dot dot dot | winrina

flowering

❝ i'm blooming when you look at me

hello, my sunshine

come over my head ❞

‒ soojin, ' flowering '

winter pov

Karina walked her to class now- AP Lit whenever they had it together- and it made Winter feel like the only girl in the world.

Ning also had the class, but the quickest route involved crossing paths with Aeri, so she'd taken to walking with her friend Chenle to class. They took a different route, and although originally Winter had opted to go with them, dashing to class has quickly gotten old, so Winter had changed plans; Ning hadn't much minded, but then again she wouldn't much mind if she was with Chenle.

Aeri did, though. Winter caught the odd looks she gave the two Chinese every time they passed, speaking in laughing Mandarin she couldn't understand.

Winter didn't get her indignation. She'd let Ning go. She'd kissed Somi. She was the one nobody wanted to mess with, and Winter wasn't about to let her innocent best friend be hurt or misled like that.

Anyhow, Karina was walking Winter now, and Winter found that the cheerleaders actually weren't all bad.

They were kind of funny, in fact.

Sakura was funny and sarcastic as hell, making comments about every ogle she got. She was also relentlessly dramatic.

Exhibit A. One morning, some random freshman had openly gaped at her and when she gave him an irritated look, he had asked her out, just like that.

She had replied with, "Who are you again?"

After he'd stated his name, she had said something about having a girlfriend.

The pimply gamer boy had questioned, "Girlfriend?"

Karina had shot Wonyoung and Winter a look, one that said, Watch this.

"Yes, girlfriend. She's an athlete, and probably has more abs than whatever underfunded, testosterone-fueled image you've got festering in that ugly bowl-cut head of yours. And what do you mean, girlfriend? Never heard of lesbians? Is homophobia another disease you have growing under your fingernails? A little lesson, bestie. If you want to ask even a telephone pole out, I'd advise first moisturizing, and then losing the dumbass attitude. Then you might have a half-percent of a chance..."

At this point Winter's mouth was wide open, but Sakura wasn't done.

"...with a rock. Now, I have to get to class because I've got a social calendar and grades to uphold. " I assume you've got one of those, and I'll leave it to you to decide which. Have a good day, and if I ever see you near me again, I'll leave my girlfriend to deal with you."

With that, Sakura promptly turned on her heel and strode into the classroom, leaving the boy practically in tears behind her.

Wonyoung, in contrast, was sweeter, relying on Chaewon (who had a personality akin to Sakura's) to protect her. And protect she did, snapping fiercely at anyone who dared to make a comment about the baby of the group. Wonyoung's visuals were beautifully youthful, and with her long straight dark hair and dark, stunning eyes, she could pull off any look. She basically had the whole school fawning over her, but the second it got inappropriate, Chaewon would give the perpetrator a tongue-lashing they'd never forget.

Kim Chaewon herself Winter found interesting. She was obviously drop-dead gorgeous, but those who'd tried to make a move on her stated that her personality was rancid. She would snark at whoever tried to get close to her, and was protective of her friends to an extreme sometimes. Winter's experiences with Chaewon had been brief, but she could tell the younger was still warming up to her.

Karina, meanwhile, was so sweet to Winter that it was like heaven. They'd talk and laugh enough to arouse some suspicions. People would look at them weird in the halls, but Winter ignored it all just for Karina and her smile.

In class, they were like a well-oiled machine, using their lengthy texts as a foundation for intelligent in-class conversation.

(Lengthy, as in their average digital conversations lasted from when school ended from when they went to sleep, with an hour break in between for eating. That was about seven hours of texting, plus calling about homework.)

In short, they had become fast friends.

Karina was sweet and good to Winter, which just made her fall even more.

a/n: sorry short chapter 😭 ill release a longer one next time, promise!