Ice and Fire

Early next morning, Jackson received a call from the army base, and was told that there was something that needed to be urgently handled by him.

He didn't have the heart to wake Cheery up when he saw that she was still sleeping after he spoke on the phone.

When Jackson felt Cherry move, he carefully asked, "Are you awake?" and when she opened her eyes and looked at him, he focused his gaze on her.

"Yes, when did you wake up?" asked Cherry.

Jackson gently stroke Cherry's hair, and said, "Just earlier."

Cherry read Jackson's face, and figured that there must be something on Jackson's mind, and asked, "Do you have anything to tell me?"

Jackson paused for a moment, and then said, "I have to go back to the barracks soon."

"Oh, " replied Cherry, "Then you have to start packing. You don't want to be late."

Cherry knew that military orders could never be violated, and it seemed that Jackson had already wasted quite some time waiting for her to be awake.

After they got up out of bed and washed, Jackson put on his army uniform. After she checked his clothing and made sure that it was okay, Cherry whispered to him, "You go on ahead, I'll be right here waiting for you when you get back."

"I don't know for how many days I'll be gone; I don't want to leave you, " said Jackson.

looked more indifferent, and said, "The military comes first. Don't worry, I take good

he kissed her

because she was yet again condemned

gone for several days, and the longer Cherry stayed at home alone, the more she felt upset. She spent every afternoon looking out the balcony, and after dusk fell, she just stared blankly at the ceiling for most of the night. She was thinking about Emily, and

she washed, she stood on the balcony to

on the chest, but nausea struck her just before her hands reached her chest.

an hour passed that Cherry started to

because she hadn't eaten a square meal in days. She

walked out of the toilet, Cherry sank herself in the sofa and drank a cup of water, something that made her feel much more better. She then switched on the television to watch news, and the whole morning passed quickly

Cherry was bored and had no idea about what to do next. She walked to the wardrobe and opened it, and she saw all of the clothes that belonged to her. Cherry also saw the purple dress, and felt painful, because she had bought it with Emily when they went shopping together. She remembered of her again, and all the days

some clothes from the wardrobe, changed into them, put on some light make-up,

the bar, looked at the large letters that spelled its name in front of the door, and felt a quick pain stab her heart. In the past, Cherry had come there only for Emily. She had always believed that wherever Emily was, there surely must

as soon as she walked through the door, the first thing Cherry saw was the bar counter, because that was

She instead saw a young girl with her mouth corners slightly raised, wearing the same work clothes as Emily

in front of the bar counter, Cherry's eyes turned red and filled with tears. She missed

and accidentally collided

any attention to Cherry, and instead just went ahead after colliding with her without any sort of inclination?to apologize.

found