After tasty breakfast Fredrika jumped on her bike and hurried to school. She was eager to show her world to Richard and what would be a better place to start from than school?
Late autumn's cold wind blew at her face while she rode her bike through the busy streets.
Soon she reached the empty house which stood silently behind of dead trees.
Richard was standing at the window of the second floor watching how cars drove pass by his new house. When he saw Fredrika a faint smile appeared onto his face and he joined to her.
- Good morning Richard, Fredrika greeted him.
- Good morning Fredrika, he replied and climbed onto his stallion.
Fredrika looked at his stallion in amazement. It was a beautiful horse, its coat was coal black but its mane was silver grey. It was heavily build and thick muscles moved slightly under its silky hair.
This horse reminded her a bit about a Frisian horse but since his mane was lighter than the rest of its hair it wasn't a pure Frisian. Nevertheless he was beautiful and as noble as his master.
- What a beautiful horse.
- Thank you I think so too. Now which way we'll ride today?
Fredrika took the lead and Richard rode right beside of her.
His horse would have wanted to go faster and race with the bike but Richard kept him tightly under his control.
Soon the massive building of elementary school came to their view. The playground was full of noisy children who were enjoying the company of their friends.
- I have never seen so much of children, Richard confessed when Fredrika was locking up her bike.
- Oh, well when you are with me you'd better to get use to it.
- I think I might.
Richard dismounted and tied his horse to the lamp post which was near by.
Fredrika waited until he was finished and then she entered to the playground.
She had been afraid of every morning since after they had moved into this town but now she was more at ease since there was now at least one friendly soul near at her.
The boys were playing football and girls were tightly packed into their own little cliques where they exchanged the latest rumors.
When they saw Fredrika approaching they tightened up the wall of their backs and lowered down their voices.
So this morning was all about silent treatment like the day before that and the day before that.
Well, it didn't bother Fredrika as long as they left her alone there was no risk of getting bruised on emotional level.
Soon the bell rang and everybody hurried to the classrooms.
The first class was about English and the teacher told them to write an essay about free subject.
This was good news to Fredrika and she was eager to write about her new friend.
Richard was sitting at the back of the classroom and watched silently while the pupils were writing.
After the class came to finish the pupils returned their notebooks to the teacher's desk and hurried outside.
- What did you write about if I may ask, Richard asked when Fredrika was dressing herself up.
- I wrote about you and how we met.
- Oh, I'm flattered.
The next break was very much same as the one before, Fredrika stood alone at the playground but now she had a company which was invisible to the rest of the children.
- I wonder if we could have some fun, she suggested after a moment of silence.
- Like what, Richard asked.
- Do you see that group of girls standing at there?
- Aye.
- I wonder how much they would freak out if you would scare them a bit?
- That would be a childish thing to do.
- Come on, why not?
- First of all I don't harass children.
- But they do harass me by shutting me away.
- Well, in that case do you really care about their company or friendship?
- I guess I don't.
- That's what I thought.
The next class was about mathematics which seemed to continue on and on.
- This is very interesting, Richard pointed out.
- Speak for yourself.
Mathematics had always been hard to Fredrika and every time when teacher asked if someone knew the right answer she was sweating in fear if he would demand her to answer.
Her mum had told to her teacher about her little problem and it was just a matter of time when she would be directed to remedial instruction, which gave her classmates one more reason to bully her about.
Her mum had tried to cheer her up by saying that it wasn't a matter of shame if she wasn't as fast to learn as the rest of them but it didn't help her much.
She was being called stupid and retarded since she needed extra help unlike the others who were all so clever and smart.
Finally the exhausting day at school was done and it was time for short freedom.
On her way home Richard followed her and she thought how she could meet him one more time before going to bed?
- Perhaps I just had to wait outside until your mother is asleep so she wouldn't know that I'm at your house, Richard suggested.
- Okay, that's a good idea.
That same puckish smile appeared to Richard's face and it seemed that he had something in his mind.
- I may have a little surprise for you.
- Really what is it?!
- If I'll tell you it will no longer be a surprise.
- Please tell me Richard.
- No, no, no. You'll see it at night.
Then he turned his horse towards the empty house and vanished.
Fredrika hurried to home and finished her homework as fast as she could.
When her mum came back from work she told her enthusiastically what had happened at school but she left out what she had agreed with Richard.
- It's good to know that you had some fun at school, she replied.
Fredrika knew all too well how the divorce had hurt her mum and although she seemed to be alright she was suffering inside.
The worst thing was if her dad happened to phone and when he did so he was always drunk and he accused mum from crimes which she had not committed.
Once when Fredrika had seen her psychiatric, she had asked if she wished her parents to reunite once again?
In Fredrika's opinion that had been totally absurd idea. Her dad had mistreated her and her mum in worst possible way and it had been a relief to get away from him.
Sometimes her mum had said that they should had left ages ago but she had always wished for better times to come.
Well, it was over now and they had built new life far away from the previous one.
Impatiently Fredrika waited for night and she kept looking at the clock which seemed to have become as slow as a snail.
Finally after endless hours was time for light supper and then to bed.
After the evening prayer was said and lights turned off Fredrika started to listen to the sounds of night.
Her mum was still awake since Fredrika was able to see the soft light coming from her room.
Was she about to stay up for the whole night?
Then after a while she turned her light out and darkness fell into the apartment.
The night around Fredrika was awfully silent and she thought if Richard would keep his word?