"Ah—" Cherry quickly cut in, her tone gentle but firm. "No swearing."
"Listen," she began, speaking evenly, "I know you're upset. I can see it. But no matter how angry you are, you need to be mindful of where you are and who's around. When you're alone? Sure, scream into a pillow, swear your lungs out, I do that too. But when you're not alone, when there are people around you... you've got to hold yourself together."
She added with a faint smile, "You don't want the world to see you fall apart, right?
You little man, your ego won't allow you to do that, will it?"
Cherry paused, watching him wrestle with his emotions before continuing. "And as for what you said about feeling jealous..."
"That's not something to be ashamed of, Theo. That feeling? It's normal. Really normal. You're human. You care. You notice things. And sometimes... that comes with feelings you can't control."
He looked up, a flicker of disbelief in his eyes. "This?" he said, his voice shaky. "You call this normal?"
His fists tightened again.
"I'm jealous of a boy who doesn't even have one-third of my talent," he snapped, his voice rising with emotion. "He doesn't work half as hard, he doesn't even get it, and still... I feel like he has something I don't. Something I want. And it kills me."
He looked away, the words catching in his throat. "Tell me how that's normal?!"
Cherry didn't try to sugarcoat it either. Instead, she gave a slow nod. "Yes."
"It is."
"It's really quite simple," Cherry said. "That boy may not be the top of the class, he's nowhere near your level, but still, every day, his parents come to pick him up. His mom holds his hand. His dad lifts his bag for him. They talk, they laugh. And when you see that… it stings, doesn't it?"
She glanced at Theo, who remained silent, his eyes fixed on the ground.
"You wonder why it's not like that for you. Why someone who doesn't even try half as hard gets something you quietly wish for every day. Because you are the best in the class. You work hard, you never complain… and yet..."
"But you also understand," she said, her words slow, thoughtful, careful not to break him. "You know your dad's a busy man. He works hard. He's trying his best. You see how exhausted he is, how little time he has even for himself. And because of that, you tell yourself that these little things, being picked up, getting a hug after school, hearing someone ask how your day went, aren't important enough to bother him with."
"And I've noticed something else too. The kids in your class? They like you. They want to be friends with you. They try. But you keep them at a distance. You act ... neutral, even friendly sometime... but you don't really let anyone in, do you?"
"And in that huge mansion you live in... there are no other kids around. No neighbors to play with. No one to knock on your door and ask if you want to ride bikes or kick a ball around. Just staff. Adults. Empty hallways."
Cherry paused, letting the silence settle gently between them.
"In short, Theo… you're just lonely."
"No one spends time with you. Your parent love you, sure, but he doesn't see you, not really. You don't have any close friends to laugh with or cry with. No siblings to steal your toys or sneak into your room. Even the people/staff you live with, they're not really with you. You spend your time buried in books, in school, in that same bedroom every day, where you stay locked away, doing everything right, being the perfect son."
Cherry leaned in just a little, her voice now a tender whisper.
"And all of this… every bit of it… has built up into this heavy feeling you're carrying around. That weight in your chest? It's not just jealousy, Theo. It's everything. It's loneliness, longing, frustration, confusion. It's being good and perfect all the time and still not getting what your heart quietly aches for."
She gave him a sad smile.
"And trust me, madman… that is completely normal. No matter how hard you try to act mature and responsible, at the end of the day, you're still just a six-year-old boy. You shouldn't have to carry all this on your own. It's too much. And it's okay to feel overwhelmed."
" And it's okay to say all this. It's okay to cry. It's okay to want something more."
Theo didn't respond right away.
He just sat there, frozen, like the words were trying to fight their way through days of bottled-up silence. His eyes shimmered, but he didn't blink. Slowly, slowly, he turned to look at her.
About an hour later, an amusement park was alive with color and laughter, the sound of children shrieking on rides, cotton candy machines whirring, bells from game booths chiming in celebration or disappointment. The air smelled of caramel popcorn, fresh waffles, and sweet syrup.
Theo and Cherry strolled quietly through the lively crowd. She had wandered off for a moment, and when she returned, she was carrying two soft-serve ice cream cones, both already beginning to melt a little in the warm air.
She said casually, offering it, held one out to Theo. "Here."
Theo looked at it skeptically. The cone dripped a little onto her hand.
