Page 1 of Love Lies Bleeding

1. Cherry

This is the best day of my life. Letting my body fall back onto the narrow bed with the pink floral bedspread, an excited squeal of breath escapes me. I can’t contain the smile spreading over my face as my reality starts to seep into my bones. I’m here, I’m actually here. I can hardly believe it. I’m at Harvard, about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

I sit up and look at the dozens of pictures I’ve pinned on my board above my tiny desk, a smile creeping over my face that is reflective and tinged with sadness. I wish my dad could see me now, that I could hear his deep baritone tell me how proud he is of me. I love my mom to pieces, but nothing will ever stop me from missing my dad. I miss Lexi, my best friend, too. She and I have been friends since we were in junior high, but we’re on different paths right now and I need to let her live the life she wants, regardless of my thoughts or opinions.

Pictures of us are littered across the board and in each one, Lexi and I are smiling wide or behaving like goofs. Pictures of me and my mom, my mom and dad, and me and my dad are also displayed. All the people I love and need are on that board. My circle is small out of choice. I have lots of people I consider friends but none I’d trust with my secrets.

My hand trails over the glossy image of me and my dad just before he died and my heart aches a little. I wish he could see this. I wish he was alive to see me fulfill this dream we’d had for me. Rolling my lips, I push away from the desk, shaking off the melancholy.

I will not be sad today.

This is my adventure, and I’m going to make the most of every second I have here. I worked my ass off to get here and I’m going to relish every experience and get my butt out and meet new people, experience new things. My small window looks out onto Mass Avenue and is a hive of activity. The sounds of people going about their business filters through, reminding me that I’m not alone. I unpack my clothes and hang or fold them away by season. Storage is minimal here so I only brought fall and winter, and some key pieces I could layer. I can always get more when I go home for the holidays. I’m drawn again to the view over Mass. Watching the other students come and go fills me with a sense of belonging.

“I did it, Daddy. I got my dream college just like you said I would.”

Being a daddy’s girl made losing him so much worse and, every day since, I’ve vowed to make this happen, to make him proud. I know my mom misses him too. Their relationship had been so full of love, and I worry about her being on her own. She assures me she has the salon to keep her busy, but I still worry. I don’t trust or love easily but when I do, I’ll go down in a fiery blaze for the ones I love.

My phone pings with a text message and I smile when I see Lexi’s name.

Lexi: Have an amazing time. I miss you but you’re going to kill it at Harvard. Love you.

Cherry: It’s everything, Lex. I miss you too, but I’m going to scope out the local coffee shops and see if I can land a job. This scholarship will only get me so far.

Lexi: Don’t forget to scope out the local talent too ??

Cherry: I’m not interested in boys. I want to get my degree and take over the world.

Lexi: Do both. If anyone can, it’s you, babe.

Cherry: Damn right. Talk later.

Lexi: Okay x

Slipping my phone into the back pocket of my skinny jeans, I check my hair, which has faded to a soft pink since my last color, and decide I quite like this shade. It suits my fair complexion, but still gives me some oomph. At five feet tall, I need every advantage I can get and, thankfully, my personality has never been that of a wallflower.

Sliding my feet into pink wedges, I adjust the collar on my pink shirt and re-tie the waist so that a sliver of skin is showing. It’s sexy but not slutty, cute but not boring. Style is everything to me. Clothes are armor in more than one way, and I always make sure I show people what I want them to perceive.

Stepping into the small common room that links the four rooms on this entryway, I see a girl with red, curly hair pinning a poster above a desk.

“Hey.”

She turns, her foot slipping off the chair she was using to reach, and I dive to grab her before she falls. A giggle escapes her as she clutches my arm.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She regains her balance and waves away my apology. “Don’t worry, I’m a klutz. In fact, it should be my middle name.”

Laughing, I study her wide smile and the freckles on her upper cheeks. “What’s your first name?”

“Marianna. Nice to meet you…?”

“Cherry.”

“Hence the pink hair. I love it.”

Waving a hand at my hair, I smile. “Pink is my favorite color, which you’ll find out, I’m sure.”

“I love that. What are you studying?”

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