Chapter 48


    Jake


    I’m not a very talkative person… or well. I talk easily to those close to me, and then I act reserved toward


    neers. I’ve always been like this, even from a young age. This made it hard for me to make friends


    as a kid,


    but I was never bothered by that.


    Winnie, my childhood friend and old


    neighbor, made me feel seen throughout my


    childhood.


    Instead of ignoring me like everyone else


    did, Winnie included me in everything. We were partners in crime, and I fell for her because she always


    smiled and made my day


    better.


    This is why Winnie has been on my brain for the past twenty-two years. People im kids can’t fall in


    love and don’t know what those


    emotions are, but trust me when I say that


    I’ve loved Winnie for years. She has always been the one, but I’m starting to believe she doesn’t deserve


    me.


    In the end, I never mattered as much to her


    as she did to me…


    I try to push that feeling aside and focus on the tacos I’m making. I chop some


    vegetables and put some meat on the stove.


    Winnie is sitting by the table, ncing at me whenever she thinks I’m not noticing it. Now that I’ve voiced


    my thoughts to her, she suddenly sees me, but karma is a bitch


    because I wasn’t born yesterday. It will take


    miracle for me to regain my interest in


    1.


    Vell…


    ou don’t get over someone you’ve liked for ears in a day, but I’m certainly chillier


    ward her now. I asked Winnie to do


    rands with me because I was too chicken


    it to ask her out on a date. And what does


    19


    she do? Break my freaking heart.


    I’m still hurting….


    However, she bought me the cookies we used to steal from the cupboard as kids, so my heart isn’t


    entirely frozen over. I’m also a nice guy, so it’s not like I won’t be her


    friend.


    “Jake?” Winnie asks in a low voice.


    I don’t look at her from where I’m standing by the counter. My sole focus is on the cucumbers that I’m


    chopping for our tacos. ” Mhm?”


    “I’m an asshole.”


    I almost smile. Almost. “Yes, you are.”


    “I really hurt you, Jake, and…” Winnie is now getting up from her seat. “I want to make it up to you, so I


    will start by helping you chop vegetables. It’s the least I can do.”


    ‘I got this.” I really do. Winnie is a klutz and would probably end up cutting her own


    fingers.


    “I want to help you.”


    “That’s unnecessary.” I don’t want another


    reason to visit the hospital.


    “Stop fighting it! I’m helping!”


    I turn to stone when Winnie determinedly


    walks up to stand beside me. She is much shorter than me, head around my chest.


    level. She is stinking adorable, and my heart flutters at the sight of her.


    It’s frustrating.


    My hands are itching to touch Winnie, but I can’t. I shouldn’t. I try to turn the other way, but I’m drawn in


    by her beautiful eyes. Fuck


    1. Have there ever been a more tortured


    man?


    Winnie is gorgeous, and it’s hard to stay mad at someone who makes your heart sing oudly in your


    chest. Simply looking at her nakes me start to forget my anger. Her


    blonde hair is a mess around her head, and I sigh when she grabs a knife without putting up her hair.


    How has she survived this far? Those bangs make her half-blind, and if Winnie doesn’t put up her hair,


    the chances of her cutting herself are scarily high…


    “Do you have a scrunchie around your arm or something?” I ask.


    “Nope,” she beams up at me, all dazzling teeth and annoyingly cute freckles. My heart clenches, but I


    ignore that feeling. “But I don’t need one. Just tell me what you need help with!”


    I roll my eyes at her. Winnie is definitely living a dangerous life, and I open a drawer to take out a rubber


    band. “First off, you need to put up your hair. I don’t want you slicing up your fingers, Mrs. Klutz.”


    “Mrs. Klutz?” She blinks up at me.


    I smile, just this once. “It’s what you are,” I


    step behind Winnie and mash down the


    instinct to pick her up. I’m mad at her, damn


    “I’m surprised you’ve made it this far in


    life.”


    “I’m not that clumsy!”


    “Remember when you ran into a pole in


    your second year of high school because you


    were so excited showing around the new kid?


    The tip of her ears turns red, and she


    mumbles. “That was a one-time mistake…


    shit happens…’


    “You also fell on your ass like once a week on your way to school in the past. Pretty sure that’s why you


    started to hold on to my arm. ” I smile at the memory. It’s a fond one. And you picked me, not Mark,


    because ording to you, I was heavier with a bigger chance of stopping your fall in case of an


    emergency.”


    She gasps. “How are you remembering these


    things?!”


