.cherry berry.

You’ll never guess who I just saw around QUINCY BOROUGH! They looked exactly like CANDICE PATTON but I overheard them introduce themselves as CHERRY THOMPSON and say they were a THIRTY-TWO year old CISFEMALE that prefers SHE/HER pronouns. I think they’re an PAINTER/PHOTOGRAPHER who has been living in the city for 3 MONTHS.

• She has lived in Vesta for her entire life pretty much, until she went to University of Michigan for school. She moved back for a while but left again with her boyfriend. She recently moved back in with her mother.
• She was named Cherry because her mother is a baker and named her eldest after her favorite dessert—cherry pie. She has a sister named Honey and a brother name Sage.
• She loves taking pictures of people and showing every detail of them. No airbrushing. No alterations. Just the truest form of that person. She wants to highlight the importance of understanding that beauty comes in any form and can be found in everyone.

POSITIVE TRAITS: detail oriented, ambitious, forgiving

NEGATIVE TRAITS: pessimistic, dishonest, afraid of conflict

“I want to be 14 so I can ruin my life differently.” -anon

“Hunter, I know! I know that it was wrong. I should’ve talk to you, I should’ve told you how I was feeling b-but I just thought you would get mad at me and we’d be talking in circles. You had your head stuck in your writing literally 24/7 and by the time you came to bed I’d been laying their alone for hours. I wanted to take care of you and love on you b-but you just kept pushing me away!” She needed to calm down. She was getting all riled up and for what? “I tried over and over to get you to pay attention to me but whenever I did you’d just be so busy. I thought maybe I wasn’t good enough. Maybe I wasn’t attractive. M-Maybe I smelled bad—I don’t know!” It was obvious she was getting anxious again, rubbing her arms awkwardly as she spoke, her body language cutting her off from him and showing just how fearful she was to have this conversation. “I tried to make everything perfect for you. I changed the way I’d clean up the house I…I cut my hair, did my makeup differently, dressed differently…and you never noticed. I tried different perfumes. I tried to make you something amazing every night for dinner and it was like…I dunno, like you were dead or something. And I just kept thinking there’s something wrong with me. He keeps rejecting me. That’s what it felt like—rejection. It felt like everything on that paper was worth more to you than me. And that if you could look at this idealized version of me rather than the real me, you could be happy. You could be content with not marrying me and just staying my boyfriend forever. You could be content laying next to me if you knew all you had to do was fall asleep and see the other me with you. Like I was so flawed that the thought of even looking up to tell me goodnight was too much for you. So yeah…I cheated. I strayed. And I feel awful about it. I think about it constantly I mean—even when I was with Trevor all I could think about was if you were feeling okay. If you were hungry or sad or angry with me. If you were safe and warm in our bed…if you were with someone else. It was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. And I let it go too far. Not only did I lose the love of my life but…my best friend. And that’s what hurt me even more.”

Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose. How was he supposed to know any of this? Yes, he had fallen into his work. Yes, he had pushed a lot of his energy into writing the past few years, but he had had to. He had to be successful to prove to his father that he wasn’t some washed up joke. The he could be a successful writer, even if he was just writing romance. And they had been together for so long… Hunter always thought she was beautiful. Long hair or natural hair. Make-up or no make-up she had been perfect. Maybe he should have paid attention more? It was likely. He’d come from the world of sports where your mind was always lazer focused on the goal at hand. Still, all of this didn’t seem very fair to dump on him if she had never talked to him in the first place. Now, Hunter could only shrug, feeling defeated. “Things I could have fixed had I known I was screwing up at the time. Now it’s too late. Why hash it out now if it doesn’t change anything now! But you know what, two can play this game. There was a ring. There is a ring actually, and I was just waiting for the right time. Is that what you want to hear? Does that makes this better? I was working for us. I apologize if I did not communicate that well, but that’s all that was going on.” He shrugged. “I lost you and my best friend. My heart is shattered, so excuse me if I feel no sympathy towards you regretting your mistakes. I didn’t even know I was making mine.”

