Chapter Three: Love is Growing

My alarm clock rung, the next morning at 5am. I usually woke up early so I can exercise before I go to school. I went downstairs and Mom and Dad were at the table drinking coffee and eating oatmeal. Mom looked at me with a kind smile.

“Son, I have oatmeal on the stove and a fresh pot of coffee made.

Father looked up. “Son, it’s good stuff.”

“Yea sure Mom and Dad. I’ll fix me some”

After eating breakfast, I did some cardio and showered. I picked out a pair of jeans and the Kindom Hearts shirt that Cherice bought me. I said my goodbyes to Mom, Dad and Alexis and walked out the door.

As I stepped outside, Cherice was waiting at her front porch.

“Hey Cherice, you ready?”

“Yea. Ready as I’ll ever be.”

We both laughed, went in the car, and got to school.

As we both walked to the school doors, there were many people staring at us. It was nothing new to me because my style was different from the average student. Mine and Cherice’s clothing were rather dark. She was wearing dark jeans and a HIM shirt, while I was wearing a video game shirt. I told Cherice not to worry about these fools. It wasn’t too much longer that we went to the school library and found our friends Elijah, Michael, Garrett, Kyle and Jake. We got on computer and chatted for a while. After about fifteen minutes, the bell for first period rang. Cherice and I walked to her new locker, number 17. I helped her get her books, then we walked to my locker, number 43.

“Cherice, don’t worry about today. Just go to your class, do the best you can and don’t worry about anyone else.”

“Ok, Kit. I will do my best.”

“I will come to you after each class, if you want me to, and see how you’re doing.”

Cherice smiled and said, “I would appreciate that very much.” Cherice then hugged me, which added more stares in the hallway. I didn’t care, though. To hell with these people. I was getting all the attention from the most beautiful girl in school!

Cherice and I then walked to our separate classes. When I went to my class, everyone was asking me who the new girl was and why we were so close. I didn’t really give them a straight answer. What I did was none of anyone’s business except my own. All throughout the day, I would return to Cherice’s locker and then we would go to my own. I asked her how her day was going and apparently it was fine. She seemed to like how everything was going. At about twelve, noon, it was time for lunch. I met up with Cherice and our friends and we ate lunch together. We gathered at our own group and had many stares, especially toward Cherice and I. Cherice and I were rather inseparable and it showed. After lunch, we continued the previous ritual. We only had three classes left. After school was over, I met Cherice outside to pick her up. We said our goodbyes to our friends and left for home.
As we pulled up to our homes, Cherice looked at me with a rather melancholic expression. Her eyes looked like a pillar of sadness.

“Kit, I want to thank you for being there for me today. It was very nerve- racking today.”

“No problem, Cherice. I‘m glad that I could make your day better.”

“Yes. It would have been a rough day, by myself.”

I then gave Cherice a hug and she went inside her home and I went inside mine. I had some homework to catch up on and I was tired, anyway.

The next day continued the same way. I woke up, did my morning thing and then went to pick up Cherice. We continued the same ritual at school and going home. Cherice and I were very close. Many people started rumors about us and we were considered a couple. In a way, we were. Our feelings were never truly spoken, however. We preferred it that way. We knew we cared for each other, we were just afraid to speak of our feelings. When two hearts are so similar, burning in the fire of passion yet brooding from pain over many years, it is nearly impossible to speak of feelings this deep. However, this would all change towards the middle of our school year. Life would plummet into a dark spiral for both of us. Passion and desire could not be held in, for long.