"Wait," Miles said, from right behind her. "I think we should talk about this."
"I'm just opening the blinds," Roxie retorted, "I didn't think it warranted a discussion."
"Not that." Grabbing her hands again, Miles turned her to face him. "Obviously there's something between us. Why won't you admit that to yourself?"
Roxie was glad for the dim light now, so that she didn't have to look Miles in the eye. She glanced down at their joined hands. Miles was gently tracing her fingers with his thumb, and making it very difficult for her to think of logical reasons why things wouldn't work out between them.
"I don't believe in aliens," she smirked. Even in the dark, she could tell he wasn't laughing. He kissed her. Just like that, out of the blue, no warning.
"Does it look like I care?" he whispered to her.
Roxie didn't know what to say. She tried to think of something sarcastic that would drive him away, something that would un-numb her brain. Her mouth opened and closed with her lack of appropriate responses. She was a college student, for Christ's sake. This wasn't some silly high school romance where she was supposed to lose her head and be swept off her feet. But no matter how hard she fought it, the fact remained: she couldn't think of one thing to say.
Miles grinned. He couldn't help it; she was giving in! Finally, after all this time. Roxie might not admit it now, but she would! Things were going to work out between them. He felt giddy. And, just to ensure that she didn't change her mind again, he wanted to kiss her again, and watch the surrender creeping into her eyes. He brushed her hair away from her face with one hand, and looked into her eyes. She looked so confused, torn between the wanting and not wanting. He wished that he could just take whatever part of her wasn't sure about him and banish it forever. But he knew somehow that things would have to go slowly if this were to work. He didn't want to take the chance of scaring her away now that things were finally going in the right direction. Giving her another swift kiss, he reached for the blinds.
"Let's hunt down some candles and flashlights," he suggested. Roxie continued to stare at him numbly. She was broken out of her trance when Miles pulled up the blinds, letting the radiant sunshine from outside, illuminated from the white snow, creep into the room.
"Alright," she agreed, giving a little shiver, despite the sunshine. She walked toward the kitchen and rummaged through the nearest drawer. Miles had disappeared into his room. Roxie sighed, taking the time to organize her thoughts. She was pretty sure where things were going with Miles and herself, and she wasn't sure if she was read to accept that. She imagined the things she would have to say to Sabrina, and Morgan, to explain what had changed. And then she was struck by an idea so simple that it made her stop rummaging and just stare at the wall. It didn't matter. Whatever Sabrina and Morgan and the rest of the world thought, didn't matter. She liked Miles and liked her, and that was that. Everyone else would just have to deal. She felt a weight lifted from her shoulders as she accepted the fact and focused once again on finding light.
Miles rejoined Roxie a few minutes later, carrying some candles and a weird looking flashlight. On closer examination, Roxie saw that it was a flashlight with one of those generic green alien figures attached to it. She couldn't help laughing. Adding her candles and flashlight to Miles' pile accumulated on the coffee table, she collapsed on the couch in a fit of giggles.
"My mom bought it!" Miles protested, trying not to start laughing himself. Roxie tried to give him a sarcastic look, but only succeeded in laughing harder. In mock frustration, Miles growled and attacked his roommate in a tickling war. Shrieking, Roxie fought against him and tried to retaliate. After five minutes of intense combat, Miles had Roxie's wrists in his hands, not allowing her to escape. Exhausted from the spent energy, they just sat there, each lost in their own thoughts. Roxie just enjoyed the fact that Miles was so close, and Miles wondered that Roxie was sitting so calmly in his arms. With a small smile, he sighed and rested his head on her shoulder.