slow moments

gray mornings

I opened my eyes to darkness as the warmth of my covers becomes overwhelming.

I slowly lift the covers off me careful not to wake the others, and let a soft sigh of relief escape me as the slightly cooler air of the dorm wraps around my body, suddenly I notice my mouth is super dry so i get up and tiptoe down the stairs/hallway, to get some water from the "kitchen" area in the common room
Standing at the counter I watch as my cup filled with water, I let it fill and over flow it streamed down the cup over my hand and into the sink where it flows down the drain. I wonder if I'll ever feel the same water flow around my hands again,

shaking my head softly I reach over and shut the water off. I bring my hand up slowly so the water won't spill and take a small drink I turned and leaned against the counter as I scan the room, the first thing I noticed is the grey light that filled the room making everything almost look like it was made of marble.

The second, is that I wasn't the only one up. My eyes caught on the window seat where my best friend sat.

Empty and half empty cups with cold tea and coffee sat on the floor around her feet,

She wasn't looking at me but as I walked over she hummed in acknowledgement, what are you doing up this early? I spoke in a whisper, feeling almost bad for breaking the complete silence in the room.

She didn't answer right away I stood in silence and studied her, her expression was calm.
there were shadows under her eyes but they were glittering all the same. Her cute button nose wiggled as her thin lips twisted upward in a small smile,

She tore her gaze away from the window then and looked at me, what are you doing up? She asked just as soft as I had.

I got to hot, and needed some water. I held up the glass of water I had been quietly sipping from. My voice, and her's, were raspy but it strangely fit the atmosphere of the room at this point in time.

I couldn't sleep, she stated as she curled her legs up in a silent invitation for me to join her on the soft window seat, stacked with pillows

Surely you don't mean to say, you didn't sleep at all? I mumbled to her with a questioning look

She made a quiet, tired, amused sort of sound,

yep, she flashed me a smile. That's exactly what I mean, she said

I gave her an amused expression as I leaned back against the wall and entangled our legs

Wanna see something magical? She asked me with a smile

Sure, but I see magic all day since it's what we learn here, I teased her

Not the kind you use wands for silly, the kind a human can't force or make on there own. She said in a low hum

Ok, show me then. I said with curiosity getting the best of me

She smiled and slowly opened the window slightly, it creaked open and the frosty morning air rushed in brushing my warm face with cold fingers and playing with my hair, it stung my eyes like a I'd opened them under cold water

After the shock of cold, I noticed the sound of the early birds chirping, I looked out over the cold gray grounds and I could faintly make out the sound of the water in the lake splashing against the rocky shore, behind the sound of the grass, bushes and trees

The wind howled and whistled as it snakes it's way through the land

Everything as far as the eye could see was a cool grey color, that could only be described as the color of predawn
It muted all the vibrant colors of flowers and birds but it did not succeed in muting the soft sound

Of the drizzling rain, or the low sounds of thunder far far away in the distance

Just on the horizon we could see the first little lines of light start to grow and fight for dominance of the sky, it's hungry rays reached up and up trying to grasp to top of the trees

And hasten the coming of another day time slowly crawled onward and not a sound was heard from ether of us,

She stared transfixed as a pair of mocking birds flew around each other in a dance guided by the wind

I stared at her. watching as the wind gentle twisted and twirled her hair around her face, how I could see a little bit of her straight white teeth peaking out from behind her lips, her mouth slightly open
And the steam of her breath swirling in the air getting whipped out the window.

Her eyebrows arched up slightly even though her face was relaxed and her lashes slowly drifted down as she half lidded her eyes and kept watching, and listening to the life of the world the chaos of never matching sounds the still seems to make a heart beat looking at the ground even so far below us it almost seemed to breath

The window sill was wet from the constant drizzle and the rumble of thunder was still far away but I think it's kinda crazy that I only noticed it now,

I love how I can notice the things around me and try to appreciate my quite moments and the people I share them with.

Finally the sound of other students waking up broke through my thoughts my best friend and I looked at each other with a smile.

We untangled our legs and stood up I insisted her going to sleep for a while while I got her breakfast

I guess. in the end, it doesn't matter how well we pay attention there will always be something we miss but,

that just makes the quiet moments. And the little things, More special.