Winter's Resistance
Winter had never been more aware of her personal space in her entire life. The past two days had been a whirlwind of Karina’s relentless and creative efforts to win her over. From surprise sticky notes to perfectly packed lunches, it seemed like Karina was determined to infiltrate every corner of her life. Winter wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or exasperated—probably both.
By Wednesday, Winter had developed a sixth sense for Karina’s presence. Sure enough, as she walked to her locker that morning, she saw Karina standing there with an enormous bouquet of sunflowers.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Winter muttered under her breath.
Giselle and Ryujin, as always, were her loyal companions and relentless commentators.
“At least it’s not roses,” Ryujin said, smirking. “Points for originality.”
“Sunflowers mean adoration,” Giselle added, wiggling her eyebrows. “This is getting serious.”
Winter rolled her eyes. “You two are useless.”
As they approached, Karina lit up, her smile as bright as the flowers she held. “Good morning, Winter!”
“Why are you always here?” Winter asked, crossing her arms.
“Because I like seeing you,” Karina said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She held out the bouquet. “For you.”
Winter hesitated, glancing at the vibrant flowers. Despite herself, she couldn’t deny they were beautiful. “What am I supposed to do with these?”
“Enjoy them,” Karina said, her tone patient. “Or put them in a vase. Either way, they’re yours now.”
With a sigh, Winter accepted the bouquet. “Thanks, I guess.”
“You’re welcome!” Karina said, beaming. She lingered for a moment, as if waiting for something, before finally walking away.
As soon as she was out of earshot, Ryujin burst out laughing. “You looked like you were holding a bomb just now.”
“She’s relentless,” Winter said, shoving the flowers into Giselle’s hands. “Here. You deal with them.”
“Why me?” Giselle asked, though she didn’t protest.
“Because I don’t want them,” Winter said, already walking away. “Let’s just get to class.”
During lunch, Karina struck again. This time, she appeared at Winter’s table with a carefully folded origami crane in her hand.
“I made this for you,” Karina said, holding it out.
Winter stared at the delicate paper bird. “Why?”
“Because it’s a symbol of good fortune,” Karina explained. “And I want you to have a good day.”
“You’re really into this whole grand gesture thing, huh?” Winter said, reluctantly taking the crane.
“Of course,” Karina said with a wink. “You’re worth it.”
Ryujin nudged Giselle. “This is better than TV.”
“Agreed,” Giselle said, trying to hide her grin.
Winter glared at them. “You’re not helping.”
“We’re not supposed to help,” Ryujin said. “We’re here to enjoy the show.”
Karina’s friends, Ningning and Yeji, were watching from their table, whispering and giggling. Winter couldn’t shake the feeling that she was the unwitting star of some elaborate drama.
Later that day, Winter found herself in the library, hoping for a moment of peace. She’d barely settled into her seat when Karina appeared, sliding into the chair across from her.
“What are you doing here?” Winter asked, keeping her voice low.
“Studying,” Karina said, pulling out a textbook. “What about you?”
“Trying to get away from you,” Winter muttered under her breath.
Karina pretended not to hear. “What subject are you working on?”
“Math,” Winter said reluctantly.
“Perfect,” Karina said, flipping open her own book. “I’m great at math. Need any help?”
Winter raised an eyebrow. “You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?”
“Not until you give me a chance,” Karina said, her tone playful but firm.
With a resigned sigh, Winter turned back to her work. “Fine. But don’t talk.”
Karina grinned. “Deal.”
For a while, they worked in relative silence. Winter couldn’t deny that Karina’s presence, though initially distracting, was oddly comforting. Despite herself, she found her focus improving.
When they finally packed up to leave, Karina walked with her to the exit.
“Thanks for letting me sit with you,” Karina said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Winter paused, glancing at her. For a moment, she considered saying something sarcastic but decided against it. “Yeah. See you.”
As Karina walked away, Winter couldn’t help but smile to herself. Maybe this week wouldn’t be so bad after all.
The next morning, Winter arrived at school to find her desk adorned with a small potted plant. A note was tied to it with a ribbon: “For a little extra sunshine in your day. - Karina”
“She’s unbelievable,” Winter said, shaking her head.
“Unbelievably persistent,” Giselle said, examining the plant. “At least she’s consistent.”
“What are you going to do?” Ryujin asked, leaning against the desk.
“Ignore her,” Winter said firmly. “She’ll get bored eventually.”
“I wouldn’t count on that,” Giselle said, smirking. “She seems pretty invested.”
As the day went on, Winter found herself glancing at the plant more often than she cared to admit. It was a simple gesture, but it made her feel… seen.
When lunch rolled around, Karina approached her again, this time with a stack of flashcards.
“What now?” Winter asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Trivia,” Karina said, holding up the cards. “Let’s see how much we know about each other.”
“Pass,” Winter said, crossing her arms.
“Come on,” Karina said, her eyes pleading. “It’ll be fun.”
“Your definition of fun is very different from mine,” Winter said dryly.
Karina pouted, but before she could argue further, Ningning and Yeji appeared, dragging her away.
“Give her some space,” Yeji said, rolling her eyes. “You’re going to scare her off.”
Ningning nodded. “Play it cool, Karina.”
Winter watched them go, her chest tightening with a strange mix of relief and disappointment. As much as Karina’s antics annoyed her, they also had a way of brightening her day.
“She’s growing on you, isn’t she?” Giselle asked, her tone teasing.
“Absolutely not,” Winter said, though her flushed cheeks betrayed her.
“Sure,” Ryujin said, smirking. “Whatever you say.”
Winter sighed, wondering how much longer she could resist Karina’s charm. One thing was certain: her life would never be the same.