AN/ OKAY THEN, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER WRITTEN A FANFIC FOR RIVERDALE, SO PLEASE DON'T HATE ON THIS TOO MUCH! I REALLY LOVE THE IDEA OF CHONI, AND I HAVE QUITE A FEW IDEAS ABOUT WHERE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WOULD GO. SO, CONSIDER THIS SEMI-AU, AND I'LL BE CREATIVE WITH THEIR ROMANCE. THIS CHAPTER STARTS WHERE THE SCENE IN POP'S DINER ENDS, AND BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN THEN AND THE WILL READING. IF YOU LIKE THIS, PLEASE DROP A REVIEW, OR FOLLOW, OR FAVOURITE, AND I'LL POST THE NEXT PART.
READ AND ENJOY…
"You're sensational."
The words that came out of Toni Topaz's lips dulled the hustle and bustle of Pop's Choc-lit Shoppe in a way that few things could. Suddenly, Cheryl felt the nightmare of her own personal tragedy vanish – if only slightly – to make way for an emotion Cheryl hadn't felt since the traumatic events of July 4th: relief.
Why was Toni not repulsed by her? Cheryl had just admitted she'd had feelings for her best friend Heather in Junior High. She'd just opened the door to the horrors of Thornhill and Thistlehouse up to Toni, yet for some reason, she was still here. Why hadn't she ran off? Cheryl didn't know.
Nobody stayed when they discovered the true nature of Cheryl Blossom's life. Whether it was the hot and cold attitude of the River Vixen's HBIC, or the mysterious activities going on in the bedroom of her mother, or the drama and torment that surrounded the death of her twin brother, Jason Blossom, it did not take much for people to leave.
Everybody left at some point. Betty Cooper. Archie Andrews. Veronica. Josie. Even Jason left. Toni would be next. There was no point getting too friendly with the girl beside her – Serpent Scum, she reminded herself – because it wouldn't be long until Toni left her, all alone again.
But still, there was something in the way the girl looked at Cheryl that made her doubt that statement. Toni was looking at Cheryl with genuine concern, and care; two things nobody ever had for Cheryl. The redhead knew it was partly her own fault, but that didn't make it any easier for her.
She'd heard the rumours, the things people said about her, about her family. What those people didn't know, it was that the reality of the Blossom Family was a million times worse than what they imagined. It had been worst in the immediate aftermath of Jason's murder, because as the last person to see her brother alive, she had immediately become the prime suspect.
It's funny, isn't it, how one little thing can make people forget lots of bigger things? After Jason's body was found, it didn't take long for the rumour mill to dive into action, concocting a variety of tales about Cheryl Blossom. Tales about mental instability, tales of jealousy, tales of loneliness. They were all too busy, spreading these horrible stories, to see the damage that it was doing on Cheryl.
There was a reason why Cheryl was cool, calm and collected at all times. She might act like a bitter, petty bitch, but she had multiple reasons for it. The persona of Little Miss Popular was one she'd perfected, but it didn't mask everything. She might hurt others to try and make herself hurt less, but it rarely worked. The mask of the ice queen wasn't a solid one, and something about the way the eyes of Toni Topaz bore into her soul told Cheryl the girl next to her had seen right through it.
Gently, Toni grasped Chery's hand with her own, causing the redhead to feel as if a bolt of electricity had ran right through her. Nobody had ever cared about her like that. Nobody since Heather, anyway. Cheryl didn't know whether to run or stay. She didn't know what to do. The feeling of being in total control was slipping away, and Cheryl didn't know if she was relieved or terrified.
"It's okay not to be okay Cheryl," Toni soothed, smiling softly at the ginger.
Cheryl felt her eyes glaze over with tears as her vision went blurry. She knew she wasn't holding up well lately, but she didn't think it was that obvious to everybody else.
"Hey, Pop," Toni called, and Cheryl watched as the man made his way over. "Can we have a Cherry Cola?"
"Sure thing. I'll get it sorted."
"Thanks."
Toni then turned her attention to Cheryl, who had silent tears falling gracefully down her face. Her make up remained fully intact, and Toni felt as if Cheryl opening up to her right now was just a crack in Cheryl's flawless mask of control.
"Your mascara is brilliant," she said, causing the ghost of a smile to flicker on Cheryl's lips. Toni smiled at that, a happy Cheryl was a sight she'd love to see. "You're going to get through this, you know that, right?"
Cheryl raised a disbelieving eyebrow at the Serpent and let out a dramatic sigh. "I seriously doubt it."
"'Storms don't last forever,' is something that my mum used to say."
"She sounds nice. A lot nicer than my mother." Cheryl scoffed, her voice turning bitter at the mention of her mother.
"Well, my mum never tried turning our house into a sexual playpen, Cheryl."
"Of all the careers my mother could have chosen – and she chose prostitution."
"No offence, but your mother always did love a good show."
"None taken, it's true."
"It sounds like you get a tough ride off of her."
"That's putting it mildly," Cheryl said, pausing as Pop Tate placed the bottle of Cherry Cola between the pair. She smiled as he carefully put two straws in the bottle.
Toni looked at Cheryl and asked, almost nervously, "Will you be okay sharing? I'd buy two, but…"
"I'd be happy to share with you." Cheryl interrupted, finding that she truly meant it.