“Hm…god, but that’s gotta be so uncomfortable, right? And talking to your cat isn’t…so bad. I would say yah know a little crazy but I mean I’ve heard worse.” She shrugged. “Okay weird question for you by the way. Do you think I could take some pictures of you sailing? I know that sounded odd but I’m a photographer and you’ve just got this…look about you. I feel like you’d do well on camera.”

“I mean it’s hell to take off for sure, but when you’re in it, it’s kinda like channeling your inner penguin. I don’t know. Yeah, it’s a bit strange to be asked by someone you just met if they could take pictures of you. Like how do I know they aren’t gonna end up in some freaky serial killer set up thing? I feel like I should at least see some credentials.”

“Oh just ‘cause…Michigan…cold…I-I—it was a bad joke.” She shrugged and laugh awkwardly. “Honestly I think my people skills have gone down in the past few months.”

“Oh right, well, I mean you get a thick enough suit and it shouldn’t be too bad. Hey, they’re not that bad. But that is coming from a guy who spends most his day talking to his cat.”

“Makes him sound a bit like a plant. Oh! Yeah it’s beautiful out there. Do you like…sail or something? I know you wouldn’t be surfing.”

“Kinda, I haven’t in a while, I’ve been fixing up this boat I found so that’s taken up a lot of my time. What makes you say that? I love surfing, back in North Carolina I did it all the time!”

She stepped inside and for the first time since she’d left him she felt at home. Of course everything felt wrong with their furniture was gone…like there was none of their love left inside the apartment anymore. She looked at the envelope in her hands and took a deep breath, shaking her head and handing it back. “I don’t want this, Hunter. Keep the money, that doesn’t matter to me.” Although she could’ve really used to to be honest. She had moved back with her mom for more than just someone to cry into the lap of. She was damn near broke and having to build herself back up. “You know how bad I am with confrontation…I thought you were falling out of love with me. I thought you didn’t want me anymore but you were too scared to say it…Trevor wanted me. And he gave me attention and…I mistook that for love. I never loved him…in fact, I never really liked him all that much. I just thought moving on was the best thing to do but then you never broke up with me a-and you…you didn’t ask me to marry you so I thought you were just…settling for me. Waiting for me to say something. You were pushing me away so hard I just didn’t fight it because I’m…I’m weak. So…you say there’s nothing to talk about but for me? There’s a lot that’s heavy on my heart. And I’m sure it’s heavy on yours too.” She furrowed her brows and looked down to her feet. “Ever symbol of our love in this place is gone. No money could replace that, Hunter.”

Hunter put a hand up in surrender. He was not about to fight her over money. “I’m not taking it back. It’s yours. You helped buy the furniture, it’s only right.” He was going to mail it to her, but now he didn’t need to because she was here. Then to hear she thought he was falling out of love with him? This was news to Hunter and he looked at her with disbelief. “I never meant for you to feel that way, but Cherry… You could have talked to me. Tried to break up with me. Yell at me. You could have done anything but cheat on me and this situation might have been fixable! But you cheated on me because I never proposed to you?! I wrote a whole fucking romance series inspired by you! How was I pushing you away?” Hunter was pretty blind to those days where he had retreated into himself. “That was the point of selling everything, Cherry. I’m trying to move on. Having all our stuff here was not helping with that…”

“A cat of the world. I like that.” She nodded in agreement. “Nice to meet you too, Ethan. I haven’t seen you around here. Then again I hadn’t been around for a few months. Or maybe I’m just like totally blind.”

“Yeah, I honestly have to claim to the guy, I just make sure he’s fed and watered. I’ve been here for about a year. I mostly just hang around the beach, haven’t strayed too far from there so no need to check your eyesight.”

“W-Well I don’t want you to be sad…” Cherry would do anything to remedy the situation, especially since she caused it. “I truly don’t mind paying for it at all. Honestly. Just…anything I can do to help…”

“i really appreciate it. so thank you for offering, but i’m good, i really am!” she tried her best to sound convincing. “i might have spent so much time on that car i forgot to submit an important assignment. it has to be karma.” she shrugged it off, brushing her fingers over the chipping paint. “but if you’re down for it, we could try and pick some cool design to paint on top of it. if you suggest we do flames, though, now i’ll get real’ pissed.”

