As Cherry was trying to get up, she saw a handsome man with big eyes who offered her his hand.
"Here!" Jim said, stretching his hand toward her.
Cherry took his hand and stood up.
"Hey Jim, already afraid of me, huh?" Jackson said, pushing Jim.
Jim quickly pulled Cherry into a hug to stop her from falling again.
"Little girl! Get out of here, it's dangerous for you," Jim said, glaring at Jackson.
---
|| Cherry's P.O.V ||
I'm not a little girl! Why is he calling me that? I'm a completely mature girl. Do I really look like a little girl?!
---
"Sorry, mister, but I'm not a little girl!" Cherry said, pouting.
"Huh? I didn't mean it like that. Just go—it's a fight between boys," Jim said, looking at her.
"What do you mean? Girls can't fight?!" Cherry snapped angrily.
"Jim, we girls are not weak!" a girl shouted from the crowd.
"How can your thinking be so backward?" another girl added, clearly angry.
"Calm down, everyone! That's not what I meant!" Jim tried to explain.
"Jim, I know girls don't approach you, but that doesn't mean you have to think so poorly of us!" another girl shouted.
"No one approaches...?" Cherry repeated, looking at Jim curiously.
"Humph! I told you all before—he's a jerk," Jackson said with a smirk.
Suddenly, the crowd began throwing trash at Jim.
Jim quickly shielded Cherry with his body to protect her.
---
|| Cherry's P.O.V ||
Am I the reason all this happened? Did I misunderstand him? He's the only one who protected me every time I was in trouble today...
---
"What's going on here?!" Principal Smith shouted as he arrived.
As soon as the principal entered, the crowd scattered.
Jim and Cherry were still on the ground, as he had been holding her tightly to protect her.
"Ahem! Ahem!" Principal Smith cleared his throat.
"I think... everyone's gone," Cherry whispered to Jim.
Jim stood up quickly, accidentally pushing Cherry back down.
"What is this, Jim? Fighting again?" Principal Smith scolded.
"I'm sorry, sir, it's just—" Jim began.
"Shut up! I don't want to hear your lame excuses!" the principal snapped.
"Sir, it's not his fault. A boy started the fight," Cherry said, standing up.
"And who are you, miss?" Principal Smith asked harshly.
"Hello sir, I'm Cherry. Cherry Walter. I'm in the Literature Department," she replied.
"Don't roam around with boys. Go to your department now!" he barked.
"Sorry, sir," Cherry said, hurrying away.
"And you, Mr. Jim—what's your problem?!" Principal Smith shouted.
From behind the principal, Cherry clasped both ears in apology and mouthed "sorry" to Jim.
Jim looked at Cherry... and turned away, ignoring her.
---
"Is he really mad at me? It's all my fault. On my first day of college, I ruined someone's day," Cherry said, wandering the corridor.
"I have an idea! I'll write him an apology letter and say sorry after school!" she said cheerfully.
---
\TO BE CONTINUED\