Chapter 4: Homeless

January woke up the next morning to a stuffy nose and a mild fever. She had refused Ocean's offer to literally kiss her better and decided to suck it up and get rid of the cold on her own. 

It was well past ten in the morning when she got out of bed to use the bathroom. The apartment was so quiet she wondered if Ocean was still asleep or not. Last night, he didn't look too happy when told him she wasn't going to kiss him. In fact, he seemed incredibly annoyed when he left her bedroom, like his ego had been bruised or something.

Well, what did he expect, that she was going to jump at the chance without thinking about the consequences? The guy had someone waiting for him back home, even if he refused to talk about her.

She quickly changed back into her dress and tip-toed her way through the corridor, carrying her purse and bags in one hand. Ocean was in the kitchen, sitting at the marble table with a mug of coffee and a basket of muffins in front of him.

"Hey, you're up."

Her nasal voice sounded so annoying to her ears but to Ocean it sounded like she was terribly sick.

'What are you doing out of bed?' 

He gracefully got up from the chair and took her face between his cold hands. She shuddered, staring up at his concerned eyes, they were a shade of light grey this morning.

"I should get going. Thanks for everything..."

'Jan, your fever is really high. I'm not letting you go anywhere.' 

"Ocean, I really can't stay."

She couldn't tell him how far behind she was on paying her rent, or how the landlord was so close to kicking her out of her studio.

'Then I'll take you home, just let me go get dressed.'

He left her standing there, not even waiting for an answer.

A few minutes later he was back wearing jeans and a black, v-neck shirt but his hair was black instead of white.

'It's much better to just blend in with everyone else.' He explained when she asked him about it.

"So who else gets to see your sexy white hair, just me?"

'Pretty much, yeah.' He caught her off guard with his reply, but before she could find out more, her eyes watered and she started to sneeze over and over. 

'Bless you! Here let me carry your stuff.'

He handed her a full tissue box and guided her out the front door. 

January's apartment was ten minutes away by car but it was in the less glamorous part of the city. There was no valet parking service or concierges provided for the tenants and the building was only ten storeys high.


Ocean followed her past the dull glass doors, noting how dirty the ceramic floor was. It was obvious that no one bothered to clean anything up. 


There was only one elevator so they had to wait awhile until it finally descended to the ground floor. By that time, Jan was feeling terrible, not only for having Ocean help her but also because she didn't want him to see the conditions in which she lived in. 


His blue eyes darted from the slowly opening doors to the ad papers posted on the ancient looking wallpaper. 

J stepped inside and pressed the round button to the fourth floor, her foot tapping a nervous pattern into the grey floor. She had this uneasy feeling at the pit of her stomach that had nothing to do with being sick. 

Please God, I can't afford to be homeless right now, She chanted inside her head once they arrived at her floor. 

The door to her apartment was right next to the elevator so she hurriedly fished out her keys but froze in her tracks when she saw the yellow post-it note stuck above the doorknob. 

Your lease is up. New tenants moving in on Monday. - Anne 

"No!! No...no...." She moaned, grabbing the post-it and crumbling it up in her palm.

'What's wrong?' Ocean asked from behind her. She showed him the note and leaned against the wall in defeat.

'Where's your landlord's office? I'll go talk to her.' 

"Don't bother. I'll just...umm.."

Tears flooded her eyes and she sank down onto the carpet, sneezing into a tissue paper.

The elevator doors opened again and Anne stepped out. She was a short, grey haired woman with brown, hostile eyes and an unfriendly personality.

'Ah there you are, did u get my note?' She coldly asked.

"Yes."

Anne smiled, showing a set of yellow, uneven teeth that reminded Ocean of tiny little daggers.

'Good, I expect you to move out in the next twenty four hours.' 

O couldn't believe his ears, was the woman blind?

'I find it incredibly disturbing that you could just stand there and ask January to move out when she's clearly ill.' He told her, gritting his teeth to stop himself from calling her a bitch.

'Well, business is business son. If you can't afford a studio apartment then don't rent one.' She gave January a pointed look before walking down the corridor.

'There has to be something I can do. Maybe we can offer her double the rent...'


"Ocean! She's right, I can't afford to live here anymore." 

