Was it possible that she felt a little short of similar to the day she'd woken up after crying herself to sleep over Len? She couldn't believe that idiot boy still had that much of an effect on her. Cherish's body was stiff and sore as she found herself still curled into Delia's lap. The poor girl had fallen asleep hunched over her shoulder.
Cherish carefully wiggled out of Delia's lap, making sure to rearrange her friend more comfortably. She looked at her friend's sleeping face and wondered when she'd gotten so strong and how she had managed to miss it. In essence, Delia was right; she would have to face this. But she couldn't see herself ever actually dealing with it.
That required a whole different set of balls. Ones that idiot had conveniently stolen when he had attacked her.
How would she deal with it? How could she confront and dispel something that she couldn't even bring herself to think of. She recalled the paralyzing grief she'd been overcome with when she thought that Seven was going to ask her about the scratched out head in the picture. She was suffocating at just the threat of it being mentioned, overcoming it seemed like something she'd never be able to do.
And then there was Seven. She was dealing with all of this because of him. Delia had mentioned something about avoidance. Despite her indignant protests the night before, Cherish knew it was true. But... How could she let herself trust someone who would undoubtedly let her down in some way she couldn't even think up yet?
Hugging her knees to her chest she tried to rationalize the dealing with of her issues.
First, she'd been right. Guys only wanted one thing. Seven got her alone and look what had happened. His hand was on her butt for crying out loud! Okay, in light of what had been happening, it was normal for him to assume it was okay. And she had actually wanted and liked all the kissing, but she was clearly not to be trusted. Clearly. You do not let years of resolve melt away because some sexy boy sings to you. No matter what the song. No matter how sexy the boy.
Then there was the fact that, because of Ari, all her friends now knew her deepest and darkest secret, the real one, not the stupid answer you give to truth or dare questions. Cherish had no idea how to manoeuver the situation. Ian couldn't be blamed for the mess; he clearly thought he'd been helping his two friends. The rest of them, well, she didn't think any of them had a hand in Ari's scheme, nor could they be blamed for the repercussions if they had. They would have had no clue.
Ari was the only one accountable, and therefore the only one Cherish could avoid out of anger. She couldn't very well avoid the rest of them just because they knew. And no matter how much she'd like to, she could not avoid them just because of Seven.
Seven... now him, she could avoid out of embarrassment, and shame, and fear, and... well, any excuse would be relevant. Maybe she could claim she was drunk.
In a pair of Quentin's old jeans and Seven's jacket, Cherish crept down the stairs. She froze when she saw all her friends, and her now excommunicated sister, sleeping all over the living room. Juss and Allie were on the couch and Ian was tossing uncomfortably on the recliner, muttering and growling through his not so peaceful dreams. Across the room, Ari's head rested on the dining table and her hair a terrible mess.
But it was not any of them that glued her feet in place so suddenly. It was Seven, sitting against the wall and facing her where she stood in the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. One leg was tucked into his body, an arm resting heavily on it, with the weight on his head in his hand. His eyes were closed, but resting on his outstretched leg, the curiously bruised fingers of his other hand were clenching and unclenching.
He wasn't sleeping. Dammit couldn't anyone else have been awake? Why him? Cherish panicked and moved from the doorway in case he opened his eyes. Nothing happened. Maybe Ian was making enough noise so that she wouldn't be heard. Testing her theory, Cherish walked softly into the kitchen, and when still nothing happened, she fled the house.
Without any particular place in mind, Cherish wandered around aimlessly. There was a cold breeze- weather finally more suited to November- and she pulled the hood of her thin sweater up over her messy hair. Tucking her hands into the sleeves of Seven's jacket, she hugged her arms around herself.
She stopped at a bus stop, hoping to jump on whatever bus passed her, but found she had insufficient change. The people at the bus stop gave her dirty looks as she counted and recounted the coins she found in her pocket and the pocket of Seven's jacket. With a shrug she left the bus stop, sending herself walking in a random direction. She walked for what seemed like an hour, and when she finally realised where she was headed, she was already crossing the parking lot.
"Wow Cherish, you've lost your mind," she muttered to herself. "You're running away to school."
She jumped the barrier to her little section of veranda behind the bleachers and slumped against the wall. Fishing into her pocket she pulled out her phone and turned on some music, relaxing only slightly when it blared into her ears. She wasn't tired but she laid down on the floor, pressing herself into the wall. She had barely closed her eyes when she heard someone else jump the barrier.
"Cherry?"
"Ian?" she sat up again and stared at him. "What are you doing here?"
