Clamour

An odd feeling woke me up, the feeling that someone was standing just above me. Yet, when I opened my eyes, there was no one, except for the slightly open window putting a chill in the room.

Big fluffy flakes swirled crazily outside my window, and sleepily I closed the window tight and locked it, hoping to prevent anyone else from entering. It was only then that I realized that it was 3 in the morning. But now that I was up, I didn't feel like going back to sleep. I felt like taking a walk.

I pulled on my parka and hat and scarf and mittens and left the dormitory, feeling oddly exuberant about getting out of there. I walked confidently out into the snow, not caring that the flakes practically kept visibility to a minimum and that I could slip at any moment in my heeled boots. I felt free, freer than I had been feeling in the past few months. Perhaps, in the past few years.

I took a deep breath, smelling the intoxicating richness of crisp air filled with snow falling from clouds covering the sky. I now know why my mother loved the first snowfall of the year; it was positively freeing.

Giggling to myself, I twirled in the snow, my arms stretched and my scarf swirling about me. I felt like a little girl again, as if I were in a fairy costume twirling in a circle of trees as a beautiful sun was shining down on me. I didn't care if anyone saw me, although I doubted that anyone was awake to see me, and I kept at it, twirling and twirling until my shoes suddenly lost their footing and I fell into the snow.

There, I closed my eyes, relishing the joy of it, until a pair of strong hands began to pull me up, whereupon I forced my eyes open only to look on the smiling face of Logan Huntzberger.

"You're gonna catch a cold," he said, keeping me steady on my feet by holding my arms.

I had no idea what to say, so I opted for "What are doing out here?" keeping my voice only curious.

The gleam came back into his eyes and he smiled again. He then asked, "Shouldn't you be sleeping? I heard that reporters went to bed at twelve."

I rolled my eyes in response. "You know, you have a very annoying tendency to answer a question with a question."

"I do know," Logan replied smoothly. "You've reminded me of it five times."

"You're exaggerating," I shot back.

"Yeah, well, gotta fight fire with fire," he said.

I cocked my head, and said in my coyest voice ever, "You think I'm throwing fire at you?"

The look of surprise in his eyes answered my question and before he had a chance to make a covering remark, I pulled free from his grasp and turned back to the snow. It was coming down thinner now, and while that put a bit of a damper on my fun, it allowed me to see Logan more clearly.

"Do you always keep the men on their toes, Ace?" he asked, watching me as I walked.

"Oh, no," I played back, my voice light and evasive. "Only the ones I'm trying to get information out of."

He seemed to like that. His smile grew larger and he began to follow me as I walked around. So far he was playing into my hands.

I stopped to look up at the stars and he said wonderingly, "I have to hand it to you, Ace; you seem to be playing with a full deck of cards. What info would you like me to share with you?"

"Well, Logan Huntzberger, were you the one to leave a package at my dormitory door encasing a necklace probably worth thousands and thousands of dollars? And your answer cannot include the word 'salt' or another question."

His body suddenly pressed up against mine from behind and I could feel his breath on the side of my face. I could feel myself start to warm to the warmth of his body, and by the way I was reacting, I knew he had to be smirking by now.

A clock somewhere struck 4, its deep resonant ring echoing from what could have been miles away. The clamour seemed to wash over us, and by the time it was finished, I knew I wasn't going to get an answer.

"Well, Lorelai Gilmore, you're just going to have to wait for that answer." His lips lightly kissed my cheek, bringing an instant blush to my face, and he left me, sauntering away with the last word.

I would have cursed out loud, but there was something in his walk that said I would be expecting more.

I found out as soon as I arrived back at my dorm room. Paris was still sleeping soundly from her room, but upon entering my own bedroom, I found a long-stemmed rose sitting primly on top of my pillow with more rose petals added to the bed.