Assisting Miss Yu - Winrina

Chp. 20

I watched Karina curiously as practice finished up, allowing me to wonder what exactly had happened today during her free period. She had allowed me back in without giving me a cold shoulder but had abruptly kicked me out. It was so confusing and exhilarating at the same time, I just couldn't keep up.

Yeji spoke, "Earth to Winter, you're supposed to be helping me!"

I smiled, looking up at Yeji who had grown impatient, "Sorry."

I gave her another ball to hit off of the Tee, knowing we only had a few to hit and we would be released. I was nervous to go home, of course, but in the same breath I was also looking forward to it.

Yeji spoke, "You haven't told anyone... you know..."

I shook my head, "Nope, promised I would keep it a secret to protect your straight reputation, of course."

She laughed, "Look, it's not that I care what people think about my sex life or whatever, it's just..."

"You don't want them to know it's with me."

I gazed up at Yeji, watching her react like someone who had been caught lying. I smirked, not allowing her to see that I was actually a bit hurt knowing that was the reason she wanted to hide it.

She looked at me, "Winter... you know it's not like that..."

"It's fine, really," I lied, "You shouldn't get caught up with me and all my bullshit. I understand."

She swung the bat, hitting her last ball as I stood to begin gathering them. I was ready to go, and this talk had really bummed me out for some odd reason.

I helped her haul the things to the equipment shed as I watched Karina talk with Coach Lee, glancing over to me between her pauses. I smiled, as if nothing had happened today between us in her classroom, but she ignored me.

I continued helping Yeji pick up as I realized we were one the last ones here. I glanced at Karina one last time before disappearing off the field and walking to my car. I knew I would see her tonight, and I was hoping there was food at the house because I was starving.

I drove off and towards the apartment, wondering how long Karina would give before heading home herself. I was nervous, I mean it was the first night we would be completely alone, but I didn't know exactly what I was nervous for. I mean, she had stayed over countless nights, what was so different about this one?

I felt myself growing more and more anxious as I pulled into my garage, leaving it open and walking out into the cool evening. The sun had begun to set as I pulled my cigarettes out and lit one up between my lips.

I breathed in, feeling some of the edge I was feeling go away, and I waited for Karina as I contemplated how I was going to go about tonight. Today had been a weird day when I had left her classroom, and she had managed to ignore me the entire practice.

Why was she so weird around me sometimes?

Eventually I was towards the end of my cigarette when she pulled up, parking in her spot across the lot and locking her car. She walked quickly up to me, taking notice to my cigarette I had between my fingers.

"Why are you smoking?"

I shrugged, "Because I can?"

She rolled her eyes, "Typical Winter Kim response."

I smiled, finishing off my cigarette and stomping it into the ground, "You should know better."

I followed her inside, feeling as if we lived together in this weird sense of fantasy. I locked the door behind me and walked to the fridge, offering, "Would you like something to drink?"