Cheri On Top

Chapter 1

People call me Cheri, like a Cherry. It's been my nickname for as long as I can remember. Kudos to Gwendolyn and Forsythe for a name I'll never be able to live down. Legend has it I was born with the brightest crimson hair the nurses claimed to had ever seen. Yea, I hear that story about five times a week.
My name is actually Cherokee. Cherokee Ilene Welsh.
Living in the one-horse town of Willowbrook, Ohio, my flaming locks were the main attraction. Who needs fireworks on the Fourth of July when you can just witness the awe in people's eyes as they behold the miraculous spectacle of my fiery locks? It's a modern marvel, folks. Every day for the past three years, I navigate the halls of Willowbrook High. The mundane masses stare, as if I'm some kind of mythical creature. The unicorn of the high school world.

Little do they know, beneath this vibrant exterior lies a sarcastic soul yearning for something more than just being an object of curiosity.
Accompanying me through the corridors is October, my partner-in-sarcasm. Everyone calls her Tobie, except for me. Maybe it's because of my own personal situation that just won't let me call her anything but October. Maybe it's because October just fits who I see her as better. Her hair is as changeable as the weather, matching her ever-shifting moods and her uncanny ability to give zero cares about what anyone thinks.
We stroll through the halls, rolling our eyes at the sea of sameness, the monotony of it all. We're the sarcastic duo, bringing a much-needed dose of wit to this dreary high school existence. Who knows? It might be more exciting than witnessing paint dry.

Willowbrook, with its charm that rivals watching paint dry, isn't enough for my restless soul. I need to feel alive. As we pass the C wing, we seemed to be moving in slow motion through the sea of lockers, everyone we take a glance at, is engrossed in their phones, mindlessly scrolling through social media.
October whispers a remark in my ear, and I burst into a silent fit of laughter. It's the moments like these, I'm reminded why we crossed paths.
I believe every soul meets for a reason. We share an unspoken understanding, forged through the years. Two souls seeking our place in the world that often feels as if it doesn't quite fit. We continue strolling to class, our laughter echoing through the dreary halls, brightening the atmosphere even for just a fleeting moment.