Frostbitten

by Heather Beck

  Amidst the silence of the woods, Anastasia suddenly heard the faint sound of approaching footsteps. She spun around, feeling equally anxious and relieved as she waited for someone to appear from over the undulating road. Slowly, Gorgeous was revealed, walking straight toward her. His presence in her time of need and amongst such beautiful scenery made her momentarily question if she was merely dreaming.

  “Are you lost?” he asked, stopping right in front of her.

  “I...” Anastasia tried to respond, while staring so intently upon him that everything else seemed to become a blur. “I’m so lost,” she finally admitted, forcing her gaze from him and onto her surroundings. “Can you give me directions to Evergreen Road?”

  “You’re far from home,” he noted. “Let me take you there.”

  “Thanks, I’d really appreciate that,” Anastasia said, before he began leading her forward. She smiled at him, even though he was looking straight ahead with a serious expression upon his face.

  “You shouldn’t be out here,” he warned, “especially alone.”

  “You were alone, too,” Anastasia pointed out.

  He smirked at her comment and then cast her a quick, interested glance. “I guess you’re right.”

  “I’m not trying to pry,” Anastasia began hesitantly, after a slight pause in their conversation, “but why are you out here?”

  “It’s where I live.”

  “I didn’t see a house.”

  “You’re inquisitive,” he stated in a friendly manner, despite the flicker of fear in his eyes. “I promise you there’s a house back there.”

  “I’ll take your word for it then,” Anastasia replied in a slightly flirtatious tone.

  “That’s entirely up to you.”

  Anastasia’s heart fluttered as he smiled at her, their eyes lingering on each other for several moments. She felt the overwhelming urge to kiss him, but when he broke his gaze, she realized that she was being way too hasty.

  “My name’s Anastasia, by the way,” she said, wondering why he hadn’t introduced himself first.

  He looked away, almost as if he no longer wanted to be there. “I’m Frost,” he responded.

  Anastasia had to hide her surprise. How could this be the boy who Kate had insulted so mercilessly? Frost was extremely handsome, and he looked like he could be the captain of any sports team. According to all the high school clichés she’d ever heard, that would put him at the top of every girl’s boyfriend wish list.

  “Frost is an unusual name, but I like it,” Anastasia said, trying desperately to forget everything that Kate had said about him. “What does it mean?”

  “The state of freezing.”

  “That’s not what I’m asking,” Anastasia said with an amused smirk, all the while thinking that’s exactly how she would’ve answered if she were him.

  Suddenly, Frost stopped dead in his tracks and stood still and tense. It was as if he’d heard something, even though the woods were as quiet as ever.

  “Frost, what’s wrong?” Anastasia asked, studying his concerned expression.

  “Shhh...” he whispered, while staring into the woods in an intense manner. “We’re in danger.”

  Startled by Frost’s words, Anastasia scanned the surrounding area but saw nothing out of the ordinary. “Why?” she demanded. “What’s out there?”

  When Frost didn’t reply, Anastasia stepped forward. Quickly, he put his arm in front of her, stopping her from going any further. Frost then nudged Anastasia behind him and kept a tight grip on her arm.

  “A cougar is watching us,” Frost said in a low tone. “We have to show him we’re not afraid.”

  Anastasia’s heart pounded so hard that it felt like it would rip from her chest. She never knew there were cougars in Cedar Falls, far less had she ever seen one. However, what she did know was that cougars could be very dangerous, and that she and Frost had nothing with which to defend themselves.

  “Where is he?” Anastasia asked, her voice hardly a whisper.

  “Don’t make eye contact,” Frost said hastily, despite the fact that his own gaze hadn’t shifted from the woods for several moments. In a swift motion, he raised his arms above his head in a gesture that mimicked a violent protest. “Hey!” he called, his voice growing louder as he continued. “Go away! Get out of here!”

