I woke up to find that my hair was lightly powdered in white flakes of… Snow? I moaned,

“Oh no.” Now I would be wet and cold. I looked down at the now wet skirt, thankfully the book was still dry, as well as my writing. I looked into the street to see children playing in the falling snow, having snowball fights and making snowmen. I sighed, knowing that I would have to spend the little money I had on a room in an inn if I wanted to survive the night.

“Lydia!” I heard Philip’s voice, and turned around to see him on the street at the other side of the alleyway. I ran to him, glad to see a friendly face, and he pulled me into a hug, which helped to warm me. “You’re freezing! You slept out here? In the snow?” We separated,

“I’m fine, calm down. You sound like your Mum!” I teased him.

“Oh, be quiet,” Philip said, laughing. “I just don’t want you to freeze to death,” he told me, more serious now. I looked away, pulling my hat farther down on my head so it covered my freezing ears,

“I’ll be fine, trust me. I’m going to try and find an Inn tonight, anyway. I’m not sleeping in this,” I said, gesturing towards the snow falling around us. Philip put his arm around my shoulder, and I put my arm around his waist, too short to reach his shoulder. We walked together in the snow, and I began to see the beauty in the white blanket that covered the city, rather than the inconvenience. I looked over as I heard a shout, and Philip took his arm off my shoulder.

“Hey, Philip!” A King’s College student in a black wooly hat with big hair pulled back into a ponytail called out, two others next to him. One had short, white hair, and the other had shoulder length messy blonde hair, and was wearing a thick, emerald green coat. Philip made his way over to the group of his friends, and I followed him, ducking into the alley and taking off my frozen, soaking wet skirt, then rushing back out in my warm, mostly dry trousers. Philip motioned for me to join him and his group of friends, on the doorstep of the Inn.

“Hey, Lyd, come join us!” he called, using the nickname that only he was allowed to call me. I met up with Philip and his friends on the step of the Inn, where we went inside to escape the cold. The warmth flooded over me like a wave, something I had read about in my books. We sat at the bar, which earned me a few glares and dirty looks, but I was used to it, I ignored them.

“This is Adam,” Philip motioned to the one with the white hair, which I now realized was light brown, now that the snow had melted. “Anthony,” The one with the blonde hair. “And Max,” The one in the black hat and ponytail. I lifted my hand in a ‘Hello’ motion, smiling. I saw the bartender, and Anthony called him over.

“What meals are on special?” He asked. The bartender pointed to a board by his head, which read, ‘Special- Fish and Chips, Broccoli Soup.’ Max spoke up,

“Five plates of Fish and Chips,” he told the Bartender, then turned to me, “That ok for you?” he laughed. I raised an eyebrow,

“Like I ever have enough money to afford anything more fancy,” I laughed, smiling back at Philip, who knew that the only time I ever ate here was in the winter, and even then only when I stayed at the Inn, on the coldest nights. The bartender pushed five plates of fish and chips down the counter towards us, and we each took our own. I began to eat almost right away, politely but quickly.

“You hungry?” Philip asked me. Of course, he didn’t know that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast yesterday.

“Starving,” I replied, laughing slightly. I slowed down, trying to seem less like the “Street Rat,” that most people saw me as. After we had all finished our lunch, Adam stood up.

“I have to go, I’ve got a class,” He said, and I realized that he was obviously a King’s College student. Max rolled his eyes,

“You taking classes over break again?” Adam punched him in the arm,

“Shut up,” he said, laughing slightly. He stood up, taking his coat off the back of his chair and pulling it on.