He helped her to her feet again, offering to pay the rent himself but she blatantly refused. "Absolutely not! I don't want your money."

She unlocked the door and saw him frown at her words. 

'You're not some charity case I want to help, you're my friend.'

"Just drop the subject okay?" She snapped at him, tossing her keys onto the kitchen counter.

Most of the battered furniture scattered around the small studio didn't belong to her anyways so she won't have much trouble moving out in a few hours.

The plates and appliances in the mini-kitchen belonged to the landlord, the single bed at the corner beneath the window was her only possession along with the antique arm-chair she was currently occupying. She could easily sell those to one of her neighbors. 


Ocean curiously walked around the apartment, noting how organized everything was; from the magazines on the coffee table to the alphabetized CD cases above the plasma television.

January wiped the tears from her cheeks and willed herself to get up and start packing her stuff. She saw Ocean approaching the stainless-steel fridge with his cat-like grace and instantly knew what caught his attention.It was a photo taken by one of their teachers during their end of school classroom party. They were both thirteen at the time and Ocean's hair hadn't quite reached its prime white color yet. They were smiling at the camera with January in her braces and horrible fringe and O in his superman T-shirt and lanky arms.

'This is epic.' He nostalgically remarked.

"Yeah."

Jan wished she could go back to those days when all she had to worry about was her home-work. Now she had to call her friends and ask if she could crash at their place until she found another cheaper apartment.

She dialed Summer first but she wouldn't pick up. Next on the list was Catherine who apologized and told her that she was living with her boyfriend now. Two more phone-calls later and no one agreed to take her in. She cursed and threw her phone across the carpet, huffing angrily and trying to hide the fact that she was starving with no food in her fridge.

'Hey, calm down. You can stay with me for the time being, alright?'

"No. I can't." She shook her head, storming over to her closet.

'Why not?'


He was starting to lose his patience and was this close to hauling her over his shoulder and dragging her back to his place. She was sick, hungry and stubborn as hell. 

"Because.." She sighed and grabbed an armful of her clothes before dumping them onto her bed. "You're not single and I don't know if I'll be comfortable living with you under the same roof." 

Especially if you're always walking around half-naked with your muscles on display, she thought.

'Nonsense, I know for a fact that you enjoyed staying over last night.'

January glared at him and resumed emptying out her closet. "I'm not crashing at your place when you're betrothed to some girl who calls you baby."

Her apparent dislike for a girl she's never met and the jealousy ignited within her didn't go unnoticed by him. He was so good at reading her facial expressions and the way her cheeks flared up when she looked at him.

'Fine. Let me help you pack up your things and we'll talk later.'

His response surprised her but she nodded nonchalantly and slipped off her shoes. What she didn't know was that he had secretly called up a moving service so they could pack up her things, that's what he had meant by 'helping'.

In the meantime, he ventured inside her tiny shoe closet, completely shocked by the massive amount of shoes he found there.

'So that's where all her money goes.' He said out loud, lifting a rather expensive looking pair with red soles and dangerously high heels. Images of her dancing in the club flashed inside his head. He groaned and set the shoes back down when he heard the doorbell ringing.

'I'll get it.' He declared as he rushed past January who was too tired to do anything really. Having Ocean back in her life was a blessing from God. She desperately needed someone like him to support her and here she was pushing him away by being stubborn, short tempered and rude.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw four men dressed in blue uniform walk through her door. They were armed with flattened cargo boxes ready to be filled with her belongings. Ocean led them over to her, crossing his fingers and hoping she wouldn't get upset for doing this behind her back. 'Jan, these guys will help you more than I can.'

She actually nodded in response, smiling gratefully at him. 

Her body was aching, so she sat on her bed as they started putting away her things. 

Sunlight slowly filtered through the wide glass window where Ocean stood talking on the phone. His irises shifted into a shade of violet and his face became serious all of a sudden.

The movers were making a lot of noise so she couldn't really hear what he was saying. 

'Miss, how would you like your shoes to be packed?' One of them asked. 

She got off the bed and showed him what to do, keeping an eye on her friend who seemed to be on the phone with her. 

She was right!

Ocean took a deep breath and paced the kitchen back and forth while Laura; his clingy girlfriend ranted to him about his own mother.

