It had been a few months since that oh so faithful encounter with Raphaela and Teresa. But even so, Teresa tried her best to avoid the grinning brunette as much as she could, even going as far to taking a completely different route to the hall. For some reason, the girl was clinging to Teresa like a possessed rag doll, trailing behind her everywhere she went. The infamously tall Raphaela even managed to bag the bed above Teresa's, dangling her arms over it and trying to start weird conversations. It was then when Teresa realised that Raphaela wasn't going to let go. Even though the girl was more of an unwanted joker than a friend, Teresa decided to stick with it. After all, it wasn't like she was going to let go anytime soon. 

The winter season fell on the silent training camp as December peaked its head over the walls. A coat of frost lay itself on the ground, the temperature starting to drop below zero. It was dark, yet calm and serene, for the sun hadn't risen from its slumber just yet. As the remaining trainees began to shiver in their blankets, Teresa rubbed her eyes, opening them up to the December darkness. Stifling a yawn, she sat her self up, stretching out her long tanned arms. She looked around the quiet dorm, silently lifting her legs off her wrinkled bed sheets. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

[color=6ecff6]"Hey, Teresa, you awake?"[/color]

Teresa sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. [color=9e0b0f]"No, I'm totally snoring my ass off while you pick at the worn out wall paint beside our bunk. Jeez, of course I'm awake, Raphaela."[/color]

Raphaela giggled, waving her hands around Teresa's head. [color=6ecff6]"Wow, the day hasn't even properly started yet, and you're already insulting me and my bad habits? That's definitely a world record you've accomplished there, Teresa."[/color]

Raphaela sat back up on her mattress, curiously looking around for any other early birds in her dorm. She placed her hand on the ice cold wall and began to feel around, looking for the cracks of paint she had been picking at for the past few months. What started off as something to fulfil her boredom finished as something wide, grey, and extremely noticeable. Teresa tutted, getting up and hitting Raphaela on the leg.

[color=9e0b0f]"Quit scraping at the wall like some angry cat, will you?"[/color] Teresa hissed, trying to keep her voice as low as possible. [color=9e0b0f]"The instructor's going to kick your ass all the way to Shiganshina if he sees that."[/color]

[color=6ecff6]"I'm bored though! No one's awake and to be honest... I'm just plain bored."[/color]

[color=9e0b0f]"Then just deal with it until breakfast! Jeez, if you weren't always following me around like some lost pup, I wouldn't have to treat you like I'm your fucking mother!"[/color]

Suddenly, Raphaela went completely silent. She took her hand off the wall and started twiddling her thumbs, sinking back into the winter silence. Teresa was stunned. Rapheala Leistner, the girl who purposely annoyed other trainees for her amusement, the girl who once screamed her head off after a certain boy accidentally shoved themselves into her at the dinner hall, had gone silent. It was a surprise to Teresa, so much so that even she had stopped talking herself.

[color=6ecff6]"Um... I think we should go get ready now, Teresa."[/color]

Before she could respond, Raphaela was already up and at it, walking across the dorm like a giant ghost. Teresa felt like saying something, maybe even apologising if she had struck some sort of nerve inside Raphaela. However, before she could stand up, the morning sun rose up, making bars of yellow and orange light up the wooden floor through the window. The sun shone against Raphaela's brown hair as she walked off, looking as lonely as she did since the revelation of her mother's death eight years ago.