All The Things You Never Knew

Chapter 2
All The Things You Never Knew

'ohmygod! Is that perfume, Cherie?', Isla baker, cherie's best friend since Eve first bit into the apple and caught fashion fever, burst out laughing loudly, gaining attention from some hallway passerbys.
'shhh! Tone it down a little! And no, i didn't wear perfome. It's the last day of school, and its not like i really have anyone to impress, puh-lease!', Cherie tried the coooool girl act to hide her embarassment which only made Isla laugh harder.
'y-yeah riiiight. I totally believe you. Ohmygod, Tylers coming!'
'where?!'
Isla laughed once more. This time much harder and by the time it subsided, she was leaning on the wall holding her stomach, moaning loudly.
'well, that's kinda what you get for making fun of your best friend!' Cherie said smugly, tapping her right foot with her arms crossed, she only did that when she was either irritated or angry.
'but oh! It was so worth it! You should have seen your face!', she made a 0 face and laughed again to herself and this time Cherie giggled along, her best friend was wierd but she was the only person who understood her, completely.
Meanwhile, Julie and Tyler were just entering the school premises, the twins having refused to submit the maybeline eyeliner that Julie swore she had saved up too much for it to become a tree-house territory marker.
Tyler ran to the passenger side and opened the door for Julie, it was a traditional thing. And she didn't mind!
'I dont know why you still do that! I really hate it!', well okay she did mind, just a little.
Tyler grinned and made a heart with his hands, 'for you, my darling anything!' for which he got a smack on his arm.
'I heard Stacey's throwing a pool party', Julie informed.
'mmmhmmn'
'you're not even gonna act like you care?', Julie swatted his arm again which got Tyler to grin again. 'oh whatever'
'no I have to be somewhere else'
'where?'
'Jenny's coming home for the week and i have to pick her up. You wanna come along?'
'nah. I really wanna go to the party. I bought that dress that i really wanna wear. I mean, whats the use of buying it if i cant wear it? Its rotting in my wardrobe and you know more than anyone else, nothing lasts forever in our house'
'Julie, by now, i think people can guess'
*****

'you know, you're starting to freak me out. Stop staring at Tyler', Isla said to her best friend who turned beetroot red immediately.
'i wasn't staring at him! I just.... Julie's outfit is cute is all!'
'seriously?'
'i told you, i dont like him!', Cherie defended her honour.
'yeah right'
'i swear!'
'whatever Cherie, i believe you like i have believed you since we were eight years old'
Cherie rolled her eyes and turned her head opposite to Isla, giving the exact reaction Isla had long become accustomed to. Cherie was a girl of no words, you had to read her through her actions and right now, Isla knew she was scolding herself for staring at Tyler unconsciously.
'Bye' but Isla said as she headed towards her classroom, she didn't get reply.
*****

