Everyone had woken up early to go snow boarding. Well trying. Only two of the guys had ever skied, so the girls spent the day trying to teach them. Luckily they were fast learners, so it was a fun day.

The next morning everyone was so tired and sore to go back out, so they made a stay of staying in and watching movies in the guys' cabin. They watched everything from “Double Jeopardy,” “House On Haunted Hill,” to “Grease,” and “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Kristi, Dasia, and Tiffany went back to their room around eleven thirty at night and talked a bit.

“Are you guys having fun on this trip?” Tiffany asked.

“Yeah, it's been great. Aren't you?” Kristi replied.

“Of course. I was just curious. The guys are a blast and all but I was wondering if you guys want to go to breakfast tomorrow, just us.”

“That sounds like fun. Afterwards we can go snowboarding and not have to worry about waiting up for those goofs,” Dasia said.

“Why don't we go horse back riding instead?” Kristi suggested. “It was pretty fun watching them fall though. Especially Chris. That man has no balance.”

“Horse back riding sounds like a lot of fun. You're right, it was funny watching them. I still can't believe how first I sit with them on a plane, then end up staying at the same lodge as them.”

“It was destiny. Me and JC were meant to meet,” Kristi said in a dramatic voice.

“Oh brother, you still believe in all that fate and soul mate stuff, huh?”

“Yes, and because it's all true.”

“How can you tell if you've found your so called true love?”

“You just know the moment you meet. Maybe it's the look in their eyes, you just feel warm when they look up at you.”

“If everyone had a soul mate they were meant to be with, why do so many people get divorces?”

“Because it wasn't their soul mate they married. A lot of times people confuse lust with love. Of course your going to be attracted to the person physically but if you can look in their eyes and see what is inside and fall in love with that, then you were meant for each other.”

“Yeah well that's all interesting and all, but I'm tired so shut up and got to bed,” Tiffany interrupted.

“How can you be tired? It's only…” Dasia paused for a moment to look at the clock. “Twelve-forty seven am.”

“It's late for us who like to sleep and we're getting up early tomorrow, so go to sleep.”

“Nah, I'm not tired. I'm going to the lounge to write some. I'll talk to you guys in the morning.”

Dasia changed into her favorite pajamas that were covered in big yellow ducks, and threw her hair into a messy bun. She grabbed her note pad then left.

(In The Lounge)

“Hey there.”

“Hi Justin. What are you doing out here?”

“Once again JC has thrown me out of the room. I was sort of expecting to see you since you've been down here the last two nights, so I took the liberty of getting you a hot chocolate,” he said picking the cup off the table and handing it to her.

“Thank you so much, but you really didn't have to.”

“I know, but they're really good so I figured you'd like to try one,” he said.

“How long have you been down here?”

“Just about fifteen minutes.”

“Doing what?”

“Just sitting here, waiting for you I guess,” he said with a smile. “You know we've talked so much, but you've never told me what you do.”

“Oh I'm a writer. I have one book published and it did so well, I could have gone without a job for another year, but I got bored so now I intern at local newspaper and television stations just to see the different aspects of journalism.”

“That's cool. So what are you guys doing tomorrow?”

“Kristi wants to go horse back riding.”

“Horse back riding in the snow?” he said a little skeptical.

“It's a lot of fun and it's not that snowy on the trails. What are you guys doing?”

“We're probably going to work on our skiing a little better, so we don't look like complete idiots next time you're around.”

“You guys aren't THAT bad.” She laughed at the thought. They really were awful. Even though they hadn't skiied before, she figured since they were good dancers, they'd have better balance, but she was wrong.

She took a drink of her hot chocolate, and looked up to see his bright blue eyes staring into hers.

Memories of her earlier conversation with Kristi came to mind. “How does JC feel about Kristi?” she said, breaking the silence.

“He can't stop talking about her.”

“I know, but how does he FEEL about her? Is this something he think will last, or just some fling? How do they plan on making this work? They live in different states.”

“He definitely wants this to last, but I don't know how they're going to make it. Why, don't you think it will work out?”

“I want it to, but it doesn't make any sense to me. I don't think they've thought it through.”

“Where all of a sudden are these questions coming from?” he asked, looking into her eyes once more.

“Kristi and I were having this conversation earlier about fate and destiny and stuff like that.”

“So I take it you don't believe in destiny?”

“Not completely. I don't agree that you can just look into someone's eyes and know it's fate. You choose your own destiny, there's nothing more to it. Why, do you?”

“I guess you could call me a hopeless romantic, but I think there is someone out there perfect for everyone, and fate brings you together and when you meet the person you're destined to be with, you'll know it. You'll know in their eyes or kisses or just the way you feel when you're around them.”

“Then you and Claire shouldn't be together.”

“What?!” he said, bewildered.

Neither of them could believe she blurted that out, but it was too late to take back now, so she went with it.

“It took you over a year just to give her a chance or have any attraction to her, Justin. If she was the one, you would have known sooner. Can you honestly say you met her and looked into her eyes, sparks flew, and when you first kissed her, your heart raced, and you never wanted to stop because you knew she was the one?”

Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned in and kissed her.

“Justin, I don…“

He interrupted her with another kiss, this time, she kissed him back. It was the most perfect kiss she had ever felt.

Everything around them faded into the background.

---

Love Happens - Chapter Eight

World Of Our Own Fiction