Winnie's POV
It was so silent in the room, if a pin dropped it would be as loud as a bomb.
I stare at the screen, and keep swallowing, and my throat keeps clenching, but no matter what I could not stop the warm feeling rising through my chest. I slowly bring myself to look Michael who's staring at the screen.
Facial expressions are for those who have emotions and a mind able to choose for itself, but his dark brown eyes was showing he has neither. Something flashed beneath the surface of his hardened expression and before I could read into the sudden shift it was too late, the emotion disappeared before I could identify it, like reaching desperately for an escaped balloon; the string dangling so tantalizingly close but the wind pushed it away and it's lost forever.
"I-I swear that wasn't the tape--"
"How did you get this?" Michael asks his voice sounding almost strangled as his words try to escape from his throat.
"H-how is that possible?" I whisper hoarsely. "W-we didn't have that tape!"
"Winnie, if this is some joke..." Michael whispers softly.
"Michael! I swear it wasn't! We had the tape of Greg in the hallway from last night! I've never seen this, and even if I did I wouldn't want to watch it!" I shout.
He stays silent, his arms crossed as he stares at the ground.
"Y-you don't even believe me." I choke out as tears threaten to fall from my eyes.
"Win--" he begins to say as I tearfully push past him to keep him and Clifton from seeing me cry, as I rush out of the room. I absolutely hate crying, especially in front of people.
I got that off of Tatiana and Dad.
Clifton looks over at Michael sadly. "Clifton, I--" Michael begins to say as Clifton puts his hands in his pockets walking after me.
**
"Winnie! Wait up!" Clifton says jogging down the hall after me.
I slow down before coming to a halt, not even caring if he saw me crying. Clifton comes up behind me as I keep my head in my hands sadly.
"Winnie, look at me." Clifton whispers trying to pull my hands away from my face gently. I shake my head sadly turning away, as tears pour down my face. He gently grabs me, making me turn back around before wrapping his arms around me into a hug.
"Please don't cry, Winnie." he whispers which only makes me cry into his chest unceasingly, my hands clutching at his jacket. My tears soak his shirt as I cry harder;
"I ruined everything, Clifton. I just want to go h-home...its all my fault."
Clifton furrows his eyebrows as he rests his hands on my shoulders. "Winnie, look at me." he says as I tearfully look up at him.
"Listen, it was my fault." he says softly. "When you were waiting for Michael, I-I went to the restroom. I didn't think the tape would go missing--the door was locked and everything." he says his eyes filled with guilt.
I shake my head tearfully. "It doesn't matter now...he'll never take us seriously. The tape is gone, Clifton. That was our proof, and now we have nothing. We should just call our parents and get a ticket home."
"So that's just it?" Clifton asks raising his eyebrows. "You're just going to quit? Just like that?"
"Clifton, we have nothing! Michael thinks we basically punked him with a tape of my sister's accident! Something he blames himself for and will probably never get over for the rest of his life! It's over, Clifton! What don't you get?! Every time we are a step ahead, Karen will always be eight steps in front of us. She won, okay?!" I shout tearfully.
Clifton stares at me.
"Who the heck are you? Like seriously...this can't be Winnie Thumbtzen. The girl who can't take no for an answer? The same girl who has dragged me through abandoned houses, has had us on crazy chases while breaking her arm, and has dragged me over 2,500 miles just to fight for true love?"
I stay silent my arms crossed, as I tearfully stare at the ground.
"And this isn't the same girl that I really like...a lot." he says quietly as I look up at him surprised.
He stares back at me pushing his glasses up his nose more. "So if you want to go home and cry to mommy and daddy go ahead. The Winnie I knew was always determined to win, and get her way. I'm not going to stand by and watch two people who love each other get pushed away. I've been through much to quit." he says before pushing his glasses up more, as he begins to walk down the hall.
I watch him silently before letting his words sink in. I sigh out as I stare at the payphone down the hall and looking back at him as he continues to walk.
"Clifton, wait up!" I call out jogging after him, as a smile begins to spread across his face.
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Basically how I imagine Winnie and Clifton a little bit more grown up in the 90's. Maybe they'll be like this in the next book? (;
Anyways I decided to write a quick chapter because I couldn't sleep. Hope you enjoy! Goodnight!
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xoxo,
moonwalkergal