Waltz under the Moonlight.

★~Chapter 3: A Crystal Clear Lake~★

As she waited by the lake, a soft breeze blowing by as white puffs of air emerged from her lips. She wrapped herself up in her cloak, keeping in whatever heat she could. The other had told her to meet them there, so she was. Sitting by a Lake that almost looked Frozen, Crystal Clear and shimmering under the night stars, as if it was glowing and yet something so beautiful could kill you if you stayed beneath it long enough.

★~Months ago..~★

Their waltz ended, they knew they needed to go back. Niko lowered her hands to her side and looked up before looking at Florian, a smile on her face. "We should head back before we get in trouble" She smiled. Florian returned the smile and nodded. The two began to walk, taking a different route than they did when they came, since apparently the scenery was nicer. 

"Feel better?" Niko asked after they had walked for a while. Florian pondered for a moment. Feel better? Was she not feeling well? She kept thinking til she remembered, her mind still fuzzy from the waltz. "Y-yea, I feel a lot better.."  Florian smiled, rubbing her arm. It was a nervous habit that she'd been trying to get away from, but never could. "Are you sure..?" Niko asked again, indicating her current movement. "Y-y-yea j-j-just a habit." She laughed nervously. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous.. maybe she was afraid of the teahcer.. Florian stopped walking for a moment. "I'm sorry.." She mumbled. Niko stopped and looked at her and raised a brow. "Sorry? About what?" She asked, not turning around and rather just looking over her shoulder. "Well... if I hadn't felt ill in class I wouldn't have caused you so much.." She pondered, thinking for the right word at the back of her mind, "bother?" She said, sounding a little unsure at the last bit, her voice raising slightly indicated that. "Bother? You haven't been a bother to me at all!" Niko turned around on her heel to face Florian, soon clasping the others hands in her own and bringing them up a bit. "I really enjoy your company! I never really had many friends, other than Elli and Onix, so it's nice having someone else around!" She smiled.

Florian couldn't help but smile. The only person she's really had around her is her brother and even then they never spoke much unless it was about dinner or if anything happened in school. "I..." She couldn't think of anything to say, and Niko didn't seem to mind at all, and Florian appreciated that greatly. "You don't need to say anything,  your expression says enough" Niko laughed. Florian just nodded and started moving again, at a quick-ish pace to catch up to the girl in front of her. "Hey Flower," Niko started, placing her hands behind her head. "Yes?" Florian answered, turning a bit to face her. "What do you want to be once you get out of college?" Niko asked, continuing to face forward. Florian pondered for a bit. She hadn't really thought about that, or even considered doing anything once she left college. "I'm... not sure." She responded, closing her eyes as she walked. "I never really thought about it." She opened her eyes again and Niko nodded slightly. "Fair enough." She smiled. "And you? What do you want to do?" Florian asked, curiosity laced her voice. "Me? If I'm being honest with you, I'd love to be an author." Niko said, her voice barely above a whisper. It was silent for a moment until Niko sighed. "Well.." Florian looked at her and tilted her head, "Well?" She pressed further, even more curious. "I like to think that stories are gateways to a whole new world. A world where you can be whatever, put yourself in the characters shoes, imagine what you'd do in their situations, pick out favorites and least favorites.. stories in the second or first person do that kinda well, to let yourself be in the story I mean, but mostly second person." She took a breath before continuing. "They're like.. a getaway from the harsh reality we call life, where nothing goes according to plan. Stories are the gateway that we can enter, whether it be into a life filled with fear and dread, action and adventure, love and romance or Hope and Fantasy, there's so many different one to choose from, so many different worlds that we can imagine ourselves in.." She finished, looking up at the sky, her hands now by her side.