The Great Pretender

29: Have You Ever Had a Feeling?

She was fine with eating inside the cafeteria, and the bonus to that would be not hearing Harper complain that it was getting too cold to eat outside. Though, they didn't eat outside anymore; instead they sat in the empty hallway of abandoned lockers that led to the hidden part of the veranda they called theirs.

"I think it's hilarious!" Delia informed them as she pulled a string of cheese from her pizza.

"What?" Ian asked, pressing against her side. Cherish stopped examining her slice of the pizza to look up at Delia. The group of them were sitting huddled in a circle around the box of pizza.

"People think you're cheating on me with Cherish!" she said easily, picking an olive off Ian's slice and popping it into her mouth.

Cherish wasn't sure what kind of reaction to have; had someone actually told her they were? It was a pretty ridiculous thing to believe, but maybe Delia did. Harper laughed and Juss choked on his pop, "Seriously! You two? That's a complete joke!"

"I know!" Delia giggled, "I think you guys should pretend you really are messing around, so we can see how long it is before someone feels bad and decides to tell me. Ha! Can you imagine their reactions when I just laugh?"

"I was thinking that yesterday!" Cherish cracked a grin.

"Wait, if no one told you, how do you know?" Ian asked.

Delia shrugged, "I hear things... and people are always looking at you two like you're devil spawn!"

"That would explain why those girls were looking at us like they wanted to shove you down the stairs earlier," Juss laughingly nudged Cherish.

"You wouldn't believe it, Juss. Today in Music, some girl actually told Sev she was sorry that he had his heart broken by such a backstabbing bitch. I don't think he knew what she was talking about and when she clarified, he looked like he was going to die laughing!"

"What did he say?" Delia questioned, her gaze intent upon Cherish who hadn't spoken of Seven since asking Ian to make him leave her alone a week ago. Cherish flushed when she realised they were all staring at her the same way; ah, well, no turning back now, might as well tell them the rest of the story.

"He waved at me and said he was sorry that his friends had to deal with dumb-ass gossip mongers who think they know everything."

Juss laughed, "Yeah, that's Sev!"

"Wait, he said friend?"

"Well why wouldn't he?" Cherish blinked at her friends, who were oblivious to the fact that they were debating the status of her non-relationship with Seven in front of her. Ian didn't seem to notice her expression and went on explaining to Delia, "He thinks of her as a friend. Really the only reason they're not talking right now is Cherry."

"I meant," Delia clarified, "friend, as in... wait, never mind what I meant."

"We all know what you meant, Deals," Cherish flushed. "And he said friend, because that's all we are... were before the thing happened."

"The thing? That's what you're calling it now?" Juss grinned.

She shoved him playfully, "Yes, the thing. Any-hoo, is anyone ready for Christmas? I can't believe there are only 28 days left! I haven't even thought about gifts or anything!"

"Smooth, Cherry," Juss chuckled at her subject change, but played along. "I need some advice actually. Is it weird if I get Allie something?"

"Yes!" "No!"

"Uhm, that was no help." Juss frowned at Cherish and Delia who's answered together.

Cherish cackled at Juss' confused grimace; the wrong move here would make things incredibly awkward for all of them.