Ivan's brown boots sink into the snow, making a crunching sound that fills the still, cold air. He sighs, why must it always be so damn cold? He looks up at the sound of laughter. Ivan's eyes meet a girl, probably in her twenties. She is laughing, playing the snow. How can someone bring themselves to beam in such a sad land? He wonders. She runs inside the house she is in the front yard of and comes back with ice skates in hand. She begins walking towards the local pond, which everyone skates on. Ivan decides to follow her; unsure whether or not he is going mad.
When he gets to the pond, she is already out gliding on the ice. He leaves to get his own skates, hoping she will still be there when he returns.
The girl, or rather woman, is still at the pond when Ivan gets back with his skates. He watches her do nimble spins as he laces up his skates, wondering if she if a professional figure skater. Soon, Ivan Braginski is out on the ice, gliding towards the mysterious girl. She is spinning when he approaches.
"Would you like a partner?" he asks the girl. Whirling out of the spin easily, she gapes as his tall, imposing figure for a second, and then recovers from the shock.
So he wasn't going mad after all. She nods, "That would be wonderful." Ivan takes her hand, noting the slightness of her figure. They begin to skate together, and it seems as though she is dancing in his arms. He spins her out, and she lets go to perform a nimble leap. Ivan thinks for a second that he has lost the mysterious girl, but then she skates up and takes his hand again.
"My name is Ivan," he states as he places his hand on her waist. The girl blinks.
"I'm Yvonne. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ivan."
"A pleasure, indeed." She smiles slightly, and so does he. After a while of skating together quietly, she lets go of his hand and starts skating to the edge of the pond. He follows her, unsure if he's dreaming or not. She turns around nimbly, and smiles at him.
"Would you like to come over my house for some hot chocolate, Ivan?" He smiles.
"That would be wonderful."
So he wasn't mad after all.