Cherry

Cherry
Chapter 10
(080123-080125)

Jackson was the youngest son of two engineers. His mother, a civil engineer, was on the other side of the country undergoing a three month placement during which, she would help plan the set-up of a new city. His father, a chemical engineer, had been working in Europe for the past seven months. He spent three weeks in the Europe and then one week back home with his two sons. Jackson's parents had both flown in for their pride and joy's graduation and had been driven to the airport immediately after the ceremony.

Edward Quincy, Jackson's older brother and only sibling, was in England studying criminology at Oxford. He was, according to Jackson, their parents favourite. Jackson, who had plans to go to Waverly University to study physics. Edward and Jackson had a rather tense relationship and Edward had flown home for the holidays and was supervising Jackson's party.

"Hey Autumn." Edward greeted as he opened the door. He was clearly home for the European summer and recognised her as the shy little girl that was so different to his younger brother.

"Hello Edward." She replied as she stood under the bright porch light, flanked by the Lucas twins. She could hear the music from the party behind him and she estimated that the party had migrated to the back of the house where the living room and games room where. Both rooms had large bay windows and sliding doors that overlooked the back porch and the fenced off pool.

The Quincy residence was one of the smaller houses in the upper class suburb of Westchester Hills, twenty minutes away from the city centre. It occupied exactly one acre and was housing their two hundred strong graduating class quite comfortably.

"Gee, you've grown up." He commented as he stepped aside to let the three girls in.

"I haven't seen you in years, you usually spend the whole year in England." Autumn said as he shut the door behind Elizabeth.

"Yeah, me and Sarah broke up a couple of months ago. There was no reason to stay there."

"Well, this is Elizabeth and Stephanie Lucas. They're my neighbours." Autumn indicated to the twins, both who shyly remained quiet.

"How many sets of twins are there in your year." Edward said, frowning as he made his way down the hall way. The girls followed him as Autumn thought carefully.

"I don't know." Autumn answered.

"Four." Elizabeth answered.

"Really?" Edward looked back at them surprised.

"There's us. The Pelletier boys, James and Julian." Stephanie said.

"Taylor and Christina Warren." Elizabeth added.

"And then there's Melena and Danielle Hawkins."

"There were never that many twins when I was at St. Andrews." Edward commented as he pushed the door to the games room open. He entered before them and held it open. He smiled as he closed the door behind him as he went upstairs. Autumn turned away from the closed door to survey the room.

The poker table on the other side of the room had four people sitting around it while others looked on. Holly Pewter was the only girl actually playing poker, a lit cigarette hanging from her lips. The poker corner was smoky and dark with ash trays scattered around the general vicinity.

The plasma TV to Autumn's left was mounted on the wall above three top of the line consoles. A car race was occurring on the screen as the others surrounding the TV watched. The top of the coffee table was a sea of bottles, shot glasses and a lone bowl of potato chips.

To the right, in front of the sliding doors outside was the pool table. Surrounding the table was Tameron and Andrew. It appeared to be pair against pair and Andrew and Tameron were up against George and Jamie Sullivan. George and Jamie while they had the same last name, weren't actually related. Jamie came from a Serbian family and they had changed their last name after leaving their troubled homeland. George and Jamie were their year levels longest couple. They started dating at the beginning of year eight, their first year of high school.

"Hey Autumn, I'm off to play poker. Want to come?" Autumn turned to Elizabeth as she gently rested her hand on Autumn's arm. Autumn blinked at her before shaking her head as she tried not to cringe at the lurid pink of Elisabeth’s dress.

"No thanks." Autumn replied as Elizabeth fiddled with her necklace.

"Did you want to come with me to do shots?" Stephanie asked pointing to the coffee table near the TV as Elizabeth moved off, weaving her way through the crowd.

"No thanks Staph, I'm going to go find Jackson." Autumn replied. Stephanie nodded and waved before moving off to the group around the coffee table. Autumn was left standing near the door the games room as the Lucas twins moved off. She shook her head and began to scan the crowd for Jackson.

Autumn made her way past the pool table to the open doors that lead outside. It was cold and the air smelt of the earlier rain. It was still disturbingly frigid but in thick jeans, a woollen sweater and a dark denim jacket she was fairly warm. Jackson was standing on the lawn, drinking from a nearly bottle of what she knew was Jack Daniels. She smiled as she watched him wave his arms around dramatically and she knew that he had climbed up on his soap box and was just getting warmed up.

