Affinity

December 5th, 2023

December 5th, 2023

    "Need a ride?" Lindsey's voice, though shaky, cut through the biting cold air, drawing my attention away from the stubborn engine under my truck's hood. I peeked out, offering a grateful smile as she approached, her shoulders hunched against the chill.

"This truck might be the actual death of me, I swear to God," I exclaimed quickly, sucking in a chest full of freezing cold air. Rubbing my hands together for warmth, I inched closer to her, thankful for her timely arrival.

"Well, it looks like you're about thirty seconds from dying of hypothermia, so you might be right! Didn't you come out here at ten after? You've been standing out here for twenty minutes?" Lindsey's concern was palpable, her shivering a testament to the bitter cold. "Come here," she urged, turning back towards her car parked two rows behind me. With a practiced efficiency, she tossed her bag onto the backseat and motioned for me to join her. I was envious of the remote start that her car had- hell, I was envious of the fact that her car was even just starting.

As I closed the door to her car, I felt a rush of heat against my face, instantly grateful for the reprieve from the biting cold. Glancing down at my hands that I had now pulled from my pockets, I noticed an unsettling shade they had taken on, a bluish-purple color at the tips of my fingers.

"Oh my God! Love, this is ridiculous, why didn't you just come back inside?" Lindsey's worry was evident as she took my hands in hers, attempting to warm them with a gentle friction. Despite the discomfort, I couldn't help but chuckle nervously, grateful for her concern.

"Well, I tried to start it a few times, and then it wouldn't start, so I had to hook up the extra battery I have to try and warm her up, but I stopped being able to feel my hands, so it took a little longer than I had anticipated," I explained, feeling my fingers start to thaw between her palms- a tingling sensation crept up and down my hands. She was pressing and rubbing my hands between hers repeatedly in an attempt to make them warmer, butI couldn't help the smile that was creeping across my wind-stained cheeks.

    "Ah, you know what they say about those darn..." she started, glancing a few yards ahead of us to look at my truck. "Those darn Ram trucks," you know? Can't catch a win?" Her fake southern accent added a touch of charm to her teasing, making the smile on my face grow wider. Lindsey knew a lot of things- and I mean a lot of things. But, if there was anything she didn't really know anything about, it was trucks. I found it endearing when she would ask me about the work I was doing on mine, and about the specs that it has, to try and gain an understanding of the topic. But her and I both knew that it was her way of trying to be nice, and I found it incredibly cute.

"Look, please don't feel like you have to sit and stay here while it warms up. I don't want to keep you waiting. And... my um, truck is suuuuuper insulated," I joked weakly, hoping to alleviate the tension that lingered between us.

Lindsey's eye roll told me she wasn't buying it, but she remained by my side, her warmth a comforting presence in the cold car. As she adjusted the heat, her thumb rubbed soothing circles on my hand, calming the frantic beat of my heart. My thoughts became blurry, trying to take in the moment that we were having, but also trying to not make it weird. I wasn't sure which direction we were going in.

    I stole a glance at her, taking in the way her features softened in the dim light of the car. I found a bit of solace in her steady gaze. She turned her head towards me, having no trouble maintaining eye-contact with me. The light emitted from the electronic features of her car was enough to make out a calm, and present smile.

    Without saying anything, she intertwined her fingers with my hand that she was still holding, and sat back in her seat. I felt as still as a statue. Something in the back of my head told me to just relax for one split second, and take in this minute. To take in the anxiety that was building in me, the butterflies, the panic. To take a minute just to be with her.