Chapter Four More Beautiful Cherrybridge People #2
“I don’t play either,” Reagan says. She at least seems like she’s trying to make me feel better, but I’m not feeling bad about never having played golf. “What are you into? For, like, hobbies and stuff?”
“Mostly art. I have a photography blog,” I say. “I go to a specialty arts-focused high school. But it’s not really a hobby, since I want to be an architect, and I mostly take pictures of buildings.”
Quinn seems interested in my photography and asks some questions, but the conversation soon goes back to sports and school. When Reagan mentions that Sadie isn’t at her school anymore, I ask how many high schools there are in Cherrybridge. Honestly, I’m kind of surprised there’s more than one.
“Four,” Kaitlyn says. “Cherrybridge High; Pineview Secondary; Father Frances, the Catholic school; and Randell Academy, which goes from elementary to high school. Reagan, James, and I go to Randell.”
“Randell is a private school,” Quinn explains, flashing me a wry smile. “Very posh. Think about all your stereotypes of a rich-kid private school, and that’s exactly it. All of us were there as kids, but Liv, Sadie, and I switched to Pineview two years ago.”
I almost laugh because Quinn is a stereotype of a rich kid. He’s even got the Abercrombie model look. But I hold my tongue. “Why did you guys leave it?” I ask Sadie and Liv.
“So many reasons!” Sadie rolls her eyes.
“But mostly because people were weird after I came out. The kids are… mostly fine. But the teachers are a bunch of ancient conservative dinosaurs. My parents don’t care that I’m gay, but I had to beg my mom and dad to let me transfer to Pineview with Liv and Quinn.
My father went to Randell. So did Uncle Jason. ”
Liv nods. “It sucked being one of the only Black kids there. I wasn’t about to try to be the only queer Black kid.”
“Yeah, I can imagine that wouldn’t be fun. Is the school you’re at now better?”
“Yeah,” Liv says. “Pineview isn’t, like, Toronto diverse, but it’s not a sea of white either.”
I like Liv so far. She’s not super bubbly like Sadie, but she seems smart and insightful.
“So, what’s the story with Cherrybridge High, then?” I ask. “What’s that school like?”
James laughs loudly. “You mean Cherry Pop High?”
Sadie glares at him. “That’s rude, James.” She turns to me. “It’s Cherrybridge’s oldest high school but has a bit of a bad reputation. There were a bunch of teen pregnancies and violent incidents last year. Mostly kids from the other side of the river go there.”
“So this side of the river is the privileged side, and the other side is the less-privileged side?”
Quinn nods. “They’re significantly different socioeconomically,” he says.
And it seems that there isn’t a whole lot of intermingling between the two sides of Cherrybridge.
I think about Noah accusing me of being one of those never cross the bridge types.
The whole dynamic puts such a bad taste in my mouth.
In my school everyone hangs out with everyone, no matter how much money their parents have.
I mean, Adanna’s mom is a corporate lawyer, and Keeley’s dad is a veterinarian, but neither of my friends ever looked down on me and my mom.
But also, this talk about Cherrybridge High just reinforces that I should distance myself as much as possible from the other CROP kids.
I doubt that everyone at Cherrybridge High is bad, but I do know that the kids in CROP are.
That’s why they’re there. If I don’t want to anger the curse further, I should only hang out with people with the same values as me—and right now I value finishing up my community service and getting out of Cherrybridge as fast as I can.
“It’s the rough part of town,” Reagan explains. “I wouldn’t want to be in the area after dark, or alone.”
“There’s no need to go there,” Kaitlyn adds, grimacing.
“Randell and Pineview are on this side of the river. And the mall. Plus, this café, too. Don’t worry about that side.
It’s not the real Cherrybridge.” Kaitlyn waves her hand in the air like she’s brushing all thoughts of the other side of the river away, before she smiles at me.
“Now tell me, are you single? Because I know the perfect guy for you to have a summer fling with. Or are you into girls?”
It doesn’t sit well with me that Kaitlyn called the side we’re on the “real” Cherrybridge, but I don’t know these people well enough to open up that conversation.
And when I glance at Sadie and Liv, they don’t seem bothered by the comment, so I let out a little sigh and answer the question.
“No. I mean, yeah, I’m straight, but a relationship is a bad idea for me right now.
” I let out an awkward laugh when I’m met with confused looks. “I’m not looking for a fling.”
Kaitlyn shrugs, mischief in her eyes. She is definitely the troublemaker in this group. “Never say ‘never.’ Wait till you see the guys at the club. Cherrybridge is packed with beautiful people. I mean, look at us!”
I squeeze my lips together. I actually think she might be right. On my first day in Cherrybridge I’ve met guys hotter than any back at my school in the city. After spending the morning with Noah, I already wondered if swearing off all guys will be possible. This summer is going to be hard.
Maybe I should join a convent and take a vow of celibacy. I hope nonreligious convents exist.