    I snort, and Winnie turns tense when I


    gather her long blonde hair in my hands. It


    smells like fruity shampoo, and I have to fight every instinct telling me to hug the shit out of her. I’m not a


    cuddler, but my brain


    betrays me whenever I’m next to Winnie.


    I distract myself by talking. “I just do… I also remember how you slipped and fell on your ass earlier


    today at the hospital.”


    “Oh my god!” Winnie exims. “I didn’t think anyone saw me! I was on my way to the vending machine!”


    Iugh. “I was heading there too and saw the whole spectacle. Kinda wish I had filmed the entire thing. It


    was funny.”


    Her face turns redder, and I swallow ufortably. I want to touch her all over, see where else she can


    blush. Just inhaling the scent of her hair fills me with hunger, and when I’ve finished making her a


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ponytail, I have to look away by force.


    Whenever I look at Winnie, I find more things to admire about her appearance, which is not good. I’m


    supposed to be mad


    at her, not count the freckles on her nose.


    “Thank you for setting up my hair,” Winnie hands me a shy smile. “I’ve never had a guy


    do that for me before.”


    “You’re wee…” I mutter and nod at the


    lettuce. “You can cut up the sd and put it


    in a bowl.”


    “Yes, sir!”


    We finish making the food and eat in silence. Mark doesn’t join us. He said something about an


    appointment somewhere. Our mom’s ident shook us both. But Mark is more messed up than me, and


    I think he is trying to find someone to talk about it with.


    “What is your favorite color?” Winnie suddenly asks.


    I feel a twinge of curiosity and look up from my te. “Are you trying to get to know me after twenty-two


    years?”


    Guilt pierces Winnie’s features. Good. It pleases me that she has something of a


    consciousness.


    “I’m sorry… you probably hate me for not paying enough attention to you and


    memorizing things, and I know I deserve that, but… I’m at least trying to make


    amends.”


    “I don’t hate you,” I’m genuinely confused why she would think that, and I frown at her. “Why would you


    think I hate you?”


    “Because of the way I’ve treated you?”


    I sigh and pick up another taco shell. “Hate is a strong word. You’ve acted like a dick toward me, but that


    doesn’t mean I hate you. We are still friends, though that’s only because you bought me cookies.”


    I’m nning on eating all of those cookies after dinner. I should be thinking about my form, but fuck it.


    Bulking season ising soon, anyway. It’s time to lose my abs, get big like a bear, and cut itter to get


    bigger. Cutting your body is hard, but I love bulking


    season. I can ALMOST eat whatever I like.


    “I had almost forgotten what a sweet tooth you are…” Winnie stares down at the table.


    I drink more water and decide it can’t hurt to


    converse with her. “There is a reason why I love baking so much. Eating whatever I make is the whole


    point. My cookie dough? It’s the best thing ever.”


    “Oh, yeah,” she is grinning now. “Your cookie dough mixture is to die for. It’s


    almost sad it needs to be turned into cookies.


    “I can make some without baking powder if you like?” I have nothing else to do today, so why not?


    Winnie hums and pats her stomach thoughtfully. “It would be nice to eat that dough, but I don’t know if I


    should. I’m


    stuffed…”


    “I see,” I rise from the table with my empty te. “Well, I suppose you can head home


    then-”


    Her eyes widen, and I see something resembling panic washing over her features before she speaks up.


    “Now that I think


    about it, perhaps I should stay. That cookie dough sounds really tasty!”


    Winnie couldn’t be more obvious if she tried.


    She seems scared we won’t make up if she


    leaves my mom’s house.


    I sigh heavily. “I don’t hate you, Winnie. I told you this already, and it’s fine if you leave. I won’t hold a


    grudge.”


    “I’m staying,” herrge eyes meet mine. Am I worried that things will just turn


    chillier between us if I leave? Yes. But I’m


    staying mainly because the kitchen is messy, and I would love to help you clean it up. Since you cooked


    me dinner.”


    “Oh,” she is definitely lying about why she is staying around, but fine, two can y the same game then.


    I smirk to myself. “Then how about I leave you to clean the kitchen while I shower? You can just leave


    after


    you’re done. I will bring the cookie dough to your parent’s houseter and leave it by the door. That’s


    fine, right?”


    To my surprise, Winnie doesn’t object. She


    looks a bit sad but then sters on a smile.” I will make the kitchen sparkling clean!”


    “Alright,” I say and head out of the kitchen. ”


    Good luck.”