cherry lanes.

CHAPTER TWO.

Valerie arose from her slumber. Her limbs were tired and achy, a pain she usually failed to shake away, mainly caused by overworking and long, restless nights. On her nightstand resided the picture of Charlie she had taken yesterday afternoon. She smiled faintly, stretching. It was Monday, and cold morning air entered through her cracked window. The tall, looming oak tree taunted her. The old, wretched branches smacked against the glass as the wind picked up. Valerie shivered. Looking out into her backyard, she noticed the sky was dim. That's what comes with the end of October; a darker, chillier overview. Something about it caused Valerie to frown, and as she stood up from her bed, she felt sick to her stomach.

A sweater hung low in her closet. They stared at each other, until eventually, Valerie gave in, throwing it over her sheer tank top. The sweater was beige, large, and hung low over her hands. It made her feel comforted and safe. It smelt of cinnamon and happiness, not that Valerie knew what happiness smelt like. She assumed it was warm, bright, and sweet. She paired the sweater with a dark brown skirt and tights, a pairing she quite fancied on Monday mornings. Almost forgetting her shoes, she slipped on a pair of flats. Valerie's reflection startled her. She forgot her mirror sat still on the back of her bedroom door. She twirled, a grin printed on her face. She thought to herself, pondering how school would treat her today. The wooden stairs creaked underneath her weight as she exited her room. This, she thought, would alert her mother she was awake. She was wrong, and her mother jumped as she came down the last step. "Good morning, Val."

"Morning," Valerie replied quietly. Despite her rather neat and preppy outfit, her hair was a mess. Strands stuck out, covering some of her face. She pushed it out of the way, sighing. She sat down at the dining room table, looking for her book bag.

"How did you sleep?" Her mother was quiet and serene.

"Okay, it got cold. You?" She beamed.

Valerie leaned back in her chair, almost falling backward. She laughed, shocked. "I slept okay, too. I was thinking about Charlie, about Annika and Ver. Charlie seems...tired. I worry about him."

"I know, pumpkin. They'll be alright. You four seem to bounce back quite often, you know?" Her mother reassured her. As she came around the dining room table, she placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, eyeing the front porch. "Now, go brush your hair. I think Veronica is outside waiting for you."

Nodding, Valerie did as she was told. She fixed her hair, spraying it down with a sour-smelling hairspray to maintain it. She kissed her mother's cheek, opening the front door. Being careful not to trip, she watched the front porch steps carefully. Veronica came down from the opposite end, Annika trailing behind. Charlie hadn't walked out yet, but Valerie wasn't concerned. Charlie was slower than the other three, they were used to him being late. "Good morning!" Veronica cheered louder than the entire neighborhood. "It's cold as shit out here, November hasn't even started yet." She often complained about the weather. Over her slim figure, she wore a heavy jacket. As Annika caught up, Valerie could see she had chosen a long, black dress for today. She wore nothing over it.

"How are you not freezing?" Valerie asked the timid girl, who had her hair up. Just like always.

"Not sure," Annika replied. The autumn breeze lightly caressed the three girls, blowing Veronica's hair in a cinematic way. Annika glared, she couldn't help herself. Valerie, however, had been drawn towards Charlie's house. She noticed all the lights were off. All except for Charlie's bedroom. She had wondered what had been taking him so long. "Do you think Charlie's alright?"

"He's just slow, Val. No need to worry." Veronica stated quickly as if she were putting it off. Valerie didn't like that, she thought it was distasteful. She wanted to say something, but she knew better than to argue with Veronica. Veronica was mean, colder than anyone else in their group. Sometimes the other three wondered why, ultimately deciding to blame her ego.

After a minute or two of watching his house, Annika walked behind her, whispering. "We're going to be late if we don't leave, Valerie. If he's late, he's late. Let's go."

With that, she decided to continue.

The walk to school was quiet, something Valerie felt sickened by. As the three approached the broad, open front doors, Veronica sighs. "Well, we've arrived. Should we go in?"

"What else would we do, skip?" Valerie rolled her eyes, watching her feet as she walked. Her sly comment made Veronica chuckle. It was mischievous, new. Annika looked at Veronica, trying to pinpoint what exactly she was thinking. That was hard. Veronica Augustine was unpredictable, a ticking time bomb.

Veronica leaned against the brick wall, tapping her foot against the ground. "Y'know, that isn't a bad idea."

Annika glared. "You're not serious, are you?"
Veronica shrugged. "No? I mean—listen, I'm just saying it's tempting."

As the three conversed, the morning bell echoed. They could hear it from outside, it paused their conversation. Valerie's once parted lips have now met back with each other, puckered. She scoffed, agitated. "Well, you two can make that decision together. I'll see you later, okay? After psychology."

Annika nodded, and with that, Valerie parted ways, refusing to look back.