'When we go ring shopping, I don't want her tagging along with us, okay?' 

'Laura, about that...I won't be able to make it.' 

'You What???' 

'Listen honey, we both know that this isn't going to work out.'  

'Oh my God, you met someone else didn't you? Is that why you decided to move all of a sudden???' Her sugary sweet voice turned ice-cold as she gasped into the phone.

'No...'  

'You liar!! I knew it! Is she with you right now?' 

He cringed, imagining her pretty doll-face contorted in anger.

'Stop jumping to conclusions. This is about you and me.' 

'So you're breaking up with me over the phone?'  

Ocean sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

'No, I'll pass by tonight so we could talk.' 

'Why so you could dump me in front of mom and dad!? NO, STAY IN BORING HUMAN LAND, I don't want to talk to you ever again!' She yelled at him before hanging up. 

How mature, he thought in distaste.

After shoving the phone inside his pocket, he made his way over to January who was standing bare-foot in front of her now-empty closet. She was still wearing her dress from the night before but with a blanket draped over her shoulders.

Most of her things were now in boxes and the movers were in the process of dismantling her bed which was the only item left to pack.

'Hey.'

She glanced up at his tense jaw and she immediately felt bad for making that comment about his money.

"I'm so sorry I snapped at you earlier, you didn't deserve it."

'It's okay. Are you done?' 

"Yep. Just going to change into jeans and a T-shirt."

Ocean stepped closer and cupped her face in his large hands, concern showing on his features. 'Please stay with me until you get better.' 

She chewed on her lip, thinking about his fancy guest bedroom and how comfortable the mattress was. It was the best sleep she's had in years!

"Okay, I will, but just for a few days."

His eye lit up and he smiled for the first time since he'd made that horrible phone-call.

'Good.'

Chapter 3: A Bittersweet Reunion

   Rain splattered against the windows of Ocean's apartment, causing the corridor to darken considerably as he led January to his guest bedroom. The silver chandelier automatically lit up the ceiling when he opened the door.

'Motion detectors.' He explained, stepping aside for her to survey the room.


The white, four poster bed was right across from the door. It had simple pink comforter and an array of pillows in different shapes and sizes. A curtain of sea-shells hung from each column, perfectly matching the color of the wall behind them. 

The rest of the room was tastefully decorated with a classic dressing table and an antique chaise lounge which was positioned right at the foot of the bed. 


'There is a walk-in closet and a bathroom as well.' Ocean told her, sounding extremely excited at the prospect of her spending the night. He opened the double doors adjacent to the windows to reveal the closet which was almost as big as the room itself. Once inside, he proceeded to open another door right across from the previous one. 


January could only stare in awe at the size of the bathroom. It had a jacuzzi, a separate shower stall as well as a window overlooking the beach front. You could see the dim lights of the yachts anchored at the marina.


The faint sound of the doorbell reached their ears and Ocean excused himself to go answer it, leaving Jan to explore her lavish master bedroom. It was roughly the size of her studio apartment. 


How sad, she thought.


The concierge ended up getting her not one, but three different pajamas and a pair of pink slippers, all from Victoria's Secret. He also managed to get her a toothbrush and face-wash from the pharmacy. 


Of course Ocean refused to even tell her how much they cost, insisting that they were a gift. 

'How about you go change while I take a quick shower?' He rubbed her arms affectionately, trying to read her expression.

She wasn't shying away from his touch but he could see the doubt in her eyes; the suspicion. That horrible phone-call almost ruined his chances at convincing her to stay.

"Alright."

Maybe she'd take a shower as well, smoke still lingered in her hair from being at the club most of the evening.

'Make yourself at home, okay?'

It was hard not to feel at home with him doting on her like that; smiling widely until the dimple on his left cheek finally made an appearance.

She smiled in return and they parted ways with her carrying the Victoria's Secret bags, hoping they were modest enough for her to wear. 
..........................................................................

January ended up taking a shower as well, noting how expensive the shampoo and vanilla body lotion were. She couldn't help but feel like Ocean was out of her league in so many ways. 

