thank you for being my friend. ° (COLD FRONT) ON HIATUS

chapter 11 - what am i feeling?

WINNIE POV
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I parked the car in the driveway, and unlocked the doors. Auggie got out, and I stayed behind and grabbed the cooler with the fish inside it. I opened the lid, peeking at the trout. It looked fine.

I lifted it out of the trunk and took it inside my house. It smelled like cleaning supplies. I assumed my mom had cleaned the house, because when I walked in it was spotless.

"Where's your mom?" He asks.

"Probably somewhere in the house." I paused. "Mommm?"

She yelled that she was in the kitchen, so I followed Auggie there. It looked like she had just prepared a single-serving meal for herself.

"Hi Ms. Bosko! How are you?" Auggie greeted her cheerfully, and she smiled at him and glanced at me.

"I'm doing good. You're an optimistic young man, you know. It's always good to look on the bright side." She comments. He grins at her, and then she glances at the cooler.

"Did you boys catch anything? We can cook it! We have to check for parasites first though, nobody likes to be sick." She smiled at us, and stood up. I let her open the cooler and grab the trout.

I knew nothing about fish, so I just awkwardly stood to the side. My mom grabbed a knife, and then we went into the backyard where a grill was. She cut into the fish, descaling it and slicing it into pieces.

She inspected the trout carefully with a flashlight, and confirmed it was safe to eat after seperating some of the flesh and picking at it. "Okay. Winnie, do you wanna help?"

I shake my head hesitantly. "No mom .. I don't know how to. But uh, thanks for the offer .." I reply.

"Okay. Auggie, can you get some spices then? They're in the cupboard nearest the back door." She begins listing what she wants. Auggie goes back into the house and comes out with a handful of bottles.

I sit down on one of the rocking chairs we had, and pushed my feet against the floor. I gazed at Auggie. I can't explain what he makes it feel. I feel nervous around him. I genuinely can't explain it.

He just gives me a certain feeling. It makes my body temperature rise, and my heart beat faster. It was like .. no. It wasn't like that. At all.

I was so lost in thought, I didn't realize they had just taken the trout out of the grill. It was done, but obviously scorching hot.

"Winnie? Would you like any?" Mom asks me. I turn to face her, nodding.

"Yeah, I'd like some. Please, mom." I add. I get off the rocking chair and follow her inside, Auggie close behind. We sit down around the dinner table, and I sit across my mom and Auggie.

Mom hands me a plate, utensils, and a glass of ice water. She does the same for Auggie. I thank her, picking up my fork and knife and cutting into the trout.

I eat as politely as I can. Even if this was my house, I wanted to look appealing. I glance at Auggie, and we lock eyes. I immediately focus my gaze back on my plate, and pick at my trout.

° ° °

Mom had allowed Auggie to stay over for the night, with the permission of his parents. He had briefly walked right over to his house and came back with a handful.

I was sitting on my bed, chewing on my nails. Auggie sets down the hairbrush he brought and left my room. Soon after, I hear him knock.

"Come in." I say nonchalantly. He opens the door. Auggie smiles at me, and I return the friendly gesture. He stands there for a minute, until he decides to sit in a bean bag.

"Winnie, do you want me to run back to my house and get a sleeping bag for myself?" Auggie questions me.

"What, you can't sleep with your best friend? You got a crush on me? Im kidding, Auggie. I know you don't." I tease.

He widens his eyes. "W..what? Oh, yeah. I don't like you, trust me." He stutters, immediately flushing red. I tilt my head to the side, raising my brow. Curious reaction.

"You can get a sleeping bag if you want, but I don't mind if you sleep with me!" I say, quite cheerfully too.

He nods. "Okay. I guess I will." Auggie suggests at watching a movie, and I agree. He wanted to watch a horror movie, but I wasn't gonna allow him. I hate horror movies.

"Come onnn! Horror movies aren't that scary, Winnie. You're being a wuss." Auggie whines.

"No, they are scary! Why don't we watch something else? I'm sure we can agree on something." Eventually he had managed to convince me to watch horror, after much pleading.

"Child's Play is good, I promise! It's perfect for people new to horror. It's not that scary!" He tells me. Auggie was completely wrong.

Maybe I am a bit of a wuss, but it was scary! I jumped at some parts. I think I even yelped at at one of them. Auggie laughed at me every time I did.

I glanced at Auggie, who shifted uncomfortably in the bean bag. Clearly, he didn't look too comfortable. "Uhm.. Winnie, can I sit up there with you?" He asks nervously.

I nod. "Yeah! Of course. Where else will you sleep anyway?"

He doesn't respond. Auggie climbed into the bed with me awkwardly. I felt myself tense up, a bit anxious. He was making me feel really anxious .. but, in a good way, if that makes sense.

I felt really warm. I was blushing. Realizing I was, I turn away from Auggie and sink lower into the bed. The credits began to roll, and it was getting late. It was 1am now.

"Should we go to sleep?" I ask.

"Yeah." Auggie replies. "Goodnight, Winnie."

"Nighty night."

(hey sorry for taking forever to make this chapter, its a little over 1000 words so i hope its worth it lol, i wonder when theyll kiss, i definitely dont know !!)