Mary wrapped her warm wool scarf around her neck before stepping outside the library doors into the cold snow. She looked down the street, where Stu and May were playing in the falling snow, and Elli and Doctor were leaving the Clinic. Karen and Rick were sitting on the bench next to the supermarket. Everyone was smiling. It felt like Christmas.
"Mares!" Mary heard a familiar voice behind her. She smiled before turning around and facing Jack, the spontaneous and comical handsome young farmer. They would most likely be described as opposites, but they had been good friends for almost a year. When Jack first came to Mineral Town, he had visited the library occasionally, talking to Mary, or usually annoying her, and hoping to win her heart with his friendly personality. Mary was peeved at first, by his flirty attitude towards her, but he has been slowly growing on to her.
She turned around to see his smiling face and big, happy brown eyes. He had a winter coat on, and his usual jeans and work boots. He had on his hat, with soft brown hair peeking out beneath it. "Merry Christmas Eve!" he exclaimed, jumping towards her, making her flinch. He gave her a quick hug, lifting her off the ground until she squealed to be let down.
Mary laughed. "Why so jolly?" she asked, knowing the answer to her question already. She had felt the same amount of joy. To her, holidays like this were usually like any other ordinary day. But she knew this year would be different, because Jack was here for the first time.
"Oh just my favorite holiday," he said. After a moment, he jumped out in thought and said, "You know what I was thinking today?" Mary shook her head. "Well, you're name must have something to do with being happy. Because I was talking to Cliff today, and I said, 'merry Christmas,' and it felt like I was talking to you, because 'Mary' and 'merry' sound alike. Do you see where I'm coming from?" Jack rambled with enthusiasm.
Mary snickered and replied, "Yes, you're quite intelligent, aren't you?"
"Yes, yes I am," Jack boasted. They began to walk down the snow-covered cobble stone street past Ellen's house. "Hey, are you going to the Christmas party at the inn tonight?" he asked.
Mary shook her head. "No, I was going to bake cookies with my mother and Manna," she explained. Jack made a face at the idea.
"Oh, that should be fun," he stated sarcastically as they walked past the Supermarket. "And that sounds perfect, because you're just the kind of girl who'd rather have fifty minute gossiping sessions than have a good time with beer, eggnog, and friends."
Mary gave Jack a friendly frown and said, "Hey, don't tell me that, I love eggnog."
Jack laughed, "That's too bad, because there will be tons of it! I guess Ann and I will have to drink it alone."
"Yeah, considering how Karen and Duke will be downing beer instead," Mary said.
Jack chuckled. "Please, Mares, won't you come? You know you would rather drink eggnog with me than listen to Manna talk for hours about Kai." Mary glanced at him and rolled her eyes. He was telling the truth, she did want to go, but her mother would never let her.
"My mother wouldn't even consider it," she stated stubbornly.
"What if I asked her for you?" Jack said, raising his eyebrows. They both knew that Anna absolutely adored Jack, and would do anything to push Mary and him together.
"I guess. However, beware, she'll think it's a date," Mary warned him.
Jack stopped walking, so Mary did to. "What's so bad about a date?" he questioned with a mysterious smile. They continued walking.
"Jack. You are so annoying," she muttered while shaking her head with a smile.
"And cute? Handsome? Charming?" he asked hopefully. "Come on Mares, at least I'm acting like myself rather than being all silent and 'mysterious' just to make you like me," he said, holding his fingers up to air quote the word 'mysterious'.
"Jack, that's Gray's personality, he doesn't pretend to act like that."
"Whatever. But what I am saying, is that, this is who I am. So if I'm annoying… too bad, loser," he said, smacking her forehead with his palm and running ahead of her to Rose Square. He waited in the middle empty town lot, and when she came close enough, he pulled her closer.
"Mary, snowflakes look so pretty in you're hair," he said quietly, looking at the sparkling flakes that stood out against her black hair. He examined her face, from her long, snow flake coated eyelashes, over her cute and petite nose, to her small yet full lips. "You're beautiful," he whispered in her ear, then backed up, bent down, and picked up a handful of snow.
He began packing it tighter between his hands and Mary backed away. "Oh, you wouldn't," she said.
"I think I would!" he yelled, launching the snowball at her, striking her arm. She turned around and scrambled behind a bench. "Oh come on Mares, you're no fun," he said, disappointed, yet still smiling.
Mary grabbed a large handful of the sticky white snow and packed it together. She stood up from behind the bench and threw the snowball at Jack, but missed miserably. "Oh that was pathetic!" Jack exclaimed, whipping another snowball at her coat.
Mary grabbed as much snow as she could, and formed it into a ball. She attempted again, and successfully hit Jack in the chest. "Hah!" she yelled.
"Hm? So you think you're going pro, right? Well, take this!" he said, throwing another at Mary. She swiftly stepped to the side and dodged it with another smile. "Okay, then," Jack said, stepping forward. Mary kept his gaze and also took a step, forming another snowball in her cold hands. Jack packed his as tight as he could.
"Eat snow!" Jack called, throwing his snowball. Mary giggled to herself, and threw hers as fast as possible. Both of them hit each other. Jack was struck in the leg, and Mary, on her stomach.
They both laughed and walked towards one another until they could feel the other's warm breath on their face. "Truce?" Mary asked, making a peace sign with her red, icy fingers.
"Truce," Jack replied, taking her hand in his two, warming it up. "Maybe you are a little fun."
Mary cocked her head to the side, "A little? Only a little?"
"Well, maybe that means we should get to know each other a little more," Jack suggested, dropping Mary's hand.
After a moment of silence between them, Mary explained, "I feel so free when I'm around you. Like I was trapped in a box for eighteen years, and then you came and opened it so I could get out."
"You do seem different, but in a good way," Jack said. "Wait. Okay, let's see...define algorithm."
Mary didn't even have to think. "A step-by-step problem-solving procedure, specifically established, or a recursive computational procedure for solving a problem in a finite number of steps."
Jack grinned. "You're amazing." Mary blushed.
"You are too, if you've opened me up like this."
"Ooh, you's a flirt, Mares," Jack teased.
Mary back up and looked up at the snow falling from the light blue sky. "Snow is so pretty," she said. Jack looked at her and nodded.
"It sure is." Mary turned her attention from the sky to Jack. He stepped forward and took Mary's hand. "I think I have fallen in love with you."
Mary's heat beat faster and eyes grew larger. "Love is a strong word," she managed to choke. Jack looked slightly disappointed.
"But I'm not weak," Mary said, tilted her head, and kissed his lips gently.
"Mares," he whispered and kissed her again. "I love you,"
Mary smiled at the childish nickname. "I love you too."