There was ice cream all over the floor. Not to mention the chocolate syrup that was gushing out of the bottle that Ari was squeezing absently.

"God, Ari it's not that weird."

"Rish, you sure she's not having a heart attack or something?"

Cherish rolled her eyes, "No, Sev, she's just being a drama queen."

Ari blinked once, but continued to stare at the two of them like they'd fallen out of the ceiling unexpectedly. "Rish," she whispered loudly. "Seven's behind you!"

"Oh good, you can see him too! I was beginning to think I was imagining him."

"But..."

Cherish shrugged at her sister's dumbstruck expression and sauntered out into the living room.  "Megan, I think you might need to go pick Ari's jaw off the floor. Oh, and the ice cream, too." She wasn't surprised that both Megan and Darla stared at her and Seven in shock, too; it wouldn't be stupid to assume that Ari had told her friends all about it. Even if she hadn't, the whole school had pretty much noticed they hadn't been speaking to each other for almost a month. Like the girls she had heard in the hallways a week ago, people had come up with more than one theory as to why.

Seeing her and Seven together might be a shock to more than just a few people. She jumped down onto the couch, effortlessly edging Darla from her seat and grabbed the T.V. remote control, "So what do you wanna watch, Sev?"

"Um..."

Cherish looked at Darla, whom Seven was eyeing in amusement as he sat on Cherish's other side, "Yeah?"

"Aren't you guys, um... not talking?"

"Yeah, well," Seven stretched out, looping an arm over Cherish's shoulder, "I'm kinda over the fact that she cheated on me with Ian. In all honesty, I kind of drove her to it since I was fucking his sister and Cherry was so broken hearted over it. And the whole Juss thing? I can't really be mad at her about that, now can I? He bought her flowers and she blew him, but if you think about it, it's really nothing considering the fact that Joana's friend Liz and I have been having quickies in my truck behind the school and now she's having my love child."

Darla looked absolutely affronted when Cherish threw her head back and cackled. "Oh My God! Seriously? People think that!?"

"Apparently," he shrugged. "That's not even the half of it."

"I know! I heard that you were pissed off with me because on the night of the party I got trashed and had to be carried upstairs by you and the guys and then it somehow turned into a group orgy and I ended up ditching you for Ian because he was better. I mean, golly, what the hell do these people think??"

"Orgy?"

"Yeah."

"Better than me?"

"Yeah, I know, Bunny, you'll really need to straighten out that rumour," she patted his knee patronizingly.

"So," Darla suddenly said, "I kind of expected most of those stories to be untrue, but what really did happen? I mean you guys have been avoiding each other for a while. It's obvious to everyone."

"It's none of your business, Darla," Megan said as she joined them again.

"Exactly," Cherish affirmed tightly as she flicked through some channels.

"You're not really pregnant, are you?" Darla eyed her middle section dubiously.

"Fuck no! Why the hell would you think that?"

"Because... you do know that's the other story going around, don't you? The one that most people believe. That you guys... yeah... and then you got pregnant and he didn't necessarily take it too well so you ditched him for being a jerk about it. And Ian and Juss are supporting you and taking care of you, and then Seven felt bad about his reaction and bought you flowers to try and apologise but you wouldn't talk to him so he got all sulky. You gotta admit that it fits better than any of the other stories."

Cherish frowned at the way Darla was eyeing her stomach again as she finished her story. Seven rolled his eyes, "Yeah Darla, that's exactly what happened. We had sex on this couch while her dad was sleeping upstairs. Do you see something wrong with that?"

"So then what?" Darla asked in exasperation.

"Seven decided to join the army after we graduate without asking me. Is it okay for me to be a little upset without there being some huge prime time drama story behind it?"

"Oh," Darla shifted uncomfortably. "You'll need to shave your head, you know?"

Seven laughed so hard he cried.

-.-

This time Cherish had no one to blame for all the awkwardness and whispering but herself. She supposed she shouldn't have told Darla that stupid joining the army story on Saturday night. Since they'd walked in to their Biology class together that morning, people had been furtively glancing and whispering. Seven chuckled as they exited class; Cherish was ranting about her new lab partner. "Oh my God. If that girl asks me one more ridiculous personal question, I'm going to dissect her voice box!"

"Easy, Rish! Violence is never the answer," Seven said with mock sincerity as Ian grinned.

"Oh my god, I heard! I know it's none of my business, but what are you going to do if he dies in combat? Aren't you afraid that your baby will never know its father? If you need to talk I'm totally here for you! I can't believe he would do such a thing! Nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh nyeh.... Violence is so very much the answer!"

