she spun in the courtyard, the snow flakes drifting down from the grey sky above, until she was dizzy. and then she spun some more. and when the world felt like it wouldn't spin any more, she dropped to the ground, the snow muffling out the sounds around her.

he watched from above, a fire crackling behind him. he leaned his face up against the cold window, his breath clouding his view of the girl down in the courtyard now making angels in the still falling snow. a different man would have turned and run out that door. run down three flights of stairs, shoes clattering on hard wooden floors, through the large wooden doors at the bottom of the stairs and flung himself into the snow beside her.

but he didn't. instead, he watched as she stood and brushed off her coat and went inside. he watched as the snow fell into the courtyard below.