Standing nearby Jackson was Gage Williams. Autumn liked Gage. He wasn't the most attractive person in their year but he was polite and always held the door open for her and was always smiling. He was intelligent as well and had been declared their year level's dux. He was watching Jackson with amused interest, a bottle occasionally being brought up to his lips.

Justine Kruger stood next to Jackson, shyly pulling the sleeves of her striped jumper down over her hands. She looked up at Jackson, her dark eyes watching him as he spoke passionately. Autumn watched for a couple of minutes before moving forward down the porch steps to greet Jackson.

"And in the end why does it matter? Why the fuck is so fucking important? Money doesn't make you happy. Material things don't make you happy in the long run. You come from nothing and you go to nothing. When you die people aren't going to say 'Hey, gee whiz, he left me three thousand dollars in his will.' They are going to remember the things you did for them, the way you affected their lives and how you made a difference." Jackson said loudly.

"That is so true." Justine said softly, clearly impressed.

"Hey Jack." Autumn said.

"Hey Babe. When did you get here?" He asked, bending a little to kiss her cheek.

"A couple of minutes ago." She answered as she patted his back.

"Evening Autumn." Gage greeted, tipping the bottle in his hand towards her.

"Gage." She acknowledged.

"Hey." Justine said shyly.

"Hi Justine." Autumn said brightly, trying to put her at ease.

"Anyways, where was I?" Jackson said as he took a long swig of Jack Daniels.

"Materialism." Autumn supplied.

"Ah-ha. That's right. It's pointless. This house, these luxuries," Jackson swept his hand around, gesturing to his surroundings, "What good are they? What good are they going to do for me when I'm gone? Money doesn't keep you warm at night."

"Sure it does. Use the money to buy a blanket. Or a heater. Or warm clothes. Or, if you're really thrifty you can sew the notes together to make a blanket but I'm pretty sure that's illegal." Autumn said, causing Gage to snort with laughter. Justine glared coldly at her as Jackson sighed.

"I'm sorry." Autumn said, cringing as she took a step back.

"Go get a drink." Jackson told her.

"Is there juice?" Autumn asked with interest.

"There's scotch." Jackson answered.

"I don't want scotch." Autumn frowned at Jackson.

"Go ask someone on the porch." Jackson told her. Autumn rolled her eyes as she turned to the porch and walked towards it. Her bright sneakers were glowing in the muted light coming from the lights on the rail of the porch. She moved up the steps to survey the people on the porch.

On Autumn's left was Tiffany Redman, Michelle Travers and the Warren twins. They were all watching the lawn, the four of them leaning against the railing as they watched. Michelle was easily recognisable. She sat next to Autumn in Human Bio and was well known for her quirky sense of style. She was fairly petite and usually looked like she stepped out of a war time pin-up. She was incredibly forties with nice hair and an eternally positive attitude.

"Hey guys." Autumn approached the group cautiously. She knew Tiffany and Taylor by sight and had been in physics with Christina. She didn't really know any of the three and she kept her eyes trained on Michelle as the group turned. Michelle broke into a happy smile, her lips adorned with bright red lipstick.

"Hey Autumn. Here to watch?" Michelle asked as the four bunched up to make room for Autumn near Michelle. Autumn squeezed into the spot and looked over to the lawn. Standing on the lawn was Linda Hunter and Sam Quatermaine. They had been dating for a little under three years and fought regularly. They were well known for their public altercations that Autumn had witnessed frequently. Their fights were much like a train wreck, impossible to watch, but impossible to look away from.

"I can't believe you would do that to me!" Linda shrieked as Autumn cringed.

"What have I missed?" Autumn asked as Michelle took a sip from her crystal tumbler.

"Sam was caught kissing Adrienne Volenti." Christina said from Autumn's left side.

"Who?" Autumn asked, frowning.

"Adrienne, she's in the year below us." Tiffany said from Autumn's right, on Michelle's other side.

"She's Dominick d'Abreau's cousin." Taylor added as they watched the fight continue.

"Does that mean she's Julian and James' cousin?" Michelle asked.

"Are Dominick and the Pelletier boys related?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah. Think about it. They are kind of alike." Tiffany said.

"I never noticed." Autumn said frowning.

"I thought you loved me!" Linda screamed, causing the five girls to fall silent.

"It's hard to love you you crazy bitch." Sam screamed back.

"I take it that this new girl's pretty." Autumn said quietly.

"Breathtaking." Michelle said.

"I can't believe you cheated on me with that stupid slut." Linda's voice was impossibly loud, especially over the music emanating from the living room.

