Broken

Pilot

CHERISE'S POV

"Cherise get your ass down here right now, " I hear my father's deep and rumbling voice yelling at me from downstairs. "I will not have you being late to your first day in year 13."

I jolt from my day dream and look around my room dazed. For some reason I keep seeing his face over and over again. They come more frequently nowadays.

I shake my head viciously and run my hand through my hair. I had left my hair down today, hopefully I wouldn't regret it later on in the day. I look at myself briefly in the mirror and apply another layer of lip gloss.

"Cherise don't make me say it again. " My father's voice rings through the whole house. He was clearly getting agitated and I did not need him to be in a mood today. I roll my eyes grab my bag and make my way to the door. Closing it behind me I make my way to the stairs and jump down them two at a time.

"Let's go dad, I'm ready now, " I tell him, waiting in the corridor. I am not particularly hungry so I am not gonna bother going in to the kitchen. I call out to my older brother Darion that I'm going. That boy has been living in this house for too long. He needs to get himself a job now. 23 and he still has nothing going for him.

. . .

I jump out the car and wave to my dad as he drives away in his Quashqui. I will never understand why he chose such an ugly colour. The only excuse he gives me is that the colour is unique. It ain't unique it's just so clapped that no one wants to buy it.

Anyway I walk over to my form and push the door open. Before I am even through the door I am tackled and almost fall back down in the corridor. I don't even have to open my eyes to know that my attacker is Jazzmyne.

"Dayum girl, your hair grew more over the summer," she tells me (loudly, the only way she knows how).

"And your ass got fatter." I say knowing that she will take it as a compliment anyway. Sure enough she does.

"Thank you hunny. Asher was saying the same thing just last night, " she says proudly.

"I still can't believe you moved out from your dad's house, " I reply in disbelief. It's been at least three months but the time doesn't make it any more believable.

"Best believe it girl, moving out from that old trick's house was one of the best decisions I have ever made, " she says her voice drifting off slightly at the end.

She hated living with her dad, after her mum left them her dad started smoking everything and anything. He got into a lot of mess with some young drug lords and they would come round the house looking for him at least once a week. Seeing as he was never there half the time they would mess up the place and make threats against her life.

She came to live in our spare room for a year and a bit but then Asher finally saved up enough and they moved in together.

"That's him right now, lemme go answer this real quick, she says back to her bubbly mood. She gives a quick hug before leaving the form room. I pull out my phone and get lost looking at people's stories.

Before I know it my form tutor has come in and has began taking the register. I look around for Jazz, but it looks like she never came back. Maybe she went to the toilet, she is probably still talking to Asher.

. . .

Looking through my phone I get a notification text from my dad saying that he can't pick me up. "Ugh, " that means I will have to take the bus. I rummage around in my bag and look for some spare change. Just my luck because I have absolutely none. The walk isn't far to be honest and the weather looks decent (for now). I get out my air pods - yes I am bougie - and start walking home.