Cherie quickly took a seat at the back of the class next to the window so she could stare out during class. Usually she took seats in the middle rows next to the wall but last days were never important, the teachers and students both participated unenthusiastically.
The class soon filled up and the guy sitting next to Cherie tapped her shoulder.
'hey Cherie?'
'y-yeah?' Cherie was never comfortable around new people and moreover, she she was highly uncomfortable around well, boys. The horror of a stranger knowing her name didn't even occur to her.
'um well, is this seat taken?' now that Cherie looked carefully, she had seen him before... but they kind of went to the same school so of course she would've, Cherie mentally slapped herself for being a dimwit.
'sure'
The class went by fast and just as the bell was about to ring, he looked towards her,
'so, umm.. Do you wanna hang out sometime? You know, head down to the theater, maybe' he shrugged while smiling sheepishly.
Cherie thought hard for an excuse but she wasn't very experienced in making up lies. Most of the time, Isla came to her rescue and other times, she just muttered about mrs. Dunn needing a babysitter.
The guy chuckled, 'look its alright. I get it, im sorry for just asking right out', he smiled warmly and Cherie felt a pang of guilt.
'no, i just... thought.... the.. Okay i'll go IF the offer still stands-'
'it does'
'okay, um.. Should i meet you at-'
'i can pick you up. I have a rough information of where you live', most guys did. And right now, this guy right here was the envy of many who were grudgingly watching his successful attempt at getting a date out of Cherie.
'oh okay. Thanks.' Cherie smiled and turned around again to stare out the window.
Before she knew it, the bell rang. Grabbing her things, Cherie rushed out the door, without saying goodbye to the guy-whose-name-she-still-didn't-know BUT was-going-on-a-date-with, to meet her friend and lament over her stupidness. Which she did shortly afterwards, in the girls washroom.
'aww.... It'll be alright...', Isla wanted to laugh, a LOT. Seriously, which girl in her right mind cried over being asked out?! Girls around the world wanted male attention right? It was only natural... But, it was Cherie Isla was comforting NOT just any girl.
Cherie wiped her cheeks with her sleeve and said softly, 'thank you' in between sniffs which earned her a bear hug.
'i'll tell you what, dont doll up, wear garbage and eat too much and at the end, tell him you already have someone you like', Isla's eyes twinkled mischievuosly, obviously thinking of ... Someone.
'yeeeah' Cherie was thinking hard, oblivious to Isla's point of view of it, 'yeah, that could work... I mean like, i don't have anyone i like but you know..'
'now lets go', Isla pulled her out of the washroom and they walked towards their lockers, although they didn't have to carry any textbooks to classes. Isla knew all too well that Cherie wanted to pass by Tylers locker where he would be talking to and getting hit by Julie, like always.
Isla felt sorry for her friend. And she also didn't understand why Tyler just acted like he had no idea of Cherie's little-big crush on him. I mean, Cherie had had that crush since forever or more specifically, since they first met when Cherie's family moved in when she was in kindergarten. Obviously, Cherie being Cherie denied it.
Isla and everybody else, knew for a living fact, that Cherie did much credit to her name and more, she wasn't just pretty, in fact she was drop-dead gorgeous. Her ebony curls contrasted her ivory skin, she had high cheekbones, her lips were pouty, her nose was perfect, her light green eyes made her all the more perfect and not to mention, she had thick long eyelashes that she never noticed. And to add to that, Cherie never wore make-up. She was only acquainted to lipgloss and moisturiser. She barely knew what a bronzer was and she also didn't know how 'Yves Saint Lauren' was pronounced. She was anything but materialistic.
'I was thinking. My aunt asked me to visit her this break and since i've nothing better to do, im going. You're gonna be away most of next week right? So i could go the day after and stay till wednesday, maybe?'
'Dora going with you?', Isla referred to Cheries little sister, Dora.
'No shes going to camp with her friends this week'
'what're you gonna do there?'
'I dont know. Just see her and my relatives there.'
Isla made a face and Cherie rolled her eyes. Cherie had always been that kind of girl- simple, caring, kind. Maybe thats why she made billions just babysitting.
'Sometimes i feel like your just too kind! Live a little, you know!'
'you forget i called Alicia Hammons a skank in kindergarten and what am i gonna do while your gone? Dig a tunnel to china in my backyard?'
'you were gonna say skunk and Cherie, you know, theres something called a 'beach' if you've got nothing to do on a summer break but a tunnel to china would be nice, i've always fantasized myself meeting my romeo during a walk on the Wall'
'skank and skunk are.. what you call semantics, i don't like beaches and you're crazy, don't ever write a romance novel even by mistake'
Isla laughed wierdly and loudly causing Tyler and Julie to glance their way which in turn caused Cherie to turn beetroot in horror and scramble ahead of Isla at record breaking speed.
*****

