Living Or Dying

Chapter Five

A/N the picture is a character design for Sherry. Sorry the quality is poor.

Sherry hobbled down the stairs after Byern. He moved quickly. It didn't help Sherry that he slid down the handrails. When Sherry reached the bottom of the stairs she stopped. There was a throng of people in the cafe. Byern had already disappeared in the crowd. Sherry gave in and sat down in the steps. She didn't want to go in there. Someone might step on her heel, and she knew that wasn't the best thing for her right now.

"Hey lonesome, won't you join the party?"

Sherry looked up. It was a tall, broad shouldered boy. He had black hair that was spiked with gel. He had a strong jaw and impressive eyebrows. He wore a jean jacket and a white tee. He had cowboy boots and black jeans. His name was Dean. Sherry knew him from school. He was Robbie's friend.

"Hi Dean." Sherry looked him in the face.

The realization smacked Dean in the face. "Hey! You're Sherry! What're you doing here?"

"I'm living here for the meanwhile. Family problems." Sherry didn't say anymore.

"Oh. Your dad. Yeah, my dad's his drinking buddy. Did your dad come home with someone today?"

Sherry looked at Dean, wild-eyed. "Did your dad?"

"Naw. He said your dad took the best slut at the club."

Sherry stood up. "Excuse me, I need to find Byern."

Dean grabbed her shoulder. "Here, let me help you."

He steered her through the party. Sherry felt trapped in his tight grip. He did lead her to Byern however. Byern was standing in a group of girls. Several of them were pregnant. Sherry guessed they were from the care center as well. Dean shouted at Byern.

"Hey!"

"Dean!" Byern responded.

Dean let go of Sherry's shoulder to do a very complicated hand shake with Byern. Sherry and the other girls watched in amazement. How did anyone remember this? There were shakes, slaps, fist bumps, even turns incorporated.

"So, Dean, what brought you here?" Byern asked.

"Well, Sherry here said she needed to find you." Dean shoved Sherry forward.

Byern jumped forward to catch her. He held her tight in his arms. He turned to Dean with a fiery anger. Sherry blushed, thankful everyone was looking at either Dean or Byern, and not her.

"Dean!" Byern shouted. "Girls aren't made to be thrown around! Each and every one of them is a delicate flower. Have some respect."

"Woah, I meant her no harm." Dean put his hands up in surrender.

Sherry spoke up. "It's okay, Byern. Dean meant nothing by it."

"Fine. But are you okay?" Byern glared at Dean.

"I'm fine. Dean," Sherry pulled out of Byern's arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm friends with Byern. What? Wasn't it obvious with the hand shake?" He laughed. "Plus, when Robbie heard you were here he wanted me to ask you something."

Sherry cowered inside. What did Robbie want with her? He had already broken up with her, what more could he do?

"He wanted me to ask you to have an abortion." Dean said flat-out.

"No!" Sherry cried. "I don't want that!"

"Robbie said his parents will pay for everything," Dean continued. "They'll even pay extra to keep people quiet. Then you could go back to being a couple. Robbie really likes you, you know."

Sherry shook her head furiously. She pushed Dean and Byern aside. Despite the throbbing in her heel she ran out of the cafe. Scanning around her she saw a little bench. She flopped down on it and started to cry. What would she do? She didn't believe in abortion, but she still liked Robbie. If Robbie would take her back, it would mean the world to her.

Sherry felt the bench fold under someone else's weight. She didn't look up. Whoever it was should be smart enough to leave a crying girl alone. They didn't. They sat there while Sherry cried. Eventually she looked up in anger. It was Byern.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't cry. It ruins the night."

"I don't know what to do!"

Suddenly Green Day blasted through the night. Sherry pulled out her phone. Her heart dropped. It was her father calling. Sherry glanced at Byern. He nodded for her to pick up.

"Hello sir."

-Sherry? I just want you to know I'm not drunk right now.-

"That's good."

-I called the care center. They said this was your second test in a week.-

"Uh-huh. Yeah it was."

-What do you plan on doing?-

"Well, Robbie's parents have offered to pay for an abortion. They also said they will pay to keep people quiet. Robbie says that if I get an abortion we can get back together."

-What are you waiting for? Get the abortion! Then this'll all be over.-

"But dad, I don't want an abortion. I-"

-You come home right now and we'll call Robbie's parents. You're getting that abortion.-

"No. I'm staying where I am. I need space to think. Bye dad."

Sherry hung up the phone. She looked over to Byern with tears in her eyes. He held open his arms. Crumbling into his hug, Sherry started crying again.

Why am I so weak? She asked herself. All I do is cry. Byern hugged  her closer. As if reading her kind he spoke. "You know, you're very strong to go through this. I would never be able to run away from home and disobey my dad."

Sherry shook her head furiously. It messed her hair up and wrinkled Byern's shirt but neither of them cared. "I'm not strong. I'm the weakest person here. I let myself get pregnant."

Byern stroked her head fondly. She was almost like a puppy in his arms. "No. You let yourself create a life. I only managed to take a life."

Sherry looked up at Byern. Tears blurred her vision, but she was sure she saw tears in his eyes as well. He was clenching his teeth hard. Trying desperately to fight the tears he only brought more. Soon enough shudders racked his entire body.

The photo, Sherry thought. She had noticed there was another boy. He looked exactly like Byern, just without braces. Byern in the photo had his arm around the boy. They seemed very close in the picture.

"Byern? Who was the boy in your family picture?"