Paulina was stunned by the fall, sitting in the snow. The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Tears streamed down her face, each one leaving a small pit in the snow.
Barbara hurried forward and wrapped Paulina in her down jacket.
Seeing Barbara, Paulina finally couldn’t hold back her sobs. “You saw everything, didn’t you? I’m so pathetic, aren’t I?” she cried.
Barbara could only pat her back soothingly. “There’s nothing pathetic about loving someone,” she said.
Paulina burst into tears and threw herself into Barbara’s arms. On the vast expanse of snow, the two were huddled together, squatting in the middle of it all.
*****
After returning that day, Paulina had a high fever that lasted for almost a week, causing her to miss her final exams. Barbara spent her days s
