in a whrill wind

Syd had felt a bit sick the whole trip back. But she hadn't thrown up since the bathroom incident. She felt a bit more dizzy than anything, and she thought her ears might completely stop up from the air travel. But it was the guilt, big guilt that consumed her the most, once they hit the ground to a snow covered landscape. She looked all around her. Had they landed in the mid-west?

"Sure we didn't- didn't take a wrong turn somewhere and end up in Alaska?" She looked around as if she was lost even if she'd spent a good portion of her high school years here. The air was frigid and her teeth started to chatter. She still felt so cold even when they got back to the apartment. Naturally, her cat was happy to see her and then she started to think. She really should have called somebody, but she didn't want too.

Naturally, Eric was all smiles. He put on the tea pot as if she'd just came for tea, even if it was after mid-night.

"Are you warm enough?" He asked, turning up the heat.

"Yeah, I'm fine." But she thought of Kip, knowing he'd yell at her as soon as she called. She didn't want to. She hadn't called before they left because she knew he'd figure out a way to keep her to stay. Say it would be wrong. It would be too soon. She needed him. No one else, as far as he was concerned. Then she'd have to listen to her mother, and then she'd know this was the stupidest thing she'd ever done. Well, one of them. She just couldn't seem to get anything right.

She rubbed the black cats chin and listened to her purr. Syd smiled. She felt full of happiness. Being here. She always loved this place, and it was even better having Eric here.

"I think you should just wait, til morning. Any time tomorrow, you know, about calling them." Eric shrugged.

"Yeah, of course." She was frazzled. Eric took her hand then, and he smiled.

"We'll be OK." He put his arm around her. She leaned on him. She hoped so.