Frostbitten Hearts

Chapter 2: Frostbitten Confessions

Marisol

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the frost-lined windows as Roxie drove Marisol and Kai home. Kai, seated in the back seat with her physics textbook on her lap, was rambling about the mountain of homework her teacher had assigned.

"I swear our physics teacher has lost her mind," she exclaimed, flipping through the pages. "The week before Christmas break? Who does that?"

Roxie and Marisol exchanged knowing glances in the front seat, barely listening. School talk had never been their favorite topic, and they had more pressing things on their minds.

As they neared Kai’s house, Roxie glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Alright, genius. Time to hit the books. We’ll catch you later."

After Kai stepped out, Roxie turned the car toward Marisol's house. The air felt heavier, like there was something unsaid between the two.

"Are you going to be okay?" Roxie finally asked, her tone was softer than usual.

Marisol hesitated, looking out the window. "I guess."

"We could have another sleepover at your place tonight," Roxie suggested, her voice brightening.

Marisol frowned. "I don’t think that’s a good idea. Mateo got in last night, and he’ll probably annoy us the whole time."

Roxie’s grin widened. "All the more reason!"

Marisol sighed, knowing exactly where this was going. Roxie had nursed a crush on Mateo, Marisol’s older brother, since the sixth grade. Now that he was back from college for the holidays, Roxie seemed more determined than ever.

"Seriously, I don’t see what you see in him," Marisol muttered.

"Of course, you don’t. You’re his sister," Roxie teased, her smile unrelenting.

When they pulled into Marisol’s driveway, Roxie leaned over. "I’ll be over around seven."

Marisol, halfway out the car door, gave a resigned nod. She knew there was no stopping Roxie once her mind was made up.

Inside the house, the scent of cinnamon lingered faintly in the air. Marisol’s stomach growled as she kicked off her shoes by the door. She didn’t get far before she spotted Mateo sprawled on the couch, a bowl of Captain Crunch balanced precariously on his lap. Clad in nothing but his boxers, he was engrossed in Saturday morning cartoons.

"You should really get a life," Marisol said, raising an eyebrow.

"Like yours?" Mateo shot back without missing a beat.

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

He smirked, his attention finally shifting to her. "I heard about the WWE smackdown you pulled last night."

Marisol’s stomach dropped. "How’d you find out?" she whispered.

"Carmine called when you didn’t pick up. He told me everything."

"Does Mom know?"

"I don’t think so. She hasn’t said anything to me," Mateo replied with a shrug.

Marisol exhaled in relief and trudged upstairs. Her phone buzzed as she turned it on, displaying ten missed voicemails from Carmine. Her ex’s apologetic pleas flooded the screen, but she deleted them all before he could utter another word.

Throwing herself across the bed, she stared at the ceiling. The scene from last night played in her mind on an endless loop—her palm connecting with Ali’s cheek in what felt like slow motion. Her stomach churned at the memory, and she decided food might help.

Downstairs, she grabbed a bowl of Frosted Flakes and sank onto the couch next to Mateo, who was now on the phone. When he hung up, he turned to her with a smirk.

"My buddy from college is coming to stay with us for the holidays."

Marisol nearly choked on her cereal. "How are you going to invite someone I don’t even know to stay here?"

"Easy. It’s not your house, so I don’t need your permission. Besides, Mom already said yes."

"Fine, but don’t do anything stupid. Roxie and Kai are coming over tonight," she snapped, glaring at him.

Mateo rolled his eyes and walked off.

Kai

Kai had tried to spend the early part of the day being productive—reviewing notes, organizing assignments, and texting her cousins back in Hawaii—but she couldn’t shake her nerves. Something about this sleepover felt different. Not just because of what happened the night before with Marisol and Carmine, but because Mateo had invited someone from college to stay over.

She didn’t know anything about him except that he was Mateo’s friend, which somehow made her even more nervous. It wasn’t like her to feel this jumpy over a stranger, but there was something about the unknown that made her heart tick a little faster. She didn’t know what to expect, but her curiosity buzzed louder with every passing hour.

Later that evening, the doorbell rang while Kai and Marisol were baking cookies in the kitchen. Marisol glanced toward the door.

