❁ She was an angel that even made the devil want to go to heaven. ❁

*Ding Dong*

I press the bell twice. Seth still doesn't open the door. But on the third, he opens.

Oh Seth darling, you just opened the door for your death.

“ Signore, you? At this hour? ” he questions making the most innocent face. It's past eleven. But who cares?

“ Yes, Seth. I reckon you're not the only one who can harass people, without considering the hours. ” I smirk and step right inside the room without his permission.

“ Excuse me, Signore. What are you doing? ”

“ Santino listen, I'm not gonna beat around the bush. I actually came here to beat your arse off. ” I speak while he looks confused, “ Oh, by arse, I meant your huge backside, butt, hip, bum or whatever you want to call it-- ”

“ --but after looking at your old grey hair and the belly oozing out of your skeleton. I think I should just warn you first. Stay away from Noriana. ” I explain with so much self control that even my therapist would be proud.

“ Who's Noriana? ” he asks.

Oh Jesus, this time, I'm definitely not the one to be blamed. This bloke is a bloody idiot. I take a deep breath, and further explain, “ Stay away from Nora Williamson. ”

“ Oh sì sì, I knew you prefer to call her Noriana. I have a little bad memory. But Signore, I'm sure your memory is remarkable. Then, what game are you trying to play? You're the one who asked Nora to prostitute for me. ” he dares to confront.

“ Seth, you asked for it, mate. ”

“ What do you mean, Signore? ”

“ That, I'm about to explain. ” without wasting a second, I punch on his fat face. “ W-what's wrong with-- ” he again tries to speak but he already wasted his only chance.

Throwing him to the wall with my leg, I hit his head with mine. After punching him until he falls down on the floor and his nose starts to bleed, I give him my hand and pull him up.

He gasps, but doesn't hesitate to speak, “ Signore, I'm a very open minded person. If you want, she can be mistress for both of us. ” he groans and I can't believe on my ears. This man is beyond my thinking.

What did I do? I risked Noriana's life by forcing her to get some useless piece of papers from this rogue.

I move my hand away from his face, just so I could slap him wildly and then beat him until he lies on the floor like a breathing dead body. And then sit on his chest.

Screw that project with The Romans. I want this bastard out of this country, out of Noriana's life.

“ Signore Seth- Seth Signore, this is just my first and last warning that you can surely intercourse yourself but you will never lay your wicked eyes on Noriana-- ”

“ --Or I will not once think about tearing them off of your chubby little face. I anticipate I'm very clear. ” I pat on his chest, and then get away from him.

“ But she's just your assistant. ” he blurts off. What material is he made up of? Doesn't he love his life at all. “ And you're just an arsehole, who is risking his life without thinking about the consequences. ”

This time he stays mum. Good for him.

Noriana is not just my assistant. She's so much more to me.

***

Reaching back home. I try to directly go to bedroom, but my feet just doesn't sync with my innocent intentions. They walk towards Noriana's room.

I expected the door to be closed, but maybe she forgot and left it open. I sneak in, to see her sleeping soundly while clutching her arm around our non-living stuffed child, Mr. Henry.

Maybe I should back off, but I sit beside her on the bed, anyway. It's been a while, I haven't seen her sleeping. She sleeps like a baby.

Every speck of my mind knows if Noriana wakes up, I will be in big trouble. But my heart is becoming a little more greedy. I make a little space for myself on bed and then lie on it.

It's dark in the room but my gratitude to the moonlight, that her face is visible to my eyes. I've hurt this soul a lot. I wish I could know the whole truth, but God knows where has she hidden her diary.

“ I'm so sorry, love. For everything. ” I whisper super slow to not disturb her. But just then a random notification popped up on my phone along with a sound. I try to mute it as soon as I could.

My heart almost skips a beat. But fortunately, Noriana is the sleepiest girl on the planet. However, she contracts her brows a little and surprisingly turns towards me, making her face more visible for me to stare at.

Maybe, Christ is on my team this time.

Should I click a picture of her?

Even if I shouldn't. I do it.

I place my phone on the side table after capturing her while sleeping, for future admiration purpose. What is happening to me? Why am I adoring my enemy?

Jesus, am I falling for my enemy? Or I never unfell for her?

While pondering about the things that might not even make sense, my eyes fall upon the window.

It's snowing outside.

There are a lot of myths about the connection between the first snow and lovers. Wait, am I spending the first snow of the year with Noriana?

I usually don't believe such myths, but I'm still grateful that I'm spending the first snow with her. I mean technically, she's just a few inches away from me.

Should I wake her up?

She loves snow.

Nah, I think it's a bad idea--

“ What are you doing here in the middle of the night? ” and she screams. How did she even wake up? She was so quiet and it was so peaceful when she was asleep.

“ I- I was- Hey, look it's snowing outside. ” I clearly try to twist the topic as immediately I get up from the bed.

“ Really? Wow!” she glances towards the window. And a sudden grin is seen on her face which again forms into a suspicious one. “ But why were you on my bed? Care to explain. ”

“ Sure. Um, I- I came here because you were snoring very loudly. I could hear it from my room. ” and that's how I officially give the worst excuse ever.

“ Hans, seriously? ”

“ Hey, are you just going to argue with me the whole night. It's snowing outside, don't you want to experience the first snowfall. ” I grab her hand and try to drag her but she doesn't move an inch.

She's not going to buy my lame excuses.

