The city looks like a Christmas card. The world has gone quiet, and the only sound is the crunch of snow compacting beneath her feet. The weather makes for a good excuse to go for a walk and think. Or maybe she'll stop in on a café, grab a window seat, and watch the world go by.

When Priya passes through the park, taking in the sights and sounds, she spots a recognisable figure sitting on a bench. Rosalya is only visible by her thick purple parka; her white hair and pale skin are camouflaged in these surroundings.

"Enjoying your snow day?" Priya asks, striding towards the bench.

Rosalya looks up, saying nothing. She doesn't need to, her blotchy red eyes and damp skin say it all.

"Are you okay?"

A feeble shrug comes in response.

Priya uses the end of her scarf to wipe away the excess snow from the bench and sits down next to Rosalya. "What happened?"

"Don't," Rosalya's voice croaks. "I don't want to talk about it."

Saying nothing, Priya throws her arm around Rosalya, who snuggles in close, burying her face in Priya's shoulder. Priya rubs circles in Rosalya's back, unsure if she can even feel her through the thick layers they're bundled up in. There are no tears, there mightn't be any left, just long, deep sighs.

Eventually the silence breaks. "I broke up with Leigh."

"Oh? I'm so sorry." Priya says, looking down at Rosalya in her arms and meeting her gaze.

Rosalya shakes her head. "I broke up with him."

Priya takes her time before answering, taking it all in. "How did he take it?"

Rosalya sniffles and tries not let the tears spill out. She can't look at Priya anymore and looks off into the distance at the people milling about, enjoying the weather. "Well. He was so good about it. It was more than I deserved. I wouldn't blame him if he hated me."

"Rosa," Priya says almost pleadingly, encouraging her not to be so harsh on herself. It pains Priya to see her criticise herself, it's so unlike Rosalya to act like this.

"Lys will hate me for this," Rosalya says quietly, thinking aloud.

"He would never hate you," Priya assures her. Lysander doesn't have a mean bone in his body.

Rosalya simply shakes her head.
Priya sits silently, thinking. Why is Rosalya being so hard on herself anyway? It must be guilt surely, but it seems far more than simple guilt over breaking someone's heart. "Rosa, I have to ask, but why did you break up with Leigh?"

Rosalya pulls away from Priya and lets Priya's arm drop back to her side. "Because I have feelings for someone else."

Priya's eyes go wide. Rosalya and Leigh seemed like the perfect couple. They did everything together, they were hardly ever apart and even when you got Rosalya alone she would work Leigh into conversation.

"I had no idea," Priya begins, "When did this happen."

Rosalya turns to Priya with tears in her eyes for the first time since she got here, "When you arrived in town."