Gathering round the fire

The two girls made their way downstairs to the courtyard. It was dark but the many lanterns hanging from the trees and beams gave the place a warm glow. The fire gave off a good heat however it was pleasant against the night air. A familiar face called them over and the girls sat on the bench next to Ethan. "Glad you made it" he said.

Hours later and the fire was still going strong. People shared their experiences and some crazy backpacking stories. Ethan revealed he had quit his job in a bar to come and enjoy some new experiences of his own. It seemed that everyone around the fire were there for the same reason. Even Claire who had been pessimistic at best, had begun to warm up to people. Maybe the drinks helped but the girls began to feel like they had found the sense of warmth and togetherness that they had been looking for.