Shoving her insecurities aside, she studied herself in the mirror after putting on a pair of red PJ pants and their matching sleeveless top. Red seemed to be her color these days, she thought while brushing her damp hair.

The aroma of food floated all the way down the corridor where she stood admiring the painting of a mermaid holding a shell up to her ear.

'Beautiful, isn't it?' Ocean's tender voice, accompanied by the sound of heavy rain outside was almost hypnotizing. She found herself turning around to face him as he stepped out of his room in nothing but a pair of black sweat pants. He was drying his white hair with a towel slung around his broad shoulders, the hard ridges of his stomach catching the light from a table lamp placed closer to the door.

J was rendered speechless for a few seconds, her eyes locked on the tattoo wrapped around his torso.The ink was a mix of silver and navy blue, rising like a series of tidal waves all the way up his left arm. 

The waves shifted with every move of his muscles, making her gasp and forget all about the painting. Her body moved out of its own accord so she could put her fingers on the ink.

"This is beautiful. Ocean, I've never seen anything like it."

'Motion tattoo, it's the latest trend over there. Here, give me your hands.'

He took hold of both her hands and held them up to his chest, right below his heart. She could feel his heartbeat beneath the inked skin. 

'If you press here, the waves will change their direction, cool isn't it?' He chuckled as he watched her glide her hands over the tattoo. She was fascinated by the whole mechanism.

It was like Ocean had waves on his chest, literally. 

"This is amazing."

'Yeah it is.' 

January recognized the change in his voice and her head snapped up to look at his face. His eyes were hooded, irises almost black from her vantage point. 


Her hands immediately retreated behind her back and she stepped away, feeling tension rise in the air between them.

"Race you to the kitchen?" She blurted out before whooshing out of the corridor like a Road Runner.

Ocean shook his head as if to clear his mind from that lust induced fog he was in. One glance at the mirror and he realized how feral he looked, his pupils dilated to the point where the irises were barely visible. No wonder why the poor girl had practically fled the corridor like that. 


He took a deep breath and followed her into the kitchen. She was already going through the various take-out bags of fast food he had ordered. 

"Ocean! There's enough food in here to feed the entire building."

He gave her a sheepish look, knowing that she was right. 'I thought I'd order a bit of everything.'

There was indeed bags from McDonalds, Subway, Pizza Hut, Chopsticks and other more costly restaurants including two Haagen Daazs ice-cream buckets for dessert. 

"Gosh, where do I start?"

They both ended sampling everything, sitting at the small table in companionable silence. A thunderstorm had started outside and it made the neon lights of the kitchen flicker every now and then.

'I am so full!'

Ocean leaned back on his chair across from her, rubbing his flat stomach in contentment. The waves shifted downwards at his touch, distracting January from her ice-cream.

He'd eaten two burgers, three slices of pepperoni pizza and a bowl of noodles. 

"You've always been a bottomless pit, I still remember that day when we went to IHOP and you ate like twenty pancakes. The waitress thought you were some kind of monster." She recounted with a giggle.

'Ah yes, compared to you I am.'

She rolled her eyes playfully at him and licked a spoonful of ice-cream. Ocean's eyes fell on her tongue and his thoughts drifted to that dirty territory in his mind. He wanted to lean over the marble table and taste the chocolate straight from her lips. Instead, he got up from his chair and ran his fingers through his almost dry hair. 

'Would you like to sit in the living room?' He suggested, clearing his throat while searching for the multifunction remote he recently purchased.

"Sure."

The television screen came to life with an real image of a fireplace, complete with the crackling sound of wood. It brought warmth and color to the otherwise dark, modern room.

'Hot chocolate?' Ocean offered, nodding towards the silver tray on the coffee table. January frowned in puzzlement at the kettle and two porcelain cups placed there. 

"Do you have an elf somewhere in here?"

He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

'No. No elf slaves but my concierge does like to pamper my guests.'

"Well thank him for me."

January couldn't recall the last time she'd been spoiled like that. In just one night too. She watched as her hot, still-shirtless friend poured the hot drink into each cup, his white hair reflecting the fake glow of the fireplace. He served her the cup and sat on the couch at a respectable distance from her.

Damn she smells good, he thought.

'So, I guess I should explain to you a few things before we go to bed.'