"Delia woke everyone up when she woke up and you were gone. There was a whole lot of arguing and blaming going on. I slipped out while they were deciding where to send the search parties to."
"Search parties?"
"She split us into groups to go look for you."
"Oh. Maybe I don't wanna be found."
Ian grinned, "So you hide at school? Hate to break it you, Cherry, but that's the worst idea ever."
"It's the best idea on a Saturday."
"True," he conceded after a moment's thought. "I figured you didn't want to be found, so I thought I'd come find you before anyone else could. Besides, I'm the only one who knew where you'd be. Since you didn't take your car they figured you'd be somewhere nearby."
"I tried to take the bus, but I didn't have enough change," she muttered dumbly.
"You walked? Holy crap, you are crazy! Are you okay?" Ian shrugged his jacket off quickly and pulled it roughly around Cherish.
"No! No, Ian, I'm not cold," she shoved the jacket back at him. "I'm not cold."
"Are you sure?" he asked in concern, hesitantly holding the jacket out to her.
She nodded and dropped her head into his lap, "I'm just tired."
"Okay."
"And scared."
Taking a page out of Allie's book, Ian pulled her hood off and began dragging his fingers through her hair. "You know I'd never hurt you, right, Cherish?"
She nodded, unable to speak for fear of her voice breaking. Sniffling, she tried to blink back the tears that were spilling over the brim of her eyes.
"I'm sorry for... I didn't know."
Cherish snorted into her sleeve as she wiped tears from her face, and coughed out a sob in response to Ian's apology. She quickly stuffed her fingers into her mouth to stop herself from crying. Ian peered down at her curiously when she began shaking, only she wasn't crying, she was laughing.
"Rish?"
"I am such a pathetic mess!" she guffawed humourlessly.
"No you're not."
"Oh yes! Yes I am!"
"Yeah, well you have more than enough reason to be."
Her laughter stopped and she sobered abruptly, "I don't want it."
Ian smiled as he continued to comb her hair, "I'll share it with you, if that makes it better."
"You can't"
"Why not?" Ian humoured her.
"It's mine."
They sat there for so long that Ian thought Cherish might have fallen asleep. She wasn't moving, not even twitching and it worried him a little, but her eyes looked closed to him. He wondered where the others would be, and if they were still looking or if they'd given up and decided to wait for her to show up.
He had been trying to convince them to just wait for her, she'd come back when she wanted to. Of course, then he'd come out himself to find her, but only because he knew she wouldn't be spared a moment's embarrassment and awkwardness if anyone else had found her.
Especially if it had been Seven to find her and he was about the only other one who would have had a hope of finding her. Looking down at where she was hugging his knee and pressing her face into his lap, Ian stroked her head softly.
"Thank you, E," Cherish whispered. "You're an angel."
"Okay, now I know something's wrong with you."
"I'm glad it was you who found me. Seriously, I don't think I could have handled anyone else right now."
"Yeah, I know Allie is total drama queen about this and Juss is, well he's drama princess, I think. And I'm not sure about Delia, but I know she was really worried so I'm sure she'd probably be lecturing you on worrying her. And... I'm not mentioning anyone else."
"Thanks for not making me go back, Ian."
"Well, I'm going to have to take you back sometime soon."
"I know. But, thanks for not making me do it right away."
"No problem, Cherry."
"Let's go."
"You sure?" Ian watched Cherish get up.
"Yeah," Cherish sat on the barrier. "And I hope you drove here, because I really don't feel like walking back!"
Ian chuckled as he jumped the barrier after her, tossing her the car keys, "Then it's a good thing I bought your chariot, Princess!"
Halfway home, Cherish glanced sideways at Ian, "Ian, is he still there?"
"I don't know," he answered honestly, unsure of Seven's whereabouts.
Cherish's gaze flickered away from the road again, this time shamefully away from Ian. "I can't... I don't... This isn't his fault, I know, but I can't... I can't be around him right now."
"He's worried," Ian said quietly, but when Cherish refused to look at him or respond, he pulled his phone from his pocket. "Juss? Where are you guys?"
In the corner of his eye, Cherish was focusing so intently on the road that she looked angry with it.
"Uh, is Sev still there? Well, uh, he's gotta leave 'cause Cherish's angry friend is coming to beat the crap out of him." Ignoring the sharp look Cherish gave him, he shook his head, "Ugh, I should have known he'd want to fight... No, I didn't expect that to work! Look Juss, she doesn't want him there, okay? Just get rid of him."
Cherish jumped in her seat when Ian dropped his phone roughly into his lap, and kicked the glove compartment.
"Sorry," Ian muttered. "He's leaving."
* Title song by Elvis Presley