"Did you know they're going out?" Cherish heard someone ask behind her as she and Ian walked down the hallway. Whoever they were talking about, she didn't care much to know, she was sure she'd hear the news at the dinner table from Ari anyways. Not that she gave a shit.
"Yeah. Everyone knows that," the reply reached her ears. "It wasn't hard to figure out with the way they were making out at the Ball." So they were talking about Delia and Ian.
"Did you know that he's already cheating on her with Cherish, though? Isn't she's supposed to be, like, Delia's best friend." Apparently the girls had no care for the fact that they could be heard by the people they were gossiping about.
"Really?"
"Yeah, they're always together and they're always leaving school early, I know 'cause I have the same spare as them. And Carly saw them coming out of the auditorium together twice this week."
Due to the girls' volume, many pairs of eyes were floating towards Cherish and Ian. The high school rumour mill being what it was, this would be all over their grade by the end of the next period, and all over the school by the end of the day.
"Wow. Poor Delia. Someone should tell her..."
Cherish almost laughed as she imagined Delia's reaction if someone did tell her, she'd probably burst into a hysterical fit of laughter till she either cried or choked. Ian seemed to be having the same thought, a tiny smirk tugging at his mouth.
"You know, I really thought he was gay..."
At this, Cherish bit her lip and chanced a glance at Ian. She knew that Juss and Seven found it amusing and usually teased him about it, but she understood his anger over it. Like him, she'd been labelled something she wasn't, without people actually knowing her. If it were true, she was sure Ian would have no problem with people waving the label at him so carelessly. She'd seen him shrug it off several times before, but it was slowly becoming less of a carefree "so what?" as it was a determined ignorance. Despite wanting to shut the girls up, she said nothing, watching from the corner of her eye as Ian, clearly annoyed, threw an unacknowledged look at them.
"I dunno, I didn't think so. I just thought he was a nice guy, but I heard that Cherish and Seven had some kind of thing and now Ian's messing around with her... They're, like, the worst friends ever!"
Cherish was seeing red now; where the hell were these girls getting their information from? Was some idiot sitting around making up stories all day for lack of anything better to do? Was it too much to ask for even the littlest ion of respect from fellow students? If you're going to talk about someone, do it to their faces, or entirely behind their backs, like most cowards do! She had no patience for people who spoke about her as if she weren't standing right there.
It was a happy coincidence that Delia ran towards them from the head of the hallway and effectively distracted Cherish from verbally bulldozing the girls behind her. Ian caught her eye and grinned as he stepped aside to let Delia squeeze herself between the two of them. "What?" Delia asked.
"Nothing. I'll tell you later," Ian replied. "So lunch at Free Toppings?"
Cherish smirked and rolled her eyes as one of the girls scoffed at their exchanged glances. This would only make the girls think they had proof.
-.-
It was cold in the hallway but the group of them didn't seem to care much. Cherish was happy to be squeezed rather tightly between Juss and Delia. Seven, however, was noticeably absent. According to Ian he'd taken to slinking off campus for lunch with Liz everyday. Cherish wished she'd known earlier, maybe then she could have informed him that it was quite unnecessary.
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.
"You guys aren't really in a relationship, right? It's just a fun thing? Then getting her a gift would be weird... too boyfriend-y, you know?"
"But," Delia cut in, "they're friends, and if he gets everyone else something and doesn't get her anything that would be weird too."
Juss dropped his head into his hands with an exasperated groan. Cherish found it adorable that he was worrying over this. Maybe Allie meant more to him that he let on?
"Try listening to her and see if she mentions anything about gift exchanges. Or just ask her."
"Why do all you girls say the same thing?"
"Hey!" Ian snapped, "I said that!"
"I know."
"Whatever! I know what I'm getting everyone," Ian blushed lightly when he looked sideways at Delia.
"Oh no! You're not getting me anything! You have enough siblings to worry about! You're not allowed to get me anything!"
Cherish laughed as her subject change bought about a happy change in her friends, all energetically discussing their gift giving plans for the holidays.
Juss nudged her side, "So how 'bout you?"
