Chapter 4
After I've dropped my new dress off at home and put thermals on under my jeans and jumper along with my warmest coat, scarf and gloves, I meet Cassey outside and we start our walk to the park.
Even when she's wrapped up in multiple layers, Cassey still looks glamorous. She's got on a pale pink coat with a fur lined hood and she's styled her hair so it comes out in perfect waves from one side. White gloves and scarf and knee-high boots finish her winter wonderland look.
It's only a 10 minute walk and before long we see Christian and Robbie waiting for us near the entrance to the cafe. They meet us halfway and Christian leans straight in and gives Cassey a long kiss. Leaving me and Robbie standing awkwardly next to them.
I take a step away from the lip locked love birds and turn to Robbie. I recognise him from a couple of my classes but have never really spoken to him.
“Hiya, I'm Krista.” I say with a slight wave.
Robbie is only slightly taller than me with dark skin and deep brown eyes. His fashionable coat has a silver buckled belt around the waist that's pulled quite tight showing his slim figure. He has dark hair with blond highlights and I'm pretty sure his eyes have a touch of eye-liner around them.
“Oh, I know!” he says in a slightly high pitched voice as he greats me with a kiss on the cheek. “I'm Robbie. You're in my photography class, right?”
“Yeah you did the images of people with animal characteristics, didn't you? They were so cleverly put together.”
“I'm glad you liked! They were a nightmare to Photoshop.” He laughs as he flicks his fringe out of his eyes.
Christian and Cassey finally pull themselves away from each other and turn to me and Robbie. Cassey's cheeks are flushed and she's grinning at me. I smile at her and shake my head.
“He had me be a model for that coursework.” says Christian. He has his arm around Cassey's shoulder. “You made me half tiger or something, didn't you?”
“Yeah, you suit the stripey look.” Robbie grins at Christian. His gaze lingering on his arm around Cassey's shoulders. His grin fades a bit and he turns away with a shiver. “Fancy a walk to warm up? I wanna get some pics of the trees covered in snow.” He says more to me.
“Yeah sure, sounds good.”
Robbie hadn't once acknowledged Cassey but I don't think she or Christian noticed as they were back to flirting whilst they walk behind us. They made an adorable couple and they are clearly smitten with each other, but I had the distinct impression Robbie doesn't share my opinion.
As we walk through the park we go through a much woodier area.
Some places get very dense and it's like walking through a woodland instead of a park.
We go single file through these areas occasionally stopping whilst Robbie takes photos on his camera that's hanging around his neck.
He shows me quite a few of his pictures and there's no denying that he's a talented photographer.
He has an eye for seeing shapes in things that others don't see.
For the first time, I see the park in a different way and I don't think it's Robbie opening my eyes to seeing things his way.
I feel much more attuned to the nature around me.
Squirrels and birds moving through the trees.
The breeze ruffling the leaves. It's all pulsing with an energy that's becoming more and more familiar to me.
Whatever the changes I'm experiencing are, they feel incredible.
I feel a connection to everything. I find myself no longer feeling the cold.
Instead I feel fresh. It's a comforting feeling and I know I'm going to spend a lot more time here.
I'm a part of it and it's a part of me. I'm joined to it all.
The energy is flowing through me and warming me.
I take a deep breath in revelling in the feeling.
As I breathe out I don't have the frosty breath you get when it's cold.
I look around at the others to see they all have the mist when they breathe.
Not only that but I'm taller than all of them.
I haven't grown. Their feet are a good 6 inches into the snow but I'm not sinking at all.
In fact, I've barely left footprints. None of them have noticed yet.
Robbie is doing some macro shots of leaves laying in the snow and Christian and Cassey are wrapped up in each other.
They've hardly put each other down this whole time.
It won't be long till the others realise the weird stuff going on with me so I try and make myself sink into the snow.
I push my feet down one at a time. The snow does exactly what I want it to and I sigh with relief.
I try not to think too hard about why I need to concentrate on making something happen when it just should.