Phyre sat down on the ground by the lake. Looking around and not seeing anyone she slid her gloves off and flexed her hands. Reaching out and dipping her fingers into the water she sighed softly.

Caleb walked out of the large oak doors leading form the castle. He felt a cold winter breeze strike his face, it stung but he couldn't help but smile. He loved winter and It was one of the few things that made him smile. He let his gaze wander the main grounds and he spotted a girl sitting by the lake. He stopped walking and tilted his head to the side. He thought for a moment wether or not he should go over to her. His curiosity got the best of him so he set off towards her. He smiled and sat next to her. " Ello I'm Caleb you don't mind me sitting here do you?" he asked.

Phyre instinctively jerked her hands from the water and reached for her gloves. "Ummm..." She stuttered and she tried pulling her gloves on her hands. She didn't want anyone to see the nasty scars that the fire had left on her.
"N..No" She said shrugging and dropping one glove.

Caleb smiled slightly and picked up her glove hading it to her then asked. " Uh, if you don't mind me asking, are you okay?"

She took the glove from him giving up on hiding her scars."Yeah i'm fine" She dropped her arms down in her lap. the sleeves of her robes dropped and only her hands showed. She wasn't used to meeting and talking to new people. Usually she would get up and leave whenever people came around."thanks" She said hesitantly looking down at the water.

Caleb smiled and looked at the water too. " No problem, I'm Caleb."

"Phyre" She said twisting the gloves in her hands.She wasn't a very talkative person and wasn't sure what to say.

" Pleasure meeting you!" he smiled looking from her up to the sky.

She looked up at him and smiled a small smile. " Are you always this happy Caleb?"

Caleb shrugged. " Most of the time." he looked over at her smiling. " I like meeting new people and I like winter so I'm happy."

"Winters a great season. I'm just glad the lake isn't frozen over." She said looking bacck to the water. " there are alot of things to see here."

" Agreed." he said softly looking at her then at the water where her gaze fell.

She looked at him and smiled a little. "So how long have you been here?"

Caleb looked up and smiled back at her. " 5 years you?"

"I'm new" She frowned. "i don't really know to much about this magic stuff."

" You'll get the hang of it don't worry!" He said resting his hand on her shoulder then lettin git fall back to the ground.

She gasped when he touched her shoulder. No one besides her aunt and uncle had ever touched her. Not since the fire anyways. She looked down at his hand and then back up at him. " aren't you disgusted by me?" She asked a bit hatefully. Bringing up her hand she pushed her shocking blue hair out of her dead white eye and let all her scars show on one of her hands. "i mean look at me. I'm a freak!"

Caleb looked at her in shock for a moment then said. " No I'm not disgusted! I don't care what someone looks like your a nice girl from what I Have seen, and I think your beautiful." he said as the truth she was beautiful and he looked at her you could see that he was telling the truth from the look in his eyes.

"Well you should be!" She yelled out."I come here expecting the same treatment from you all as i got from everyone else! I came here expecting people to point,stare, and laugh. But NO! you had to prove my aunt and uncle right! You had to be nice!" Her voice was growing weaker and you could tell she wanted to cry. "Ever since i was caught in the fire that killed my parents. People would turn away from me. They would talk about me. 'OH Phyre was such a pretty little girl' They would whisper. 'What happened to her was a shame.' or 'No honey you can play with that....that" Phyre's eyes began to tear and she whimpered. "That freak!" She choked out." i'm not the girl i once was and i'll never be her again."

Caleb listened to her for a moment. " Your far from a freak!" he said softly. " It doesn't matter what they think it only matters what I think because what I think abou tyou is the truth!" he said softly, looking at her.

"I know thats what i'm really supposed to feel and think." She whiped her eyes. "But sometimes i just wish i could be normal. Go shopping with friends and to the movies. I've been this way sine i was young. I've lived my life hiding from people." She said softly looking back up at him.

Caleb thought for a second. " Then come be normal with me, I'll do anything you want, if you want to get ice cream, or go shopping...anything I'll come with you I'll be your friend!" he smiled.

She tried to hide the smile. "I don't wanna be a bother or have anyones pity Caleb. I want true friendship."

" You aren't a bother and I don't pitty you I want to be your friend really I do!" he smiled at her.

She grinned and shook her head. "Alright but and ice cream and then you can pick what we do."

Caleb smiled " Sounds good wanna go now?" he asked standing holing out his hand to help her up.

"Would it be ok if i got changed first?" She said looking down at her schcool robes.

" Of course!" he smiled. " I do too..." he said still holding out his hand for her to take.

She reached out and hesitated. She wasn't used to all the touching. She took a deep breath and then took his hand pulling herself up. "Thanks"

Caleb watched her hesitate he understood completely. He smiled and let go of her hand not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

"Alright i'll see you in a little while say twenty minutes?"

" okay" he said smiling.