𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩 [𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣]

[First day]

Cherry stirred in bed as the morning sunlight streamed through the window, gently rousing her from her deep sleep. With a groggy start, she blinked away the remnants of slumber, instantly alert as she realized the unplugged alarm had failed them again. "Fuck," She breathed, quickly waking up Max and Billy so that they could get prepared for the day. Dressed in some jeans and a casual long-sleeve, the girl rushed downstairs to pack her younger sister's lunch.

Spotting the broken glass from last night scattered on the floor, she winced as her fingers grazed the sharp edges, drawing blood. Ignoring the pain, she finished disposing of them and sucked on her wounded fingers while she packed Max's lunch. She managed to cobble together a meager meal, stuffing it into the lunchbox with efficiency. "Hurry up, Max!" Billy's impatient voice called from the hallway, adding to the sense of urgency.

"I'm coming!" Max yelled back, her voice strained with the pressure of the morning rush. This was not how she'd wanted to start the day. With one last glance around the chaotic kitchen, Cherry grabbed Max's lunchbox and hurriedly stuffed it into her backpack before rushing to the door. Billy followed down the stairs, slipping on his shoes with impatient urgency. "Hurry up, you shit!" he yelled after Max, who stumbled in her haste to join them.

Cherry grabbed her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder as she hurriedly ushered Max towards the door. "Go, go, go!" Billy urged from his car. Max quickly grabbed her skateboard and sent her older sister an apologetic look. The two piled into Billy's car, Max settling into the back seat with a sigh of relief. Billy quickly started his car, his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel. "It better not be like this every day," he grumbled, his tone edged as he stole a glance at Cherry in the rearview mirror.

As Billy maneuvered the car through the empty road, Cherry nodded in understanding. "Sorry, it won't happen again," she assured him, her voice tinged with sleep as she attempted to smooth down her dark hair. They soon arrived at the school, and Max wasted no time scrambling out of the car. Clutching her skateboard tightly, she walked towards the middle school down the road. She couldn't help but notice the curious glances directed at their unfamiliar vehicle.

Teenage girls eyed Billy with interest, making Max feel a pang of embarrassment. Leaning out of the car window, Cherry waved at her sister, "Have a good day, Max!" The girl pursed her lips in embarrassment but managed a quick wave back before hurrying away. Cherry sighed softly, watching her sister go before turning her attention to Billy, who had already stepped out of the car. As they walked through the halls of the school, Cherry couldn't help but notice Billy's self-satisfied smirk as he caught the attention of the girls.

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Told you the girls down here would be different," she muttered under her breath. Billy chuckled dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, Cherry," he replied, his tone nonchalant as he brushed her off. "Don't you have class or something?" "Yeah, I do," she replied, her tone slightly sharper than intended. As Billy walked on, he couldn't help but notice the way some of the guys in the hall were eyeing his younger sister.

He had always been aware of his own good looks, but he couldn't deny that Cherry had inherited their family's features as well. Cherry was beautiful but in an innocent way. Even so, she wasnt exactly aware of the beauty she possessed. Her dark hair cascaded in glossy waves around her shoulders, framing her delicate features. Her complexion was porcelain pale while her eyes sparkled with a deep intensity, framed by long, dark lashes and plump lips.

As for her figure, though she may not have realized it herself, was perfect. Billy's demeanor shifted as he called after his sister, "Hey, Cherry," She paused, glancing back at him expectantly. "Let me know if anyone bothers you," With a quick nod, she turned and headed toward her first class. As she entered the room, she quickly scanned for a spot, settling on a desk tucked away in the corner.

Sitting down, she tried to blend in with the other students, keeping her gaze forward and avoiding drawing any additional attention to herself. The minutes ticked by as Cherry focused on the front of the classroom, her mind racing with thoughts of the day ahead. She barely noticed the murmurs of conversation around her until the teacher's voice cut through the chatter, introducing her to the class.

"Everyone, please welcome our new student, Cherrilyn Hargrove," the teacher said, gesturing toward her. Cherry felt a flush of embarrassment wash over her as all eyes turned towards her. She forced a small smile, hoping to appear friendly despite her nerves. She cleared her throat and corrected the teacher, "It's Cherry." A boy sitting nearby couldn't help but let out a snicker, "Like the fruit?" He quipped, tone laced with amusement.

Cherry's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as a few other students joined in with snickers. She nodded awkwardly, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on her. "Yep, like the fruit," she replied softly. As Cherry tried to shake off the embarrassment from the exchange about her name, the teacher began the lesson. However, it was hard for Cherry to focus with the whispering of girls behind her. "That's the new hot guy's sister, I think," one of them whispered, causing Cherry's cheeks to flush with a new wave of disgust.

She felt a pang of unease as she heard the girls' gossiping continue. "Maybe she can help us," another girl suggested, her tone filled with excitement. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, trying to block out their words and focus on the lesson. Amidst the whispers and giggles, a voice broke through the chatter. "Hey, Cherry, right?" a girl sitting nearby said, offering her a friendly smile.

Cherry glanced over at her, grateful for the interruption. "Yeah, that's me," she replied, returning her smile with a hint of relief. "I'm Robin," she introduced herself, extending a hand towards her. Cherry shook her hand, a sense of relief washing over her. "Nice to meet you, Robin," Cherry replied with a small smile, grateful for the warmth in the other girl's demeanor. "Don't worry about them," Robin said, nodding towards the whispering girls behind them.

"They're always like this." Cherry felt a weight lift off her shoulders at the girl's words. Maybe she wasn't alone in feeling out of place here. Maybe, most people did. As the class continued, Robin leaned closer to Cherry and whispered, "You can eat lunch with me today, I mean, If you want," Cherry's heart warmed at the invitation, "I'd like that," she replied softly. Starting to feel reassured, Cherry turned her attention back to the front of the classroom. Maybe Hawkins wasn't so bad after all.