Frostbitten by Heather Beck

did was nice
– thank you,” Anastasia replied, trying to act normal even though she was
delighted to confirm her suspicion of who had given her the rose.
    “I was going to tell
you this in a note and put it in your locker,” Frost explained awkwardly, “but
I realized that would only cause more trouble.”
    “Never,” Anastasia said
with a small smile. “You can put notes in my locker anytime.” Trusting her
instincts, she opened the door wider. “Do you want to come in?”
    Frost looked
conflicted. “I’d love to, but I know your grandfather doesn’t like me.”
    “His feud with your
father isn’t our problem.” To ease the slight tension, Anastasia added in a
teasing manner, “You better come in or the cougar might get you.”
    “I’m not afraid of the
cougar,” Frost said quickly.
    “Admitting you’re
scared doesn’t emasculate you – it makes you human.”
    “Okay, I was scared,
but only because the cougar was there and so were you.”
    This time, it was
Anastasia’s turn to blush. “I guess I’ll have to join you outside then,” she
said, while grabbing one of her grandmother’s coats which hung nearby and then
closing the door behind her.
    They began walking
along Evergreen Road, admiring the scenery. Although the day had started with a
gray sky, the clouds now rolled by, allowing the sun to appear every so often.
Cedar Falls truly was a beautiful place, and as Anastasia took a deep breath of
the fresh, chilly air, she temporarily forgot that danger lurked in the woods.
    “I love it here,” Frost
stated. “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”
    “It has some good things
to offer,” Anastasia said, casting Frost an interested side glance.
    Pleased, Frost smirked.
“I hear Toronto has a lot to offer, too. Why did you come to Cedar Falls?”
    “You really don’t know?
I assumed my sordid trysts with Mr. O’Donoghue weren’t the only rumor now
circulating about me. Give them a little scandal, and people like to keep on
digging.”
    “I don’t trust gossip,”
Frost said gently, as if to ease Anastasia’s growing agitation. “That’s why I’m
asking you.”
    “Sorry,” Anastasia said
through a sigh. “To be honest, it was my mother’s decision to send me here.”
    “Tell her I say thank
you.”
    Blushing yet again,
Anastasia turned her face away. “So, you never told me the real meaning of your
name,” she said casually, hoping that he would open up to her. She cringed
afterwards, realizing that she may have sounded insensitive.
    “Unfortunately, those
rumors are true,” Frost answered, his expression suddenly changing to
one of anger.
    “I can’t imagine,”
Anastasia said sympathetically.
    “Well, I can. I have
these memories of lying in the woods, cold, crying and filled with fear and
confusion.”
    “That...that’s
impossible,” Anastasia interjected in shock. “You were just a baby.”
    “Then explain how I
remember it.” When Anastasia couldn’t offer a response, he continued. “The
Stones have given me so much, and I’m extremely grateful for them, but a part
of me still wants to find my biological parents.”
    “It’s natural to want
to know where you came from,” Anastasia said gently.
    “No,” Frost sneered,
his jaw clenching with an anger he was obviously trying to control. “When I
find them, I’m going to look straight into their eyes and say exactly how I
feel. I hate them, and they should damn well know it.”
    With wide eyes,
Anastasia stood back and looked at Frost. He’d turned into a spiteful, vengeful
person, and although he had every right to be mad, it just made him ugly.
Anastasia didn’t like what she saw, especially since it differed so vastly from
his usual demeanor.
    “I need to get back to
school,” Frost said abruptly, while heading in the direction they had come.
    “Of course,” Anastasia
said softly, sad that he had to leave. The truth was she liked being around
Frost, even when he acted a little