text: [Themes: love & dating, romance]
  
  "O..h d..d.d..damn...It's f...f..f..ree...zing...," I say shaking, trying to climb out of the hole. I try to climb yet slip back in, the cold water numbing my body.
  
  > try to yell.
  Despite the cold I try to shout.
  
  "HELP....HELP.....H...E..L..P......h.e.l..p......h....e......l.....p.." I yell but noone seems to hear me.
  
  I yell one last time before my fingers turn numb and I feel myself losing consciousness. My visions starts to blacken as I feel falling under the ice.........THEN suddenly I feel someone grabbing me by my hand and pulling me outta the pond.
  
  > Savior
  I'm soon outta the hole then I turn to look at the one who saved me and it's.......Darren. My classmate and friend since kindergarten.
  
  "Oh my...ALICE?...Are you okay?" asks Darren after he realizes who was drowning in the pond.
  
  The cold feeling soon hits me as I start to shake uncontrollably.
  
  "I.....m....f....reee....z..i..n.gg," I blurt out trying to keep warm.
  
  "Oh how stupid of me, sorry..sorry Alice!" says Darren shaking his head, soon picking me up and starting to run out of the park.
  
  "W..h.ere..are...w...w.we goi..ng?" I ask through my shaking.
  
  "To my place!...Not far..!" he says running through the streets.
  
  The cold feeling starts spreading through my body, getting harder to stay awake, as my eyes start to shut.
  
  "NO! ALICE...DONT!..OR YOU'LL DIE!" he yells picking up the pace, as I try to stay awake.
  
  > Arrival
  We soon arrive at Darren's home. Quickly unlocking the door, he puts me down on the nearby couch, then quickly runs into the bedroom. He soon quickly returns, carrying some pajamas and a large blanket.
  
  "Oh dear...Alice we need to get you outta these clothes, they're soaking wet and cold," he says taking off my coat then my sweater. I remove my shirt and my pants with my shaking hands myself; Darren turning around blushing a little. Then I quickly slip into the pajamas he brought.
  
  "Alice your shaking like a leaf," he says wrapping the blanket around me. "What were you doing on the pond?"
  
  "S.ka.t..ing," I say thorough the shaking.
  
  "Oh..you stupid girl," says Darren shaking his head.
  
  I nod to his answer, now that I think about it was a stupid idea, with dire consequences. I then start to cough violently, followed by shaking and feeling dizzy.
  
  "Wait...are you.." he says checking my head. "Yeah...you're burning up. A high fever too," he says worried, then he pick me up again and sets me down in his bedroom.
  
  "Wh..y are you.." I try to ask but he raises his hand before I can ask.
  
  "A dear friend, trying to help a dear friend," he says smiling. "Get some sleep Alice, that fever is gonna knock you out for awhile."
  
  I nod to him, then close my eyes, falling asleep.
  
  > Fever
  I've been out with the cold for about for about six days now. Darren's been bringing me food and medication to help me against this high fever and cold, always smiling, checking my temperature or just holding my hand.
  
  "Hey wakey-wakey Alice," I hear Darren say, shaking my hand to wake me up.
  
  "Oh hey," I say waking up, rubbing my eyes.
  
  "How you feeling Alice?"
  
  "I'm better, thanks," I reply smiling.
  
  "Wait, let me check," he says checking my temperature. "Okay, it seems normal now."
  
  "Thanks to you," I say blushing.
  
  "Oh...well you're welcome Alice," replies Darren a bit shocked and blushing himself.
  
  "You never did answer why you're helping me."
  
  "I did: I say a dear friend, helping a dear friend."
  
  "Oh come now Darren; we've been friends since kindergarten, I know you better;" I say a mischievous smile on my face.
  
  "I..well....it's the fever, get some rest," says Darren jittering, then leaves the room.
  
  Yeah, I know you better, Darren. Then a thought comes to mind, something that has bothered me since Friday.
  
  "Say, Darren. Do you have a date for the Winter Dance Night?"
  
  "No, I don't. Why you ask?" he asks from the kitchen.
  
  "Well, would you mind being my date for the Winter Dance Night?" I ask him, hearing a spoon fall on the floor.
  
  "I..well..I..don't....ummm.......sure Alice, I would....love to go........with you," he says stuttering.
  
  "Terrific!" I say lying on the pillow, smiling happily.
  
  > .....
  We arrive at the dance about twenty minutes after it has started, by car. Darren wearing a gray suit and tie. My dress a violet-bluish one, my hair loose.
  
  "You sure about this, you were ill, a few days ago," asks Darren concerned, locking the door.
  
  "I'm fine Darren, don't worry," I say wrapping my hands around his right arm.
  
  "Alright then, let's go."
  
  Oh damn, Steve and Jack are outside, laughing and drinking punch.
  
  "Hey look it's Alice and Darren," says Jack, breaking his laughter with Steve.
  
  "Wassup Alice, you sure you don't want a real date?" asks Steve, giggling like an idiot.
  
  "No thank you," I say putting my head on Darren's shoulder. "Let's go."
  
  We enter the Dance, loud music banging, many boys and girls dancing like crazy, some together, some alone. Soon the song ends, with the guitarist coming up to the mic.
  
  "Alright, thank y'all, this next song is for couples only; so if you're single, buzz off," he says going back to his guitar. Some people start to leave; mostly guys with a few girls also leaving the dance floor. The rest start to dance to a slow lovely melody, performed by the band.
  
  "Sooo...wanna dance Alice?" asks Darren, a bit shy.
  
  "I'd love to Darren."
  
  We dance in a slow rhythm, Darren's hands around my waist, my hands on his shoulders. He seems a bit shy, keeping it slow and steady. After seven minutes, the song ends, with many couples clapping at the end.
  
  "See? Was that so bad?" I ask in teasing tone, my hands still on his shoulders.
  
  "Well...I guess not," he replies, his hands still around my waist.
  
  A mischievous idea pops into my head immediately, which I hope Darren can react to fast.
  
  "I think I'm getting dizzy," I say faking it, collapsing onto the floor.
  
  "ALICE!" he says grasping me, a few inches separating me from the floor.
  
  "Good catch, Darren," I say kissing him passionately on the lips.
  
  > Ending - Darren
  "Come on Darren, keep up," I yell at Darren, running through the park.
  
  "I am, damn you're fast," he says gasping for breath, then continuing to follow me.
  
  I quickly hide behind a tree, without Darren seeing me. I wait for him to pass me...then...I jump onto his back.
  
  "GOTCHA!" I say giggling.
  
  "Woah Alice," he says, loosing balance then falling down, me next to him.
  
  I pull him ontop of me, pinning myself between the ground and Darren.
  
  "You know, I never did thank you for saving my life, that winter," I whisper into his ear.
  
  "You do thank me. Everyday were together," he says closing in for a kiss.
  
  Fin