"Can you really walk on your own?" Karina grimaced while watching Winter on the back. Winter told her to be at last a ruler away, and she obliged. Bakit naman hindi? The last thing she wanted is to make Winter uncomfortable. 

"I am walking, ain't I?" Winter asked amusedly. She grunts when she has to step on her injured foot. But it is this or Karina touching her. And if she is being honest, she'll choose this in a heartbeat.

Inabot ata sila ng kalahating oras bago makarating sa infirmary. And Winter admired Karina for her patience. Hindi siya pilit hinawakan o pinabilis ni Karina, she waited. Sobrang green flag talaga ng crush niya.

"Let me open the door." Sabi ni Karina at binuksan ang pinto. She kept her distance as promised. 

Pumasok si Winter at umupo sa pinakamalapit na vacant bed. She looks up and saw Karina getting the needed things. She sighed.

"Thank you, Karina. For respecting my decisions, and for not asking any questions." Winter mumbled. Karina put the bandages on the younger's side and shrugged. She sat in front of her.

"You're my friend, Winter. I'll do everything that I can to help you." 

"You're my friend?" Gulat na tanong ni Winter. Karina tilted her head with a frown.

"Are we not?" Tanong niya. Winter shook her head quickly. 

"I mean! I didn't know we were friends! Sure, we hung out, but we never really actually said that we were friends. I mean, it should be said, right? Did I offend you? I'm sorry if I did, but I really do want to be your friend, please don't take my surprise as offensive or anything-" napatigil si Winter sa pagsasalita dahil biglang tumawa si Karina.

"You're babbling, Winter. It's fine. How about I buy you your favorite drink and bread while you apply first aid to your injury?" The taller girl asked. Winter looked at her and nodded her head. Buti na lamang at hindi na nag-insist si Karina na siya ang titingin sa ankle niya. 

"That would be nice," bulong ni Winter at tumingin sa ankle niya. This is not the first time. It has happened a lot of times before. 

She winced in pain when her fingers made contact with her now swollen ankle. Buti na lamang at hindi siya nasprain. 

Humiga na lamang siya sa kama habang hinihintay na bumalik si Karina. That girl did not change. She's still the same Karina from high school. Yung babaeng palaging nasa likod ni Winter para suportahan siya. 

And if only Winter is not like this, maybe she'll try and take a chance. But she's not normal. She's scared of physical touch. How could she be in a relationship with someone if she is afraid to be touched by them? 

"Penny for your thoughts?" She looked beside her and saw Karina standing beside the bed. May hawak siyang strawberry milk at bread, her favorite food. 

"Hi." Bati ni Winter at umupo. Inilapag ni Karina sa may bandang paanan niya ang mga pagkain. 

"Did I remember it, right? Nakipag-agawan pa ako sa mga freshmen para makuha iyang tinapay. Last one na raw sabi ni Ate." Nakangiting sabi ni Karina. Winter shook her head in amusement. 

"Yep, this is right! Grabe ka naman sa mga bata." Sabi ni Winter. Kinuha ulit ni Karina ang strawberry milk para itusok ang straw. Winter raised a brow. 

"Baka gusto mo rin buksan yung bread," she joked. Nagulat siya nang kuhanin din ni Karina ang tinapay at buksan. 

"Ayan na, Madame." She said while grinning happily. 

"I was joking!" Sabi ni Winter at umiling. 

"I would do that even if you don't say anything," sabi ni Karina. 

"And I believe you." Winter took a bite and moaned in satisfaction. She misses this. 

"So, are we officially friends now?" Tanong ni Karina. Iniabot ni Winter ang tinapay niya.

"Take a bite and I might consider it," she teased. Hawak nya pa rin ang tinapay, itinapat niya kay Karina ang bukas na parte. Nagulat siya nang kumagat nga si Karina. 

"So?" The older asked and munched the bread. This is also her favorite. Sayang nga at isa lamang ang naabutan niya. 

"Hu-huh?" Winter muttered. Everything happened so fast. Her heart is beating fast, super fast. Hindi niya alam dahil ba sa gulat at takot na magkaroon sila ng physical contact o dahil sa lapit ng mukha ni Karina. Nakita niya nang malapitan ang mga moles ng babae. Kung papapiliin siya kung night sky o mukha ni Karina, syempre mukha ni Karina, Kuya Boy. 

"I took a bite. So, are we friends now?" The taller asked eagerly. Winter cleared before looking away. 

"O-of course! We're friends, now." Nauutal na sabi ni Winter. Karina smiled at the view. She always sees the shorter girl as the younger sister she never had.

"Good. Then I expect to see you more often." Sabi ni Karina at tumayo. Ipapat niya sana ang ulo ni Winter pero tumigil siya. The girl does not like having physical contact with anyone. Muntik na niyang makalimutan. 

"Salamat ulit, Karina." Sabi ni Winter habang nakatingin sa labas. Karina chuckled.

"Ano pa at naging asawa kita noong high school?"