Seven smirked, "This coming from the one who ran away from the axe murderer with the Rottweiler out back screaming like a little girl!"

"I am a girl, if you haven't noticed," she narrowed her eyes at him. "And do you know she asked me which position the two of us prefer?"

Seven choked and elbowed Ian who'd begun outright laughing, "Okay, violence is the answer."

-.-

"So, you guys are just friends?"

Cherish rolled her eyes at the fact that Allie was asking her the same question yet again. Didn't she get it?  "Yeah," she said as if it were the only answer that could be expected.

This time, though, Allie didn't just say okay like she didn't really believe Cherish, she smiled and folded her hands excitedly in her lap. "Okay, so can I ask you something? I wanted to ask before but I kinda figured it was a bad idea, but now..."

"Just spit it out, Als."

"What was the kiss like?"

Cherish paused and looked at Allie, "Um... I dunno."

"Oh, come on! That is not your answer!"

It had been one week of being friends with Seven. Actually being friends with him; no weird pseudo truce that forced them to be friends because there was no other alternative to staying sane when physically stuck to another person.  She could tell Allie what it was like being friends with him; what it was like hanging out, talking, eating.  She could even tell Allie what is it was like in those fear gripped moments when he'd start creeping into her mind.

"Well, I don't know."  It was her answer for now, she hadn't really let herself think about it too much.  She guessed if she were going to give Allie a real answer, she might say nice, it was nice.  At least that's what her mind had been thinking then.  But she wasn't ready to even think about any of that.  "I don't want to talk about it, Als."

Allie frowned, "Sorry, Rish.  I didn't mean to push.  Whenever you're ready."

Cherish nodded returned to her History assignment on the counter, but she couldn't focus.  She wanted to ask Allie about David and what was going on.  She hadn't missed that David had dropped her off that afternoon.  She also hadn't missed Allie's passion bruised lips.

Cherish was afraid to bring it up; scared that she'd err on the side of implying not so nice things about Allie.  She took a deep breath, reminded herself that both Juss and Allie were her friends and she should stay calm and neutral.

"Can I ask you something, Allie?"

Allie's gaze shot up to Cherish in a panic. "Um... sure?"

"How are you doing?  You know with the whole David thing?"  Allie's face held so many emotions right then and Cherish felt for her friend.  "I know you guys are hanging out, but I know you said you weren't sure about - well, everything."

"David and I are literally just talking.  We're not doing anything.  Yet.  I dunno.  I'm not going to string them both along or anything.  That would be weird.  I know you're worried about Juss, Rish."

Cherish frowned, "I'm not only worried about him, Allie!  You need someone to talk to about this.  I'm his friend too, but I'm all about chicks before dicks!  I mean, at the least, if you're not sure about what you want to do about either of the dicks, maybe talking about it would help you out!"

"Only you, Rish!" Allie laughed and then paused, "I know Juss is starting to like me... and honestly, I know he's not usually the relationship type.  He and I were never supposed to be more than just fooling around.  Geez, listen to me!  I sound so..."

"What?  Human."

"I was going to say slutty." Allie whispered.

"Seriously?  No."  Cherish grabbed Allie's hand across the table. "Never say that again.  You are not the only girl ever in high school to get with a boy who wasn't her boyfriend, if that's what you're worried about.  So what if you wanted to have some fun?"

Allie's eye filled with tears, and Cherish was worried that in trying to make her feel better she'd done the exact opposite.  

"Allie? Why is this bothering you so much?"   

"I dunno... I guess, because I never thought I'd be this girl."

"Strong?  Kickass?  In charge?  Which one?"  Allie smiled and tilted her head at Cherish; come on!  Cherish pressed on, not wanting Allie to derail her thought, "All those girls giving it up to boyfriends, are doing it because they think they need to satisfy some stupid hormonal walking sex drive.  

"Those same girls are the ones who judge 'sluts' because they're not in a labeled relationship.  You can bet, those same girls will give it up to more than one boyfriend.  So, what, that label somehow makes it different?  Allie, those girls, they do it to keep a boyfriend, to please a boyfriend, to make themselves feel better about themselves because the boyfriend wants them/needs them/says they're good in bed.  

"And they, and you, will judge the girls who do it because they want to and not for some boy. Don't ever feel bad about being you, Allie.  Don't feel bad about knowing what you want and doing it.  Hooking up with Juss or David does not define you.  It's not what makes you you.  Don't let other people tell you it does."

