Cherry - part 8

Cherry

Honors

Cathy's story was heartbreaking for her to listen to. A girl who went through that much trouble throughout her life did not deserve to be yelled at.

She wonders if anyone would be so nice to her if she had to leave home. Who did she even know who could take her in for good? She looked at the poor girl and wanted to help her. She could. Would she take her charity? Would she be offended and leave, if she offered her money? She wanted to get to know Cathy. She had a courage she never could find in herself.

“Cathy, may I help you?” She said, after a long, long silence. She looked at her weirdly, as if she had said 'May I kill you and then rape your lifeless body?', but she had offered her help. That wasn't something she shouldn't be the least bit used to by now. She had been helped before. Couldn't she take Cherry's help, then?

“Why?” She said slowly, hesitating.

“I think you've done a great thing, considering. You deserve a better job, something you would like to do. You deserve the chance to get an education. And I would be honored to help you get on with your life.”

Cathy looked offended, and Cherry was immediately regrettable in her speech. She shouldn't have said what she said. Not like that. She made Cathy sound like a social loser. Which she kind of is, but she still did a great, great thing by making it on her own for so long.

“You'll help me get on with my life?” She snorted, and Cherry was confused. Was that the part she was offended by? She must be able to see for herself, that her life is going no where.

“I would be honored to help you.” She repeated, this time slower, apologetic.

“Fine then!” She bursted, then calmed herself. “You wanna help me? Good! Then I'll send you all my checks. I'll go search for an education and I'll buy all the stuff one could ever need, and I'll send you the bill. Fine? Because that's what I want!” Her breathing got heavier.

“Calm down, Cathy. That's not what I meant, and you know it. I may have the resources to do such, but that doesn't mean I want to give you a life of luxury on a silver platter. No way. Believe it or not, even though my family is rich beyond belief, doesn't mean I get everything served. In this family, you have to prove your right to get a bigger room. You have to do good in school and do chores at home to get access to that loaded credit card, your parents hold above your head. In this family, they lie to you about how far you are. You may already have done everything around there is to do, you have done the maids' jobs for a week, you've stayed late up and studied to get straight A's. You're exhausted and they tell you there's just this one more thing... And you can go buy yourself whatever you want, but no, there's always just a bit more. My father works all the time and my mother is a classic housewife. I was her toy for many years. What could she make me do next? That's how it is to grow up here, it's not toys and plays all the time. They make you think that, but no. So I'll help you, the same way I was helped. You are going to start an education. I'll pay for it, but you're not getting a cent more than what the school bills me. Everything else is on you, and I suggest you go get some money in the bank, because computer, notepads, books... they are not cheap. When you're through, I'll give you ten thousand dollars, but only if you graduate with a decent result. And do I even have to tell you, that if you don't make it through, I will not pay a single penny anymore. Choose right in the first place, get in, and we got ourselves a deal. Okay?”

She was shocked, Cherry could see the shock in her eyes. She nodded.

“What do you get out of all this?” She mumbles. Cherry shrugs.

“A project, I think, while I work.”

Cathy's dress is stained by some tea she spilled at some point.