𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄.
she walked into the apartment building.
cherry had left for mexico for 2 months, for the summer.
alex and cherry had gotten into an argument, which was half of the reason that she'd left.
"alex, you're so fucking annoying!" cherry huffed, from the couch.
"i don't care! fucking leave, then!" alex glared.
"i will!"
"good! finally! why are you even here? nobody wants you here, nobody's ever wanted you here! go back to your family, and stop bothering me!"
cherry said nothing.
she just collected her things, and did her best not to cry, because she wasn't going to cry over the words of some short 13 year old boy.
for some stupid reason, she'd almost thought that they were her family.
she stormed out of the house, saying nothing.
"that was messed up, alex." elena frowned.
"i don't care! leave me alone!" alex said, and stormed away.
cherry was gone the next day.
alex was thankful for the peace, but the house was unusually empty.
soon enough, it was full of complaints about cherry not being there.
penelope didn't have anyone to joke around with.
lydia didn't have another hyper-feminine person around at all times.
elena missed her best-friend.
cherry's chair was empty. sometimes, lydia would catch herself making enough food for one more person.
elena would buy something that made her think of them, and would keep it on her bedside table.
eventually, cherry sent elena a text, confirming that she wasn't dead.
elena waited patiently for cherry to come back.
all she cared about was her being safe.
alex wasn't as upset about cherry leaving as much as everyone else was.
actually, he wasn't upset at all.
he didn't like her, why would he ever be upset about her being gone?
it was just annoying that everyone else was so obsessed with her.
what was so great about her, anyways?
she wasn't cool. or funny.
sure, she was pretty.
but what else?
she was just mean.
they despised each-other, and alex was glad that she was gone.
sure, he was bored out of his mind.
but at least he wasn't being bothered everyday.
but, cherry was back now for the beginning of the school year.
even if she was a few weeks late.
and now, she'd have to see alex's annoying ass again.
he had turned 14 while cherry was gone.
the only reason she knew, was because she'd gone out of her way to not get him a present.
2 peaceful months were spent without alex.
she couldn't wait to get into that apartment and start arguing with him.
cherry approached the front door, and knocked.
alex opened the door.
"get out of my way, ale-" cherry began.
but she paused when she saw him.
he blinked, and walked away from her, leaving the door wide open.
nothing?
not even a mean comment? or a glare? or an eye roll? not even a fucking scoff?
or was he giving her the cold shoulder?
it didn't matter, because cherry was too distracted staring at him to care.
who the fuck was that?
it felt like cherry hadn't seen him in years.
now, he was taller than her. she couldn't look down at him anymore and pretend to not be able to hear him.
his voice had gotten deeper.
she didn't know that, but it did.
maybe she would've known, if alex actually tried to speak to her.
instead, he simply walked away.
he wasn't mean, and he definitely wasn't flirting with her.
he had absolutely no reaction.
nothing.
who was that boy in front of her? it wasn't alex.
no, he had to have gotten possessed or something.
another thing that cherry had noticed, was that he was really fucking hot.
like, insanely hot.
stupidly fucking hot.
"holy shit." cherry said, absentmindedly.
'lord jesus have mercy. he's so.. oh my fucking god. he doesn't want me. but i kinda want him. i know he's really annoying, but it's not my fault he's fine as fuck!' cherry thought to herself.
she stood in the doorway, thinking to herself.
his hair was messy, but still weirdly perfect. it loosely draped and framed his face, and it was the perfect shade of brown.
his eyebrows were just perfect.
his eyes were brown, and kind of big.
his lips were soft, and his lips had just become her favorite color.
'oh my god, his stupid fucking jawline.' cherry thought.
his skin looked soft, and smooth.
he smelled like fresh cologne, and he didn't dress in full nike attire.
cherry admired him, analyzing him more.
he was so perfect.
why didn't she notice before?
she needed to be shot. she needed to go outside and take a breath of fresh air.
she must've had rabies, or something.
seriously, what was wrong with her? what had gone wrong with her mind?
why did she think that alex alvarez, of all people, was hot?
"what's wrong with you?" lydia questioned, tightly hugging the girl who looked like she was on the verge of drooling.
lydia followed the girls like of eyesight.
"i knew it! the day has come!" lydia grinned.
cherry was snapped back into reality, when elena almost tackled her.
"i missed you!" elena grinned, and placed her hands on her shoulders.
"i missed you more!" cherry said, still slightly distracted.
"what are you- oh." elena said, glancing over at her brother. "oh."
"what?"
"you think he's-"
"no i don't!"
"i didn't even say it!"
"oh my god." cherry said, and flopped down onto the couch.
it was taking everything inside of her to not collapse to the floor.
and all he'd done was look at her.
where was that annoying little boy who always had a pick up line ready, and was desperately in love with her?
she wished for that boy back.
but now, she'd become that boy.
she as the one sitting there, staring at him like he was a piece of candy.
she was the stupid boy with a crush.
"what's wrong with you?" penelope asked, taking a seat next to her.
"i think i'm sick." cherry said, sitting up.
she looked back at alex, who didn't even look up.
"no way." penelope shook her head, and glanced at her mother. "you were right."
"i always am." lydia shrugged.
alex was too embarrassed to talk to cherry.
over the 2 months she was done, it gave him a lot of time to think.
it was much easier to think kindly about someone when they weren't insulting you.
the summer had allowed alex to mature a little more.
because of this, he realized that he was being stupid.
cherry had every right to dislike alex.
if some random little girl was flirting with him obsessively, he wouldn't like it, either.
he cringed at the thought of how annoying he'd been before.
he was grateful for the fact he'd gotten over his stupid crush, and could treat her like a normal person.
if she forgave him.
for now, he was awkward.
but, he wasn't going to obsess over cherry. he was going to try to be friends with her, even if she was mean to him.
he was going to be peaceful.
but, cherry wasn't.
she was like a feral fucking dog. she was sure she had some sort of mental illness.
every thought she had was about him.
alex was being awkward.
he was doing his best to be normal, kind, and patient, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything.
cherry was staring at him, and he couldn't figure out wether or not it was a glare.
it definitely wasn't.
"what's wrong with you?" alex questioned.
"i want you so bad." cherry said, and quickly realized what she was saying. "i am very sorry."
alex blinked, having absolutely no idea what to say.
"thank you?" he said.
before, he would've jumped at the chance to be with her.
but that was the old him.
he was new and improved, now.