Allie crushed Cherish into a hug, squeaking out a thank you, and they stayed like that hugging over the kitchen island for longer than was comfortable.    

"I'll be here, no matter what you decide about Juss or David," Cherish sat back, picking up the water bottles they'd knocked over.  "Just promise me you'll tell Juss if things are getting more serious with David.  I love you but I don't want to see him hurt."

"I don't either."   

-.-

"Shit! It's cold!" Cherish cursed as she breezed through the doors and into the midst of a group of girls around her age. She might have apologised for interrupting their apparent conversation if they weren't standing right inside the doors and looking at her like they owned the place.

"Jackets usually help," one of the girls informed her with barely concealed condescension.

Cherish rolled her eyes and was about to brush past the girls when a pair of arms circled her from behind, pulling her backwards into a body. The surge of panic, a hot-cold white noise that took over everything, ebbed away slowly as a familiar voice washed over her senses, "That better?"

"Yeah, actually," her breathing steadied and feeling came back into her knees, "Thanks, Sev." 

"No problem, Pumpkin," he snuggled his arms further around her and leaned his tall frame onto her. "Took you long enough to get here."

"Yeah, I know. Where is everyone? I thought they'd be here already."

"Nope."

Cherish liked the warm feeling but was beginning to feel a little awkward, especially with the way his breath was tickling the side of her face so pleasingly. A pleasing she didn't want to feel or think about.  But she had left her jacket in her car and it was cold, so it was either be comfortable or be comfortable, and she was more inclined towards the warmer of the two comfortables.

Giving up on letting the situation feel odd, she leaned back into him and noticed the girls were still standing around, although now much more uncertainly. Upon looking at them a second time, she realised they seemed to be the type of girls that tailed Seven. Perhaps he had only hugged her to get rid of them.

It was only when one of the girls cleared her throat that Seven spoke again. "Right. Girls, this is Cherish. Cherish, these are some of the girls I used to work with. I ran into them while I was waiting..." he trailed off uncomfortably.

Ah yes, the infamous stalker girls from work! Well they weren't really infamous, or stalkers, but once or twice she'd heard him mention to Ian the couple of girls who couldn't get the hint that he wasn't interested. But she knew Seven well enough to know that female attention was not a burden to him, and if they flirted, he'd flirt right back. She also knew that if he really didn't want you around you'd know, and you definitely wouldn't be around anymore.

Cherish grinned widely at the girls; he hadn't hugged her to get rid of them. "Oh! I've heard a lot about you!"

"Really? We haven't heard anything about you."

She might have let it go if it hadn't been for the annoying condescension they were treating her to. As if she were one of those little tarts that followed Seven like tails, shamelessly throwing themselves at him, willing to be another flavour of the day/week/month, just to say that he'd paid them some attention. "That might be because he doesn't complain about me."

Seven chuckled into her hair, and she tensed as he poked his thumbs into her pant pockets with all the familiarity of a boyfriend. "Nah," his amused drawl was directed at the girls. "It's because my personal life is personal."

One of the girls, not seeming to understand that his words had been a direct dismissal, frowned, "But didn't you tell us about the last one? Jo?"

"Yeah, but that's 'cause I was always complaining about how fucking annoying she was."

"Who's fucking annoying?"

Cherish looked over to see Juss dusting a bit of light snow from his jacket; she smiled awkwardly when he raised a brow at her tucked in Seven's arms.

"Jo," Seven informed him.

"No shit!" Juss agreed, and looked questioningly at the other girls.

"They used to work with Sev."

"Oh... Oh!" He tapped Seven's shoulder, his volume dropping only a bit, "They the stalker girls?"

Cherish bit her lip to keep from laughing, but had to bury her face in Seven's sleeve when he coughed uneasily in answer to the question they'd all heard.

"Guess that's a yes," Juss winked at Cherish. The girls didn't wait around to be humiliated any more. "Aww leaving so soon, girls? But I just got here. Next time then!" Juss called out to them as they left. "Bye girls!"

"Juss!"

"What?"

"Thanks man," Seven sighed, "I thought Rish would get rid of them."

"Me?"

"So that's why you guys are cuddled closer than the middle of sushi?"

Seven shrugged after a second's hesitation, "She was cold. Where's E and Deals?"

Juss smirked, "The subject change! You two are getting really good at that. They're already inside."

Cherish flushed at his implication but decided not to acknowledge it, "So why are we waiting out here?"

