The Love Bite

We drove up the snowy, winding road towards the cozy A-frame cabin. Tom whistled at the first sight of it, still far away, but slowly coming into view as we closed the distance. In the van with us, were Crystal and Sam - a couple, and Tom’s girlfriend, Wanda.

Yes, I was the only one without someone, and I was pretty depressed about it. I wanted to back out from the trip, but Tom wouldn’t let me. He said something about not leaving me all alone for the holidays. But I get the feeling he was just worried that I’d do something to harm myself. The truth was, I was depressed, but not that depressed.

Anyways, I was pretty sure that I was the only one who could not appreciate the beauty of our surroundings. All around us were pine trees covered in snow, all above us was nothing but blue skies. Everything was bathed in golden sunlight. If my heart didn’t ache so much, I would think that I was in a dream. The scenery was that beautiful.

The cabin was just as beautiful when we finally got there. It was warm and cozy, once we got the fireplace going. I couldn’t help but feel touched when the couples offered me the best room in the cabin. I guess they still felt bad that I was the only one in our trip without a date. I offered to cook a meal for them to return their kind gesture. To my delight, everyone enjoyed the food I prepared.

Soon, it was time to sleep. But while everyone drifted off into the world of dreaming, I snuck off into the night. It had always been my dream to take a picture of the Milky Way but have never had the occasion to be in a place where there was no light pollution. I walked far enough from the cabin, away from any sources of light. What greeted me was a magnificent view of the sky full of stars, the Milky Way in all its glory.

I carefully set up my astrophotography equipment and started snapping photos. I got lost in all the beauty, and for a moment, I forgot about my sorrows. I was depressed because I was looking for love and could not find it. But here, among the stars, I was surrounded by something else. If not love, then something quite similar to it. A feeling of euphoria. Of peace.

I don’t really know how long I spent out there, but when I woke up, in my bed, in the morning, it was like I was seeing the world with a fresh set of eyes. My friends were surprised with the change in my demeanor. It made the rest of our trip enjoyable for everyone, to see me no longer feeling depressed.

On our way back home, we took a wrong turn and ended up in an unfamiliar town. We decided to stop by at the first restaurant we saw, to fill our empty stomachs, and to get our bearings. Our server introduced herself as Jenna and was very eager with helping us find our way.

She seemed particularly focused on me throughout our interactions. I wasn’t sure whether she was genuinely interested in me or if she noticed that I was the odd one out, and out of pity, she didn’t want me to feel left out. It turned out to be the former.

Unlike my previous failed relationships, this one started out with her making the first move. It caught me by surprise, but I admitted to Jenna that I was interested in her too. It was unusual for me to do that, because normally, I would be too fearful to honestly reveal my feelings for someone. But at that moment, there was no hesitation. The stars put me in the right frame of mind. For once, I was at the right place, at the right time.

Soon, my friends were pushing for us to get together, but the truth was, it wasn’t really needed. Things between Jenna and I were effortless, as if it was always meant to be. I look back at how I started and where I am. I guess it’s true what they say, a good love is hard to find, but sometimes, it finds you instead.