"Ah, I don't know, I might go shopping this weekend. I've got to get a bunch of stuff since I'm going back home for Christmas."
"The whole break?" Delia's attention snapped back to Cherish.
"Nah. I was thinking of coming back here for New Years."
"Oh good!"
As the bell signalling the end of lunch rang, and Cherish shouldered her bag and tucked herself under Juss' arm.
"I was hoping we could all do something during the break," Delia continued. "I was thinking of going away for a couple days or something. Skiing maybe? Or something else, I don't know..." The entire way to Cherish and Ian's Media class, Delia babbled about the plans she wanted to make for the group.
Cherish had to poke Juss in the side to make him look away when Ian and Delia were saying their see you laters.
Cherish noted his calm and uninterested tone; it was too practiced. She knew well enough it meant he was unsure of the situation, which meant he hadn't known about the plans, which only meant that he would be suspicious of why Allie hadn't mentioned it. Not that she needed to considering the two of them were merely friends with benefits. But the omission was clearly bothering Juss. Looking up at him, she wanted to pinch his cheeks, "Yeah, and I think I might feel like doing some recon for you."
"Thanks! You're the best, Cherry."
-.-
Stepping out of the shower, Cherish cocooned herself in her towels and sauntered to her bedroom. Clicking the play button on her computer to let music explode out of the speakers, she danced around the room as she got ready for her night out with Allie. It was nothing big, just dinner and then a movie with an old friend of Allie's who'd moved back to town.
But Allie had mentioned that he was an ex, and she needed for Cherish to look better than her so he wouldn't bother even thinking about Allie in that sense. Cherish didn't know how Allie's plan would work unless the guy was an absolute jerk who checked out other girls in front of the girl he was with. Though, maybe Allie needed her more as a female solidarity thing, so Allie herself wouldn't be tempted to get back on that carousel.
Cherish hummed as she pranced around her room getting ready. She took her time, teasing her hair up and shimmying into an outfit fit for a nice dinner. Yanking open her drawer of cosmetics, she reached in and was annoyed to find that her black liquid liner was missing from its usual spot. The blue one was still there, though, so she used that one. Her favorite red lipstick was missing too- in fact, her whole freaking carry around make up case was missing. Maybe she'd left it at school.
As she skimmed over her earrings and necklaces, she noted that one or two of them were not hanging on the hooks they were meant to be on. Deciding not to let it bother her, she picked a pair of earrings and satisfied that she was ready, she headed to the closet for her jacket and shoes.
It wasn't really cold enough to need the winter coat, so she grabbed the short cropped leather number with lambskin lining and shrugged it on. With a grin at her reflection in the mirror, she twirled around to grab the shoes she knew would set the outfit off. But they were gone. She knew they should have been there, she'd put them there yesterday after wearing them around her room all afternoon.
With an annoyed glance around her room at all the things she'd noticed missing in just those ten minutes and she growled; she knew what was going on. Ari was borrowing her things without asking because she knew the answer would be no if she asked, if Cherish even deemed the questions worthy of a response.
Storming out of her room, she slammed the door to Ari's room open, "Ari! If you really need to borrow my things without asking, then return them right away. And you better be returning them in the same condition you too-" There on the floor at the foot of Ari's bed was a box full of her things. Before she could reach the box, Ari dove off her bed and grabbed it, putting herself between it and Cherish.
"Why do you have a box full of my stuff?"
"Well, I figured if I started taking your things you'd eventually notice they were missing and go looking for them. I figured the first place you'd look was here, and then you'd have to talk to me. And since you're in here, I can apologise and you have to listen!"
"Who says I have to listen?"
"Um, well, if you don't listen, and, uh, accept my apology, I'm holding all your stuff ransom!"
Cherish sighed, of course her sister would do this. Only her sister was capable of thinking up anything even close to this stupidity. "Fine!" she sat heavily against the edge of Ari's desk. "Talk away!"
Ari twisted her fingers into a knot as she sat back on her bed cautiously. "Cherish, I'm so, so sorry. I know that's not good enough, but I really didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted you to be happy, you know? It seems like bad things are always happening to you."