Julie giggled at them, 'both of them are such a wierd pair'
Tyler just grunted and completely ignored Julia, rummaging through his locker.
Julia just smiled to herself. She and everyone in their neighbourhood knew that Cherie was hopelessly in love with Tyler. She never understood why he was so ignorant of the subject. Cherie was a very pretty girl, Julia had always been a litlle jealous of her but, every girl she knew was. And she was also very nice, so it had never made sense to her why Tyler didn't just ask her out.
But Julia did not like and was a little scared of Tyler's bad side. And if she spoke of Cherie to him, he wouldn't talk for hours and pretend he was busy over something very stupid. By now, julia just figured it was none of her business and maybe, Tyler just had to figure it out himself.
Tyler, meanwhile struggled to think of another subject. Cherie was a subject he had never liked. In fact, he hated it- the kindergarten crush turning into elementary crush, then middle school crush and then finally the big time high school crush.
He had thought she would've given up by now and maybe she had, i mean, you could never tell with Cherie. She was extremely shy. On her first day of kindergarten, it took her 15 minutes to get through 'my name is Cherie Wyatt' and of course she had to add 'my mom told me to make friends'.
'lets go' julie yelled at him impatiently.
And they headed for their second class.
*****

Soon the classes all went by fast enough and it was time for lunch.
Isla and Cherie got a coke and sat down in their usual spot in the center garden.
'I know what im gonna do after i graduate' Isla anounced, 'Im gonna be a celebrity!'
'ha-ha thats a great idea... Or you could just study like a student and get a job like any normal person'
Isla rolled her eyes at Cherie, 'you know, not everyone is a born genius like you. It took me a week to understand what osmosis was in the freshman year!' this got Cherie to giggle.
'well, you kinda have to listen in class too!'
'ohoh! No! That is not happening!', Isla pretended to strangle herself.
'how are you seriously gonna pass the SATs? Aren't you even a little scared?'
'oh when the time comes, i'll study' Isla said in her carefree manner, waving away the subject, while Cherie shook her head at her best friend. 'anyways, when is he gonna pick you up? Your date'
Looking at Cherie's confused expression, Isla figured she didn't know.
'I don't know! Maybe he doesn't plan on coming!' her joy was plain to see, her twinkling like little emerald pieces.
'oh i don't know about that. Looks to me like he's coming over right now, if it's him'
Cherie turned around and saw the classroom guy coming over.
'you didn't tell me he was cute... and hot'
'he is?'
'you know Cherie, Tylers not the only hot guy in the world' Isla rolled her eyes.
'Isla!!! I told you-'
'you don't like Tyler.. I know'
The guy finally reached them and smiled at both of them.
'hey, um... I forgot to ask about the time', he shifted uncomfortably on his feet... undoubtedly because Isla was plainly calculating his hotness level.
'six. My mom doesn't come home till six and i don't have an extra key plus, I can't leave my sis alone. So im stuck at home till six'
'you're hot', Isla informed him as soon as Cherie finished.
The guy laughed nervously, his right hand at the back of his neck while a blush appeared on his cheeks, 'thanks... i guess'
Cherie thought hard for a rescue, 'but its okay', she comforted him.
'huh?', Cherie's words obviously held no meaning whatsoever.
'its okay if you're.. you know, h-hot', again, it only made less sense.
Isla looked at her as if she was nuts and the guy, it was plain to see, didn't exactly have the impression that she was a rocket-scientist.
'what're you saying?', Isla asked Cherie.
Cherie had a blank face which, in Cherie world, meant that she clearly was much too humiliated to speak anymore.
'i uh... think i'll go get some lunch, i'll pick you up at six', he smiled at Cherie and walked away faster than you could say bubblegum.
'what was that?!' Cherie asked Isla when the guy was out of earshot.
'you're asking me?' Isla asked in disbelief, 'Cherie, you just told your date for the evening that it was okay to be hot! Who even says-'
'well, i was trying to save him. What kind of a person just tells a boy that he's hot?'
'well, i would be lying if i said he wasn't hot!' Isla raised her right shoulder.
'you didn't have to say he was hot to his face!'
'but he is hot!'
Cherie let her breath out sharply, 'you are officially a donkey!'
'says the girl who didn't know what Gucci was!'
'that was in middle school, i know many brands now'
'yeah? Name some'
'Chanel.... Gucci.... Prada...',she thought hard, 'umm... puma?'
*****