the girl named winter

| 26 |

t w e n t y - s i x
d a y s
b e f o r e

"I miss you so much," Veronica whispers in my hair. She suddenly pushes my shoulders back, examining my hair. "What did you do to your hair?"

We sit down slowly. "I cut it, then straightened it. How's Marie?"

Veronica nods. "She's doing good upstairs." She speaks as she chews. "You have no idea who asked me to dance night."

"50-50 chance it's Alexander," I tease her about the nerd I used to ship with her.

"Bitch." She rolls her eyes before widening them at the size of a saucer. "Frank asked me last night!" she squeals.

Consternation hits me hard as I take the information and process it.

Frank is in a soccer team like Rey. He's a fucking giant, standing six-foot tall with tantalizing green eyes.

"Really? How?"

"Through Facebook." She's still smiling from ear to ear.

I cringe as I poke my meal with a fork. "You shouldn't date guys that you met on the internet. He should've asked you in person, maybe with some convincing flowers and chocolate. It shows that he's giving effort."

"Point well made, but we aren't technically dating. It's like one-dance stand."

I scoff. "He could've spam girls that were online and you were the first to say 'yes' without even contemplating at his question."

She sticks her tongue out at me. "You can't do anything. I already said I'm going with him and you can't change that. Speaking of dance night, who are you going with?"

"I have no idea. I was thinking about Blue -"

"Who's this Blue?"

I slump in my seat. "The one and only Mister Airplane Guy of yours."

Her mouth hangs open wide as she gapes at me. "Holy shit. Is this fucking serious?"

Silence.

She stands from her seat.

I quickly pull her to sit down before she makes a scene at the hospital canteen we're occupying.

A hand flies to her mouth. "Damn is that a hot name."

I laugh lightly. "And I thought nothing could make you curse."

"Expect the unexpected."

"Not only is his name hot, but he's the epitome of the word itself," I tell her.

"What?" she shriek.

People steal a gaze at us.

I narrow my eyes at her.

"You've met this guy? You've seen each other?"

I nod. "We saw each other that night I asked you fashion tips?"

"That was serious?"

"You thought I was joking?" I roll my eyes.

"I thought you were making up an excuse to meet up with Rey again."

I growl at her.

"Sorry. Anyway. What has this turned into: a huge blind-date? I'm so happy for you! Tell me about the dirty details!" she shouts, totally abandoning her plate of macaroni.

I narrate how he technically asked me out (even if he didn't say it in words), how I ditched him (which Veronica pointed out as a very coward act), how he called me and sung to me, how we saw each other, and how we were close friends.

Veronica shakes her head when I finished. "You are one lucky girl to have a guy like Blue."

"He has a girlfriend," I remind her.

I can't believe I've been talking to him for so long and I just remember this now.

"But he seems to be spending most of his time with you," Veronica argues. "Admit it. You guys talk all the time. There's a huge chance that the both of you will end up making out at your kitchen counter."

"Yuck. May I remind you Marck's always around?"

She raises an eyebrow at me, grinning. "You know you want it."

And I did want it, more than anything, I find out.

I want Blue to break up with his girlfriend.