Cherish only crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Ari; was that supposed to make her melt and forgive her sister?
"When you told me about Len, I felt so bad for you, because I know she was more like a sister to you than I can ever hope to be. I used to be jealous of her when we were younger, because you two were always together and I barely knew you."
What the hell did Len have to do with what Ari had done? Cherish had a feeling Ari was going to be talking in circles. "You're rambling, Ari."
"Right. Okay, uh... I dunno... I kind of noticed that you were hanging out with the guys. You've never even talked to guys you didn't know before unless you were introduced by someone else. I thought that you were friends with them- you are aren't you? You always looked like you were having fun with them, even when you guys were arguing- and by the way, you flirt when you're arguing!
I guess I kind of thought that meant you were over the whole guy thing. And then I got the I-match results and I thought wouldn't it be nice if you could find something good out of having to move here? Maybe I did it the wrong way, but I seriously thought you were over that because you were hanging out with them. I really didn't know..."
Cherish sighed again; how could she ignore this? How could she stay mad at a sister who'd obviously only wanted to help make her happy? Technically, Ari's stupid scheme had helped her. If not for Ari chaining her to Seven, she might never have begun to deal with her issues. Technically, she kind of owed Ari- though she'd never admit it.
"Fine. But I'm still kind of mad at you."
"Kind of? So that means you kind of forgive me?"
"Yeah, so can I have my stuff back? Allie's waiting for me to pick her up."
"Where're you going?"
"Out to dinner with Allie and her ex."
"Can I come?" Ari tried to look like she didn't care either way, but the hope in her voice gave it away.
Cherish yanked the box of her things off the floor and headed to her own room. "If you can be ready in under a minute."
-.-
Cherish frowned as she watched Allie get into the car with David. This night had not gone the way Allie had originally intended it to. Then again, Allie was big girl, and if she ended up regretting this night, then it would be her own fault. Cherish had done her part and reminded her friend several times, the last being mere moments ago, of why she'd been included on this little get together.
"You're overreacting, Rish," Ari poked her. "Can you open the car now, I'm freezing."
"Am I that see through?" Cherish shook her head and did as she was asked.
"You're eye-daggering his head like he's breaking your baby's heart." Ari deadpanned as ducked into the car.
"But Juss is like one of my babies! And Allie is my friend- and fuck it, I don't know what to do!"
"You don't have to do anything, he's just driving her home. Besides Allie and Juss are only friends with benefits."
"Ari since when does the ex driving you home, or friends with benefits ever end well?"
"Maybe it will this time."
"I know how this is going to end, Ari. Juss is pretty much already more invested in this than he thinks he is. I just have a feeling it won't end well."
-.-
"Hey Rish, Baby! You got anything for me?"
Cherish ducked her head down as Juss threw his arm over her and rolled her into his side. She got more than few odd looks, most likely students who lived by the bible of gossip and thought she was stealing all her friends' boyfriends. She wasn't know how to act around Juss, but it was too late to avoid him now. According to Ari she was so see through about this that he'd know she thought something was up. Allie hadn't answered her call when she'd gotten home last night.
She had all but managed to convince herself that it was because Allie was tired and went right to sleep. Somehow that didn't seem to be what her subconscious mind was thinking if her bad dreams had any merit.
"Argh!" she muttered to herself. "I am probably just overreacting."
"Chances are, yes, you are," Juss grinned as he handed her a weed he'd picked from the lawn of the school. "Poor voo." He peered at her when she only twirled the sprig of leaves thoughtfully, and didn't even laugh at his lame attempt at speaking French, "So what's up? What are you overreacting about?"
"Uh, nothing."
"Yeah, I believe you," he rolled his eyes.
"What's this for?" Cherish forced herself to ask him, whacking him playfully with the plant.
"Oh, since you were spying for me, I thought I'd get you something."
Cherish raised a brow, "So you tore a weed out of the parking lot? Gee, thanks Juss, I see how it is."
"I heard from a very reliable source that flowers make you really angry. I didn't know what your position on leaves was."
