Before You Say Goodbye

CHP 8: PARTY?

Oliver was pissed, pissed at himself. He didn't know where to go, whom to talk to or what to do.
The next 3 hours of high school for Oliver were just about him being reluctant in doing everything. He was very sad and depressed with the way things turned out and he blamed himself so much that he felt like almost beating himself up. After all, he loved this girl dearly and he just wanted to help her but everything got messed up. He was more tensed about what Catherine, Michel, and Felix felt. He knew that Cheryl maybe would even forgive him, but the other three, he felt would never forgive him and that he just lost three friends because of his own stupid mouth.
Even while returning home, none of them spoke to him. He felt all COLD and DEAD on the inside. This is how much his love had grown in just a day, his love for Cheryl was getting the best of him, but now everything seemed over. He felt like his love story had ended before it even began. His thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly heard a screechy voice shouting "Oliverrrr". At first, he thought it was his mates calling him, but on looking, to his surprise appeared an arrogant girl with her girl gang and it was obviously none other than Jennifer. "Hey rich young man!" exclaimed Jennifer, "Yes, who are you, and what do you want?" Oliver replied with a hint of anger in his tone since he remembered Jennifer and her gang bullying Catherine and Cheryl previously. "Calm down there, handsome. I was just going to invite you to a party at my house, all our batchmates would be there too," said Jennifer in a cunning yet polite way."Have you called Cheryl and the others?" questioned Oliver. Jennifer thought a bit before answering and replied "Ahh yes, I completely forgot about that lovely girl. I'll call her too, anything else my DEAR?". "No thanks!" replied Oliver and just stormed off before he could get any madder at Jennifer. Oliver was still concerned about Cheryl. He had made Jennifer call Cheryl and others so that he could apologize to them. But maybe fate had other things planned.
While returning home, Felix, Michel, Catherine and Cheryl had a period of awkward silence when Catherine finally broke it by asking "What do you think about that guy?" Introspecting if her action was too impulsive and rude. "He's a good guy" Cheryl took a pause, sighed and added "Maybe" to complete her sentence of reassurance with an air of uncertainty.
"Shall we forgive him? I mean he didn't mean to be rude, atleast I don't think so" said Catherine. Felix and Michel were silent because they knew their say wouldn't help in changing Catherine or Cheryl's views about Oliver. "Felix? Michel? What do you say?" asked Cheryl. "He's a good guy and-" said Felix "And he saved us from the bullies too" added Michel completing the sentence. "Yeah... Maybe" replied Cheryl sounding dull and tired.
"Cheryyllll, Cattttt, Mike, Felix!!!" a roaring voice came from the back. Cheryl had almost made up her mind that it was Oliver who had come to apologize and give a hug, but instead it was someone else. "Yes Joah, what has made you scream our names out so loud?," asked Michel. "Actually," said Joah gasping for air and huffing and puffing to calm his racing heart. "There's a party organized by one of our batchmates, everyone will be there and so I am here to officially invite you guys," said Joah still breathing heavily. "Nahh, we don't-" as Catherine was about to say this Cheryl cut her sentence and asked with concern "Will Oliver be there?". "Obviously! He's one of the party organizers" exclaimed Joah slowly regaining his breath and now speaking a little normally. "Okay then, we're in for it, what will the timings be?" asked Cheryl." Tonight at 9, Diamond Park Bar, Western dresses only! Drinks on Jennifer," said Joah and left to go home. "We gonna have a party with free BOOOZEEEE! That too in Washington's most expensive bar," said Michel and jumped with joy. "Okay guys it's 2 now, we meet at Bernards cafe at 3, work for 5 hours and at 8, go dress up and then arrive for the party at 9, right?" said Felix. "Come again, I got lost in a few parts," requested Cheryl, thinking of herself apologizing to Oliver at the party. Felix repeated the entire plan.
"Yeah okay" everyone agreed and the rest of the journey home was a silent one, each of them thinking of completely different things. Catherine thinking about what she would wear and what shall her hairstyle be, Michel planning about boozing out and emptying the bar, Felix in thoughts of what had happened to Cheryl since she sounded too dull, and Cheryl planning her apology to Oliver.
They all met at 3 at their workplace, as decided. Everything was going well, except for the fact that Cheryl wasn't talking to anyone. The five hours of their work shift ended and they all left for their homes to dress up and get ready for the party.
Cheryl was eager to give Oliver a tight apology hug. She had decided to apologize immediaty after seeing him. Through this, we get to know how much Oliver meant to Cheryl. In just a day, Cheryl was so concerned about how he felt and about her rectifying her mistakes. Who knows if Cheryl had already started liking Oliver or was it just a concern for someone she thought was like her.