But how am I supposed to tell her that I just wanted to sit beside her, wanted to watch her sleep. That I couldn't get a grip on my heart and ended up admiring her sweet face in the middle of the night.

“ Was I really snoring very loudly? ” she asks softly like a kid.

Oh my silly nerd, no, you were not.

I nod, to validate my lie.

“ I think I need to start doing Yoga. But from tomorrow. Right now, let me grab my coat first. I'm gonna make snow angels, yay. ” she exclaims and I give out a big smile.

***

Noriana extends her arms to experience the falling snowflakes through her bare palms. The backyard is not really flooded with snow, since it just started.

But it's never too early to attack your enemy with snowballs. While Noriana is still busy whirling in snow, I throw a snowball at her, right on her head.

She turns around with her mouth wide open in shock that her Male Bitch is ready put up a snow fight. Meanwhile she's preparing a snowball with her soft hands, I throw another one at her.

And this time, I can see the rage of retaliation in her sweet eyes. I try to dodge, but the snowball crashes right at my neck, making every nerve of my brain shiver from the coldness.

Despite of frequent attacks from her, I start walking in her direction. She looks at me with confusion. I slip my fingers through her arms and reach her palm. Place her hand on my shoulder, while command my other hand to fix on her waist.

“ What are you doing? ” she asks.

“ Just reminiscing our first dance. ” I answer and make sure that she follows along.

Our college trip to Scotland. It was somewhere around midnight, everyone was fast asleep. But Noriana being Noriana, she had a sudden craving for some delicious hot chocolate.

Everywhere we glanced, it was snow. But Noriana was stubborn to get a hot chocolate. After walking for a few kilometers, we finally found a store and got her some hot chocolate.

She sipped till the last drop of it. It kind of worked as a liquor to her body. Out of nowhere, she grabbed me and started to dance, without music.

Our feet buried in snow, our hands clasped in each other's. That was the first time ever, I saw the real Noriana. The goofy, silly, carefree Noriana. That was the first time ever, we danced.

“ You're not serious, right? ” she raises a brow, and I give a small smirk. With some mischievous intention, I pull her closer. I move my hand forward to tuck her hair behind her ear, and then rest it on her neck while the thumb grazing around her cheek.

“ No, please, you're not gonna kiss me again. Don't forget I'm still mad at you. ” she blurts, until her eyes finally notice the bruises on my knuckles.

Shit.

“ What happened? ”

“ Um, nothing. ”

“ You went to Seth's place, didn't you? ”

“ Maybe. ” and now I know she will become all dramatic, like why don't I leave her alone and all. I know she doesn't really need my protection. But I'm the one who put her in all this mess.

I kinda owe her.

“ Why everytime I convince myself to stay away from you, you end up making me want to get more closer to you? ” she mumbles and I almost roll my eyes until I realise what she actually said.

“ What? You're not mad? ”

“ I am, very much. But Seth deserved what he got. ” she pouts in an adorable manner and I hug her tightly.

Maybe. Maybe, I'm falling in love with her, again. And maybe, maybe more passionately.

“ Hey, give me your phone. ” she demands and I wonder why. Why does she want my phone? Nonetheless, I give it to her without thinking much. She gets away from me, opens the camera and starts clicking selfies.

“ What are you doing? ”

“ I didn't bring my phone with me. And this view is screaming to be captured in pictures. ” she states, and I can't deny with her. So I stand behind her, fitting myself in the frame.

“ Excuse me, can you please stop photo bombing? ”

Ouch.

“ Excuse me, I'm not photo bombing. That's my bloody phone. It's my right to be in the photos. ” I try to snatch the phone but she successfully defends.

“ No, it's not. ” she runs away.

“ Funny, you think you can run away from me. ” I scoff and chase after her. Doesn't she know she's not a fast runner? Wrapping my arms around her waist, I catch her. And lost balance. We both fall on the mattress made of snow, over the ground.

I snatch my phone from her and click a bunch of pictures. This time, I don't let her get inside the frame so easily. But she gets in anyway.

We share fits of laughter, as we lie on the holy ground of snow.

All I can pray to God is, that her face never loses this breathtaking grin.

We finally get up, and dust off the snow from our clothes. I tend to put my phone inside my coat when she stops me, saying, “ Give me your phone. I'll share these pictures to my phone. ”

I pass her the phone. And start dusting off the remaining snow.

“ Why do you have a picture of me sleeping? ”

Bollocks.

My instinct snatches my phone back. “ I- I'll share it to our office group on your birthday. ” joking around, I put my phone in coats pocket.

“ Oh, aren't you giving way too much attention to your assistant these days? ” she raises her eyebrows twice in a teasing manner.

“ Well, you're not just my assistant, you're my-- ” and screw my life. Was I about to say it out loud? Have I lost it? She's finally talking to me. I can't piss her off again.

“ You're my-- what? ”

“ Nothing. ”

“ Say it. ”

“ Enemy. What else did you think? ”

“ Nothing. ”

❤❤❤

Ni hao, the owner of these two beautiful eyes. ٩( ᐛ )و

❁ Not me writing winter scenes while sweating in my room.

❁ Isn't Seth just way too creepy?

❁ Annnndddd, waitttt... I mean, Is The Hans Nicholas Anderson really falling for our Nora!!??

Sometimes, we're just stuck. Not physically but in life. Nothing seems to be working out. And there's nothing you can do about it.

So just do what brings you peace.