I huddle into my cashmere coat, the chilly air wrapping itself around me as I tiptoe causiously across the ice coated pathway. My feet slip and slide beneath me, numb from the cold as the frost seeps through my now damp suade boots. I shiver violently, wishing I was home in front of the fire, with a hot water bottle and some drinking chocolate. Instead I'm here, struggling through the ice and snow towards the park.
I sigh once again as I think of the maddness of all this. Facing the harsh winter weather in the middle of December to meet a man who I swore never to speak to again. Memories flood into my mind as I picture Him, and I can't stop the wave of emotion from building up inside me yet again.
I'm nearly at the park now,the bare, snow coated trees coming into view, along with the frozen lake and deserted play area. The park is almost empty; most people warm at home, probably eating dinner, enjoying Boxing Day without a care in the world.
My Christmas has been miserable; long days and lonley nights filled with memories of last Christmas, when I was the happiest I'd ever been. This Christmas I had sat in my front room, sorrowfully sipping mulled wine and gorging on chocolates and mince pies, playing out scenes of the past in my head. Bitter sweet memories that made me smile and cry at the same time.
Now, my thoughts are inturrpted as I glance up and see Him. Instantly, my heart is on fire and I feel a flutter in my stomach as I walk towards him. I'm ashamed that he still has this affect on me, and try to hide my feelings with an intense, stony stare as I crunch across the grass.
He is standing beneath a tree with his hands burried in his coat pockets, his head down, hiding his sandy coloured hair and sea blue eyes. He looks up suddenly, our eyes meet and I instantly feel myself melting.
He smiles, briefly, and steps towards me. I look down, scared that if I look at him any longer I'll leap into his arms and stay there forever.



























"I'm glad you came," he says. "I wasn't sure you would."





















"Yes, well," I say frostily, "You have no right to see me. You don't deserve 'five minutes' or a second chance, in fact you don't deserve anything, so don't get any ideas."















He laughs softly. "You're so cute and funny when you're trying to be aloof," he says, in that deep, warm voice I've missed so terribly.
"Just say what you wanted to say," I reply flatly, keeping my cool exterior.
















"Okay...." he takes a tiny step forward and breathes in. "Scarlett, baby, I never meant to hurt you. I know that's what they all say but I mean it. I was stupid and I took you for granted and I didn't think about what life would be like without you. I've been thinking about that a lot though, and it's hell. Babe I can't live without you. You're everything to me."
I raise my eyebrows and roll my eyes at all the cliches.

























He sighs. "I'm not very good with words, I know. But I have something else..... I was thinking about what I wanted to say to you, and I couldn't put my feelings into to words so I decided to find a song that I could play you. I searched for hours, listening to loads of songs before I found this one and it just said everything I want to say to you, word for word. It just felt like our song, I just knew this was the one I should play you. So...."
He reaches into his pocket and roots around before producing his Ipod. He taps few times on the screen, and then the air around us is filled with soft music, music that I recognise as one of my favourite songs.....
I stare at him as the words from 'What makes you different' by The Backstreet Boys float into my ears. I almost can't believe it; when I was younger, I used to listen to this song all the time because it sounded like me - never fitting it with the crowd, being different, going my own way - and I always hoped that one day I'd find a boy who would see all of those wonderful things in me and tell me so, and this would be the boy I'd spend the rest of my life with. Tears are pricking at my eyes as I realise that that boy is standing right in front of me.
I begin to smile as we reach the chorus and then laugh as He starts to mime the words and make hand gestures, like he's singing to me. He even has a little 'hip sway' going on, which just reminds me why I fell for him in the first place.
The song finishes and there's a short silence as I look at him, more softly now, and he looks back at me, hopefully.




































"I know it's not much but, that's how I really feel about you and I just wondered if you feel like giving it another go? See if you can fall in the love with me again."


















I breathe in slowly, and shake my head. I step forward, closing the gap between us.












"I never fell out of love with you," I said.



























"I was hoping you might say that," he smiled. "So, am I forgiven? Can we give it another go?"









"Hmm...." I look at him thoughtfully. "Kiss me and I'll think about it," I say.
In a second, he leans forward and takes me in his arms, kissing me softly. I melt into his arms as he strokes my hair, and as the snow starts to fall around us like confetti, it's like we've never been apart.