  The woods seemed to come alive as the cougar started to run. Anastasia only saw a flash of brown fur in between the trees, and even that was enough to make her shiver. The cougar had been close but was now fleeing from them, and as he went, branches shook and twigs snapped in half. After the cougar had disappeared into the wilderness, everything was still and quiet once again.

  Frost maintained his grip on Anastasia’s arm as he hurried her forward. His pace was so fast that she had to run just to keep up. Since the cougar had left them unharmed and was probably a mile away by now, Anastasia wondered why Frost still looked so alarmed.

  “I think we can slow down,” Anastasia said several minutes later, finally resisting Frost’s pull.

  Frost released Anastasia’s arm and reduced his speed slightly. “We have to keep moving,” he advised. “Cougar’s stalk their prey, and he could return at any moment.”

  “How did you know the cougar was there?” Anastasia asked one of the many questions which were circulating in her mind.

  “If you spend enough time in the woods, you’ll get to know its rhythm, especially when something is wrong.”

  “What do you mean?” Anastasia inquired. She was tired, still a bit shaken-up and definitely not in the mood for cryptic language.

  “Stay close to me and you’ll be safe,” Frost promised.

  Nothing else was said as they trekked onward. Twenty minutes later, Anastasia began recognizing her surroundings. As her grandparents’ house finally came into view, she realized just how lost she’d really been. If Frost hadn’t found her, she didn’t want to think about what could’ve happened, especially with that cougar roaming the woods. He’d saved her, and they both knew it.

  “This was the place I was looking for,” Anastasia joked as she stopped outside the Lockhart residence.

  Frost smirked, but his expression soon changed when he looked upon her house. He appeared uncomfortable as his eyes settled on the living room window. “I should go,” he said abruptly, before turning around to leave.

  “You can come in,” Anastasia said, causing Frost to pause momentarily. “You should rest a little, and I can get you something to eat.”

  In the background, a door swung open and then someone shouted out to Anastasia. She turned around to see her grandfather hurrying toward them.

  “Thanks, but that’s not a good idea,” Frost replied as he rushed to leave. “I’ll see you around.”

  “Don’t you want a ride home?” Anastasia called after him. It would be dark soon, and she knew that he shouldn’t be walking alone. Unfortunately, Frost was already too far away to hear her.

  “Anastasia, what’s going on?” Mr. Lockhart demanded, once he’d reached her side. He sounded angry, but his expression was clearly one of relief. “What were you doing with that boy?”

  “He walked me home,” Anastasia began to say.

  “Frost is nothing but trouble,” he interrupted. “How many times do I have to tell you to stay away from him?”

  “Maybe if you told me why, it would sink in better,” Anastasia responded in frustration.

  Mr. Lockhart sighed. “You’re a smart girl, Anastasia. You know that Mr. Stone is his father. As for his mother, no decent woman would marry a man like that. We do not associate with those types of people.”

  Anastasia questioned the accuracy of her grandfather’s criticism. He was obviously threatened and angered by Mr. Stone’s successful business, so maybe his judgment was clouded. Either way, she felt very defensive of Frost.

  “Well, I guess Frost has beaten the odds,” Anastasia said, almost glaring at her grandfather. “I was lost, but he brought me home. He sounds like a real
jerk, huh?”

  Mr. Lockhart narrowed his eyes at Anastasia. “I’m picking you up every day after school,” he said, as if it was a cruel punishment.

  Anastasia didn’t have a chance to respond as her grandfather marched into the house. She was about to follow him when she noticed her grandmother watching from the living room window. Upon being spotted, her grandmother hurried away. However, it was too late; she now understood why Frost had left so quickly. He knew that her grandparents not only disliked his father but his whole family, too. Suddenly, Anastasia’s life seemed a lot more complicated.

  Later that night, Anastasia ran a hot bath for herself. It had been a very long day filled with many unexpected events, and she was in dire need of some relaxation. Not all of her day had been hard, though. She smiled while thinking about Frost. He was different from the other boys she’d known, probably because she couldn’t read him. Frost was a mystery – one that she was eager to unravel.

