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FACE RAISED TOWARDS THE SUN, Anna sat on the park swing, her thin coat flapping, buffing slightly with every swing, her hair moving with every gust of wind flowing by.
It was her favorite time of the day. The early morning, when you could still smell the dew on the grass, feel it soaking into your clothes as you walked, hear the birds sing their first song of the day. She had never been an early riser, but for the past few years that she had lived here, she found serenity in these quiet moments, rare as they were.
It wasn't always that she left the house that early, a day here and there when she didn't have morning classes, allowing her to take a nap as soon as she returned.
Her gaze gravitated towards the sky. It was red still, the early morning rays painting the clouds its various shades, from pink to burgundy, a stark contrast to the muted grays of the baring trees. The red rays caressed her skin, making a small smile appear on her lips in response to their subtle warmth.
Fall had never been her favorite season, too cold and rainy for her liking. Yet, its mornings held a certain charm. Though the rainy days and less-than- pleasant temperatures took a bit of that charm away.
She sighed as a gust of wind blew by, rustling the leaves, making them fall to the ground in a wonderful mix of warm tones.
She felt a certain kinship with those fallen pads.
The leaves, swirling through the air in a mass of yellows and browns, were just as lost as her.
Soon, these peaceful mornings would give way to the lifeless season, and, yet again, she would have to settle for spending her mornings in a cold kitchen, wrapped up in a blanket failing to provide the much needed warmth.
She watched the joggers running around the pond, the familiarity of the rhythmic sound of their shoes hitting the ground calming her even further. It was nice- knowing that she wasn't alone in her morning escapades.
Soon, the joggers too would retire from their activities, waiting for a more appropriate weather.
Pressing her foot deeper into the ground, she set the swing into motion, her eyes lighting up as she spotted a familiar silhouette in the distance. She waved with a small smile, grinning as the girl ran up to her.
"Hi Jules." She wrapped her arms around the girl, returning her hug.
Julia was Anna's first girlfriend, who now was a part of Anna's circle of friends, small as it may be. They had parted on good terms, deciding that it would be better for them to be just friends. The spark had disappeared after a bit over a year and neither wanted to drag things out as to not hurt the other.
They had met at an after party at the premiere of one of their shows about three years prior, hitting it off instantly. Their interests were similar, but perhaps too similar, as nothing really made them different from each other aside from their appearance. Julia was a bit more tan and slightly taller than Anna, her red hair as fiery as her personality.
