"Hey honey, how was your first day?" Jenna squeaked as we came through the door.
"Amazing," I replied.
"She has a new boyfriend," Jake hummed, smirking at me.
I blushed.
"Oooh, who is it?" Sam asked coming past us.
"Theo," Jake told him.
"The twin?"
"Yeah."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Is it just me or does she actually sound sad about that?" Sam teased.
"Shut up," I muttered.
"Don't worry, I know something that will cheer you up," Jake said.
"What?"
"Lindon's my study buddy and he's coming over tonight, in about three minutes. Theo always comes too and hangs out," Jake explained.
I grinned involuntarily. "Cool!"
Jake patted my head tauntingly. "Down girl."
"Cherry, guess what arrived for you this morning," Jenna said.
I scrunched up my nose trying to think if I'd ordered anything.
"Cakes!" I squealed, racing into the kitchen.
"Why's she so excited about cake?" I heard Lindon ask from the doorway.
I ignored the boys' chatter as I ripped the lid off of the black box. There was a letter wedged between rows of pastries.
I smiled sadly as I recognized Drew's looped handwriting on the envelope.
"Who's that from?" Sam asked, gaping at the huge box.
I blinked a few times. "Drew."
"Who's that?"
"Jack's best friend."
"Who's Jack?"
"Sam, shut up!" Jake hissed, kicking him.
I took a deep breath. "Jack was my brother."
I grabbed a peanut butter square that Drew must have made. He and I always made them together at the bakery or his house, because they were my favourite comfort food.
"Don't eat anything with peanut butter or cinnamon. Those are mine, but you guys can help yourselves to whatever else you want," I mumbled, heading towards my room.
I closed my door and sank to the floor, leaning against my bed. I ripped the envelope open and started reading the letter inside.
Hey baby girl,
How's Colorado? Dad said this should be there by Monday, so I guess you've already started your new school. I bet American school is weird. All the movies say that they don't wear uniform, which is a shame, because you look really cute in a uniform. By the time you get this, I will have started school again. It's going to be so weird not having Jack there with me. I'll have to have a new roommate, someone else will sit next to me in class.... Who else am I going to have paint wars with? And who else has a mind as twisted as mine when it comes to art projects? It's never going to be the same without Jack, you know? How are you coping with it? I really hope there's someone there who understands, so you can talk to them. It's not good for you to keep it all inside like you've been doing, baby girl.
I really miss you Cherry. And you've only been gone for an hour. It hurts to think you're never gonna come into the bakery, with your whirlwind of emotions and chatter, never going to go through that tedious routine you do with Nick, repeating the same words to each other as you do everyday. It hurts that I'll never be able to hold you again, or laugh at your clumsiness again, or people gaze with you in Covent garden. Christmas will never be the same without your squeals of delight, and snow will just become as normal as rain without you here to throw into snow banks.
You're a baby sister, best friend and mother, somehow rolled into a small, adorable package that I happen to love more than anything else in the World. Nick's going to write you a letter in a few days. Please write back to me baby girl, or call me. Anything.
I love you Cherry,
Drew xx
Teardrops splashed down onto the page of writing and I licked the peanut butter on my square, wishing I was back in London for the first time since I moved. I folded the letter up and put it on my bed with my square. I started thinking about Jack and Drew, and before I knew what was happening, sobs were racking through my body. I climbed onto my bed and curled up in a ball, my heart aching as I cried.
A few minutes later there was a quiet knock on my door. I ignored it.
"Cherry? Can I come in?" Josh asked from outside my room.
"No," I choked.
The door burst over and Josh knelt on the floor by my bed.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He whispered. I couldn't answer him, so he grabbed the letter and skim-read it.
"Jake!?" He called, running out of the room.
"What?" Jake yelled back.
"Cherry's really upset!"
Feet pounded on the stairs and Jake, Theo and Lindon stormed into my room.
"What happened!?" Theo asked, dropping to the floor next to me. It made me cry even harder, and he crushed me against his chest, somehow managing to pull me off of my bed and into his lap. I looped my arms around his neck and his arms circled around my waist protectively.
“What should we do?” Lindon asked.
“Dunno. I guess that comes after we found out what’s wrong,” Jake muttered.
“What’s wrong hunnie?” Theo whispered into my ear.
“Letter,” I murmured back. One of Theo’s arms moved from my waist. He read the letter, and after a minute he gave it to Jake. He rested his lips on my shoulder and breathed heavily, blowing warm breath down my back.
“Soo, what should we do?” Lindon asked again.
“Cake made her happy earlier,” Jake said.
“Hey, look, she stopped crying. Theo, man, how did you do that!?” Lindon exclaimed.
Theo shrugged and pulled me to my feet.
“You want some cake?” he asked experimentally. I nodded happily7 and he chuckled. “God that’s cute,” he murmured.
My eyes widened and I smiled as he blushed, turning away. I watched after him for a moment before coming to my senses.
“Wait, I want cake too!” I called, chasing after him.
He laughed and let me follow him downstairs.
“Peanut butter square?” He suggested. I felt my eyes water.
“Whoa, okay. No peanut butter. Cinnamon roll?”
O frantically shook my head.
“That’s what she always ordered from Nick. They had a Luke and Lorelai thing going on,” Jenna explained on her way through the kitchen.
“Okey-dokes. No peanut butter, no cinnamon. How about a cupcake?”
I scrunched up my nose. “Alan doesn’t make cupcakes.”
“There’s six in here,” he insisted.
I gasped. “Ohmygosh, he did not put Steffi’s cupcakes in there!” I squealed.
Theo glanced at the label and nodded.
I jumped out of my seat and did a happy dance.
“Gimme, gimme, gimme,” I said as I sat back down.
He laughed and slid a cupcake over the table for me.
I reached into the box and grabbed a cupcake, holding it out to him.
“I don’t like chocolate cake,” he muttered.
“I swapped it for a vanilla.
“Eat,” I ordered.
“Why?”
“Because it will be the best damn thing you’ve ever tasted.”
He quirked an eyebrow and took a tentative bite.
“Omigod, that’s good,” he said.
“Steff is a goddess in the kitchen,” I said, licking the icing.
“Aww, man, I wanna cupcake,” Lindon complained.
I pulled the box into my arms and glared at the other two boys.
“Mine.”
“Can I have a peanut butter square then?” Jake asked.
“No way. They’re special!” I insisted.
“But you don’t want to eat them. Or the cinnamon rolls,” Theo reminded me.
“I’ll work something out.”
“I have an idea. Gimme the box,” Jake said.
I pushed it towards him and eh took out all the peanut butter squares and cinnamon rolls, bringing them into the kitchen.
“Where are you taking them?” I called.
“Freezer.”
“You wanna a cupcake?” I asked Lindon, pushing the box towards him. “They’re really good.”
He grinned, taking a lemon one. “Thanks.”
** Really short chapter tonight... Sorry :L I've nearly posted all of it now, so uploads will be much slower! Soreee **