"You're not obliged to but yeah, I'd like to know about your life over there."

He shrugged nonchalantly, taking a sip from his hot chocolate.

'It was okay. I felt home-sick for a while since I spent my childhood here but I got over it.' 

A hurt expression crossed January's face at his admission, so he got over her too in a way. 


"What brought you back here?"

'Work. The government hired us to improve the infrastructure of the city, including the subway system.' 


"You've always wanted to be an architect." J reminisced, trying to focus on the present instead of the past. 

'And you've always wanted to be an artist, what happened to that dream?'

"I've put it on the shelf for now." She answered, gazing straight ahead at the fire. 

'You shouldn't.'

He saw that far-away look in her eyes, then she turned to him with an arched eye-brow. 

"What about the girl you're going to marry? Should you be doing that?"

'It was a family arrangement January...can we not talk about it just yet?'

His jaw tightened and he set down his cup with a loud clunk onto the table.

"Then what do you want to talk about? How boring my life is right now? How none of my dreams came true?" She shot back.

Their eyes met in a silent stand-off for a few seconds until he spoke again.

'Why did you stop replying to my e-mails?'

Jan crossed her arms defensively and sunk further into the cushions. 

"I don't know. Maybe because I felt like there was no point in us staying in touch."

Ocean flinched at her words, he never expected such an answer from her.

'All this time I thought you must have lost it or something.'

"No, I didn't..." She swallowed the lump in her throat and rose from the couch.

"It's just that I thought I'd never see you again! Yet here you are..." Tears clouded her eyes again, making her feel silly and ridiculous. What on earth was wrong with her tonight?

'Yes I am. Come here.'

Ocean stood up and took her in his arms. Her body was slightly shivering, even her hands were cold. 'Shit, you're freezing.'

He scooped her up and carried her into the guest bedroom. 

"Ocean I'm fine, seriously."

'Let's just get you warmed up, okay?'

With that, he disappeared for a while then came back with another comforter and a green packet of Panadol.

"Stop it, I swear you're spoiling me." She sniffed, watching him as he covered her up with another blanket.

'You're obviously on the brink of a cold so take these' He told her, handing her two pills 'I'll go get you a glass of water.'

J sat up against the headboard and blew her nose, not believing her luck. Getting sick at Ocean's house, how embarrassing.

"Aren't you supposed to have healing powers?" Her question was more of a joke but he did reconsider it for a second while she took the medicine.

'Actually, I could help you get rid of that cold.'

"Really? What are you waiting for then? Please, I don't want to spend the weekend in bed."

Ocean leaned against the doorway with a twinkle in his eyes. He seemed to be enjoying himself tremendously at her expense.

'You're so cute when you beg.'

She rolled her eyes at him in response. "Ocean, I'm serious."

'Fine, but we're going to have to..you know..' He licked his lips suggestively, nodding towards the bed.

"No! You're calling my bluff, right? I'm not having sex with you just to get better."

'Who said anything about sex?'

January covered her eyes in shame, feeling her face heating up.

 "Never mind..." She mumbled.

Ocean was expecting the usual reply he got from girls whenever the subject of sex came up. They would usually jump at the chance of showing him how seductive they can be.

'I uh..heard that a kiss is all it takes...'

Her head rose up cautiously from between her palms but she still wouldn't look at him. "A kiss where?"

Somehow, she already knew the answer, even before it left his mouth in a very husky tone. 

'On the lips.'

Chapter 2: Ocean

'Complicated? Really...'

"Yeah." January breathed out, holding onto the doorknob behind her.

There was something in his voice that made her feel so nervous. 

Ocean struggled to figure out whether she regretted coming home with him or not. She definitely was not in a relationship or he would've seen a guy accompany her to the dance-floor in the past month. 

Seeing her after so long stirred up a very dangerous feeling inside of him. It surpassed the way he felt about his soon to be fiance whom he decided to take a break from once he moved here. 

Yeah, he felt bad about it at first but now he found himself on the brink of cheating. January was oblivious to how attracted he was to her, even though he tried making a joke out of it while they were on his bed. 

He knew from the slight flush of her cheeks that she felt the same way too. Part of him felt smug as hell when he caught her staring at him inside the elevator. 

