🗸 the quintessences of cherry & cigarette

1.1: 17.08.20XX

11th August, 20XX

Dear Diary,

It didn't hurt when he beat me, but now, after almost a day, it hurts like I got rolled down a hill with an avalanche. Everything is either sore and stinging, or bruising and throbbing, or both.

I don't know why things like this happen only to me. I know I am not the only person in the world with problems like this, but sometimes it feels like every bad thing that could happen to a person has been thrust unto me.

I probably deserve this though. I don't know.

I'm tired now. Good night.

Yours,

Cherry

~

12th August, 20XX

Dear Diary,

Jenny was very angry with me today, and I don't know why. She looked like she'd hit me, but she didn't. Instead, she threw down my breakfast and broke the plate. I had to clean it up, and I almost got late for school again, but I made it.

School was okay. Just had my lunch tray dropped, too. Felt like everyone had suddenly developed a special enmity with my food. Hunger is such a painful thing, I know now how agonizing it can be after spending almost the entire day empty stomached. I can't even imagine how hard it is for the people who're too poor to afford a meal a day.

I'm lucky because Clarisse let me have a free doughnut during my break at work.

Loralie came to Matheson's, too. I'm not sure if she was there to buy something or not because for some reason, as soon as she saw me, she knocked over the cereal boxes I'd only just finished stacking. She got shouted at by the security guard, but she didn't care. She almost looked proud.

I wanted to chuck a can of soup at Loralie's head hard enough to get her brain right side up again.

I didn't do it.

Yours,

Cherry

~

13th August, 20XX

Dear Diary,

It's only been two weeks into the 12th year at school and I've already been locked in the janitor's closet thrice, have my head pushed down the toilet, and gotten food thrown at me nearly every day at lunch.

I know there are people who have it worse than me, but I've been bullied since fifth grade and I don't know why I'm so picked on. Why me? Why any of us, really?

And there's just no evidence to prove that I'm being bullied. There's never any evidence, the reason why the school doesn't do anything. Jefferson High is stupid anyway, they'll only ever do something if someone commits suicide and leaves a note with the bullies named.

God, why did I write that? Why did I even THINK that?!

I'm going mad probably.

But still, why me?

My need to know the answer to that question is unreasonably urgent. To the point that it almost feels stupid.

Never mind that now.

Yours,

Cherry

~

14th August, 20XX

Dear Diary,

I had a class presentation today. On World War II. I started out fine, but then Elijah hooted something from the back of the class and all my confidence went down the drain.

Why am I so pathetic? Elijah is just a jerk and hooting is the only thing he's even remotely good at. I really blew my ppt because of that jackass.

I got scared and my voice was wavering like I had Tourette's or something. I just hope that Mr Howard was too busy checking Grade 11′s assignments to notice when I messed up the Axis and Allied powers.

Well, what's done cannot be undone, so.

Yours,

Cherry

~

15th August, 20XX

Dear Diary,

I'm sorry. I can't write today. My body hurts and there's nothing worth writing either.

I miss mom.

Yours,

Cherry

~

16th August, 20XX

Dear Diary,

Work today was hectic. New stock came for everything, all at once. I also had to stay back with Clarisse and Juan, clean up for the day, then learn to lock the shutters and stuff.

I swear, Matheson's needs lesser shutters. Or it needs to at least grease the existing shutters more often. My arms hurt from exerting them too much in pulling down those dumb, noisy shutters.

I should sleep now if I must recharge on my energy loss today, enough to not fall asleep in first period Calculus tomorrow. I hate Calculus.

Yours,

Cherry

***

dear cherry

you must be surprised by this don't worry i have a proposal for you

here it is

you already know by now that i have most of your diary entries if you dont want them to get to loralie or one of her friends i suggest you do as i say

first answer my questions

you will answer them in writing on a sheet of paper which you will leave in this very hole

we will keep up this game of letters until im bored or whatever and there will be only one exchange per day for both of our conveniences

as long as you cooperate your 'dear diary' pages are safe with me but they are the collateral and i can very well use them against you to ruin the rest of your grade 12 worse than your first two weeks

here's your first question

do you want to know why people pick on you

hoping my t's & c's are clear

yours,

diary

***