If this goofing off with Juss could keep up, she might just survive this afternoon without belting out that Allie had gone on a date with her ex the night before.
"Leaves are ok," she said after a moment of thought. They shoved through the doorway to see the rest of their friends already halfway done their own lunches. Seeing everyone together only reminded Cherish that Seven was now avoiding his friends because of her.
"Hey, Rish, you sure you're okay?" Juss asked after a minute of watching her pick at her lunch absentmindedly.
She looked up at him, her blue grey eyes startled and shook her head, "Just a little out of it. Sorry."
"Not buying it," he said quietly so none of the others could hear him. "Spill it."
She wasn't going to say anything, she was going to shrug it off again, but for some reason when she opened her mouth she said something else altogether. "You guys should eat lunch with Sev tomorrow. It's really unfair that I'm stealing you guys."
"Ah! You are just overreacting," he smiled, "we all practically live at E's place. You're not stealing us from him. Besides it was his choice to go hang with Liz for lunch."
"Okay there's another problem- he's stealing Liz from Jo, because I'm sure Jo isn't hanging out with him anymore... Is she?"
Juss chuckled, "No. They're very much in hate right now."
"So then..."
"Don't worry about it Rish.
"But I do," she mumbled. "Jo's pissed off right now and she doesn't even have her best friend because Liz is off with the guy she's pissed at, because his best friends are with me!"
"Jo isn't mad at Sev. She's mad at you. She just hates him right now because," he stopped mid sentence and guiltily crammed his lunch into his mouth.
"Because?" Cherish inquired knowing she really didn't want to hear it.
With a sigh, Juss clenched his fists and looked away, "I can't."
Cherish nodded, silently in awe of Juss' unwavering loyalty. Somehow she knew that if he told her, he'd be betraying Seven and that was worse than keeping something from her.
-.-
Over the top of Delia's head, Cherish watched Seven and Joana arguing. Once again Joana was biting into him and though for sometime he'd been very passive and un-Seven like, he was finally waking up. But Joana was shoving him roughly and punching him and accusing him and even if he threatened to do it, Seven would never hit her back.
Cherish watched him argue with her in an almost defeat way, as if there wasn't any point because Joana was right. She couldn't hear what Joana was saying, but she could tell that Seven seemed to be conscious of the fact that she might be able to hear it.
Joana was getting louder, and she seemed to be determined to push Seven over the edge. Maybe it was good thing. Cherish had been wishing that he'd finally snap out of it and be more like the Seven they all knew. Though she had a feeling that if he did snap as Joana seemed so intent to make him do, Joana wouldn't be too happy about it.
She, herself, had been on the fighting edge of Seven's anger once, and it was not fun. Too many people were looking at them now, and Seven sighed heavily, putting his hands carefully on the sides of Joana's arms, as if to calm her down or lead her away. "Jo please? Can we talk about this somewhere else?"
"No! Fuck you, Seven!"
"Jo..."
Cherish caught his eye over the top of Jo's head and gave him an apologetic look. Sorry I screwed everything up. She didn't have enough time to decipher the look on his face because Joana spun around and shrieked upon seeing Cherish standing there. "What?"
"Nothing."
Joana jutted her chin outwards, daring Cherish to get into it with her. "Then why the fuck are you standing there staring?"
"I'm not staring at you, Jo, I'm just getting stuff from my locker."
"Whatever, Whore."
She turned to resume her attempt at waking unresponsive Seven by slowly inching him towards the edge with a barrage of her irrational arguments. But something in him had snapped at her words and he was already glaring at her all fire eyed when she turned. "She's not a whore, Jo. Don't you dare bring her into this when it has nothing to do with her." His eyes seemed to soften as he looked past Joana at Cherish, "Sorry, Cherish."
"Fuck this!" Joanna growled, throwing her arms up in disbelief. With a growl, she pushed Seven into the lockers roughly, "This is fucking bullshit!"
They watched her in silence as she stalked down the hallway shoving her gathered audience from her way as she went. Seven flushed a slight tinge of pink as he offered Cherish an awkward smile and hitched his bag over his shoulder before turning to leave himself.
*Title song by Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys