𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 , ᵃˢʰᵗʳᵃʸ

vii. big man

NO ONE'S POV
| PRESENT TIME |

IT WAS JUST AFTER THEIR LUNCH BREAK WHEN THE BLACK TRUCK PULLED UP. Ashtray and Cherry were sharing a bag of gummy bears as she helped him sort baggies, weighing them for him before putting them in the correct place.

Cherry didn't know how she got involved in such matters but she wasn't complaining, Fezco and Ashtray took her in and were keeping a roof over her head— she would do anything to help them at this point.

"You don't like the clear ones?" Cherry asked, staring at Ashtray with a disturbed face as he kept a pile of the clear ones beside him on the small bench that sat infront of the couch.

Ashtray raised his eyebrows, "No? There a problem with that? They taste like ass" He grimaced, his mouth twisting and a single dimple showing.

When a gasp is heard, Ashtray's head snaps over to Cherry expecting to find something wrong only to find her with an opened mouth grin.

"What?" He gives her a look, eyeing her as she jumps up and down in her seat excitedly.

"You have a dimple! Why haven't I ever seen that before?!" A stern look crosses her face but it doesn't last long before her grin breaks through.

Ashtray had to push his tongue into his cheek to stop himself from replicating her smile of excitement over something as small as a single dimple.

Before he can give her some snarky remark the bell rings, indicating someone had walked in and immediately his focus went to the window-like area infront of them.

A tall man steps in, one everyone in the store recognises as Cal Jacobs.

"I still can't believe you don't like the clear gummy bears, they're the best" Cherry mentioned, her words going over the young boys head as he picks up something from in between the couch cushions.

"Ash—"

"Shh. Be quiet" He cut her off, sliding something into the pocket of his hoodie and when Cherry looks down, the black handle is enough to give away what it is he's pocketing.

Deciding to take his advice Cherry seals her mouth shut and faces the front, looking out the small window as the eldest Jacobs steps towards Fezco with his hand in his pocket.

"Do you think he's here because of Nate?" Cherry whispers, glancing nervously at Ashtray's face.

Ashtray's jaw clenches, a sign that he didn't like what was said to him before he stood up slowly.

"You stay here, yeah? Don't go anywhere else" He suggested, though it sounded more like an order as he slowly walks past Cherry and gets closer to try and understand what was being discussed in the store.

It was only now that Cherry noticed Lexi Howard walking through aisles. Someone who tutored Cherry when she was in the third grade.

"She tell you who I am?" Ashtray heard, though it was muffled due to the two being behind glass.

Few more words were spoken with no one daring to move an inch, apart from Ashtray who stepped closer to the door by the second.

Something must have happened because Ashtray rushed over to a cereal box and started rustling through it before bringing a handgun out and passing it to Cherry, mumbling something about self defence.

He moved closer to the door, waiting for a sign to walk out while Cherry continues her eye contact with the gun in her hands.

She'd never held a gun before and she didn't know how exactly to feel about holding one now.

There were a few beats of silence before Ashtray sighed and relaxed his body slightly, Cal Jacobs had removed his hand from his pocket with only a few dollar bills, paying for the items in his hand.

After he left Ashtray waited by the window for a few seconds before returning to his recent spot beside the young girl.

"Yo, you good?"

____________________

Cherry couldn't sleep, perhaps she was paranoid but she was certain she could hear thumps coming from down the hallway.

She didn't want to seem annoying so she chose to ignore it, deciding to just close her eyes and bring the fluffy blanket further up her shoulders.

After a few seconds of nothing but her breathing filling the silence she decided she needed to get a glass of water, maybe that would help her sleep faster, she decided.

She slid out of bed, letting her feet make contact with the cold floor beneath her as she stood herself up and trod lightly in the direction of the kitchen, just because she couldn't sleep didn't mean other people don't deserve too.

After getting herself a cold glass of water she realised she needed to use the bathroom, might as well do that before she goes and lays back down, she thought to herself.

A frown came across her face when she noticed the light on inside, it was the early hours of the morning before the sun was up and perhaps someone just needed to use the bathroom?

She waited outside the door for a good five minutes before getting impatient and knocking softly, when she received no response she slowly opened the door, finding it already unlocked.

Inside Faye was laying across the floor, her eyes half open and a dazed smile on her face as she glanced up at Cherry when she noticed the door open.

"I need to pee" Cherry insisted with a whisper, nodding towards the toilet as she closed the door behind her.

Faye didn't move an inch, only closing her eyes further. Cherry sighed desperately needing to use the bathroom but deciding against waking someone else up to help move Faye out.

She hurried to the toilet, quickly doing her business and washing her hands before stopping at the door at the sound of Faye's voice just as she was about to walk out.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Her words were slurred and slow, and when Cherry faced her she was blinking slowly and adjusting herself in her awkward position.

"I don't really care to be honest. Just as long as they're healthy" She answered honestly, in truth she hadn't really thought about it.

Faye nodded ever so lightly before speaking again, "Sit with me?" Her question was uttered softly, sounding sad almost and Cherry felt her heart clench in her chest when Faye's eyes showed loneliness.

And so she did, she sat beside her new friend while they talked about baby names and jokes until they fell asleep against each others shoulders.

It wasn't until Fezco called for Ashtray to help take Cherry back to her bed that her eyes fluttered, but they only opened enough for a quick glance at the young boy she'd grown to care for before her eyelids fell with exhaustion.