First words: Well, you know, the usual stuff.

Feel free to review.

Enjoy.

~*~

*It was cold. So cold. And wet. Maureen didn't just feel uncomfortable. She felt despaired. And somehow scared. Why?

She tried to turn around but couldn't move an inch. She was like paralysed. With fear? Or because of the cold water? Water? There wasn't any water.

Her head swam. A huge headache was crawling into her head. And with that the heat came.

Maureen woke up, breathing sharply. What had that been? She couldn't remember her dream very well. Just the feeling of loneliness and despair.

Wait. What had Geoffrey said last night? "Whatever you dream during the first night in a new bed will come true."? Oh, hopefully not!!!

A loud grumping made Maureen stiffen. It took her some seconds to realise it had been her stomach! Last evening she had been too busy with concentrating on her report to notice how hungry she actually was.

Maureen got up and went to the window. It was very cold and still dark outside. She couldn't see any star, the sky looked misty-clouded. The air smelled as if snow was near. Snow! How Maureen loved it. It was so soft and it could cover everything: broken milk-cans, broken plants, broken souls. No - she didn't want to think such thoughts now. She had found a new home, new hope - perhaps friends, too. Happily she examined the room. Her glance fell upon the pan next to the bed. It had been hot last night. Elana had put it between the sheets to make the bed cosy for Maureen's first night in it. Maureen was very thankful for that.

She heard the sound of bells outside. It was 7am.

Then she heard sounds coming from downstairs. Apparently Elana was working in the kitchen. So Maureen hurried to wash (there was a can with water together with a flat bowl and a towel on a small table) and dress, then took the pan and went downstairs to thank Ela and possibly help her. She was full of enthusiasm to show everybody she was worth the efforts.

When she entered the kitchen she found Ela kneeling before the hearth making a fire. On the table lay her washed and mended clothes. She bid Ela a good morning who turned looking quite surprised.

"You're awake already? It was late last night."

"You have been up longer than me and are here already, too."

"But I'm used to that!"

"Me too, at home I always.erm."

Elana looked curiously at her but Maureen didn't want to say more. Instead she asked:

"Are that mine?" pointing at the clothes on the table. Ela looked disappointed.

"Yeah, they are. Fine, you don't have to tell me. Although I guess you have told Geoffrey last night, haven't you?" And, without waiting for an answer, Ela went ("stormed" might have been the better word.) out of the kitchen to lit the fires in the other rooms, too.

Why was Elana so insulted? It was only natural that Maureen didn't tell everything to everybody, wasn't it? What could she do to soothe Ela?

She went through the shelves and cupboards in the kitchen until she found plates and cutlery. Then she began laying the table. Ela came in again, smiled and began to make breakfast. Maureen was relieved. There was no tense to be felt anymore.

"Ela?"

"Hm?"

"Would you teach me some things?"*

~Geoffrey woke up from the 7-o'clock-bells. But he did not feel like getting up. He stuck out a toe from under the blanket and decided that it was too cold outside to already leave his warm bed. He rolled over and thought about last evening.

After Ryan had gone to bed it had been too late for any Valentine's entertainment. He had decided to have a small dinner then go to bed, too. But it had not been before 1 o'clock in the morning until he could realize this plan. For he had been talking with Ela for quite a long time while he had been eating. Sometimes he could totally forgot how young she actually was.

Ryan's story had been very interesting. The poor boy seemed to have suffered quite a lot of times. He had never been speaking about his past, what had happened before they met the first time, although Geoffrey had tried to make him doing this. Ryan seemed to be in a situation where he did not know what to do and how to behave. He was reserved once and then outspoken again. He seemed to be torn and unsure. Well Geoffrey would take care that Ryan would feel better soon.

It was quarter past seven.

Geoff heard sounds from downstairs. The usual Ela-morning-sounds: quiet fire crackling . plates and pans that were taken away from their places in the cupboards . sweet humming of a song . laughter .???. Unmistakebly - there were two voices down there. Sighing Geoffrey went out of his bed: he *had* to know who was with Elana in the kitchen.

When he entered the room he could not quite believe his eyes: sitting together on a bench were Elana and Ryan!!! She was showing him some sewing tricks. Geoffrey never had met a boy who wanted to learn how to sew. Well, actually ONE of his friends was mighty of this talent - but that was another story.

"Hey Ryan" -they both looked up, startled- "'Second assistant' does not mean 'second house maiden'. You are not supposed to learn how to repair clothes."

The boy blushed but the girl next to him grinned mischievously.

"And YOU aren't supposed to turn up before your servants wearing only your night shirt. By the way, you need a new one - this is a bit too revealing. If I may say so." Geoffrey looked down at himself. Ela was right, unfortunately. She could not stop grinning. Ryan blushed even more and looked away.~

*Maureen felt awkward. She hadn't noticed how revealing Geoffrey's shirt actually was until Ela had brought it up. She had seen nearly all his chest and most of his long legs. How indecent.

Geoffrey looked as if nothing was wrong. Dignified he left the kitchen and made his way up the stairs to his room. Ela bursted out with laughter. And Maureen now, too, felt a big giggling coming up her throat. She tried to fight it down. Giggling was nothing what a 14 years old boy did.*

~When Geoffrey had reached his room he felt the blood finally taking over. His face and ears burnt. Why? He had already been totally naked, even in front of complete strangers.

Elana was not the problem. And she would keep it to herself.

But Ryan caused a queasy twitching in his stomach. He did not know him as long as Ela.

He was wondering why his half-nakedness in front of Ryan made him feel so much uneasy.~

~*~

Sorry for the shortness. I'm a bit lacking of ideas.

More to come.