  Anastasia was about to step into the water when she remembered that her Dead Sea bath salts were still in her bedroom. It was her only indulgence and well worth every penny. Wrapping a white towel around herself, she headed to her bedroom. That’s when she heard her grandparents talking quietly in the kitchen. Upon hearing her name, Anastasia crept closer and listened.

  “It was foolish of me to let Anastasia walk home from school,” Mr. Lockhart said. “She hasn’t been in Cedar Falls for four years – it’s no wonder she got lost!” With a deep sigh he added, “Anything could’ve happened to her, Rose. What the hell was I thinking?”

  Sympathetically, Mrs. Lockhart placed her hand on top of Mr. Lockhart’s. “You were allowing Anastasia to make her own choices. It’s important that she feels in control of her life.”

  “No,” he replied sharply. “What’s important is keeping her safe. We need to set strict boundaries and make sure she stays within them.”

  “Of course there should be rules,” she agreed, “but she also needs some freedom.” Taking a deep breath, she added, “You shouldn’t have told her to stay away from Frost. It will only encourage her to rebel.”

  “You gave Kendall freedom and she ruined her life,” Mr. Lockhart pointed out angrily. “I won’t let the same thing happen to Anastasia.”

  “Please be gentle with her, Fredrick. You know Anastasia is troubled.”

  Too hurt to listen any longer, Anastasia hurried back to the bathroom. She slammed the door behind her and then started to cry, not caring if her grandparents heard. If anyone could see the goodness inside of her, she thought it would’ve been them. Unfortunately, all they saw was a girl with issues, and now she was their burden. Knowing what her grandparents really thought about her made Anastasia feel like a freak who was alone in this world.

  * * *

  Part Three: Cruel Intentions

  The clock hadn’t struck seven yet, but Anastasia stood outside her house, waiting in the cold, dreary early morning weather. She was desperate to avoid her grandparents, and as they slept, she’d written them a brief note stating where she was going and with whom. Anastasia hadn’t spoken to her grandparents since overhearing their frank discussion about her, and she wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible. It had become second nature for Anastasia not to talk about what was really bothering her – even though that only caused more trouble.

  Finally, the ride Anastasia had been waiting for appeared in the distance. Seconds later, a stylish light blue car stopped outside her house. As the driver rolled down the window, loud music could be heard coming from inside.

  “Get in, bitch!” Chloe called out jokingly.

  As Anastasia entered the car, she immediately noticed the sleek, spotless interior which featured leather upholstery and branding just about everywhere. The car was obviously new and expensive, and this caused Anastasia to wonder what type of lifestyle Chloe now led. Although her father owned a dental practice in town, he’d always been somewhat frugal. Anastasia hadn’t seen him in years, though, and by the looks of Chloe’s car, he’d definitely changed his money-saving ways.

  “Do you like it?” Chloe asked, while running her fingers over the silver swirl pattern on the steering wheel cover. “My parents bought it for my sweet sixteenth. I thought I was going to faint when they unveiled it at my party.”

  “The car’s amazing, Chloe,” Anastasia replied, while thinking about her own sixteenth birthday. She’d spent it alone and crying, wanting to just disappear. Looking back, she couldn’t even remember what had upset her so much. “I wish I could’ve been at your party,” she added with a small smile, trying to erase the disturbing memory.

  “I wish you were there, too,” Chloe said in an almost sad tone as she drove away from the Lockhart residence. “You probably didn’t know this,” she continued after a moment’s pause, “but I used to consider you my best friend. We had so much fun together, and I felt like I could tell you anything. I missed that. I missed you.”

  “Children grow up,” Anastasia pointed out, attempting to control the emotions that were surfacing because of her friend’s words.

  “True, but you completely disappeared.”

  There was no point in denying it; Anastasia had cut Chloe out of her life, and she’d done so without providing a reason. In fact, Anastasia was surprised that she was being so friendly. All those missed calls and unanswered letters must have really hurt Chloe at the time.