“That’s probably Roxie. Can you grab it, Kai?”

“Sure,” Kai said, wiping her hands on a dish towel as she headed to the door.

But when she opened it, it wasn’t Roxie standing there. It was him. The kind of guy she might’ve dreamed up but never actually expected to meet.

“Does Mateo Diaz live here?” he asked, his deep voice and confident smile catching her completely off guard.

Kai froze, unable to form a single coherent word. She just stood there, staring like a deer caught in headlights, and awkwardly pointed toward the living room.

“Uh, thanks,” he said, stepping inside.

Kai felt her knees wobble as she hurriedly closed the door behind him. She darted back into the kitchen, her face flushed, her heart racing.

“It wasn’t her,” Kai mumbled when Marisol asked where Roxie was. “It was some guy… looking for Mateo.”

“Oh, that must be his friend from college,” Marisol said nonchalantly.

“Well, he’s really cute,” Kai muttered under her breath, hoping Marisol wouldn’t notice how flustered she sounded.

But Marisol didn’t notice—because at that moment, Mateo and Ethan walked into the kitchen.

“Thanks,” said a deep voice from behind them. Kai spun around.

“Hi, I’m Ethan,” he said with a charming smirk, extending his hand. “A.k.a. the ‘really cute guy.’”

Kai blushed furiously, shaking his hand with a weak smile. She could barely breathe.

Before the awkwardness could escalate, the doorbell rang again.

“I’ll get it!” Kai blurted, practically sprinting away.

That night, as they sat on the floor upstairs with pizza, cookies, and laughter, Kai couldn’t help but sneak glances at Ethan. Every time she looked, he seemed to already be watching her.

When Marisol teased Roxie about the look she and Mateo had exchanged, Kai smirked. But the tables turned fast.

“Speaking of looks,” Marisol said, turning toward her. “What was up with you and Ethan? You practically bolted out of the room when he walked in.”

Kai groaned, burying her face in a pillow. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh, come on,” Roxie added. “You were totally flustered.”

“Okay, fine!” Kai peeked out, cheeks pink. “He’s gorgeous. But seriously, who introduces themselves as ‘the really cute guy’?”

Marisol snorted. “Ethan does. He’s got confidence for days.”

“Confidence? Try arrogance,” Kai muttered, though her shy smile betrayed her words.

The night melted into music, games, and laughter. As the others joked and teased upstairs, Kai leaned back on a pile of pillows, her mind still spinning. She wasn’t sure what this new feeling was, but she knew one thing—it had absolutely everything to do with Ethan. When they curled up under blankets, whispering in the glow of fairy lights, Kai felt something she hadn’t in a long time—hope. Maybe this holiday break wasn’t about everything falling apart. Maybe, just maybe, something new was starting.

Roxie

Time seemed to drag like molasses on a cold winter morning. Roxie had already packed her bag hours ago and was now pacing back and forth in her room like a caged animal. Her gaze kept darting to the alarm clock on her nightstand—12:30 p.m. The hands barely moved, mocking her impatience. She groaned, collapsing onto her bed for a moment, only to jump back up seconds later and resume her pacing.

A voice from down the hall interrupted her spiraling thoughts. “Roxie! Come here for a minute,” her mom called, snapping her out of her trance.

Roxie trudged down the hallway, her steps slow and deliberate, wondering what her mom could possibly want. Her mind raced with all sorts of possibilities, none of which she particularly liked. As she entered the office, her mom sat at her desk, papers spread out before her, looking both focused and slightly frazzled.

“What are you doing today?” her mom asked casually, glancing up at her.

“I’m going over to Marisol’s later for a sleepover,” Roxie replied, trying not to sound too eager.

Her mom leaned back in her chair. “The office just called. I have to go out of town for a couple of days. Do you think the Diaz family would let you stay over until I get back?”

Roxie’s heart leapt at the opportunity. She tried to play it cool, nodding quickly. “Yeah, I’m sure it’ll be fine.” But inside, she was already sprinting back to her room.

She grabbed her phone and dialed Marisol immediately. The line rang and rang, but there was no answer. Frustrated but determined, she tried the Diaz home phone next. After a few rings, someone finally picked up—but it wasn’t Marisol.

