Cherry (GirlxGirl)

Chapter 1

I was already late for homeroom, and was probably going to be late for my first class, the class which would become my first priority for the next few weeks. I ended up running to school with wet hair as a result of me falling asleep in my shower this morning, which meant I arrived out of breath, sweaty, and still tardy. I begrudgingly accepted the detention slip from the lady at the desk of the school's office, knowing that my mother wouldn't be signing this one, and I definitely was doomed to serve it. I may not have a thriving social life, but that didn't mean I wanted to spend extra time at school. Especially on a monday.

I wouldn't be worrying about this detention if not for the tragic event the took place just a week ago. I would say my mother is handling it the worst. My grandmother had finally passed away after suffering cancer and Alzheimer's for far too long. My mother was very close to her, and she had been living with us in her final year.

I had been the one to find her. I woke up that morning, feeling the weight of Gramma in the bed beside me. She sometimes got confused about who's room she was going to sleep in, and sometimes didn't realize she was getting into bed with me. I never minded. I had rolled over, and was about to reach out and wake her, but my hand froze before it reached her arm. She looked like she was asleep, there was no signs that she had passed on. But I knew. The room was silent, Gramma was still. I pulled my hand back, getting out of bed tentatively, as if trying not to wake her, and walked out to alert Mom. The next day we were lowering her into the ground, circling the freshly-dug hole with tears streaming down our faces.

She has spent the rest of the week in bed. I know she will snap out of it soon and just needs time to grieve, but it's still painful to watch. I have a feeling it's not a good idea to burden her with tardies, so I'll take one for the team today.

I thanked the office lady, even though she had just signed me that stupid detention slip, and exited the office. I walked down the hallway, which was empty. Everyone was in homeroom already. I reached my locker, hurriedly shoving my backback in it and grabbing the stuff I needed for my first few classes. I was on my way to my homeroom class when the bell rang, and I happened to be walking by my first period class so I got to class earlier than the students crossing the rest of the school. Relieved that I wouldn't have to deal with tons of student traffic quite yet, I walked into the room.

My first period was with my rather eccentric Genealogy teacher, Mrs. Loretta. She had always been my favorite. When I walked into the room, she jumped from her seat at her desk, hurrying over to me while waving her hands excitedly. She started talking to me animately.

"Sutton! Sutton, love, I've got fantastic news. As you know, the upcoming family history project is coming up..."

I grimaced.

"..And it seems that you and Cherie over here have some stuff in common."

I glanced at Cherie, wondering what she meant. We weren't related. She was sat leisurely in her seat, the only other student in the classroom, a cherry lollipop in her scarlet lips. She had black sunglasses pushed back above her head, pulling her hair back. Her eyes met mine and I took in her soft face a sharp features. She arched a dark eyebrow at me. I looked away, back at Mrs. Loretta.

"What do you mean?"

Mrs. Loretta smiled, clasping her hands together. "Your grandmother and her grandmother were best friends. Hers passed away years ago, but they married two brothers. All four of them were very close and experienced World War Two together when they were young. I talked to your dad-"

My eyebrows raised in alarm at the of my dad.

"-And he told me about it and Cherie's guardian talked to me, so, here's the deal: If you and Cherie decide to do your project and research on this and their lives together, you can work as a pair instead of individually. It will be way better." She paused, and we both looked at Cherie, whose rather uninterested expression hadn't changed.