A light breeze causes the naked branches overhead to rattle like wind chimes.

This is a popular retreat for couples in the summer. The deciduous trees provide a beautiful green canopy, far out of sight of teachers and fellow students.

But now, in late winter, it feels like I'm standing under a pile of kindling.

I rub my hooves together furiously to prevent them from numbing in this cold.

“Just how long am I expected to wait out here anyway? I'm sure the note said 4pm.”

Ah yes… the note… slipped between the pages of my math book by somepony while I wasn’t looking.

As far as clichés go, I'm more of a fan of the letter-in-the-locker, but at least this way shows a bit of initiative.

As I ponder the meaning of the note, the snowfall gradually thickens.

The snowflakes silently falling from the white-painted sky are the only sign of time passing in this stagnant world.

Their slow descent upon the frozen forest makes it seem like time has slowed to a crawl.

The rustling of dry snow underfoot startles me, interrupting the quiet moon. Someone is approaching me from behind.

“H… Heartbeat? You came?”

A hesitating, barely audible question.

However, I recognize the owner of that dainty voice instantly.

I feel my heart skip a beat.

It’s a voice I've listened to hundreds of times, but never as more than an eavesdropper to a conversation.

I turn to face this voice, the voice of my dreams, and my heart begins to race…

“Rainy Day? I got a note telling me to wait here… it was yours?”

Dammit. I spent all afternoon trying to come up with a good line and that was the result.

Pathetic.

“Ahmm… yes. I asked a friend to give you that note… I'm so glad you got it.”

A shy joyous smile that makes me so tense I couldn’t move a muscle even if I tried.

My heart is pounding now, as if it were trying to burst out from my chest and claim this mare for itself.

“So… ah… here we are. Out in the cold…”

Once again, the wind stirs up the branches, The cacophonous noise is music to my ears.

Rainy Day flinches ever so softly against the gust of wind.

As it passes, she rights herself, as if supported by some new confidence.

Her eyes lock with mine and she lazily brushes her mane with her hoof.

All the while, the anxious beating of my heart grows louder.

My throat is tight; I doubt I could even force a word out if I tried.

“You see…”

Badump…

“I wanted to know…”

Badump… Badump!

“… if you’d go out with me…”

I stand there motionless, save for my pounding heart.

I want to say something in reply, but my vocal cords feel like they’ve been stretched beyond breaking point.

“… Heartbeat?”

I reach up to try to massage my throat, but this only sends spikes of blinding pain along my legs.

“Heartbeat?!”

BADUMP!

My whole body freezes, save for my eyes, which shoot open in terror.

BADUMP …BADUMP …BADUMP …BADUMP

“HEARTBEAT!”

The beating in my chest suddenly stops, and I go weak at the knees.

The world around me – the canopy of bare branches, the dull winter sky, Rainy Day galloping towards me – all these fade to black.

The last things I remember before slipping away are the sounds of Rainy Day screaming for help and the incessant latter of the branches above…

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