“Hello?” a familiar voice said.

Roxie froze. Of all people, it had to be Mateo. She clutched the phone tighter and took a deep breath to steady herself. “Uh, hi. Is Marisol there?”

“No,” Mateo replied, sounding distracted. “She and my mom went to visit our grandparents. May I take a message?”

Roxie hesitated before answering, her voice faltering. “My mom is going out of town on business, and she was wondering if I could stay over for a couple of days.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Mateo said easily. Then, almost under his breath, he added, “I know I wouldn’t mind.”

Roxie blinked, her brain scrambling to process what she thought she’d just heard. “What was that last thing you said?”

Mateo coughed awkwardly. “It was nothing.”

“No, it was something,” Roxie pressed. “Were you… coming on to me?”

There was a pause, and then, to her astonishment, he answered, “Maybe.”

“Wait, what?” Roxie stammered, her heart hammering in her chest. “Why? You’ve never paid attention to me before.”

“I’ve always known you had a crush on me,” Mateo admitted, his tone quieter now. “And, well… I’ve kind of had one on you too. But you were younger back then, and I didn’t want to be the guy who liked his baby sister’s best friend. I didn’t want to get teased for it.”

Roxie felt like the floor had dropped out from under her. Her entire world tilted as she tried to comprehend what he was saying. All this time, she thought he hadn’t even noticed her. And now… this?

The silence stretched for a moment before Mateo’s voice broke through again. “Are you still there?”

“Yeah, I’m here,” Roxie said, her voice soft with disbelief. “I’m just… surprised. I always thought you didn’t even know I existed.”

“I knew,” he said simply.

They stayed on the phone for nearly three hours, the conversation flowing effortlessly. They talked about everything—sports, movies, their favorite foods, and even their childhood memories. By the time Roxie hung up, she felt like she was floating. This was it. She knew this was the beginning of something special.

She couldn’t wait to tell Kai and Marisol all about it at the slumber party. And more than that, she couldn’t wait to see Mateo again.

When Kai flung open the door, Roxie stood there, her overnight bag slung over her shoulder. She barely had time to say hello before Kai grabbed her arm.

“What’s wrong with you?” Roxie asked, noticing the wide-eyed look on Kai’s face.

“Long story,” Kai muttered, pulling Roxie inside. “I’ll tell you later.”

Roxie followed Kai into the kitchen, where Mateo and Ethan were catching up with Marisol. The boys were recounting stories from college, their voices lively and animated.

As soon as Mateo spotted Roxie, he paused mid-sentence. His expression softened, and a warm smile spread across his face.

Roxie felt her heart flutter as she smiled back at him. The world around her seemed to blur for a moment, leaving only Mateo in focus.

Later, when the girls grabbed their food and headed upstairs, Marisol turned to Roxie with a sly grin. “Okay, spill it. What was up with that look you and my brother gave each other earlier?”

Roxie froze, hugging one of Marisol’s stuffed animals. “What look?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Marisol pressed.

Roxie sighed. “Well… I called earlier to see if I could stay over. Mateo answered the phone.”

“And?”

“He admitted that he’s always liked me. We stayed on the phone for almost three hours.”

Kai’s jaw dropped. Marisol groaned. “I don’t want to think about my best friend and my brother liking each other!”

Still curled up in Marisol’s room under piles of blankets, Roxie watched her two best friends as the teasing turned toward Kai. There was something comforting about being here—in the safety of shared stories and inside jokes, where even your deepest crushes became a source of laughter instead of secrets.

Roxie leaned back on her pillow, Mateo’s lingering smile still replaying in her head. Her cheeks hurt from grinning, but her heart felt full. It wasn’t just about him—it was this moment, this warmth, this feeling of being exactly where she belonged.

As Kai fumbled through her own flustered retelling of meeting Ethan, Roxie giggled, nudging her friend with exaggerated sympathy. "Looks like I’m not the only one catching feelings tonight."

Kai rolled her eyes and tossed a pillow at her. "Whatever."

The three of them erupted into laughter again. And as the night wore on, the room glowed with fairy lights, soft music hummed in the background, and Roxie let herself believe—for the first time in a long time—that maybe everything was falling into place just the way it was supposed to.