"Cherry Bombshell, sharing Cherry Cola with a Southside Serpent in Pop's Choc-lit Shoppe. That's a plot twist right there."
"Well, what can I say? Doesn't the heroine have a drastic change at least once in the novel? Usually after her knight in shining armour shows up."
"I'm no hero, Cheryl. But I'll take the compliment."
Cheryl looked up at Toni, and the pair both leant in to take a sip from the bottle. As their heads brushed past one another, she could've sworn she'd seen Toni grin.
It was weird for Cheryl, to be sat this close to someone else. It was even weirder for her to shuffle along, onto the stool that was next to Toni, bridging the gap between the two.
"Can I say something?"
"Go ahead," Toni said, picking the bottle up to take a drink.
"I've really enjoyed this."
"Surprisingly, I agree with you there. It's been one of the best nights I've had for a while."
"Never thought I'd say that to you Cha Cha, but I think you're a really good person."
"Compliments from Cheryl Blossom… what's happened to you?"
"You."
"Care to explain."
"You've let me talk about something I've kept secret for years. I told nobody about it, not even Jay-Jay."
"You shouldn't have to keep things like that secret Cheryl."
"You haven't had to live with my mother."
"I'd love to meet her someday."
"No offense, but she'd die if you walked into Thistlehouse."
"God, she sounds like a nightmare."
"She makes my life a living nightmare effortlessly."
"Why do you stay there? With her? Is there nowhere else you can go?"
"I go where I can. Hide here. The Bijou. School. I only go home to sleep."
"Still, she's there: she's dangerous, Cheryl."
"She wouldn't hurt me," Cheryl said uncertainly, sounding like she was struggling to convince herself, let alone Toni. "Not when I'm all that's left of Jason."
"You really loved him, Jason I mean."
"Like nobody else…" Cheryl replied wistfully. "They all did, my mother included. She's moving on, but I miss him every day, you know, like there's just this massive Jason shaped hole in my heart."
"It'll fill one day."
"My life just feels so empty since he's been gone. Sure, when he was here, I didn't have any real friends, but at least I had him, and that was enough."
"Maybe you've just been looking for friends in the wrong place, Cheryl."
"Mmm. Maybe I've been looking for the wrong types of friends."
As soon as the words tumbled out of Cheryl's mouth, both girls knew she was telling the truth. Cheryl had always been a self-proclaimed queen bee, so she always sought out the company of the other popular girls. But those girls were snakier than the Serpents. They didn't believe in loyalty, or any form of friendship that involved emotions. And then there were Betty and Veronica, but they weren't designed to be a trio – the two worked best as a pair. Things were a bit awkward with them, for multiple reasons, such as Jason and Polly, the Blossom-Cooper rivalry, the Blossom-Lodge hatred and Cheryl just being a bitch. She'd called the group of them the 'sad Breakfast Club,' and she regretted it now. She wished she had real friends who had her back like they had each other's.
"I'm always here, you know that Cheryl, right?" Toni soothed, interrupting Cheryl's thoughts before the pause could grow too long. Normally, Cheryl would have scoffed, at the offer of friendship from a Serpent, but right now, she needed a friend, and there was something about Toni that set her apart from every other girl Cheryl knew. She wanted to get to know Toni. She wanted to get close to her.
Nevertheless, Cheryl was a naturally suspicious person. For all she desperately wanted Toni, she still doubted how genuine her concern was. Nobody ever involved themselves with Cheryl unless they wanted something off of the redhead. Slightly disbelieving, she asked, "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because I don't think you're as mean as you try to be. I think you're a good girl that has been dealt a tough hand of cards."
"That's the understatement of the year, have you seen my life?"
"You aren't the trainwreck everyone says you are, Cheryl."
"How would you know?"
"Because we've been sat here all night," Toni said, gesturing to the empty diner, "And if you were the cold hearted bitch the world thinks you are, you'd be long gone by now."
"Thanks."
"Any time." Toni replied, gently running her hand across Cheryl's. Deciding to take the risk and damn the consequences, she wrapped an arm around Cheryl's shoulder and pulled her close. "You might pretend you don't want it, but I think you need some love, Cheryl Blossom."
Cheryl smiled softly, knowing Toni couldn't see, and relaxed into the embrace.
The two sat like that for a while, until Pop Tate made his way over, and kindly asked if they would mind leaving. Shocked, Cheryl got hold of her mobile and checked the time. The clock said 11:30.
"Where did that time go?" Cheryl asked breathlessly. "I've missed curfew, she's going to kill me."
"Or she'll be too busy entertaining her latest 'client' to notice."
"Fingers crossed."
"Would you like a ride home?" Toni asked, "I've only got a bike-"
"I'd love one, please." Cheryl said, flashing a smile at the Serpent.
Placing a ten dollar bill on the side, Toni shouted goodbye to Pop and the pair left the diner. The girls got onto the bike, and Cheryl automatically wrapped her arms around Toni's waist. Toni grinned at that, and thought she could definitely get used to this.
"Let's get you home Cherry Bombshell…"
AN/ THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED READING IT AS MUCH AS I DID WRITING IT. PLEASE REVIEW, AND I'LL POST THE NEXT PART.