The grey sky rumbled and groaned, weighed down by the rain that plummeted onto the grey courtyard below. Abbi gazed out of the arched window, searching for a break in the bleak overhanging clouds, there wasn't one in sight. Leaning against the stone wall she sighed heavily, the rain had been around for too long. It was hard to remember what sunshine felt like.

It was a Friday afternoon in Silverstone Boarding School and the corridors bustled with hurrying students coming in from lunch. The water from their shoes left gathering puddles on the grand stone stairwells, filled with squelching footsteps and gasping voices that were tight after having run through the rain. The only reason for her not hurrying was that she was awaiting someone, her friend Kate whom had been asked to go and see her Biology teacher. It was taking longer than it should but Abbi didn't mind, she knew their English teacher would be late for the double period. He always was. Suddenly a hand tapped her shoulder.

"Thanks for waiting, sorry about the wait" said Kate smiling warmly, her hair was wet and her face flushed, Biology was on the other side of the courtyard. Abbi gave a shrug and returned the smile,

"It's fine, you know Mr Carter's always late anyway,"

"Yeah, though it'd be just typical for today to be the one day he isn't wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, I hadn't thought about that. Oh well it's fine,"

"Yeah?"

"Yep, I'll just blame you." they laughed as they reached the top of the stairs and went over to the door that was thankfully still open - he was late. Yet when going inside they heard the tell tale scratching of someone writing on the board, turning they both blushed as Mr Carter looked over his shoulder at them both. Though the expression wasn't angry,

"Hello girls, get caught by the rain?"

"Yes sir,"

"Sorry we're late sir,"

"It's all right we hadn't done anything vital within the first three minutes of the I assure you." he chuckled turning back to the board. The girls scuttled over to their seats and sat down quickly, it was lucky Mr Carter was a kind hearted man, usually in the school even thirty seconds late was practically punishable by death. Let alone three minutes.

Continuing with his writing Mr Carter spoke out to the entire

"Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good Christmas with their families," there was a chorus of 'yes' from the and a general muttering of chatter broke out. Kate turned round to speak quickly with the two twin girls behind and exchange stories. Abbi didn't join in, she didn't know the twins very well and was sure they disliked her, their steely blue eyes always judged, they never saw. Again her gaze fell to the window and she searched for that wondrous blue, for a soaring bird, for a ray of sunshine. It never came and then she got a nudge I the ribs,

"Abbi? You awake?"

"Yeah sorry, I was a million miles away,"

"Oh I really couldn't tell,"

"Don't do sarcasm Kate, it doesn't suit you."

"Fine then smart ass. I'll just repeat my question. What did you get from your parents?"

"Oh you know.... stuff." she replied smiling weakly. This was a lie, an outright lie that Kate didn't seem convinced by, but Mr carter started the lesson at that point and so couldn't try to got more information. Abbi hadn't received anything from her parents, the only gift she had been given was a small box of chocolates from Kate. That had come as a total shock, and only by sneaking out to the nearby town had she managed to repay the gesture. It wasn't because she didn't want to give Kate a gift, she just hadn't expected to be given one, the last time she'd been given a present was so far away in her past that it was practically forgotten. Abbi had only come to Silverstone five weeks before Christmas. Before that no one really knew where she'd come from. No one had asked and so she hadn't felt the need to tell, no questions meant she didn't need to tell any lies.

Kate seemed intrigued whilst everyone else just ignored. Abbi was beyond thankful to have a friend, it was such a novelty, she truly thought of Kate as a wonder. Her mousy brown hair was messy and her freckled face continuously cracked into a broad smile, if the sky wouldn't grant it, Kate gave sunshine everyday. That was what Abbi needed, she needed sunshine. All her notes were neat and when glancing at Kate's she smiled at the scrawled letters and little doodles. Kate was an impulsive soul whom submerged herself in optimistic dreams. Abbie envied this. The bell rang for the end of the day. Everyone else seemed to run away whilst Abbi and Kate took their time in gathering their things and chattering away. Mr Carter was sat behind his desk in amongst a mound of paper work. The tortoise shell framed glasses he wore balanced on the end of his pointed nose, the slight stubble on his chin crackled as he scratched and his hair was all askew after his enthusiastic teaching. He would bound around the and act out the scenes from the play, jump on his desk to emphasise the scale of an image, he was an eccentric teacher and secretly the two girls thought he was amazing. The other students thought him crazy but they both admired his authenticity. Hearing them approaching to go for the door he glanced up and gave a wave,

"See you on Monday girls," he said in his slight Irish accent, they both smiled and went for the door, though he gave a yell and they both stopped, "Sorry Abbi? Can I have a quick word?"

