Winter Walking — @wendlabergmxnn
Martha said that she was avoiding homework, but she was really avoiding going home. She had snuck out of the house hoping to go to the library -- goodness knew she wasn't getting anything done at home, with her father interrupting her every time she sat down to her books to saddle her with another pointless chore in their already spotless house. But once she got into town, she found herself lingering among the shops and in the square, unwilling to do work.
Just when it was beginning to get late and she had to consider the dreadful prospect of returning to what was surely anger, since she had slipped out without telling her father, Wendla had offered to come meet her. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to prolong her stay, but also to catch up with Wendla. She felt like she hadn't seen her dear friend in awhile, and she was looking forward to the opportunity.
And so Martha waited, looking out for her friend to arrive. Not many people were out walking in the square, but there were enough people that Martha went mostly unnoticed, sitting quietly on the bench with her braids hanging over her scarf. When she finally saw Wendla, she stood and waved. "Wendla! It's good to see you." She smiled warmly. "How have you been doing? We haven't had much time to talk lately, have we?"