Regndråberne strømmede ned ad de støvede vinduer i den forladte lagerbygning.

The raindrops streamed down the dusty windows of the abandoned warehouse.

Efteråret havde for alvor taget fat, og kulden trængte ind gennem de små revner i væggene.

Autumn had truly set in, and the cold seeped through the small cracks in the walls.

Indenfor sad Freja, Kasper og Mikkel ved et gammelt bord, der engang måske havde set bedre dage.

Inside, Freja, Kasper, and Mikkel sat at an old table that had perhaps seen better days.

Freja studerede en tyk matematikbog.

Freja was studying a thick math book.

Hun var opsat på at imponere sine forældre med gode karakterer, men det var svært at koncentrere sig, når fingrene frøs, og åndedrættet blev til små skyer i luften.

She was determined to impress her parents with good grades, but it was hard to concentrate when her fingers were freezing, and her breath turned into small clouds in the air.

Alligevel bøjede hun sig over bogen.

Still, she bent over the book.

Opgaverne måtte løses.

The problems had to be solved.

Kasper kiggede ud af vinduet.

Kasper looked out the window.

Han tænkte mere på den kommende julefest end på matematik.

He was thinking more about the upcoming Christmas party than math.

"Freja," sagde han med et grin.

"Freja," he said with a grin.

"Måske skulle vi tage en pause og drømme lidt om peberkager og julemusik?"

"Maybe we should take a break and dream a little about gingerbread cookies and Christmas music?"

Freja rystede på hovedet, men et lille smil spillede i mundvigen.

Freja shook her head, but a small smile played on her lips.

"Vi kan ikke bare holde fri," sagde hun.

"We can't just take time off," she said.

"Jeg skal virkelig klare den her eksamen."

"I really have to ace this exam."

Mikkel, der sad og tegnede julemænd i et hæfte, nikkede.

Mikkel, who was drawing Santas in a notebook, nodded.

Han vidste godt, hvor vigtigt det var for Freja, men han følte også kulden snige sig ind i kroppen.

He knew how important it was for Freja, but he also felt the cold creeping into his body.

"Måske kunne vi finde et sted varmere," foreslog han.

"Maybe we could find somewhere warmer," he suggested.

"En café måske?"

"A café maybe?"

Freja tøvede.

Freja hesitated.

Hun vidste, at en café betød distraktioner.

She knew a café meant distractions.

Julemænd i vinduerne, varm kakao, latter og skæve blikke fra nysgerrige gæster.

Santas in the windows, hot cocoa, laughter, and curious glances from onlookers.

Men hun indså også, at hun ikke kunne læse og forstå alt uden lidt varme og glæde.

But she also realized she couldn’t read and comprehend everything without a little warmth and joy.

Der gik en times tid.

An hour passed.

De tre venner arbejdede koncentreret trods kulden.

The three friends worked diligently despite the cold.

For Freja blev beslutningen klarere.

For Freja, the decision became clearer.

Hun lagde blyanten fra sig og så på sine venner.

She set her pencil down and looked at her friends.

"Okay," sagde hun.

"Okay," she said.

"Lad os gå hen til caféen.

"Let's go to the café.

Men vi tager bogen med."

But we're taking the book with us."

Kasper jublede, og Mikkel pakkede sine tegninger sammen.

Kasper cheered, and Mikkel packed up his drawings.

På caféen blev de mødt af lyden af julemelodier og duften af friskbagt kage.

At the café, they were greeted by the sound of Christmas melodies and the scent of freshly baked cake.

Deres fingre blev langsomt varme igen.

Their fingers slowly warmed again.

Midt blandt julepynt og glade mennesker satte de sig med Frejas matematikbog foran dem.

Among the Christmas decorations and happy people, they sat with Freja's math book in front of them.

Freja tog en dyb indånding og følte en ro sænke sig i hende.

Freja took a deep breath and felt a calm settle over her.

Det var okay at tage en pause og nyde øjeblikket.

It was okay to take a break and enjoy the moment.

Hun kunne både studere og sprede juleglæde med sine venner.

She could both study and spread Christmas cheer with her friends.

Det gjorde alting lettere.

It made everything easier.

Til slut, da de forlod caféen, følte Freja sig klarere i hovedet.

In the end, as they left the café, Freja felt clearer in her mind.

Hun havde forstået, at nogle gange var balance nøglen.

She understood that sometimes balance was the key.

Hun kiggede på Kasper og Mikkel og tænkte, at med dem ved sin side, virkede eksamen og julens travlhed både lettere og sjovere.

She looked at Kasper and Mikkel and thought, that with them by her side, the exam and the hustle and bustle of Christmas seemed both easier and more fun.