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It was below 30 degrees and dark out, but I wanted to go to the park.  Stepping out of my warm house, the air tore into my lungs and right away began seeping into my skin.  Dan’s car was amazingly warm compared to outside, and I happily closed the door on the impending cold. 
“It’s cold,” I chattered out. 
“Not even,” Dan disagreed just to disagree.

The winter cold had left my body by the time we got to the park, but stepping from the car I was instantly hit by the cutting wind once more.  Dan took my hand with his warm one as we walked into the playground.  I see the swing set and run, dropping his hand and causing the warmth in my fingers to be quickly replaced by iciness.
The plastic seat was freezing when I sat on it and the cold seeped through my clothes.  I simply sat for a moment, watching my companion walk towards me, hunched against the sharp winter wind, hands in pockets and a hat covering his brown hair.  When he finally got to me on my swing, he stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face in my hair.  His nose was cold on my neck and I giggled, but his body blocked the wind from hitting my back, so I was happy.  He finally pulled away and I felt his hands on my back as he gave a light push before walking away.

As I swung higher and higher, the cold winter air stabbed my face, making my cheeks pink and numb.
I quickly became bored with the swing, so I stopped to join Dan at the slide.  He was at the top but slid down when he saw me.  “Oh my gosh—it’s freezing!” he exclaimed at the bottom, standing in a flash. 
“Well, let’s see, metal slide in freezing weather… Yeah it’s gonna be cold,” was my sarcastic reply. 
“Shut up,” Dan laughed, softly pushing me so I fell back onto the frigid metal.  I jumped up, but the cold had already seeped through my clothes and into my skin.

Dan jogged away laughing and I hurried to catch up to him and push him from behind.  He only laughed more and pulled me to his side.  Beneath his coat it was warm and I pushed my ice-cold hands under his shirt, their winteriness making contact with his warm skin, causing him to flinch away.  I began giggling, and the next thing I knew I was being pushed into a freezing pile of snow.

I gasped as icy water seeped into my back, and Dan laughed before falling into the snow next to me.  We faced each other giggling until our breath shortened as our clothes became wet.  We caught our breath, able to inhale then exhale evenly again, feeling the fresh crisp air biting our lungs and seeing each breath mingling in the freezing air between our faces

Lips met, chapped but warm, noses cold.
The best kiss ever.

Samantha Lipp