The Bird and the Worm || Winchel

Rachel looked up from her sketchbook, her hazel eyes conveying a look of mild surprise. She had been watching Winter intently, sketching lines and curves and scribbling notes on the side. She glanced down at her work. There was a rough profile of Winter on the side of the page, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her hand playing with her thick hair. The note next to it read, “when she’s reading, she takes this position of concentration.” A ghost of a smile played across her face as she looked back at Winter. “Well we can’t have that, now can we?” She pursed her lips in thought, and a grin took it’s place as a thought broke through. “No one else seems to be around. We could…” She scooted closer to Winter, poking her in the arm, wiggling her eyebrows, and crowing, “Build the Leaning Tower of Books!” She nudged Winter amicably. “You up for it?”

A bemused expression played across Rachel’s face. Winter was always a drawing in progress for her, and Rachel already had notes in her head to add to her sketches. Soft, small hands. A little bird covered with flowers. A little girl when she doesn’t get what she wants. “I can lift you up. You shouldn’t be too heavy.” Without another word, she bent down and put Winter on her shoulders, grabbing a few books and pressing them against her chest. Slowly straightening up, she took hold of Winter’s calf with one hand, while trying to pass her a book. Amira began to mewl loudly, pressing against Rachel’s leg, asking for Winter. “Hold onto me,” she said softly, trying not to strain herself. “I’ll pass you some books and you can grab them with your other hand.” Amira pressed against her again, and she took a small step forward, moving Winter’s weight towards her. She was suddenly aware of the close proximity between them. Winter’s spare warmth made her cheeks flush. “I can’t hold you for long though.”

Winter, unfortunately, had taken the brunt of the fall. The only serious injury Rachel had taken was when a corner of a book landed in her eye, leaving her with a somewhat green-blue tinge around it. The rest of her was sore and a bit banged up, but otherwise fine. Sitting up slowly, she rubbed her head and winced. “Yeah, I’m fine. Are you-” Rachel looked up and saw Winter already up, collecting books. “...Okay,” Rachel finished. She stood up, losing her balance for a moment, and holding her head. “Let me help you with that.” She began to quickly pick up books, placing them on a table when her pile got too high. Her pace was quick and put her mind off the pain of her eye. She glanced up at Winter. The girl hadn’t put down her stack of books, but kept adding onto the pile in her hands. Rachel smiled and walked over to her. “I can get this for you,” she said, placing a gentle hand on top of hers. It was small and cold, but it sent a warm, electric rush up Rachel’s arm. Notes, sketches, and memories suddenly flickered through her head. Quiet. Chocolate eyes. Soft. Little bird. Bookworm. White as snow. Funny. Kind. Feisty. “Beautiful,” she breathed softly. Realizing what she just said, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink, and she quickly took the books from Winter and turned away.
Oh gods, she thought. I’m falling for my best friend .

Rachel felt the blush enveloping her neck and face as she tried to calm down. She had put the stack of books down onto a table, and quickly grabbed one at random. “I-uh, was um, reading the title of this book.” She thrust it forward, hiding her red face behind the title, Origin of the Species. A few shaky breaths and she put it back. A few more and she tucked her hair behind her ear, turning back to Winter. “W-we should, um, get back t-to cleaning up,” she stuttered. Gods above, what’s wrong with me? She bent down to pick up a few other scattered titles when she noticed Winter’s ankle, red and slightly swollen. “Millie! Y-your ankle!”She quickly dropped the books unceremoniously onto a table and rushed over to Winter. Without a second thought, she gently picked up Winter and set her down on a nearby couch, propping up her ankle. I have no idea what I’m doing,she thought, examining the injury. “D-do you n-need to go to the infirmary? O-or I can try to i-ice it here?”