Despite being a gentlemen, his fingers itched to touch her in any way possible. She looked so incredibly sinful in her red dress, yet so innocent at the same time. Her petite figure and delicate face kept him awake at night, erasing the memory of any other girl he'd ever met. 

'Did you miss me at all?' He asked her, surprised by the way his voice sounded; huskier than normal. 

January's brown eyes widened at his question then she swallowed hard, meeting his gaze with a hurt look on her face. "Of course I did, every day!"

'Then why do you want to leave?' 

"I'm just too overwhelmed to give you an answer right now." J truthfully answered, afraid that she'd reveal to him her true feelings if she stayed any longer.

Ocean stepped closer, finally giving in and touching the silky material of her dress. For the second time that night, he fought so hard to refrain himself from doing anything that might scare her away. He heard her breath hitch just as his other arm laced itself around her slender waist. 

'Let me just...' He took a deep breath, leaning forward until his nose was nudging her forehead. 'God, I missed you so much...' 

January melted into his embrace but kept her hands at her sides. She trembled when he exhaled against her skin, raising goosebumps all over her neck. 

His nose skimmed her cheek and trailed downwards until he reached her collarbone. She closed her eyes, biting her lower lip to stifle any pleasurable sound that tried escaping her mouth. 

The hand that was circling her waist suddenly moved lower to take hold of her fingers. He slowly brought them up to the nape of his neck where his hair felt incredibly soft. 

Her eye-lids fluttered open again to find Ocean staring at her so intensely, it almost frightened her. It was like his irises had turned into a dark, storming shade of black and blue. 

He gently guided both their hands to the back of his head where the hair was a tad bit longer. The dark strands started fading into a lighter shade of brown, eliciting a gasp from January. 

Even with her high heels, she still had to stand on her tip-toes to reach the hair across his forehead. 

"Oh my God." 

Gradually, Ocean's hair transformed into its natural snow-white color. The way he looked changed dramatically. 

The phone started ringing rather loudly, bringing them out of their cocoon. 

Neither one of them moved a muscle though.

Ocean had totally forgotten about his answering machine and seconds later his recorded voice echoed down the corridor, asking whoever it was to leave a message. 

'Hi baby, it's me. I haven't heard from you in like forever! Mom's asking if you're free next weekend so we could pick out my engagement ring. Let me know, okay? You promised so don't forget.'

The woman's voice; sugary sweet with a hint of spoiled-brat in it was like a splash of cold water to the both of them.   

'Shit.' 

January freed herself from his embrace, her heart plummeting inside her chest after hearing the words 'baby' and 'engagement'.  

"You're...you're getting engaged?" She asked in a small voice, watching him pinch the bridge of his nose. 

He cursed once more under his breath, tugging at his white hair in frustration. 

He had completely forgotten about his promise to her.  

It should've never happened, he thought. 

'No...I...it's complicated.' 

She found herself half-laughing, half-crying at the absurdity of it all, tears flooding her eyes in the process. "Sure, now it's your turn to lie..."

'I'm not.' 

"Anyways, congratulations, I wish you the best." 

Ocean stopped her from opening the door, keeping his palm flat against it, right above her head. 'You're not leaving.'

'"Ocean.." She warned, glaring up at him. 

He glared back at her in defiance, his irises clearing up like clouds after a storm. 'No, I'm not letting you run away. Not tonight.' 

She sniffed away her tears, trying to rationalize her feelings a bit more. 

"But...what if she finds out." 

'I don't give a fu...shit about her right now, alright?' 

Shocked by his admission, January simply nodded and relaxed against the door. 

Ocean's shoulders lost their tension when he saw her nod. He sighed in relief and lifted her chin so she'd look straight at him and nowhere else.

'Look, there's a newly furnished guest bedroom down the hall, you can stay the night and I'll order us some dinner, how does that sound?'

Jan couldn't resist the pleading in his eyes but she didn't know how she was going to sleep over without her bedroom essentials, especially her pajamas. 

'There's no need to worry about your night-wear, I'll have my concierge get you everything you need.' He reassured her, as if reading her mind.

"Okay." She hesitantly replied, wondering just how pampered she was about to become.

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."