CHERRIES; CAT VALENTINE

Chapter 11

Jaedda huffs as she is out of breath. The harsh stage lights beam on her as she smiles brightly and waves.

Walking off the stage, Jaedda drinks from her water bottle. A flash of red appears in her peripheral vision.

"Oh, my, god! Jaedda! That song was so amazing!" Cat explains tackling the girl into a hug.

Jaedda laughs and hugs her back. "That was such a rush. I missed performing,"

Daniel walks up to the two girls. "Jaedda, that song was great,"

"Thank you" she replies breaking the hug from Cat.

The three teens begin to talk and end up by the taco truck and cheese fountain.

Jaedda orders food from the truck. Looking over, she sees Cat and Daniel making out. Jaedda shakes her head and smiles happily at her best friend. Jaedda grabs her food and begins to eat when a burning liquid hits her skin.

An ear-piercing scream filled with anger and pain fills the ears of everyone at the school. Everything seems to pause. The music, the conversation, the calm breeze even stills.

Jaedda is covered head to toe in hot melted cheese. Since she was in her performance clothes, her head, arms and legs were not covered. Jaedda's skin becomes red and starts to peel and blister. Students immediately rush towards her with wet towels attempting to get the hot cheese off of her.

Cat watches in panicked silence as her best friend screams in agony. Daniel pulls her away from the scene.

Minutes pass. An ambulance is called. Jaedda's screams are no more. Instead of pain, her eyes are now filled with anger.

Jaedda sits in silence as the paramedic treats her. Andre, Robbie, Rex, Jade, and Beck surround her not knowing what to say.

"Who did it?" Jaedda whispers. None of them answer her.

"I asked who did it!" she demands.

Jade pushes Robbie forward.

"I-It was Tori"

"She better run and she better run fast," Jaedda says standing up from her seat. The paramedic pushes her back. Jaedda stands back up and gives the paramedic a glare.

Jaedda storms off toward the school. Reaching the front entrance, she pushes open the doors. She looks and sees Tori and Daniel kissing on the steps.

A growl-like sound comes from Jaedda's throat as she begins to make her way toward the pair. A door opening makes her pause. Jaedda looks up and sees Cat still getting cheese out of her hair.

A sound of shock escapes Cat. Tori and Daniel immediately jump apart.

"Uhhh" Tori and Daniel say together.

Cat inhales a breath and tears start to form. She looks at the two and runs away.

"Cat" Daniel calls out to her and starts to go after her. Jaedda steps up and punches him in the jaw. Daniel kneels from impact.

"How dare you?" Jaedda asks rhetorically.

"How dare you cheat on Cat? How dare you hurt the most amazing girl you will ever meet? How dare you make the sweetest girl cry? And you" Jaedda says turning towards Tori.

"I forgave you for kissing Beck. I forgave you for injuring me in the fight scene. But spraying hot cheese on me and Cat, betraying, one of your closest friends, that is unforgivable. So I hope you have a kick-ass lawyer."

Jaedda immediately runs after Cat. Cat is in an empty classroom sitting on the floor her knees pulled to her head. Jaedda's heart breaks at the sound of the girl's sobs and her anger vanishes. Jaedda runs over and pulls Cat into a hug, not minding the pain from the fresh burns.

The two girls sit there for a while in silence, Cat finds comfort in Jaedda's arm.

"I really liked him," Cat whispers.

"I know,"

"What do I do?"

"You cry right now. Tonight, we watch bad movies and eat ice cream. Tomorrow, you stand up tall, brush off your shoulders and move on. He is a dumbass and doesn't deserve you." Jaedda says.

"What do I do about Tori? I thought she was my friend."

Jaedda stays silent. Rage can visibly be seen in her eyes.

Cat looks up when she doesn't hear an answer and she sees how close she is to Jaedda's face. Cat notices how the girl's jaw is clenched tightly. Cat shyly reaches up and touches Jaedda's jawbone. Jaedda feels the girl's fingers and looks down at her.

Jaedda looks down at the redheaded girl, her rage and thoughts of Tori fading. Cat blushes and pulls her hand away.

"Sorry"

"It's okay"

"Jaedda?" Cat asks.

"Yes?"

"What's all on your arms?" the girl asks not knowing about the extent of Jaedda's injuries.

"Just a few painful burns," Jaedda says avoiding eye contact. Cat immediately jumps out of the girl's arms and stands up.

"You need medical attention! Like right now!" Cat says pulling Jaedda up from the floor. Cat drags Jaedda through the halls of the school, giving them deja vu from Jaedda's first day of school.

After Jaedda finishes getting treated by the paramedics, who waited for her, Cat and Jaedda retire for the night and head to Jaedda's apartment.

Jaedda stared at the ceiling, the moon shining through the window. The sound of Cat's even breaths and the howling wind drift her off to sleep.

The next morning, Cat and Jaedda arrive at school early, in an attempt to avoid Tori. The brunette posted on TheSlap asking Cat to stop avoiding her, yet there was no apology.

Jaedda was annoyed at the girl. She was also annoyed at all of the stares she and Cat got while walking down the hall. Jaedda Williams was also annoyed at a random student for wrapping his arms around her waist so she couldn't beat up Tori for dragging Cat into a janitor's closet.

Jaedda felt a little better when Tori came out of the janitor's closet with a broken nose and needed to go to the hospital.