The Pyle Inside

I felt my heartbeat dance in my chest as Winter reached for my hand, sitting on the bench near the schoolyard.

“What’re you doing?” I asked quietly, meeting her gaze.  Her cheeks flushed as she turned away, whispering, “Nothing.”

“You know it would ruin your reputation, right?” That just had to come out of my mouth. “I mean, you’re really cute and all, for all I know all the guys . . . and all the girls . . . are drooling over you, and you’re already dating Summer.  That’s what I was worried about this whole time.”

“We broke up,” she said, her voice cracking. “A few weeks before we had met.  That information that you got was wrong.  She has cancer now.”

“Oh my God,” I said.  I squeezed her hand that had somehow made it into mine as we were talking. “It’s gonna be okay, she’ll be fine.”

“No,” she said, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. “It’s not okay. I don’t love her any more.  I don’t know what’s wrong with me!”

I looked over at her again.  “Maybe it’s because you found someone new.”

*****

I saw her in the hallways after we had held hands for the first time.  She would quickly look at me in Science, the one class we had together, but would then turn away just as quick when I looked back.

“Hiya,” I said, a few weeks after we had talked in Science.  I had decided it was the right thing to do.

“Summer’s in the hospital,” she mourned.  “Her results are good.”

“I-I’m so happy to hear that,” I crowed.  “You two back together?”  I didn’t mean to say that.

“No, we’re not,” she said, looking over at me.  “Why? Do you want us to be together?  Do you not like me anymore either?”

“No, no, it’s nothing like that!” I cried.  “I really like you, Winter!”  Another thing that I

didn’t mean to say.

She looked over, a light red blush dusted her cheeks.  “Oh.”

I looked over at her with what was I hoped was a look of expectancy.  “What do you want?” she questioned, before her blush deepened, and again she said, “Oh.”

When she leaned in, my heart started beating a million miles per hour, like when she was holding my hand for the first time.  “Yeah, that’s right,” I said.  Of course.  Ruin the moment, Spring.

She smashed her lips onto mine and I kissed back. When she leaned away, her face was no longer red.  “Wow,” she spoke softly.

“Yeah,” I said.

“Wow,” she repeated.  “F-Fall Out Boy… I mean, that was, uh, nice!”

I laughed slightly. “Fall Out Boy? Where did that come from?”

The blush crept back onto her cheeks.  “Nowhere.  I was just thinking.”

“Some thinking,” I teased.  She punched me on the arm lightly, laughing too, and saying, “Shut up!”

She quickly grabbed my hand for the second time, and I leaned into her shoulder.  “No PDA, girls,” our teacher, Mrs. Purcell my English teacher, prompted.  “I saw that.”

She sighed and I took my head off her shoulder, although she still continued to play with my fingers below the table.

“Some romantic setting. Don’t be homophobic,” I heard her mutter.

I laughed and she looked up.  “Class’s starting, sweetheart,” I said.

“S-sure,” she stuttered after a few moments.

“At least you didn’t say ‘Fall Out Boy’ this time.”

She giggled.  Which was adorable.

*****

Once we got out of there, she took my hand and dragged me outside.

“Where are we going, Winter?” I asked, my ears heating up at how easily she grabbed at my hand.  I could feel it, so I drew my hand back and covered my face with it.

“What?” she questioned, looking back quickly, her platinum blonde hair swinging over her shoulder. “Oh,” she said quietly, then yelled out, “FALL OUT BOY!”

I laughed, the blush growing darker.  “Shut up!”

“Really?” she joked.  “I can’t, Spring!”

“Oh, I knew that already,” I said.  She quickly pecked me on the cheek and then shrieked.

“What?” I said, panicking.  “What’s wrong, Winter?!”

“You’re so soft!” she said loudly, smothering me in a hug.  Her face was flushed and her hair now tousled.

“I love you,” I teased, embracing her.

“M-me too,” she said, then snuggled up, making my face flush red.  “You’re blushing,” she said, looking up.  “That’s cute.  Super cute.”

She then looked away, down at the ground, and pulled herself from me.

“That was something,” I said.

*****

After the best moment in my life I went to English class. The rest of the afternoon was pretty boring although when I saw Winter in the hallway I smiled playfully at her and she smiled back.

Life was going well for about 2 months from them, me and Winter got more serious and spring break was just around the corner!  I was practically skipping to class when Winter ran up behind me and grabbed me around my waist to stop me from moving, laying her head on my shoulders.

“Need-weeze-to-weeze-tell-weeze-you-weeze-something,” she said, gasping for air. Winter looked a little worried.

“OK, just catch your breath,” I said, unsure if what Winter was going to say was bad or good.

“Um, well, Summer is doing better and she’s going to be coming to school tomorrow,” she practically spit out.

“I… I… great!” I said, “Wait, why do you look worried?”

Winter looked at the floor and started to bite her lip, “Well, I’m not sure what her reaction will be to us dating.  She might be mad or she could be fine with it.”

“Wait, you didn’t tell her?” I felt my face getting hot, tears started to form in my eyes.

Winter obviously noticed, as she quickly added, “I didn’t want her to think that I didn’t care about her because she’s still my friend . . . or I hope that she still is.  I don’t want her to think that I wasn’t faithful to her during our relationship.”

At least Winter didn’t still like Summer. She was just trying to not cause any more drama. I smiled at her and whispered in her ear, “Fall Out Boy.”  That would be our always.

*****

The following morning when I finally got to school after missing the bus, I saw a girl with short dirty blonde hair talking to Winter.  The girl seemed angry.

I approached them slowly. Once Winter saw me, her eyes got wide with fear. Her ears started to get red, which only happened when she was nervous. Great.

“Hey, Winter,” I said casually. “What’s up?”

No reply.

“Hey Winter,” I said a little bit louder. “What’s up?”

“Hey,” she said timidly.

The girl that Winter was with looked over at me.  Her skin was pale and her dirty blonde hair seemed rough.

“I don’t mean to be rude but, who are you?” asked the girl.

I extended my hand and replied, “Spring and you?” The girl looked at me as if I came from a different planet. She glanced at Winter in a weird way. As if they had once been together.
She shook my hand and awkwardly replied, “I’m Summer.”

I gasped.  This was the girl.  The girl that Winter had once been with.  I pulled my hand away quickly and said, “What was that?”

She leaned in, closer, and repeated it louder and slower, as if she was speaking to a child, “Summer.”