“A-A bowl?!” Cherry feigned her fear with a dramatic gasp before laughing. “I had a feeling you were joking. Although I do hope your cat is okay. I mean…your friends cat.” She offered a smile as she fidgeting with her phone case. “I’m Cherry by the way.”

“Alright, truthfully it’s a cat of the world. He just seems to hang around me a lot, so I’ve taken to him. He should be fine, I mean he seems fine. I’m Ethan, it’s nice to meet you.”

“I can only assume the worst…did the cat get into your friends stash on accident? Or did they just pour it up a glass?”

“No, come on now, they obviously didn’t pour the cat a glass, it was in a bowl. I’m kidding- no, no they just had a couple sips by accident.”

@vestalanding​

“Does anyone know the possible side effects of giving a cat an energy drink? I uh- I’m asking for a friend.”

CANDICE PATTON Haute Living (2019) | © Shane McCauley

Seeing someone enjoying her mother’s baking always made her day. She laughed softly and leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. “I’ll have to talk to my momma. She’s the one who made them.” She shrugged. “But I can totally get you more.”

     “Really?” His smile perked up at her words. “I’d really appreciate it, if it isn’t too much on your mom of course. She can take as long as she needs. And, again, I’m more than willing to pay. Or doing an exchange of sorts.” He promised with a smile, as he got ready to take another bite. “Oh! I’m sorry don’t let me just hog it, please you should have some too.”

“Beer shouldn’t be a specialty drink, ever.”

“Yeah, she’s the best. Isn’t she?” She laughed softly. “I-I know! I know it hurts but I mean…I dunno, I’m hurting too and it’s all regret. A-And I just really can’t stand the thought of you hurting because of something horrible I did I just…I wanna talk to you…Just for a little while…” unable to make eye contact the whole time she glanced inside. “Hunter, where is our couch…? Why didn’t you just call me? I could’ve taken it…”

“She is. Let her know I said hi,” he offered politely. “You’re hurting?” Hunt chuckled mirthlessly. “Well maybe you and Trevor should have thought through the consequences of your actions before they happened. What is there even to talk about?” Hunt asked exasperatedly. At he question though, he sighed and took a step to the side so she could see into their old loft apartment. “You were gone. Living with him. I needed a change of scenery and I didn’t think you needed a couch. Hang on…” Hunt walked inside to his desk and grabbed an envelope out of the drawer. He handed the envelope to Cherry. “Here… It’s half of the money made from selling the furniture.”

Cherry was beyond nervous to see Hunter again. She’d sat in her room for an hour after texting just thinking about how it could all go wrong. Somehow she mustered up the courage to really go over there. She would’ve nearly let those cookies rot by her bed if not. She took a deep breath and rang the door bell but froze when he answered it. God it was that same feeling again. She missed being near him…she missed seeing even his disappointed face and yearned for the days when he was excited to see her. Every moment of her immense fuck up was rattling in her brain as she looked up to him. “U-Uhm…yeah. Yeah I know I just…didn’t want anyone to steal them.” She was half lying. She knew if someone got their hands on those cookies her mother would be more pissed off than when she found out what Cherry did to Hunter and there would most definitely be a cookie addict on the loose. “That and…I was hoping to catch up with you. Yah know…see how you’re doing. B-But that’s probably stupid you don’t want to see me, hah…I-I’m sorry, I’ll just go. Text me and let me know when the book comes out. I might not read it but I’ll totally hype it up anonymously on amazon.”

Hunter sighed deeply and held his hand out for the cookies. “I don’t think we have a cookie bandit on my floor, but thank you for getting them to me safely. I will now devour them in three bites… You mom does make the best cookies…” He said looking down at the container, thinking about all the holidays where her mom had made cookies just for him. Hunt sighed, pressing his head against the door. “Cherry, I get that you’re trying, but can you stop? I’m mad at you. I’m upset with you and that’s hard to do when you’re bringing me cookies, and wanting to catch up, and trying to help me sell my book. It all hurts. All of it. Looking at you hurts. Do you understand that?”