in·sep·a·ra·ble inˈsep(ə)rəb(ə)l/ (adj.) unable to be separated or treated separately. (n) a person or thing inseparable from another.
This was the only word that could perfectly describe Cheryl Blossom and Heather Michaels. The two middle school girls were practically glued to the hip and had much in common in many respects. They were born a week apart from each other, they both dreamed of being on the River Vixens come high school, they both shared an affinity for drawing and they both had older siblings in their families that were held up as a golden child.
But even deeper than that, each girl filled a need for the other; Heather was a military brat constantly moving around the country with her mother. As such, she never seemed to make any lasting friendships and jumped at the chance to finally make some social roots upon her mother's honorable discharge from the Coast Guard as well as their family's subsequent move to Riverdale; as such, Cheryl was the first major connection to her new permanent hometown. Moreover, Cheryl was quick to ensure her social safety, meaning that her history as the constant punching bag of bullies came to a stop (or at the very least slowed down).
In return, Heather kept the Blossom girl grounded, giving her a perspective outside the stuffy and privileged world she and her brother Jason knew all so well, and in many was the only person who really knew what she was all about. As impressive as Thornhill was, the place gave off a vibe of Dark Shadows rather than MTV Cribs. But within its edifice, Cheryl's life came with neglect from her mother and fear of some threat her mother called the Sugarman; facts of life no amount of money can make go away.
On one nondescript day as the schoolyear wound down for the summer, Cheryl and Heather took advantage of the seasonable weather and went to the bank of the Sweetwater River to sketch wildlife after class. As Cheryl finished sketching a Red Wing Blackbird, when Heather began to pack her book up.
"What is it?"
"I feel like going for a swim." Heather replied. "You in?"
"Oh, um…I didn't bring any swimming stuff with me."
"Oh, is that all!" Heather laughed. "I keep a spare in my backpack."
"But what will you wear?"
Rather than answer, Heather begins to peel off her shirt and slip out of her cutoff shorts revealing a red and white stripped bikini (think something akin to a candy cane). Cheryl looks up and finds herself in awe of her friend's swimwear. Of the two, Heather was the plainer girl but something in the Blossom girl stirred over her friend suddenly became this ebony goddess whose attire fits her body like a second skin; accentuating every curve and beautifully contrasting her rich and brown complexion.
"I assume you like what you're seeing, eh Cheryl?" Heather giggled.
After emitting a mortified 'eep!' Cheryl grabbed her friend's spare bikini and ducked behind a shrubbery to change. Amidst this process, she found herself repeatedly watching her friend splashing and frolicking about the Sweetwater like a mermaid.
A very attractive mermaid.
"Hey Cheryl!" She called out. "If you're doing your business back there remember the leaf of three rule!"
"Keep your top on I'm coming out."
The two girls burned the afternoon away swimming and sunbathing to their heart's content. For one, it was a relaxing jaunt beneath the river's surface, a chance to fully surrender to nature's beauty. For the other, it was a breathtaking and confusing rollercoaster that not only left her stomach in knots, but lasted well past sundown. Try as she wished to, Cheryl Blossom failed to purge the sight of Heather in her bikini that afternoon from her mind's eye.
This time however, things are different; As much as Cheryl fought to keep holding her breath, Heather was enticing her further into the depths of the Sweetwater. The river teems with life around the two girls, in particular schools of fish paired up two by two and shaped like the Venus symbol. As they reach the bottom, Cheryl gives one final hesitant look towards the river's surface then at her best friend.
"Cheryl," She whispers. "Believe me, there is nothing there for you…"
Heather leans in and kisses Cheryl. As their lips part, the redheaded girl inhales sharply and finds her breath restored.
"…stay with me, my beloved. My dearest of friends"
Cheryl woke up in a cold sweat from her dream with a jolt. It had all felt so real and yet too good to be true. Heather could never feel like that for her, after all she had the serious hots for Chuck Clayton and…well, who could blame her? Shaven hair, deep brown eyes, already developing a respectable physique. No girl stood a chance.
Lunch was silent the next day. While Heather talked about the plans she and her family were going to have for the summer, Cheryl just munched on her cherry yogurt and quizzically stared at the boys a table over. A lot of them were cute and all, but something always bought her thoughts back to Heather.
"…anyway it's out in the wide open of Pennsylvania. Cheryl? Cheryl?"
"Huh? Oh." She said. "I was just…umm…"
"Oh, I see." She said devilishly grinning. "I'm talking about astronomy camp and you're distracted with other heavenly bodies."
"…"
"Hey, stare all you want. I don't blame you." She shrugged. "We got a whole parade of studs right here and whose to say they're not staring at us when we're not looking? So Cheryl, between us girls, any in particular catch your eye?"
"The one right next to me." The Blossom girl thinks to herself.