He didn't take it. Instead, he eyed the swirl of vanilla and muttered, "Too much sugar can cause cavities."
Cherry stopped mid-step and stared at him with amused disbelief. "Oh really?" she said, eyebrows raised. "And who was that crying like a little lost puppy just an hour ago?"
Theo looked away, cheeks flushing. His ears turned red. "I wasn't—" he began, but she interrupted with a knowing look and a playful tilt of her head.
"Sometimes," she continued, softer now but still teasing, "something sweet, something nice, can make the heart feel better. You should try it. Go on, take it."
A faint pink crept into Theo's cheeks. He glanced away, then slowly finally reached out and accepted the cone. His fingers brushed hers for a second, then quickly withdrew.
He stared at the ice cream like it was a fragile, foreign object. Slowly, he took a small lick, then looked away again, still unsure, still embarrassed.
They walked side by side for a bit in silence.
Children ran past them holding balloons, couples laughed near the ferris wheel, and somewhere a bubble machine sent shimmering orbs floating through the air.
And while Theo silently enjoyed the ice cream, his mind wandered back to earlier.
Why did I cry like that in front of her?
Why did I break down in front of her?
And why… why didn't I hate it?
" And why… do I feel a little lighter now?" The thought crossed Theo's mind quietly, surprising even himself.
"Huh?" Cherry glanced at him, catching the faint murmur. "Did you say something?"
Theo quickly looked away and shook his head. "No. Nothing." Then, as if trying to shift the focus, he added, "But really, why did we come here instead of heading home? When are we going back?"
Cherry laughed, a light, carefree sound that blended with the joyful noise of the amusement park. "Boy, we came all the way here, of course we're going to have some fun! We're going to try every rides, snacks, silly photos, the whole deal!What's the point of an amusement park if you don't enjoy it?"
Theo frowned, glancing down at the melting ice cream cone in his hand. "This doesn't fit into my schedule," he muttered, more to himself than her. "None of this does.I shouldn't stay out too late."
Cherry smirked, eyes glinting with mischief. "Oh really? And was eating vanilla-chocolate ice cream part of your grand schedule? Because you've already finished half of it."
Theo blinked in surprise, then stared at his cone as if seeing it for the first time. She was right. The creamy swirl had shrunk considerably without him noticing. A faint blush rose to his cheeks again. Embarrassed, and unwilling to be teased further, he puffed up his cheeks in mild frustration, and stubbornly began eating the rest in silence, determined to finish it quickly, just so there'd be no more teasing.
Cherry giggled at the sight, her eyes sparkling. "You know… sometimes you act so adorably serious, it's honestly kind of cute!" As she said it, she reached out and gently pinched his left cheek.
Theo froze, stunned by the gesture. It wasn't the kind of thing just anyone could do to him… and especially not her. He looked up at her, a mixture of confusion and something softer in his eyes. Cherry smiled at him, then turned her gaze toward a nearby ride.
"Ooh! That one!" she gasped, excitemently, pointing eagerly. "Let's go on the Flying Turns next!"
Without giving him a chance to respond, she grabbed his hand and darted toward the ride, pulling him along behind her.
And just like that, Theo's structured, carefully planned today's schedule unraveled into something entirely different.
They began with the Flying Turns, a twisting, fast-paced ride that made his stomach flip. Theo gripped the safety bar like his life depended on it, while Cherry screamed with laughter beside him, arms thrown into the air. He didn't know whether to panic or smile but when he finally got off the ride, a breathless laugh escaped him before he could stop it.
Next came the carousel, spinning gently beneath a canopy of golden lights. Cherry insisted on picking the silliest horse, painted bright blue with pink hearts, while Theo picked a simple one in the back. "This is for babies," he mumbled. But secretly, he didn't mind.
Then the Ferris wheel, looming tall and graceful against the twilight sky. As they rose higher and higher, the lights of the park sparkled below them like a sea of stars. Cherry leaned against the side, her hair ruffling in the breeze, and smiled. Theo sat beside her, also watching the view.
From there, it was the bumper cars, laughter and crashes, Cherry chasing him around the track with determined glee, and then the wave swinger, where their legs kicked through the air as the ride spun them in wide circles.
For Cherry, it was like reclaiming a piece of joy she hadn't felt in a long time.
And for Theo… it was something entirely different. Something new. Something warm.
A kind of wonder he hadn't expected.