HERSHE - WINRINA

Cannot

Karina fiddled her fingers and stood there looking down. "Umm, he's going to pick me up in a while.."

"Oh, um... yeah.. um... so... I better go ahead now..." said Winter, scratching her head.

Shit! Stupid! Why did I even ask that! Ugh!

Winter is somehow expecting that Karina would say something, maybe stop her if what, but the latter didn't. Instead, Karina moved aside to give way.

"Bye," said Winter, walking away from that area.

"Uh, Winter?"

Winter closed her eyes first, realizing how much she missed hearing Karina call her name. She turned around. "Yes?

"W-we're cool, right?"

"Y-yeah.. why..?"

"I don't know. it just feels like something's off lately," said Karina, bringing her hand to her necklace.

"Off with what?" asked Winter, pretending to have no any idea.

"With us?"

Winter scoffed to herself at Karina's usage of "us".

"Were you avoiding me?" asked Karina.

Winter cleared her throat. "No. W-why would I avoid you?"

"I don't know. It just feels like you've been far away this past few days..

"I was just busy with tennis stuff and you're busy too, right?"

"Right."

"Nothing to worry about, okay?" said Winter, pulling the strap of her bag over her shoulders, ready to turn away. "I really have to go now."

I don't even want to see him pick you up here.

"Do you have a spare time for a quick coffee?" asked Karina, making Winter halt.

Winter put a hand to her waist as she turns back.

What do you want, Karina? Why are you doing this to me?

She took a deep breath and stared at Karina back for a long while before she nods.

--

They went to the small coffee shop down the office and sat across each other.

"So what's up?" Winter asked after sipping from her coffee.

Karina narrowed her eyes and stared at Winter. "I'm just curious, by any chance, are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

Karina shrugged, still waiting for Winter to give her answer.

"I'm not. I told you we're cool, right?" Winter lied, still trying to pretend that she's not affected at all. However, there was a look on Karina that she cannot decipher. Is she worried? Is she troubled?

"Then why are you not wearing your necklace?" came Karina's response.

Winter scratched the tip of her eyebrow after realizing that she's wearing a v-neck shirt, exposing her clear neck and collarbone.

After what happened last week she never wore that necklace again. It just reminds her of the false pretense she has built her hopes up for.

"I-I just left it in my locker yesterday after the practice," said Winter.

"Left it? You have not been wearing it for a week now, Winter." said Karina in a matter-of-fact tone.

Winter groaned inside. "And your point?"