Give Me Something to Believe

Waking up to her obnoxious alarm clock Cherry grumbled. She was having a good dream and now there was no way she was going to get back to it. Shutting off the loud beeping, Cherry sighed.

Cory’s parents would probably come to the school today and empty out his locker. They would see the notes that he had received and stuffed under an old folder. Then again it was doubtful that his father would come. Cherry wondered briefly how he was coping with his son’s death.

Cherry went about her routine getting ready for school. Shower, contacts, eyeliner, clothes. Grinning back at her now purple eyes, she left the bathroom.

Grabbing her cell phone she noticed a text from Blue asking if she had got home alright last night. Responding that she was sorry she didn’t get back sooner, that she had just collapsed onto her bed when she got home; she wondered how the rest of his night had gone.

Danny had filled the living room with the awful smell of weed. He had been so high that he was just staring at the ceiling like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

Once at school Cherry smiled. The school did one thing right. On every single locker there was a note of encouragement from different people in the faculty and community. And Cory’s locker had one huge heart taped on to it. Someone had written “finally at peace” in sharpie.

Going to her own locker Cherry rolled her eyes. The message on her locker was, in her opinion, lame. “Look towards the future, not at the past.”

Putting away the things she wouldn’t need, Cherry closed her locker. Leaving up the message she went off in the direction of her class.

Not having many friends Cherry took her place in the back of the room. She liked to see everything and that included her classmates.

Looking up at her teacher she rolled her eyes as he motioned her forward. “Yeah?” she asked. She hated this teacher. He just droned on and on and the entire class was a bore. Plus he always smelt funny.

“You are wanted in the counselor’s office,” he explained shortly and turned away from her.

“Okay,” Cherry muttered going back to her desk to grab her things. At least she wouldn’t have to deal with learning about the ocean floor.

Walking into the office she saw Ashley talking to one of the grief counselors that had come to the school. She caught Ashley’s gaze and sent her a small smile. Ashley just glared.

Sitting down in a chair she noticed a lady walking over to sit next to her. Taking in the woman’s appearance she laughed to herself; long black skirt, stupid fluffy white blouse… crocs. Well she hadn’t expected those.

“So why am I here?” Cherry asked once the lady sat down.

Smiling politely at Cherry the woman responded that they were calling everyone that had a class with Cory in so they could talk to them.

Rolling her eyes Cherry just shook her head. “I’m fine,” she said as she got up to leave.

Going outside Cherry walked across the street and pulled out her cigarettes. Screw the grief counselor. She had no idea. Not everyone was hurting, damn it.

Seeing Cory’s parents walk out of the building Cherry felt anger spread through her veins. Dropping her cigarette she ran across the street towards them. He was actually here, he actually showed his ungrateful face, the bastard.

Finally catching up to them Cherry grabbed onto Mr. Miller’s shoulder. Smirking as he turned around Cherry slammed her fist into his face. Asshole.

Before she could beat him anymore strong arms wrap around her. Great, the goddamn security.

Squeezing the bridge of her nose Cherry tried her hardest to calm down. The principal was waiting patiently for her to explain what happened. And the grief counselor she had walked out on had joined them.

“Cherry, please, why did you punch Mr. Miller?” she asked the young girl. After Cherry had walked out on her she had made her way to report to the principal. He had security go look for her. “You know, you broke his nose.”

Biting her lip so she wouldn’t smirk Cherry finally raised her head. “He deserved it,” she said. Deserves a lot more than one punch, but at least she broke his nose.

Sighing Principal Hopper made his decision. “Cherry, you’re suspended for the next two weeks. I’ll be calling your dad shortly so he knows. Please think over your actions,” he told her and continued to lecture her. “You can’t go around punching people when they do something that you feel is wrong,” he explained going back and sitting behind his desk.

“He didn’t give two fucks about Cory and he shows up here to collect the shit from his locker? He has no goddamn right,” Cherry hissed. Bowing her head to the grief counselor Cherry made her way out of the school. It wasn’t even lunch time yet.

Pulling out her phone she decided to text Blue. Agreeing to meet at the park Cherry sets out on her way.