevator doors opened to reveal a long carpeted corridor lit by silver chandeliers. January felt like she was in a seven star hotel, especially when she took in the glass windows lining up the wall. 

He silently led her to his apartment door which was at the very end of the hallway. She watched him fish out his keys from his back-pocket, a strand of jet black hair falling across his forehead. The way he moved was graceful and lithe just like a puma, reminding her of how sneaky he used to be whenever they played hide and seek as kids. 

Inside, the apartment was sleek and modern, with black marble floors and floor-to ceiling windows. The couches in the living room were grey leather with black cushions, facing a large LCD screen hanging from the wall. Large cargo boxes lined up the dining room area, except for the tiny doorway leading to a small kitchen. 

‘So, what do you think?’ He asked, watching her with hooded eyes as she innocently stepped into his bedroom. It was right across from the kitchen and the door was already open. 

“It’s…oh…wow…” January’s voice trailed off the moment she realized where she was. Ocean’s bedroom looked like it was situated right in the middle of a lovely beach. The carpeted floor was the color of sand and the walls were painted to resemble a calm blue sea with the sky at the horizon. 

‘You like?’ 

J nodded, not able to resist sitting on the king size bed which had seashells carved into its headboard. “I love! Oh my God…it’s a water bed.” She realized when it sank under her weight and rippled like a tiny wave. The sheets felt cool beneath her hands, shifting from a serene blue to cherry red all of a sudden.

Ocean stepped closer to his bed, fully aware what the change in colors meant. It was a gag gift from his best friends and was supposed to reflect the mood of the person sleeping on it. 

 “That is such a cool bed spread! It must be from your….” 

January never got to finish her sentence because Ocean jumped right next to her on the bed, causing it to ripple like a huge wave, sending them both backwards.

‘Yeah it is, and do you know why it turned red?’ He asked her, raising himself up on his elbows to look at her flushed face. 

She sat up against an array of pillows, that instant attraction she felt for him rising to the surface again for the second time that night. His face was close enough for her to see the whirlpool of green and grey inside his irises. It dawned on her just how intimate their position was, right on top of his bed. 

“Why?”

‘Because you have the hots for me....’ He answered, studying the expression on her face.

January bit her lip to stop herself from saying “Yes, now kiss me senseless!” and slid off the bed.

Seeing O again stirred a lot of emotions inside and that scared her. It still felt like a dream to see him again. 

“Ocean….I should go.” 

His eyes clouded up and he moved to stand in front of her, blocking her way to the door. 

‘What? Why? You just got here.’ January’s face heated up when he reached out and touched her arm. Electricity tingled up and down her spine, tingling her skin, making her want to close the distance between them. 

“I know but I can’t….” Her voice trailed off and she stepped around him and rushed out of the room like it was on fire. 

Ocean was hot on her heels, wanting to know what went wrong and why she looked so torn like that.  

‘Jan, wait!’ 

Facing the door, she took deep calming breaths, feeling him right behind her. 

'Did I do something wrong?' He asked in apprehension. 

 She glanced back at him with a strained smile on her lips. "It's complicated."