Ethereal | Free Rein [Pin]

//Chapter 2//

Exquisite (adj.)
/ˈɛkskwɪzɪt,ɪkˈskwɪzɪt/
1.
extremely beautiful and delicate.
"exquisite, jewel-like portraits"
Synonyms: beautiful, lovely, elegant, graceful

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The sun set around them, it had etched mesmerizing colours into the sky. The light of the setting sun bounced off of Harper's body as she leaned against the car outside of her house, waiting for her dad to finish checking the house was empty.

"Harper!" She heard a voice shout. Harper turned towards the voice and saw Maria running towards her. Maria's blonde hair bounced around her shoulders as she ran towards her, fractions of light reflected off the blonde's hair.

Harper would be lying if she said she wouldn't miss her friend dearly, Maria's larger-than-life personality always complemented Harper's albeit slightly pessimistic personality.

"I'm sorry I almost missed you! The traffic was so awful." Maria squeezed Harper into a hug, "If I had missed you I never would've forgiven myself."

"At least you're here now." Harper sighed and pulled away from her friend. "We have to set off soon to make the big ferry, it's a three-hour drive." Harper cringed slightly at the thought of arriving to the island at around two am.

A flicker of sadness flashed through Maria's eyes, but she just smiled in spite of it. "Here, have this."

Maria held out a small book, around the size of an iPad mini. Harper reached out and gently took it from her hands. Harper opened the book and flicked through quickly, inside the book was several photos of their friend group and drawings. Maria was such a talented artist, even if she didn't think so. Maria was going to go far with her art and Harper knew that, if only Maria could see the things everyone else saw about her art and how amazing it is.

"Maria this is incredible; I love it so much!" Harper closed the book and wrapped her arms around her friend one last time.

"I promise I will visit" Maria promised before she released Harper.

Harper held the book tightly as she opened the car door and got inside. She knew that one day she would have to leave this house, her friends, everything she knew, but she didn't expect for the day to come so soon.

«»

The ride to the island was pleasant, the water was calm, and the ferry was only slightly late. True to Harper's predictions, they arrived in the dead of the night.

Harper forced her eyes to check the time on her phone, it read 02:53. As they lived in the north of England it took them a while to get down to the ferry port to the small island.

"Where are we?" She asked, her sentence interrupted by a yawn.

"Don't worry Harper, we are almost there." Harper's dad looked exhausted.

"Whatever you say, Sean." Harper joked, as she attempted to lighten the mood. Her dad didn't reply.

They were heading down a small road, through the headlights Harper could see hoof prints etched into the road. She was anticipating going to her new stables tomorrow, she was slightly desperate to see her horse again. They were rarely ever apart for this long.

Harper felt exhaustion seeping slowly into her bones, the coffee she had drunk on the ferry was weak and didn't do a lot to keep her awake.

"Harper, we're here." The engine shut off and Harper's dad opened his car door, "grab your backpack and suitcases while I open the door for us."

Harper grumbled in reply and stepped out of the car into the night. It was fairly cold for a night in early July, soon the temperature would really start to rise.