"Allie," Seven answered plainly. 

But Juss was already through the inside doors, "Yeah, she's not coming." He was nonchalant as he held the doors open for them, and Cherish avoided looking at him just in case she was being transparent again.

Instead she pulled her phone from her purse and dialed Ian's number, "What happened to meeting at the south doors?"

They weren't the type to normally make plans to hang out at the mall on a weekend, but with Christmas barely two weeks away it seemed a little necessary. Not so much for Cherish, as she was done her shopping, but she was more than happy to join her friends for the fun of it.

Helping Ian pick out gifts for his family and Delia seemed like much more fun that sitting at home on a Saturday night. Admittedly the holiday shopping crowds were little less than desirable company, but watching silly little scene girls fawn over Seven and Juss made it well worth the discomfort.

"Hey. So how's the shopping going?" Cherish asked Juss casually as their friends disappeared into a crowded store.

"Meh." That was not her Juss.

"What's up, Juss? You okay?"

"Yeah.  I guess.  Allie just said something the other night and I'm... not sure how to... feel."

Cherish smiled at his typical male reaction to feeling. "What-?"

"I asked her about Christmas," he sighed awkwardly.  "She kinda just brushed it off.  Like, you don't need to get me anything Juss, we're just fuck buddies."

Cherish opened her mouth but nothing came out, and she was quite aware that she must look like a fish, gaping the way she was.  It's just that she wasn't sure how to feel about that either. 

"I know things between us started out all benefits and nothing else, but I dunno, we've kinda gotten close... Yeah, we're not really in a relationship, but we're more than just fuck buddies... aren't we?  Or maybe... I dunno, we're always together, like whenever we're with you guys so it feels like it could be more...  I probably shouldn't shit where I eat... or however that saying goes."

Cherish took some time to process what he'd said, weighing out her possible responses in her head.  Juss wasn't sure, Allie wasn't sure.  The only thing they were sure about was that they'd benefited from each other.  

"Maybe you're both right, Juss. You guys were all benefits and no relationship, why not just leave it that way? And next time don't fuck around with one of your friends."

Juss gave her a long hard look, somewhat defeated and a tiny bit amused. "Shouldn't be too hard, there's only you, Ian and Sev! We all know I won't go two of those three places, and the third would be like fucking a sister!"

Cherish laughed, a glint in her eye as she jumped off the bench to join the others. "I'm so telling Ian you said that!"

-.-

"You know what? We should do something for Christmas before Cherish leaves for Montreal!"

"Woah! Deals! I didn't need to see or feel your dinner!" Cherish wiped a bit of Delia's French fry off her face.

"Oops, Sorry. But what do you think? We get off school on Wednesday, right? And you don't leave until Friday, so we could have a party, or something. I mean just the group of us, nothing big."

Cherish pretended to ponder the idea, playing with her fork as Delia babbled about what they could do.

"I'm not working on that Thursday," Seven offered.

"Yay! Seven's in!" Delia chirped and clapped her hands in as girly a way as they'd ever seen her do.

"Deals, you're such a little kid! Of course we're all in!" Cherish laughed.

"So what are we doing then?

"Well we need a place first," Delia said sheepishly because there was no way she'd be having the party at her house when her parents hated her friends.

"Um, I don't know about my place," Ian thought aloud, "I mean with the kids around and..."

"Yeah, I get it, so my place then?" Cherish raised a brow, "Unless one of you other goons wants to offer a place?"

"Uh, AJ's in town right now, so there's no way."

Juss looked a little startled when he noticed them all looking at him in expectation, "Me?"

"No, the girl sitting behind you."

"I guess..."

"I was just kidding Juss. Don't worry about it. We'll do it my place, but you guys can get the food. I am not cooking!"

"Yay!" Delia squealed again. "We can rent crappy Christmas movies and do the whole gift and card thing!"

"Uh Deals, crappy Christmas movies?" Ian raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, yeah it's a lame idea."

"Well if it's snowing by then, there's a park by Cherry's place. We could get some garbage bags and roll down the hills." Seven didn't seem to notice that his suggestion had elicited a few amused stares.

"Really? Garbage bag tobogganing?"

"Yeah, why not? I'll even get us some drinks."

"Okay, and if it doesn't snow?"

Seven was thoughtful for a moment before grinning, "Then we liquor up Juss and roll him down the hill anyways."

"What? Why me?"

"Aside from Cherry, you are by far the most entertaining drunk."

"I try," he beamed proudly.

* Title song by The Lucky Stars