My head was bent downwards as I battled the wind. Despite my hair being pulled back into a messy bun, it was slowly falling out, the odd strand or two billowing like smoke.
But I didn't care. I was far too focussed on the task at hand.
My friend was leaving, and I wanted to surprise her before she left; which was why I was walking down the street at three o'clock on a Sunday morning.
Then the rain started, and I sighed, my breath rattling. Admittedly the rain was light, and more like sea spray, but it still soaked into my clothes.
I checked my watch, the hands illuminating in the darkness, picked up the pace. There was only five minutes left to my walk, and I didn't want to miss Freya and her family.
But luckily for me, when I arrived at the farm house, only one light was on. The kitchen light.
I smiled softly. Freya was up, and most likely making herself a hot chocolate before she woke her mother and younger brother up; she needed the energy to perk up, I knew.
I knocked on the door, taking care to not be so loud in case anyone was still asleep.
I heard the chair in the kitchen scrape across the floor, and I watched the hallway light filter out the opaque window on the front door. H
er shadow blocked some of the light. I shivered, and I wrapped my arms around myself to try to warm myself up, even if it didn't do a lot.
The lock clicked, and the door opened cautiously. A gasp followed.
'Ebony?' Freya asked in disbelief.
I laughed gently.
'Can I come in or no?' I joked, my teeth chattering.
Yeah, yeah, come in. I'll make you a tea.'
Freya ushered me inside, and I sighed at the wall of warmth that hit me. 'Thanks Freya.'
I took my jacket off and hung it up on the rail. I swallowed sharply as I took in the lack of coats on the rail, the lack of shows on the shoe rack, the lack of furniture in the front room. It was all empty, except from the last pile of boxes.
That was because they had moved a majority of their belongings last week; they were taking the last few bits with them today when they left for good. I wished that they could be delayed, even if it was for just one more day.
I followed Freya into the kitchen, where she was already pouring hot water into a mug. She placed the brewed tea in front of me, taking a sip of her own hot chocolate.
'What the hell are you doing here?' She asked. I hid my smile.
The reason they had decided to leave so early in the morning was because they knew no one would wake up, or stay up, to see them off.
'Seeing you off.' I answered as though it was a normal thing to walk across town so early in the morning.
'But, it's like, gone three in the morning... and you start work at six!' She exclaimed, before quietening down. I figured her mother (Susanne) and her younger brother (Matt) were still asleep.
'I know, but I can't let you leave without properly saying goodbye. I know you had the party, but... I wanted to see you off.' I finished weakly, not really having much of an argument to make.
Thinking about it now, I never did. I had just wanted to say goodbye in my own way, and this was the only way I could think of to do it.
'Thanks Ebony.'
We drank in silence, the quiet of the house seeming eerie. I remembered when music would either be blasted down the stairs, or the quiet melodic sound of Susanne playing the piano trickled through the walls.