  “My intentions were never cruel,” Anastasia said softly and sincerely.

  “I kind of knew that, but it’s nice to hear you say it.” Chloe took her eyes off the road for a second to smile at Anastasia. “So, can you guess where I’m taking you for breakfast?”

  “Dale’s Diner,” Anastasia replied, without missing a beat. Having eaten there countless times, it’d always been one of her and Chloe’s favorite places.

  “Since you’ll be spending your lunches with Mr. O’Sexy now, I thought we might as well have breakfast together.”

  “Mr. who?” Anastasia asked with a laugh.

  “Come on, Anastasia,” Chloe began in a teasing manner, “don’t pretend you haven’t noticed Mr. O’Donoghue’s smoldering good looks. I seriously considered joining the literacy group just so I could stare at him.”

  “Now that’s creepy.”

  “It’s only creepy if I follow through on it,” Chloe said with a playful shrug as she parked her car outside Dale’s Diner.

  A bell chimed as Anastasia and Chloe entered the diner, and immediately, she noted that everything was exactly how she’d remembered. With wood furnishings, forest green walls and numerous photographs of nature scenes and animals, it was still charmingly rustic and very inviting.

  “Our old table is empty,” Chloe pointed out, while leading Anastasia through the busy diner. “Let’s get it before someone else does.”

  As Anastasia sat down, nostalgia settled in. The waitress who took their order wore the familiar black and green uniform, and Dale was still running around, trying to complete a dozen tasks at once. It was like no time had passed at all.

  Anastasia was about to comment on this when she overheard part of a strange conversation between two men who sat a few tables away. She instantly recognized them as Leo and Mike – brothers who ran their own handyman business in town. They also happened to be friends with her grandfather.

  “At first I thought people were making a big deal out of nothing,” Leo spoke loudly. “I mean, pets go missing all the time and a couple of dead deer isn’t anything to worry about. But then I saw it with my own eyes – a large buck brutally savaged by goodness knows what. Something’s not right in these woods, and I’m going to find out what’s going on.”

  “I bet the police already know what it is,” Mike said angrily, in between bites of his hash brown. “They’re always sneaking around and hiding things – all on our tax dollars. It’s a conspiracy, I’m telling you.”

  Although Anastasia rolled her eyes at Mike’s paranoia, she couldn’t help but feel a little concerned by
Leo’s words, especially after what she and Frost had encountered in the woods. “Should I be worried?” she asked Chloe with a slightly forced laugh, knowing that her friend had heard the conversation, too.

  Chloe shrugged, as if she was indifferent. “Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about some wild animal, but since I never go into the woods, I’m not worried. Besides, the adults here are always gossiping about something. I really don’t give it much attention anymore.”

  Before Anastasia could say anything else on the matter, the waitress brought them their food. Although she knew that she should tell Chloe about what had happened yesterday after school, she was too embarrassed to admit that she’d gotten lost. She also didn’t want to divulge the subsequent events which included her grandfather’s reaction to finding her with Frost.

  “Thanks,” Anastasia and Chloe said simultaneously to the waitress, before reaching for their cutlery and starting to eat.

  “Don’t tell Kate what I’m having for breakfast,” Chloe said, stabbing a large sausage with her fork. “She so wouldn’t approve.”

  “Who cares?” Anastasia replied with a snort. “Last time I checked, you were your own person.”

  Chloe sighed. “I know you and Kate didn’t exactly hit it off, but being her friend is worth the effort. You get invited to the coolest parties, and being around her makes you feel special.”

  “I get it,” Anastasia said as she poured maple syrup over her blueberry pancakes. “Seriously, I do.” She didn’t bother to voice her observation that Chloe only appeared interested in what Kate could do for her.

  “Then you’ll come to Kate’s sleepover on Saturday night?” Chloe asked with a smile. “It would be the perfect opportunity for you to get to know her better. Marissa will be there, too.”