CHAPTER 23: WINTER’S PAST
Winter’s POV
“From now on, we will be best friends forever,” Phoebe said with a smile on her face.
I smiled back as I reached my hand to her. “Best friends forever.”
And that was the very first best friend I made. I had no friends or best friends before. Simply because they hate me in the end. Once I had one friend, which I almost considered my best friend, but then she felt jealous when her boyfriend admitted he has a crush on me. I never liked her boyfriend, nor did I have any plan of taking him away from her. But she got so mad at me, and later on, she considered me as someone she can never forgive.
That girl started gossiping about me being a flirty bitch, and all the people around me believed that. No one wanted to be my friend because they always think I might take their boyfriend away from them.
But Phoebe was different. She accepted me and didn’t listen to all the people around us. She was a cute girl in bob hair with full bangs. I still remember how the dimples in the corners of her mouth show whenever she smiles. And those thick eyeglasses that she used to wear. That’s also one of the reasons why she gets bullied before. They even started calling us ‘losers’.
Good thing we had our superman, and that is none other than Phoebe’s brother, Winston. A tall, handsome man who always wears a smile on his face. At first, I was so annoyed at him because he keeps on mocking me, but when I saw how much he loves his sister, I realized he was a good man.
Winston always teases me by blowing my hair whenever I’m trying to focus. It didn’t take too long for us to be close together, too. He knows how to calm me down when I’m crying because of how my parents treat me. He also knows how to make me happy. And that is the reason he became my first love.
“I like you, Winter. I like you so much. And this is not just because you are pretty or because your family is rich. I like you, and that is because of who you are.” Winston said to me while looking straight into my eyes. I could see his ears turning red, and I know he was already getting embarrassed.
I wasn’t able to speak for a while. I was just a teenager who doesn’t even know what love means. Many boys have confessed to me before, but I never experienced getting a confession from a person I also like.
“Winter? Wait, you don’t have to say anything. I-I just wanted to tell you because I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to bear it anymore.”
“I like you too, Winston…”
His eyes widened, and all of a sudden, a huge smile appeared on his face. “A-Are you serious?! You’re saying that you like me too?!”
“Yes. I like you too, Winston.”
That day was the happiest day of my life. I also told Phoebe about what happened, and she was so happy for both of us. The next days after that were like a dream. The three of us were so happy together.NôvelDrama.Org is the owner.
Not until one day…
“I like you, Winter. I like you so much.” Ian said to me in the school garden.
“I’m so sorry, Ian. But I already have someone I like.”
I got surprised when he suddenly pulled me towards him and hugged me. “I like you so much, Winter! Please, like me back!”
“W-What are you doing?!” I said as I pushed him away.
Then I suddenly saw a person standing behind Ian. She was looking straight at me, and her eyes were filled with tears.
“Phoebe?! Phoebe–”
Before I could even go after her, she had already run away. Ever since that day, Phoebe didn’t talk to me anymore. She has a crush on Ian even before we met each other. She even told me a lot about him and when she saw me with him, she thought I betrayed her. I tried to explain everything to her, but she just won’t listen to me. I couldn’t blame her though, for sure she now thinks what the people around us say is really true.
Winston still stayed with me. He was the one who comforted me whenever I miss Phoebe. He also tried to talk to Phoebe, but even so, nothing happened.
Until one time, I heard that a group of girls was trying to bully Phoebe. I even caught them pouring their juice on her head. I thought Phoebe would forgive me because I saved her, but still, she didn’t talk to me. Then one day, the news was heard all over our school, saying that Phoebe tried to kill herself by letting herself be hit by a car.
Phoebe got comatose. And because of that, everyone blamed me for what happened. Winston also got so mad at me and told me it was my fault. Their family went abroad to continue Phoebe’s medications there. After that, I never heard anything from them.
Once again, I became alone.
I should have known that would happen in the first place.
Everything messes up whenever I find some people that would make me happy. Maybe I’m just meant to be alone. That is why I also promised myself I will never ever trust anyone again. And I won’t depend on anyone anymore because, for sure, just like all the people who ended up hating me, too.
“You are so good at crying, Winter! No wonder you are the female superstar of the country! The drama queen!” the director cooed after we filmed the scene.
I just wiped the tears from my eyes and sat in my chair to take some rest.
It’s been so many years now, but it still tears me up whenever I think about them. About Phoebe and Winston.