a.n: i tried. this is the first story i've completed, all mistakes are mine. this is a work of fiction. any resemblance to actual events are purely coincidental.

a.n 071523: just edited some things (capitalizations and stuff)

Winter starts her day on the opening shift of her workplace, her body moves perfectly according to muscle memory—refill their syrup bottles on stock, weigh the cartons of milk and canisters of whipped cream on her hand and arrange them on a ‘first in, first out order’, count the tea bags on the shelf and place an unopened box to be sure, and finally wipe the counter for good measure. Today is no different, just like clockwork, customers start to trickle in and Winter gets to work as she meticulously yet quickly crafts every beverage that her co-worker rings, announcing each name on the cups once she’s done and hands them over with a small smile and a quick “enjoy”. She’s used to the hustle and bustle of the café especially on weekday rush hours, each customer just a little more impatient and agitated than normal as they wait to start their day with a much-needed caffeine boost.

A sigh escapes Winter’s lips, feeling the exhaustion of the stressful and jam-packed shift she just finished. She thanks the heavens it’s Friday, her last workday of the week, while she folds the apron she just removed and carefully placing it inside her locker then grabs her tote bag and favorite flannel from the small hanging rack. She checks her belongings before closing the compartment, twisting the key to lock it.

“Hey, Win,” she hears Ningning behind her, a friend and co-barista, she then turns to the voice and gives the younger girl a hug in greeting. “Heading out for the day?”

Winter hums with a small nod in confirmation, “Yeah, I’m so glad it’s Friday. I feel like I can hibernate the weekend away.”

“Sure, you can, not without seeing your crush first though.” The other teases and laughs when Winter playfully jabs her sides, stepping away to create enough distance from being tickled.

“She is not my crush.” Winter emphasizes with a roll of her eyes, even when she knows the tips of her ears are starting to turn red from just the thought of her.

“Aaand I’ll believe that when pigs can fly.” Ningning singsongs with a snicker.

“Whatever,” Winter huffs in fake annoyance, she starts to make her way out of the employee room and bids her friend goodbye, “Have a great shift ahead, Ning. I’ll see you on Monday, yeah?”

“See you, have fun and don’t creep out your crush too much!” Winter hears the echo of her friend’s voice and she shakes her head with a light chuckle at the girl’s teasing.

Winter and Ningning usually has the same shift but due to some conflicts, her friend had to change her hours to the closing shift for that week. It’s only been a week, but Winter surely missed the younger girl’s presence at work (although of course, she would never say that to her face to avoid the mushy teasing that would come after).

It’s only a five-minute walk to her destination, the quickest path around the block already memorized (and why wouldn’t it be when she walks this five times a week?) and she doesn’t give it much thought, just letting her legs take her while she listens to her favorite playlist. She feels the thumping in her chest quicken a little more with each step she takes, and even when she’s already lost count of how many times she’s been to the store, it does not lessen her excitement and nervousness.

The cold air welcomes Winter as she shuffles a couple steps in, shivering slightly from the change of temperature from inside the store compared to the humid weather outside. Her eyes automatically search for someone, scanning through the crowd and her shoulders droop a little when she doesn’t see the signature long wavy locks of who she was looking for who's usually situated on the checkout counter every time she arrives.

huh, weird. maybe she’s taking a break, or probably in the storage area. Winter thinks to herself and walks to her favorite section in the store: the flannel area.

She’s been skimming through the section for a couple minutes, and like the previous days, she takes a mental note of what she likes with the hopes for it to be still in stock the next time she gets her paycheck so she can purchase it. People would probably think she’s crazy, much more so the employees of the said store she’s currently in, for visiting every day during her work week when it’s a well-known fact that stores don’t put anything new in display every day. Winter knows, and acknowledges that that must be the case, as painfully obvious as it was with the lingering stares she got the first couple weeks she started going five days a week. Though now it’s definitely much better, no one really questions or wonders anymore every time they see the short-haired girl step inside their store even if they still haven’t got a single clue behind the reason she visits.

Winter jumps in place when a tap on her shoulder drew her focus away from the rack she was currently looking at. She looks at the source of the touch, and in Winter’s words, it’s like the wind gets knocked out of her upon seeing who it was. Winter shamelessly gawks (because if people could see what she sees then who wouldn't, right?), she’s sure her stare would be enough to scare any other person out there but thankfully not this one. She notes the long wavy hair that usually cascades down the other’s shoulder is tied up in a low ponytail, accentuating the girl’s features more.

“Hey, you.” The voice is a little husky, making Winter’s ears tingle a little (and maybe all of her being shakes just a little at the sight in front of her).

“H-hey.” Winter mentally slaps herself as she croaks out a response, willing herself to get over the initial shock and clears .

“You find anything you like?” Since Winter was there more days than she wasn’t, they fall into the same cycle of initial and work-inclined rapport yet the woman in front of her doesn’t tire from asking the same question each day to start the flow of their conversation.

She lets her lips curl a little at that realization, “I was starting to think I wouldn’t but since you’re here now, then I definitely found something I like.” She chides confidently with a grin, hiding the mental screaming she does in her head the moment those words left .

It’s the middle of summer but Winter swears she heard the christmas bells ring when the other girl laughed at her remark, and Winter thinks that if that’s what Christmas sounds like, then she would definitely agree it’s the most wonderful time of the year. She lets out her own laugh, mostly because of how embarrassing her thoughts had become, but also because of how tomato-red the girl in front of her was turning.

“You and your way with words.” The other remarks with a smile, “Be careful, though, the alarm might ring when you