Let it Snow!

❄Seventeen❄

"I really like this place," Nora said, looking around the now nearly empty restaurant once they finished the desserts. She sipped her wine, wondering if it was closing time and they should leave, but Martin looked so relaxed that she banished the idea and sat more comfortably.

"How are you settling down? Are you happy here?" he asked, his eyes boring into hers as if he was really curious, but scared of her answer at the same time.

"Yes... I like it here. I hope to find a full-time job, though. I need some money to pay the bills to be able to afford to remain here." She smiled. "I'm still waiting to hear from the castle. If they don't want me, I guess I could offer myself as a teacher in one of the language schools, I noticed at least two when I went shopping."

"You told me that you applied for a job in the castle, I forgot! I'm sure they'll call you next week, they would be silly not to hire someone so competent, who likes the castle and knows it as well as you do."

Nora arched her eyebrows at him, letting him know that she could see through his flattery and wasn't impressed by it. He didn't know her well enough to say that, and the last thing she needed was to get her hopes high.

"Tell me more about Daniel. Seeing that I'll be a lot around him now..." she asked, changing the subject. Nora was curious about how the boy ended up living with his father, but she didn't want to start that conversation, not until Martin told her something himself.

"We should talk about your salary, too," he replied, surprising her.

Nora groaned, burying her face in the palms of her hands. She had forgotten about that-- the thought of becoming his employee was strange.

"Martin, not now, please. I hate talking about money, let's not make this evening awkward."

"As you wish." He sighed, waiting for her to meet his eyes again before he continued, "So... despite everything, Daniel is a happy child. Very easygoing and affectionate. All the town knows and likes him, it's incredible that all that care and attention didn't spoil him. But you'll see for yourself."

"Fine. Then tell me something about yourself, Martin," she said, surprising herself. "Of course you don't have to if..."

He didn't let her finish. "I had a huge crush when I was young, a platonic, perfectly unrequited love. The girl didn't even know I existed."

She giggled. "Sorry... You just... sound like me. I loved this boy for years, and nothing ever happened between us... we may have held hands on a few occasions, kissed once or twice... But even once I stopped coming here regularly and seeing him, it took me years to stop thinking about him and move on."

He laughed. "You definitely got farther than me. And it took me a very, very long time to notice that there were other girls who were willing to return my attention."

"Tell me about the girl. She must have been, well, quite something to make you fall in love like that..."

"She was beautiful, but I don't think she thought so herself. She was very shy, so very different from her friends." Somehow, his fingers found their way to her hair again, pushing a stray blonde strand away from her eyes as he spoke. "You know, you haven't changed much. I remember you so well... you always wore your hair loose, like tonight. But back then, you used it as a curtain to hide behind. Your hair, the enormous, Clelia-style round glasses, and books... always books... You used to be in love with The Three Musketeers."

She shifted in her chair uneasily; how could he remember her so well?! And she spent years of her life pining for a boy-- this very man's younger brother!-- who never really noticed her, well, no more than he noticed any other girl... Had she been looking in the wrong direction? Where would she be today, how would her life be if she had ever noticed Martin back then?