Cherry Soda
It’s just another day, right? Colette waited patiently for Theo, a shy anticipation building within her as she waited for him to answer the door.
She heard the mechanical clamor of the lock clicking as the door swiftly swung open. Before her heart could flutter with a mix of fear and anticipation, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the comforting warmth of his embrace.
“I missed you…” he whispered, a familiar smirk playing on his lips. He found her bashful reactions - the flushed cheeks, a downcast gaze -endlessly captivating.
A large bowl of red cherries sat in the living room, ready for them as she followed him inside. They sat down on the couch, and he nudged the juicy, crimson fruit in her direction.
“Are you hungry?” He asked, raising a cherry to his lips. A soft pop came from his mouth as he bit into the juicy fruit, the gushing juices staining his lips a rich, dark red. It had the same deep red hue of blood, a color she was intimately familiar with.
Captivated, she imitated Theo, lifting a cherry by its stem and dangling it before her mouth. She sank her teeth into the glossy red skin of the fruit, the sweet juice pouring out, staining her lips and fingers a vibrant crimson.
Theo admired the shade of red on her lips, gently lifting her chin for a kiss. “It’s very becoming,” he whispered. He leaned in, and just as his lips were about to …
“Gasp!” Startled awake, Colette pressed a hand to her lips. The kiss with Theo left her struggling to separate her dreams from reality. She tossed and turned in her bed, the sheets tangled around her legs, knowing sleep wouldn’t come easily.
Looking back, a sense of unease washed over her as she questioned whether they had truly found closure. Because Theo locked the door, the seemingly empty library needed to be inspected. Hearing the groundskeeper, they abruptly ended their kiss. Because Theo could fly, they were able to escape through the window without being seen.
“But we just let things die off there…” Colette whimpered to herself.
To soothe her frayed nerves, she went to the kitchen to brew some tea. The kettle began to boil on the stove, its soft gurgling a counterpoint to the clinking of tea tins as she explored her options. She pulled out a red packet that had the name Royal Red. As she flipped the packaging over, she saw the words “cherry infused” and a picture of ripe cherries.
“Cherries again?” A blush crept across her cheeks as she recalled the vivid details of her dream, feeling the heat rise in her face. As she poured hot water over the tea-bag, its sweet aroma filled the air.
A warm breath escaped her lips as she took her first sip of dark red tea. “It’s good...” she murmured, longing to fall back asleep.
The next day at school, Colette felt completely drained. Despite the tea, she remained awake and busied herself with various tasks, such as trimming her bangs.
At their lockers, she and Rika met to start their day.
“Did you cut your bangs?” Rika questioned as she inspected Colette’s hairstyle. “I see you’re letting your hair grow…I like it” She gestured with a thumbs up. She pulled a tube of cherry lip balm from her locker and applied it.
Startled, Colette exclaimed, “Cherries again!? It must be an omen!”
The statement left Rika confused, halting her application process. Colette sighed and leaned in closer to Rika to whisper, “I kissed Theo.”
In shock, Rika dropped the chapstick to the ground and screamed, “What!?”
In a flash, Colette seized Rika’s wrist and pulled her into the girl’s bathroom.
“So you kissed Theo!” Rika echoed in the bathroom. “What does that have to do with cherries?”
“Well, that’s just the thing! We kissed, and now I’m being plagued by cherries! The dream, the tea, and the chapstick!” She whined erratically.
Rika giggled sarcastically. “Okay, slow down. I’m still not following. Elaborate on the cherries…”
Colette recounted the dream vividly, unafraid of the consequences. Having listened intently, Rika reached her verdict. “That just sounds like you’re a pervert, but let’s check a dream dictionary to be sure,” Rika said, quickly looking up the meaning of cherries and announcing, “Dreaming of cherries can symbolize sweetness, youth, and...”
With bated breath, Colette exclaimed, “And?”, desperate for a response.
“Temptation.” Rika’s conniving eyes darted towards Colette. “I wouldn’t look into this too much. It’s just a search tool from the internet…Pervert!” She snickered, running away from Colette. As the school bell rang, they narrowly avoided being late to class.
Colette spent fourth period thinking about what her dream meant. In the corner of her notebook, she quickly sketched a vampire and mused, “Youth, huh?”
Remembering the other dream interpretation of cherries, she continued sketching hearts in her notebook. Temptation. A wave of goosebumps washed over her arms. The memory of her first kiss, the soft touch of lips and the flutter in her stomach, replayed endlessly in her mind.
The school bell brought her wandering mind back to reality. In a scurry, she flew out of the classroom and immediately saw his fiery red hair and intense eyes, their color making her heart pound. She came to an abrupt halt, stunned.
With a gesture towards the empty stairwell, Theo began, “Let’s talk...”
Her heart throbbed. She suspected he would write off their kiss as a mistake. Or worse, he was about to end their friendship.
As he led her into the isolated place, Colette felt a surge of panic. Overwhelmed by anxiety, she freaked out and fumbled for words. A gasp caught in her throat as her breath hitched in her chest. A blush crept up her neck and onto her face; her vision blurred with the threat of tears as she summoned the courage to admit her feelings.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Theo quietly pulling two ice-cold red sodas from his backpack. Distracted, Theo pressed the ice-cold bottle against her burning cheek, and she felt the sharp chill.
“Oh!” she squeaked self-consciously.
“I got us some sodas from the vending machine.” He gulped down the soda and let out a refreshing sigh. His eyes softly glanced in her direction before he continued, “You know, Colette…Whatever we are, we can take it at our own pace…I have forever, you know.”
Colette was stunned by his comment. She was certain that he regretted their moment. Before she could plan a response, he whispered into her ear. “I’m yours.”
As he walked away, sipping his soda, he flashed her that familiar devilish grin. She glanced down at the red, fizzing beverage, and read it aloud.
“Cherry soda…seriously?”
