Keeley's confusion reached its peak. She tried to reconcile her memories of Aaron with his current behavior, but nothing made sense. A sonnet about Star Wars? It was the silliest thing she'd ever heard him say.

If things were different, it might have made her fall for him, but she wouldn't fall into that trap again. Aaron had constantly rejected her in the beginning—her attempts at conversation, her invitations to hang out, everything she said was dismissed.

She persisted, smiling and probing, trying to uncover what lay beneath his cold exterior. She should have realized it was just more ice; he was frozen to the core. Why had she been so stubbornly persistent? She should have given up after the second, third, or tenth rejection and moved on, instead of clinging to him for over twelve years.

Any tiny response from him had been encouraging, a sign, she'd thought, that he was opening up. Ha. He never truly did.

Unbidden, memories of their first date flooded her mind. It was Christmastime in Boston, their freshman year of college. Aaron's schedule was chaotic, and despite her daily texts, they rarely saw each other. That day, he agreed to meet her downtown—he never wanted her near his campus. Harvard people were too good for a "simple girl" in love with the wrong man.

"Aaron!" Keeley yelled, waving frantically across the street.

He spotted her and approached, a brooding expression on his face. "Your hat looks ridiculous," he said, flicking the giant pompom on her crocheted fox beanie.

"So, what did you call me here for?" Aaron looked as cold and detached as ever, as if his appearance was a whim.

"Looking at the lights and getting cannolis! Haven't you seen how beautifully everything's been decorated? It's much prettier at night," she said excitedly.

"It's also a lot colder at night," he pointed out. "These things are visible during the day. I don't see what's so special."

Keeley stuck out her tongue. "Spoilsport! Come on, there's bound to be something you like. Let's go."

She took his gloved hand and pulled him along to see the lights and the giant city trees. He let her, silent as she "oohed" and "aahed" at the decorations.

At the towering tree, she gazed up in awe, then turned to see his reaction. He had his little smirk—the one that meant he was happy—a smirk he'd been using more often lately. It was different from his usual politely detached smile reserved for those he deemed inferior.

Her breath caught. She had the vague feeling she was somehow special to him. Maybe it was time to act on her feelings. She tested the waters while waiting in line for cannolis, purposely shivering.

Nothing. He ignored her, radiating icy vibes to anyone who brushed against him. She almost laughed. Clearly, he wasn't used to waiting in line.

It wasn't until someone bumped her into him that Aaron reacted.

"Watch it!" he shouted, terrifying the offender.

He pulled Keeley in front of him, wrapping his arms around her. "Stop shivering; you're making me cold just looking at you."

It wasn't much, but she savored being in his arms, feeling no cold until they reached the shop.

The shop was overcrowded, so they took their cannolis back to the car. His arm remained around her back. He claimed it kept him warm, which made her want to laugh. Sure, Aaron. No hidden motives at all.

In the car, he turned up the heater, and they ate. She grinned at him, cannoli cream on her cheek.

"Aren't you glad I dragged you out? It was worth braving the wind."

"Yeah," he said simply.

"So, when are you going home for the break?"

"The day after finals. My family's hosting a big Christmas party for their business contacts."

"That doesn't sound fun," Keeley mused. "Are you doing anything fun for New Year's Eve?"

Aaron shook his head. "No, I have a party then, too."

"Oh." She deflated. "I was hoping to see you then. I want you to be the first person I see in the New Year."

Surprise flickered in his dark eyes. "Why does that matter?"

Her cheeks flushed. "Well, haven't you heard the superstition about the first person you see setting the tone for the year?"

"…is this the kissing-at-midnight tradition?"

"Um, yeah. Yeah, it is."

"You could always come to the party with me," he suggested nonchalantly. "I'm supposed to have a female companion. I could get you a dress."

"Really?!" she blurted, then looked away, embarrassed.

Did this mean he wanted to kiss her? He'd never invited her into his social circle before. He must like her! She couldn't imagine Aaron kissing just anyone.

"I mean, that would be great. I'd love to go."

The extraneous text at the end has been removed as it is not part of the passage needing grammatical correction.