Ice and Fire

While she was in the car, Cherry thought for a while, and then said, "Stephen, could you please do me a favor?"

He was confused, and thought to himself, 'What could she want from me?'

"What?" asked Stephen.

"Keep my pregnancy a secret, " said Cherry, "Don't tell the others, not even Jackson."

Stephen was very surprised, and as he looked at Cherry and kept driving, his face stiffened. He asked, "Why do you want to hide this from him? Do you..."

But before he had the chance to finish his words, he was stopped by Cherry.

"Stephen, please don't ask me why. If you take me as your friend, then I hope that you will help me hide this from him. I don't want a third person, or any other person, to know that I'm with child, " said Cherry firmly.

Stephen, after a short silence, replied, "I get it."

Stephen didn't think too much of it, because as long as Cherry wanted to do something, he knew that she certainly had some kind of plan. If she didn't want to say it to him, then he wouldn't insist on it. He never wanted to force her to do anything; instead, he wanted to dote upon on her and do exactly as she wished him to.

Cherry forced a smile. She said, "Thank you."

Stephen didn't care about her thanks, and instead asked, "Cherry, do you want to have an abortion?"

When he mentioned this, Cherry turned her head and looked out the window. Complex thoughts then arose in her mind, and she said, "I haven't decided on it yet."

"But it's a baby, it still a life..." Stephen didn't have the heart to let Cherry get an abortion, and even if she did have one, she had no idea of how painful it would be.

was to discuss about this child. A baby was indeed a gift from the heavens, but she was not ready to

her wish and stopped

get out of it, but when she looked out the window, she found that the lights in the house were on. Her heart quivered, and she thought

then saw that Jackson was actually standing at the gate,

through Cherry's window and saw Jackson. His eyes met with his, and Stephen was neither worried, nor afraid, because he didn't think that he

the two sitting in the car and had mixed feelings about the whole scene, because instead of finding her at

remember your promise! Don't let other people know about what we

far away from them, and

down after she heard Stephen's promise again, and opened the car's door and got out.

then drove

and started to walk towards her home, but when

furiously asked, "Where were

but she failed. She didn't want to struggle, and instead calmly looked at Jackson, and said, "Didn't you see already? Why are

loneliness when I'm not with you, and you have to go out and pick up guys, eh? The guy

really matter that he was wrong about her? She had longed for his concern and love, and loving him was very painful.

do you care about my affairs if I don't care about yours? Don't you think that you should care more

into his eyes to see his reaction. As long as Jackson said that there was nothing going on between him and Sally, perhaps she would believe him. She might also believe that

and just stared at

reply, and she threw his hand away

walked into the

felt very tired, and she didn't have the energy to care about Jackson's unhappiness, and to explain to him what she had done

went directly upstairs, entered the bedroom, found her pajama, and walked into the bathroom to take a bath.

run in on her, lecture her, and let her know who was her husband. How dared she meet Stephen behind his back?