"Sure sir,"

"I'll just wait outside Abbi,"

"Okay Kate," she said turning back and approaching the desk apprehensively, wondering what she had done wrong, he saw her gnawing on her lip and laughed,

"Why do you look so terrified? Surely I'm not that scary? I jump on desks, I don't bite students."

"Sorry sir, I'm just wondering what I've done wrong," she said blushing, surprise flashed in his eyes and he leaned back in his chair,

"You've not done anything wrong Abbi, why on earth would you presume that? Guilty conscience?" he teased with a smirk, "You're not in trouble Abbi, I just wanted to talk about the creative piece you submitted last week,"

"Oh right, sorry I know it was awful but-"

"Stop presuming the worst Abbi, it was wonderful, that's what I wanted to say. I was just wondering where on earth you got the from?"

"The sir?"

"Yes, the of this girl walking through a field and then... hang on where is it.." he trailed off looking through his desk. Unseen by Mr Carter was Abbi's burning face, she was dreading him reading it out, her memory was having an awful blank moment when she couldn't recall at all what she'd written.

"Oh here it is, now hang on I particularly liked this bit.... here it is. The girl walked through the field, the grass tickling her fingertips as she walked with arms lingering back, the breeze kissed her nose and her heart was at a tranquil steady beat that went well with the rest of the world. Then it changed. There was a wail and then the rain came." he looked up and the silence hung heavily, "It's lovely Abbi, where did you think it up from?"

"I... It... it's just..." it was a memory, the day her life had changed forever. The longer she sought words the more obvious this became, she saw the realisation in his eyes and desperately scrambled for an explanation, "The picture you gave out was of a window, i just started to think about summer and winter. You know? How everyone's always so sad to see the rain come and end summer? That's all." she said with a light laugh, slightly proud of her ability to lie so smoothly. He almost looked convinced but then his head dipped and he looked at the paper, she couldn't remember what happened after that in her story, in her memory the rest was just a decline into further storms. What had she written though. Hoping he would hand it over she reached out but he just put it back into the drawer and smiled at her.

"Well that's a brilliant piece Abbi, really. Thank you, that was all." this was an obvious brush off but she really wanted that paper back, she hesitated but when he made a point of just staring at the paperwork in front of him she knew he wouldn't hand it back. With anger rising up in her she rushed out and closed the door firmly. Kate saw the anger and frowned,

"What was that about?"

"A paper I wrote, he said it was really good."

"So why do you look so angry?"

"He didn't give it back." she said in a hiss, though realising her friend wouldn't know why this was such a problem she decided to make out she was joking, looking up she winked, "I wouldn't want him to try and publish it under his name now would I?" they both chuckled and headed for their room.

It was in one of the west turrets of the castle and the corridors were all but empty as they went along talking, Kate was explaining how she'd not understood the poem they were doing. Subtly asking if Abbi would teach her, of course Abbi obliged, she was happy to help.

"You know if you ever need anything Kate all you need to do is ask! Of course I'll teach you it. But tomorrow? How about tonight we just..."

"Get my laptop and watch a film?"

"A brilliant she laughed dumping her bag under her four posted bed and sitting down to remove her shoes. Kate began to put her own stuff away also, bringing out a box as she did, it contained all the things she'd been given over Christmas. Abbi watched as she pulled out object after object: new shoes, Ipod, clothes and the huge box of chocolates her parents had sent over from Switzerland. It was lovely and she wasn't gloating, her laptop was at the bottom of the box, when she asked t see what Abbi had got her friend had changed the subject a little too quickly. Kate looked as Abbi went through her cupboard for a jumper, keeping her face hidden all the time, Kate wondered if she was crying, she'd never seen Abbi cry before.

"You know, ever since I've known you Abbi I have never hear you talk about your parents."

"Really...."

"Where are they?" asked Kate quietly, sitting down on the bed next to her,

"Far away,"

"Like in another country?"

"Really far away. In fact... my mum is so far away I can't even tell you where she is," replied Abbi almost laughing though her throat was thickening, with a caring hand on her shoulder Kate tilted her head and wore an understanding expression,

"Where is your dad then?"

"I don't know," she replied in a whisper, though then cleared her throat and said with conviction "I don't care," her grey eyes were staring straight ahead with a kind of glassy look to them, all emotion being withheld. Kate was confused, how anyone could think so coldly of their own father was astonishing to her, it would break her heart to even think badly of her own father. Let alone say she didn't care where he was in the world. Her eyes shifted to a picture on Abbi's bedside table. It was a photo of a brown haired woman, she was smiling and holding a young girl in her arms.

"Is that your mother?"

"Yes.... it was...." she said getting up and going to the door, "I'll be back in a few minutes okay?"

"Sure," said Kate smiling warmly, as she left the room Abbi smiled but her friend saw the silvery tears brimming her eyes. There was a darkness in that girls past. Kate felt guilty that it had taken her this long to figure it out.