"Is there any juice?" Autumn asked, quickly losing interest in the argument before her.

"Check the kitchen." Taylor suggested.

"Thanks, I think I will." Autumn pushed herself off of the railing as the other girls turned to her.

"You aren't going to stay and watch?" Tiffany asked.

"No, I've seen it many times before." She answered.

"Well I think we'll stay here, you can't make this shit up." Taylor said, chuckling as they turned around. Autumn watched them for a few moments before going into the house through the living room doors. Autumn weaved her way through the crowded group, trying not to cringe as she felt someone's hand slide across her buttocks. She pushed open the door to the hallway and leant against it as she closed her eyes.

"Getting crazy in there?" Autumn opened her eyes and blinked as Edward stood, blocking the entrance to the kitchen. He smiled, a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

"I'm just looking for juice." Autumn answered and Edward smiled down at her.

"There's some in there. But I recommend the scotch, its good stuff." Edward indicated to the glass in his hand as he moved up the hallway.

"I don't really drink." She answered, causing Edward to smile as he made his way up the stairs.

"Fair enough." Edward disappeared from her view as Autumn pushed the door to the kitchen open.

"Oh. Hello." Autumn blinked as the kitchen door slid shut behind her. Sitting at the kitchen island with a glass of scotch was Dominick. He looked up at her, his hair a tousled mess and his eyes strangely bloodshot. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, the dark, charcoal grey setting off the silver shine of the light above him that shone down on him, making his hair glow grey.

He watched her, his face tight and his eyes wide. He tightened his fingers around the tumbler in his hand and Autumn fought the urge to tug up the neckline of her peach coloured, argyle patterned v-neck. It was fairly innocent and she didn't think the small flash of cleavage was all that bad. She took one look at Dominick's quietly livid demeanour and she tried her hardest to stand her ground and not run away.

"Autumn."

~*~*~*~

AHOY! AUTHORS NOTE AHEAD, FEEL FREE TO SCROLL ON AND IGNORE

Hey guys,

How are things?

This chapter was finished twenty minutes ago. Then I shaved my legs and now I’m going to bed ‘cause it’s like three.

Anyways in the wonderful world of me it is Aussie Day tomorrow and the party my friend planned. Well only me and another friend rsvp’d and fucked if I’ going down to the foreshore. So it’ll just be the three of us. Which is cool by me cause usually everyone else is nicking all my booze (alcohol is expensive and it takes a bit for me to get wasted so I need to buy more, but people keep nicking it *pouts*).

So now for my longwinded response to all your reviews.

You guys got the idea fairly quickly. Jackson was a tool (in all senses of the word) used to get Dom irrevocably jealous.

Yeah, it will be a long wait on the chapters because when I write it’s like there’s a little person in my head. This little person is a representation of that character and writer’s block are my characters fucking off for long weekends in Hawaii with pretty people and ignoring me. And at the moment Dominick is off doing whatever and whomever he pleases. Just not in Hawaii probably Prague. I like to think that if Dom is going away for a while he’ll be in Prague. Autumn has also run off with her sister and a Russian poker champion to do sweet F.A in London. Which means that, in conclusion, writing will be difficult for a while.

Oh look another filler chapter and an incredibly hot guy taking my TAFE course (I’m studying to be a librarian, no joke).

Me, honest? Of course. Why would I lie to you? It would achieve nothing and you deserve to know what is and isn’t happening.

Your Dom is being a total ass cause he blew you off for poker? Tell you want to play poker. Strip poker. But not in front of his mates, that’s a little creepy, even for me.

As for beating my computer for the virus. That would just make things worse. And it would hurt.

UnAutumny? I have friends like the twins. People who are totally different to me but whom I’ve known since I was little. We’re totally different but we’re still great mates. You know? Autumn and the Lucas twins grew up together, nothing can break the bond of a bunch of little girls.

I promised myself that I wouldn’t ask you guys questions, but I also promised myself that I would not do naughty things with naughty boys and well… that’s a story for another time.

QUESTION TIME!

First things first; Edward is creepy, y/n?

Secondly, How many of you have read my other stuff and did ye like? More importantly how many of you can see the connections?

Now, who would be in your ultimate rock band? Like mine would have Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Trent Reznor, Michael Hutchence, Iggy Pop and Adrian Smith.

Yours?

Enough of me.

‘Til next time,
Miss Malice
XOXO
P.s.: I want Chuck Bass on a platter for my birthday.