Winter lay motionless in her bed, her mind spiraling in circles as she stared blankly at the ceiling, which seemed to only reflect her racing thoughts.

It was well past midnight, and yet sleep felt a million miles away. Her face was still warm, a lingering blush refusing to fade, as if Karina's words were echoing through her head, charging her pulse with every replay.

She sighed, her chest rising and falling with a slightly uneven rhythm, trying to steady her breathing, but it was hopeless. Every time she closed her eyes, Karina's voice echoed again-low and teasing, that playful hint almost like a dare. Winter's heart beat wildly in response, her body reacting before her mind could catch up.

Winter tightened her grip on her bedsheets, eyebrows knitting together. It's not that she didn't understand the hints Karina had been giving her these past days.

She got it.

But even though she understood, she'd held back, pretending not to notice, wanting Karina to be absolutely sure before taking things further. And tonight... tonight had been different. Karina had been direct, her words laced with intent that left Winter with little room for denial.

With a frustrated huff, Winter sat up abruptly, ruffling her hair with both hands as if she could shake the thoughts out. Her cheeks burned, and she felt a bit ridiculous, but her body felt wired, unable to relax.

She reached for her phone again, letting her thumb hover over the screen as her eyes focused on the last picture Karina sent. Karina's smirk was unwavering, those darkened eyes challenging her, pulling her in.

Winter groaned, biting her lip as she fought with herself, rolling her eyes at the way Karina's gaze still had her feeling so helpless.

Why did she have to be so effortlessly... everything?

Closing her eyes tightly, Winter collapsed back onto her bed, her arm flung over her face, trying to force herself to sleep. She took a few slow breaths, willing her mind to quiet down, but the image of Karina's teasing grin lingered like a spark, a warmth that refused to fade.

Winter's day trudged on in a blur of relentless classes and review sessions, each lecture another layer of mental weight as exams loomed closer.

But through all the numbers and notes, Karina lingered on the edge of her thoughts, persistent and vivid. Winter's lips tingled, bitten sore from her unconscious habit each time Karina crossed her mind, her cheeks reddening every time she remembered last night's call.

She pressed herself to focus on her studies, knowing she had to stay disciplined... but Karina wasn't making it easy.

By the end of her last class, most of the students had already left. Winter decided to stay behind, settling at her desk for some extra study time, hoping the quiet would clear her head.

After a quick splash of cold water to refresh herself, she returned, ready to dive in. But just as she was about to open her notebook, her phone lit up on her desk. She glanced at the screen and froze.

It was a video from Karina.

Tapping play, Winter's breath hitched.

In the video, Karina was sitting by her bed with her hair tied up in a soft, messy bun, eating a small cup of ice cream.

Karina's lips wrapped around the spoon slowly, savoring each bite, her eyes glancing up at the camera with a faint sparkle of mischief. She licked her lips, a small, innocent smile spreading, followed by a casual wink. The screen went dark.

Winter's heart raced, her face burning as she quickly locked her phone, darting her eyes around the empty classroom to make sure no one saw.

She felt like she'd been electrocuted, her mind a mess of emotions she could barely process. Her cheeks were on fire, her pulse unsteady, as she swallowed hard and, before she knew it, hit the call button, holding the phone to her ear as Karina answered.

Karina's voice was soft, her tone carrying a hint of a laugh.

"Hey, babe," she greeted, sounding almost too innocent.

Winter's voice dropped to a frustrated whisper, her tone a mixture of exasperation and longing.

"What... are you thinking?" She hiss, pressed her temple, fighting back a flustered groan.

"Sending that to me in the middle of the day?"

"Hmm? Eating ice-cream?" Karina feigned innocence, her voice light and teasing.

"I just thought you'd want to see me."

Winter sighed deeply, massaging her forehead.

"And who in their right mind eats ice cream in the middle of winter?" She tried to keep her voice steady, but the warmth in her cheeks betrayed her.

A soft giggle drifted through the phone.

"Me."

Karina's tone turned husky, lowering with a playful edge that made Winter shiver.

"Don't you like it?"

Winter gulped, her frustrated faded, her heartbeat overtaking her as her voice softened, a trace of longing sneaking in.

"You're making it impossible for me to concentrate, love..." Her voice, slow, dropped to a murmur, almost a growl.

"I want you... more than you know."

There was a quiet intake of breath on the other end, followed by a pause that felt electric.

"You know you can't," Karina teased, but Winter could hear the slight tremor in her voice, the warmth.

Winter sighed, breathing out deep, closing her eyes, gripping her phone tighter as Karina continued, her voice a soothing melody in Winter's ear.

"So don't think about me, okay? Focus on your studies. I know you've been thinking about me all day," she added, playful yet slightly smug, the sound of her flipping through pages faint in the background.

Winter groaned, standing up in frustration, the restraint wearing thin. "How am I supposed to focus if you keep teasing me like this?"

Karina's laughter was soft, a gentle tease. "You can do it. Just be a good girl, alright? Love you."

And before Winter could respond, the line clicked, leaving her with silence and the soft hum of static.

Winter let out a long, defeated sigh, slumping back into her seat and dropping her forehead to the desk, her face burning.

She banged her head lightly against the wood and mumbled into her arms, "You're killing me."