Chapter 6

Fall

They were in Year 1.

Cerise was new at her primary school. She looked around and saw so many friend groups. They all stared at her, looking bland and small.

"Hello," she said to a black-haired girl standing in a dark corner. The other kids stared. Some backed away. Others whispered amongst themselves.

"I'm Cerise," Cerise said, holding out a hand. The girl stared. "Are you talking to me?" she asked, surprised. Cerise nodded.

The girl shook her hand slowly. "I'm Raven," she whispered, avoiding Cerise's gaze. Cerise smiled. "That's a pretty name," she said.

Raven suddenly smiled. She looked very pretty when she smiled, her eyes twinkling. Cerise wondered why she didn't smile more often.

"Can I be your friend?" she asked carefully.

Raven blinked her huge eyes up at her.

"Do you want to?"

"Yes."

—

They were in Year 5.

"Cerise!" Raven called, her hair blowing past her. She tackled her friend in a hug. "I haven't seen you in twenty years!"

"It was two weeks," Cerise laughed, giving Raven a tight squeeze back. "How was Wales?"

"Cold, but it was lovely. Have you got all the things for the fair?"

Cerise nodded. She had her pocket money ready. They headed to the huge Spring Fair, a colourful commotion. There were rides of all sorts, stalls with toys and food and drinks and dart guns to shoot balloons, and people screaming and laughing, and the smell of fresh popcorn and sweet fairyfloss. There was a large petting zoo and a Haunted House and best of all, the biggest ferris wheel Raven had ever seen.

"Where to go first?" she wondered aloud.

"To the rides! I always wanted to go on the Super Scrambler, and now I'm old enough! Come on!" Cerise cheered.

Raven laughed as her best friend dragged to one of the biggest rides, a yellow machine with little blue and red carriages that swung you around and around. Cerise was bouncing on the spot as they waited in line.

They went on numerous rides, and the rollercoaster was Raven's favourite. Cerise promised to go on it again after they had visited the Haunted House and gotten something to eat.

The Haunted House was terrifying. Raven and Cerise clasped hands and giggled and screamed the entire time. When a skeleton jumped out of a trapdoor, they jumped and grabbed each other. Cerise screamed so loud that the man in the skeleton costume started laughing. Soon all three were laughing like crazy.

Raven and Cerise decided that they would split up to buy each other food. When they reunited, Raven got a salted caremal ice cream from Cerise and Cerise got a lamb kebab from Raven. They headed for popcorn, too, and in the petting zoo, Cerise was doting over a huge sheepdog while Raven was curiously gazing at a menagerie of crows.

The rollercoaster swooped and tumbled, throwing Cerise into Raven's lap and then vice versa. They were both squealing and laughing so hard they didn't notice the ride was over.

The sunset was beautiful, orange and coral and red, the last moments of day. They got some fairyfloss and sat on a hill overlooking the ocean, Raven's head on Cerise's shoulder. It was the best day ever.

—

They were in Year 8.

"Cerise, seriously?" Raven sighed. Cerise had, predictably, gotten a horrible cold and hadn't told anyone. Used tissues were littered around and on her bed. A vomit bag was perched on her bedside table in case.

"Sorry," her sick friend croaked. Raven sighed and went into the bathroom, wetted a towel with cold water, and placed it on Cerise's forehead. She picked up all the used tissues and threw them in the bin, and got out some Panadol.

Through the day, she stayed by her friend's side, rewetting the towel, handing her tissues, checking her temperature. By the end of the day, Cerise had gotten considerably better.

The next day, Raven skipped last period to head to Cerise's and attend further to her friend. She found Cerise stumbling to the bathroom, holding her mouth. She held her matted brown hair back as Cerise retched in the toilet. Raven mopped the sweat off Cerise's forehead and aided her back into the bed. She sung a song that her father used to sing.

"Don't be afraid, my love my love,

I will be at your side always.

Flap your young wings my dove my dove,

I will be with you through all your days.

Never be scared and never be sad,

I will be here and keep by your side.

Please don't cry and don't be mad,

It's never to late to say goodbye."

—

They were in Year 11.

Raven smiled as Dexter came over and kissed her on the cheek. "How's your day going, my queen?" he asked as Raven threaded her arms around him.

"Better now that you're here," she answered.

"Get a room!" Daring hollered, walking up with his arm around Cerise. She chuckled and elbowed him. "Don't be rude," she scolded playfully. "They're only having their daily dose of public affection."

"Why don't we have our's?" Daring smirked, and caught her lips in a kiss. She was a little breathless when he pulled away.

"I'm surprised you're dating so quickly," she said, quick to change the subject. Raven and Dexter blushed.

"We've always had a thing for each other," Raven mumbled shyly.

Daring's phone started to ring. "Sorry, guys," he said, and quickly left.

Cerise smiled, before suddenly lunging at Dexter and slamming him against a locker. He gulped as she grabbed his collar and stared into his eyes.

"Break her heart and I'll break your neck…" she hissed.

Dexter nodded profusely as Raven pulled Cerise off him. "Now now," she reprimanded. "He won't hurt me."

How wrong she was.

—

They were graduating from university.

Cerise and Raven were wracking with sobs, their eyes and cheeks wet with tears.

"P-P-Promise you'll come back and v-visit!" Cerise said as they embraced for the umpteenth time.

"I swear on my life!" Raven sobbed as she tightened her grip on her bestie. She was moving to Wales with her father, and Dexter was coming along.

"Never will I forget you, Raven," Cerise swore.

Raven grabbed Cerise's hands. "Cerise, you are so beautiful and generous and funny. You will be so much more than just a girl."

Cerise was too choked up to talk, so she smushed Raven in another hug. They parted ways with tears and smiles.

—

And now, with the screech of brakes and honking of horns and flashing of lights, Raven didn't know what hurt more - her heart shattering at the utter terror, fear, and heartbreak on Cerise's face, or the horrifying pain as her body crashed onto the unforgiving cement below.

Please don't cry and please don't be mad,

It's never too late to say goodbye.

Welp, so much for fluff and happiness. Oh well. To be honest I am quite proud of this chapter. A lot of these flashbacks are related to some moments I've had with my best friends. Love you all, BFFs! *Blows kisses everywhere*

Thanks for reading, guys. Please please please review and if you do, I'd like you know who you feel most sorry for and who you'd like to see more of.

- Reade :)