The weeks came and went, and fall quickly progressed into winter.  Ever since that fateful (if not embarrassing) night at Humphrey’s, Ashley and I had really grown close to one another.  It’s funny, my breakup with Dylan was the most anti-climactic event of the semester, even though the way we ended it, or rather, I ended it, should have been extremely dramatic.  I don’t know, I guess I just had lots of other things on my mind to distract me.

 Our calculus project was a success, and the last days of classes before final exams were upon us.  By this time, Ashley and I had begun the habit of sitting together in class.

One Friday morning I plopped down into my seat next to Ashley, and she immediately turned toward me excitedly and asked, “What are you doing tomorrow night?”

I grinned at her and said, “Nothing, yet.  Do you have plans?”

“Nope,” she said.

My face fell visibly.

“We have plans, just kidding!” She exclaimed triumphantly, grinning.  

I lightly socked her in the arm.  “You tease,” I said, smiling.  “What are we up to?”

“It’s a surprise,” Ashley smirked.  “Meet me by the clock tower around 8:00 tomorrow night.  Dress warm!  Besides,” she said softly, leaning in closer, “you love it when I tease.”  Her voice was impossibly soft and warm against my neck.

I shivered and was about to reply in protest, but the professor cut me off by beginning lecture.  I narrowed my eyes at Ashley and turned to my notebook, but I wasn’t taking notes.

Ashley Davies was scrawled across my paper in big, flowing handwriting.

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7:56 pm.  I could just barely see my breath come out in white puffs as I stood beneath the clock tower on campus.  It was unusually silent, and the sky had that greyish look to it where you can just tell its going to snow, even at night.  The silence and the cold left me alone to my thoughts, which were for once surprisingly quiet.  I just enjoyed looking at campus decorated for Christmas and waited for Ashley to arrive.

Suddenly I felt gloved hands cover my eyes and warm breath on my neck.  “Guess who?” whispered the voice, though I knew exactly who it was.  Smiling, I turned around to greet Ashley.  My breath caught, however, when I looked at her.  She was wearing a cream-colored wool coat with a black beret, black scarf and black gloves.  Her chestnut-colored curly hair was shining in the dark, and her eyes sparkled.