𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍
—𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟸—

     𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 came, Frost and Melody were exhausted to say the least. While waiting, they decided to tour the town that was in their summer season. But what was peculiar enough was that it was snowing outside, and most of the townspeople seemed either worried or confused about the sudden change in weather. Since Frost and his companion had arrived, snow had covered the ground, and the sun didn't shine as bright. They couldn't see the grass or asphalt beneath their feet as they walked through the town square.

Frost and Melody step back into the blacksmith's shop hours later, just as the sun begins to fall from the sky. The old man waits patiently for them, his elbows resting on the main counter as he overlooks the crystal necklace in his palm. Upon seeing the bright blue mineral shining against the fluorescence, the edges up her lips turn upwards into a smile. Frost lets out a breath of utter relief, stepping forward with Melody by his side.

"You're just on time," the old man comments, examining the two as they close the door and move towards him. "I was just about to close up the shop."

"I can't thank you enough for this," Melody murmers, holding out her hand for the man to place the necklace in her grasp. "No one else could've done what you did."

"It's my job to help people," he shrugs, removing the apron from his waist and hanging it up on the coat rack. "This was nothing. Now hop along, I need to shut everything down."

Melody gives him one more smile before turning and exiting the building. As Frost follows behind her, he grabs the girl's hand, before opening her fist to expose the crystal pendant and silver chain. Taking it into his own hand, he feels a warmth grow in his chest that was never there before. This girl— the one in front of him— had spent her coins on his cause, and completely risked her safety. And for that, he wasn't sure how he could repay her.

"What do we do now?" Melody asks once they make it to a bench, seating herself and proceeding to look at him expectantly.

"We have to go back to the mountain; to my home, where no one can find us." He replies, keeping the necklace in his hand as he takes a seat beside her. "There's a spell that can break the curse. I have it on a piece of paper, and you need to be the one to recite it."

"What happens then?" She hesitates, her voice getting caught in her throat.

"It'll be over," he murmers. "No more snow for Westbrooke, and everyone can be free of the winter. And you . . . you can go back to your friends and family and act like this never happened."

Melody should've expected this in his answer; the firm truth that she would have to face eventually. But as the words escaped his lips, she wanted him to take them back so that she could pretend a little longer. So that she could deny the inevitable fact that Frost could no longer be with her after all is done. The brunette felt as though the air was gone from her lungs, and she looked to him with a frown.

"It doesn't have to be that way, you know," the girl says softly, her hand resting on his forearm. "You can come back— things can be different."

"Unfortunately, things can never be different," Frost shakes his head, giving her a weak smile. "I can never go back to Westbrooke, Mel. The people there know what I've done, and they won't forget it."

"You'll be changed by then," she tries to reason, her tone growing more urgent. "They can learn to understand that this wasn't truly your fault. You will no longer have control over the weather, and they can let it go and live with it."

"Do you honestly believe they'll forgive me?" He asks, his eyes finding hers. "I was the one to blame, so I need to be the one to make this right. And after that, I can get far away from here and start a new life. It'll be as if the snow never even happened."

"Is it possible that the spell will wipe the memory of everyone in Westbrooke?" Melody's voice grows into a whisper. "If so, you can stay, and I—"

"There's no doubt that it will wipe their memories," he chuckles, shaking his head. "But if they see me . . . I'll trigger their memories back, and they'll remember everything all over again. No matter what, I have no choice. I can't go back."

"You always have a choice, it's not like you can't just—"

"Lets not have this conversation right now, alright?" Frost sighs, running his hands down his pale face.

Melody sits back on the bench, her posture still rigid and her throat still tight with all the things she didn't get to say. But she would allow him the peace that he wanted, and change the subject.

"What affect will the spell have on me?" Her voice wavers as she looks out into the distance. "Will I forget about you too?"

Frost knew the answer deep down inside. He knew that after the curse was lifted, Melody wouldn't be able to recall his face. And if she heard his name, she would think only of the ice coating that fell over the down on a cold winter night. The girl he had grown accustomed to would never be able to think back to their time together, nor this very moment they were sharing.

