Winter sat on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts racing. She couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted inside her over the past few days. It was like a slow-burning flame she couldn't quite extinguish, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

She let out a frustrated sigh and squeezed her eyes shut. What was wrong with her? Months ago, she wouldn't have even entertained the idea of feeling anything for Karina. The woman was like a brick wall, cold and unapproachable, always on the edge of snapping. Why would Winter even consider it? Why would she let herself feel anything for someone who seemed to torment her at every turn?

Her mind drifted back to earlier-back to that close moment on the training field, the one where Karina had grabbed her, and they had fallen. Winter could still feel the electric pulse in the air, the rush of warmth that flooded through her when she found herself hovering so close to Karina, her breath mixing with the other woman's. The way Karina's eyes had held her for that split second, the tension thick between them.

"No," Winter muttered to herself, shaking her head.

"That doesn't mean anything." She had to stop overthinking it. It was just a moment of weakness. Karina was a dangerous person, and Winter needed to remind herself of that every time her thoughts started to wander.

It made no sense-no sense-why she would even think about liking someone who had made her life a living hell. Someone who had constantly pushed her, belittled her, and tested her at every turn.

With a frustrated grunt, Winter climbed off the bed and walked to the bathroom, hoping the cold splash of water would somehow snap her out of her spiral. She splashed her face, staring at her reflection in the mirror, trying to breathe through the chaos in her mind. She needed to get a grip. Karina was just... Karina. Nothing more.

When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Karina standing in the doorway of her room, an eyebrow raised as she observed Winter. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice laced with that same indifferent tone.

Winter froze, feeling suddenly exposed. She hadn't expected Karina to be there, and the simple fact that she was standing there now made her feel uncomfortably self-aware.

"Nothing," Winter muttered, quickly looking away, her face flushing with embarrassment. She moved past Karina, heading back toward her bed, trying to avoid eye contact.

Karina seemed to notice her discomfort, the sharpness in her gaze softening just slightly as she stepped out of the doorway.

"You're weird," she said simply, and Winter felt her heart skip a beat. It was a comment that could've been made with a laugh, or even a joke, but instead it stung, leaving Winter feeling more awkward than before.

Without facing Karina, Winter quickly made her way to the bathroom again, closing the door behind her with a soft thud. She stared at her reflection in the mirror again, her chest tight, her mind racing. What was it about Karina that kept her thinking like this? Why couldn't she just ignore it?

Winter rubbed her eyes, exhaling heavily. "She's a dangerous species," she muttered. "That's all she is."

She took one more look at herself in the mirror, hoping the clear-cut conclusion would stick. She needed to stay away from Karina, she needed to focus on anything but her.

With a final sigh, Winter turned away and walked back to her bed. As she climbed under the covers, she could feel the weight of her thoughts pulling her under, but this time, she didn't let herself linger on the confusion.

She needed to sleep. That's all. Just sleep.

The day had been nothing short of confusing. Winter couldn't wrap her head around Karina's behavior. After everything-everything-the yelling, the dragging, the forced labor in the training field, now Karina was suddenly acting like a normal human being?

Trying to strike up small talk at breakfast, asking her if she was alright in passing, even holding the door open once. It was driving Winter insane.

It wasn't just the kindness that threw her off; it was the inconsistency. Karina had never been like this before. The woman thrived on being a thorn in her side, so why was she suddenly treating her with something that almost felt like... concern? Winter wasn't stupid. This had to be another of Karina's mind games. She just knew it.

Winter sat in her room, glaring at the wall as she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. Her thoughts spiraled, a mix of frustration, confusion, and something she refused to name.

She'd spent all day trying to avoid Karina, but of course, Karina had somehow made herself impossible to ignore. Those stolen glances, those fleeting moments where Winter thought she saw something softer in Karina's eyes-no, it was all in her head. It had to be.

Finally, she'd had enough. Winter stood abruptly, her heart racing with a mix of nerves and anger. She stormed out of bed and found Karina sitting at the desk on the other side of their shared room, calmly flipping through a file. The sight only annoyed Winter further. She didn't even hesitate before speaking.

"Why are you doing this?" Winter demanded, her voice sharp.

Karina looked up, her blank expression unchanging.

"Doing what?" she asked, her tone annoyingly calm, as though she had no idea what Winter was talking about.

Winter threw her hands up in exasperation. "This! Acting all... normal. Being nice. Trying to talk to me like we're-like we're friends or something. After everything you've put me through, now you suddenly decide to be nice? What is this? Some new way of messing with me?"

Karina raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair. "You're being dramatic," she said, crossing her arms. "I'm not doing anything. You're just overthinking like usual."

Winter's frustration boiled over. "Don't call me a dramatic! I'm serious, Karina! First, you torture me, make me run laps, yell at me, and now you're... whatever this is! It's not fun, okay? I don't get it! Just leave me alone!"

For a moment, Karina didn't respond. She simply stared at Winter, her expression unreadable. The silence stretched, and Winter felt her heart pounding harder in her chest, both from anger and the overwhelming confusion of what was happening between them. Why was Karina like this? Why couldn't Winter just ignore her like before?

Finally, Karina sighed, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. Her gaze softened, though her face remained neutral. "Alright," she said quietly. "I'll leave you alone."

The simplicity of the statement caught Winter off guard. Her frustration faltered, replaced by a strange sense of loss she couldn't quite explain. "Wait, what?" she said, blinking in confusion.

Karina stood, brushing past Winter without another word. She didn't look back, didn't offer an explanation, didn't even give Winter the satisfaction of a fight. She just left the room, her footsteps fading down the hall.

Winter stood there, frozen, her heart sinking in a way she hadn't expected. She had confronted Karina because she wanted answers, but now that Karina had agreed to leave her alone, the ache in her chest only grew. For the first time, Winter wasn't sure if she really wanted Karina to leave her alone.