Chapter 1

Love is bittersweet. It looks alluring on the outside and beckons you forward , but when you grab out to reach it, you end up hurting yourself. Just like getting pricked by a rose. 

~

It's snowing. Please, don't stop. Numb my pain, so I won't have to feel anything. Help me forget and bury my feelings forever.

She felt a tear slide down her face, run across her nose, and then freezing on her left cheek, dried up just like her heart. She was so frozen she couldn't even lift up her arm to wipe the uncomfortable trail the tear had left on her face. She just lay on the park bench, paralyzed, freezing, and stone still. There was no warmth inside of her.

“You're going to freeze you know,” came a voice above her. She slowly opened one of her eyes to peek at the person who had spoken to her. A young man who seemed to be in his early 20's peered down at her, one eyebrow raised.

“What's it to you?” she asked in an unconcerned, monotone voice.

“Someone as young as you shouldn't be out here like this late at night. There are some crazy people out there,” he replied.

“Ha. Like I actually care. And who's to say you aren't one of those said 'crazy people'. Heck, even I could be one,” she shot back.

“Haha. True. But if I were crazy, I'd have already done something. Probably. And if you were to harm me, you would've done so by now as well. Anyways, I was just worried about you.”

This made her angry. Worried about a stranger? Don't joke with me. It's just a moment of stupid, emotionless pity for a seemingly weak and defenseless girl. All right. I'll play your dumb game. It's not like I've got anything to lose. You'll be like everyone else. Do what you want, and then hurt me and throw me away...

“Fine. If you're worried like you say you are, then lend me a place to stay. Unless you were lying and don't actually care,” she said

He grinned down at her and said, “Okay.”

What. Have. I. Done. Evangeline Gelan was now regretting her rash and hasty decision to be shacked up with this unfamiliar guy. Not unfamiliar. Unknown. She was out of her mind when she asked him if she could stay at his place. But she really did need a place to stay, and if he did anything strange, she could kick him and run. Right?

Evangeline, Eva for short, looked to her left as he drove to his home. His name was Jason Carter. He had medium length, somewhat waved, brown hair and was pretty tall with a lean build. His crystal blue eyes were hypnotizing, almost impossible to look away from, which was how he caught her staring at him.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” he asked with a smile. She just glared at him, crossed her arms, and turned away, embarrassed and flustered. He reached over and turned the heater on, and the rest of the ride was driven in silence.

He slowed down as they entered a neighborhood surrounded by a forest and a park trail cutting through it. Because it was late and dark out, the trail lights were on, giving the park an enchanting look as snow gently fell to the ground. Most people who were used to seeing this sort of scenery would pass by without a second glance, but to Eva, it was breathtakingly beautiful. Serenity and calm surrounded the forest like a haven for the lost. Another one of those empty tears slid down her face.