The thought sent an ache through his cold heart. He rests his elbows on his knees, his attention falling to the ground. The brunette takes his silence as an answer, closing her eyes as she holds back a choked sob. She wouldn't cry now; not when she still had time to find a way around it.

"Where did you find the spell?" Melody asks, releasing a heavy breath. "Wherever you got it, there must be more information there. About the effects, or how they can be avoided."

"Before I fled Westbrooke, my mother gave me a book," he begins, sighing as he sits back and relaxes. "It had some mythical spells and side affects inside. It even had one for a curse like mine, because apparently this has happened once before."

"Well, where's the book?" The girl moves forward, a trace of hope sparking in her veins.

"Still at my mother's house, I assume," he shrugs. "Unless she got rid of it. I ripped out the page with my spell, and didn't really read up too much on the side effects on the next page. Regardless, we aren't going back to Westbrooke."

"We need to go find the book!" Melody argues. "That way we know what we're getting into. We have time for this, Frost."

"No, we don't," the white-haired boy scoffs. "In case you didn't know, there's currently a blizzard in your town. And not all of the people there have huge supplies of food— it's all limited. If we don't hurry up and get this over with, people can starve."

"Then just stop the blizzard! It's not as hard as you're making it out to be."

"And what about you, huh?" Frost raises an eyebrow. "Don't you think there's going to be a search party after your family can't find you? And what if they happen to find us? What happens then?"

"We can think things like this through if we work together," Melody argues. "Because in case you didn't notice, I don't want to lose you. I'm sorry for caring."

Melody shoves up off of the bench, walking away from him. Frost groans to himself, knowing that he had messed up once again. But no one came past mistakes, and he would have to apologize. He follows behind the girl, watching as she suitly enters a two-story hotel building. The neon sign hanging on the door was flickering, the flashing letters spelling out 'Wicker Family Hotel'.

By the time the boy got inside, Melody was already placing coins into the hand of the man behind the counter. He gives her a key in return, along with a smile. Melody turns to face Frost, her eyes growing soft for a moment, before she nods to the direction of the stairs and turns her back to him. The girl leads him up the staircase to the first floor before turning down a long hallway and stopping at a door labeled 104. Upon unlocking it, Melody threw off her coat and rested herself on one of the small beds.

The room was suitable for the two, although it was quite small. Melody didn't seem to mind it though, as she layed back on her chosen bed and stared at the ceiling. Their silence settled over the room, and Frost removed his hoodie. He sits down on the edge of Melody's bed, not sure of what he should say.

"Why are you okay with this?" Melody asks, her voice barely audible as she doesn't move. "With everyone forgetting about your existence? Even me?"

Frost was a bit taken back at her question, but intended to give her an answer, nonetheless.

"I'm not," he admits, rubbing his arm lightly. "It scares me, if I'm being honest. Especially knowing the only person that I can talk to won't remember me."

The boy pauses as Melody sits up, her eyes meeting his before he continues. "I'll go back to being lonely, and it'll just be Jude and I again. No one will know I exist, not even my own mother."

"We can change things," the girl comforts him, moving to place her hands in his cold ones. "I can go with you after everyone forgets, and we can leave."

"You have friends, a family," he comments, giving her a short-lived sympathetic glance. "You can't do those things to the people that care for you. I know what loneliness is, and no one deserves to feel it."

"But this can't just be the end of us," she hesitates, her voice cracking. "Of you, Frost. I won't let this happen— I can't. There is a way for us to be happy."

By the time she had finished, the snow outside hadn't let up. But, strangely, along with it had come a downpour of rain. Melody furrows her eyebrows, looking outside for a moment and getting distracted. But her attention was drawn back as Frost began to talk again.

"Don't think of it that way," Frost shakes his head, giving her an assuring smile. "It's not the end for me. It's a new beginning."

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