Wearing only an overly large shirt she had stolen from Sweet Pea and a pair of underwear, Toni turned off the faint light in her bathroom and made her way into the hallway, placing her hand on the wall as she rounded the corner into the main living space of her small trailer. The sound of the television running had reached her ears even before she had seen the light of it reflecting off the picture hanging on the wall behind the couch, but the television wasn't what concerned her, and as soon as she had made it around the corner she let her gaze fall on the girl bundled up on her couch, eyes locked on the screen a few feet in front of her.
Cheryl, a blanket pulled tight around her body, seemed to have no idea Toni was standing there watching her, whatever she had chosen to watch on the television ensnaring her undivided attention. Toni didn't need to look at the screen to know what she would find, the music playing softly giving her all the knowledge she needed to decipher what held Cheryl's attention so unrelentingly. With a soft sigh, she stepped into the kitchen to make tea. Grabbing two mugs from the cupboard, she filled them both with water, giving enough space for sweeteners to be added later, glancing over her shoulder to check on Cheryl a couple times throughout the process. After setting both mugs in the microwave, she set the timer and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest and finally letting her gaze drift to the television screen.
It was some artist she wasn't aware of, but that didn't matter, she could make the connection between them and all the others Cheryl watched so often. Something clenched in Toni's chest, squeezing her heart as she shifted her attention back to Cheryl, studying every emotion written across her features in the way only she got to. Pain, yearning, hatred, sorrow, every emotion that was always there when she sat herself in front of a television or picked up a magazine to look at the seemingly flawless girls parading around as if bragging about what they had that others did not. It nauseated her that the media felt the need to brandish dolled-up women in front of other girls' eyes, pretending as though the way they looked was completely naturally accomplished. And it broke her heart to know that Cheryl suffered in any form by watching these videos and looking at the photoshopped pictures.
When the timer went off she pulled the mugs from the microwave and set them on the counter, placing teabags in the heated water to steep. Knowing exactly what Cheryl liked in her tea, she grabbed the sugar before making her way over to the couch and dropping down on the worn cushions beside the other girl, setting the items in her hands on the table before them.
"I thought you might like something to drink," Toni said with a smile taking shape on her lips. She brought her gaze to Cheryl, noting how she didn't get a reaction at all. "It's your favorite, tea!"
She felt ridiculous, sounding so excited over something as simple as tea, but she was desperate to get Cheryl's attention and pull it away from the television. As expected, it didn't work anyway, and she was left with only feeling idiotic. Come on, Cheryl. Not wanting to push any boundaries with her friend, Toni cautiously moved her hand to rest on Cheryl's knee, squeezing it the slightest bit through the material of the blanket to get her attention. Almost immediately, Cheryl pulled her arm from the confinement of the blanket and lowered her hand to Toni's, curling her fingers around her hand with a crushing grip.
"Cheryl, listen to me. You need to stop doing this to yourself. You don't need to look like any of those girls, okay?" Toni spoke softly, delicately, her words laced with everlasting affection for the girl tearing herself apart in front of her. "You are beautiful, you are so beautiful, Cheryl. You've got to know that."
Finally, Cheryl's eyes focused on hers, so obviously searching for the sincerity of her words in the one place that would always give away exactly how she was feeling and everything she was thinking. This sparked no fear in Toni because she knew what Cheryl would find; sincerity, affection, love, all burning fiercely inside of her. When a small smile lifted the corners of Cheryl's mouth ever so slightly, Toni allowed herself to mirror it.
But then Cheryl's gaze shifted back to the screen. "They're just so perfect, aren't they? So gorgeous."
"Not nearly as perfect as you."
Toni's response came without even half a second of hesitation, causing Cheryl to turn back to her with surprise now dancing across her features. That was what urged Toni to make the decision that she would let Cheryl see everything she was feeling in that moment, everything, even the feelings she always tried so hard to keep hidden from her friend for fear of how she would react to them. She let Cheryl see the extent of her love and affection, how it didn't end at friendship; she let her see the desire that often flooded every crevice of her body and mind; she let her see her longing for Cheryl to be hers in a completely different way than she was; she let Cheryl see every ounce of emotion that always coursed through her when she was with her. Everything.
"I'm not beautiful," Cheryl shook her head, the pain evident in her eyes. But there seemed to be something else mixing with the pain, something that resembled hope. "Especially not now."
"Anytime, any day, anywhere, in anything," Toni retorted, bringing the hand that wasn't intertwined with Cheryl's up to caress a tear-stained cheek. It shattered her heart to witness Cheryl in this state, and she would do everything she could until Cheryl loved herself. "Please believe me when I say that you are mesmerizing, Cheryl. Your fanciest outfit or sweatpants and a baggy shirt, it doesn't matter. You're beautiful."
Cheryl nodded, but Toni could tell her mind was flowing with arguments. Letting go of Cheryl's hand, she brought her own up so that she was holding Cheryl's face in both of her hands, dipping her head until she was forced to meet her gaze. A small smile played on Toni's lips.
"Never forget, Cheryl Blossom," Toni whispered, watching as Cheryl's gaze flickered downward for the briefest of moments. "You are sensational. No matter what you do you will always be the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."
"The most beautiful girl you've ever seen."
It was the only thing Cheryl said before burying her face in Toni's neck and wrapping her arms around her body desperately, shifting so that she was sitting partially in her lap. Toni held Cheryl in her arms as if she were afraid she would disappear if she let go, perfectly content to remain in this position for the rest of the day and all through the night, if that's what Cheryl needed.
"You're beautiful."
Toni sat on the bed a few feet behind Cheryl, watching as Cheryl studied her image in the full-length mirror situated in the corner of Cheryl's room. She spoke those two words knowing Cheryl wouldn't believe her but wanting to say them regardless.
"Don't you ever say anything else?" Cheryl teased from her position in front of the mirror, meeting Toni's gaze through the reflective glass. There was joy present in her dark-brown eyes, but there was also a dullness that came from her disagreement with Toni's statement.
Toni pushed herself to her feet, beginning to slowly make her way over to Cheryl. "You're gorgeous. You're sensational. You're breathtaking. You're astonishing. You're extraordinary." She lowered her voice with each step closer, and she didn't stop moving until she was invading Cheryl's personal space. Stepping forward so that her front was pressed into Cheryl's back, she snaked her arms around Cheryl's waist and brought her lips to her ear, her voice now a breathy whisper. "You're desirable. You're sexy. You're…"
Cheryl's giggle broke through her words. "Stop it, Toni."
"You asked for it," Toni replied easily, smiling radiantly when Cheryl's eyes locked on hers through the mirror another time. "How else can I tell you how amazing you are? How do you want me to?"
"Are you flirting with me?" Cheryl asked bluntly, the light shade of red coating her checks letting Toni know that she was hoping she was, in fact, flirting.
"Hmm," Toni hummed in faux thought. "Maybe."
Turning in her arms, Cheryl brought her arms around Toni's neck, pressing their bodies even closer together as she leaned down so that her forehead rested against Toni's. Their close proximity set Toni's heart off in a frenzy, making it feel as though it weren't even a part of her body as it pounded relentlessly against her ribcage.
Their friendship had never been entirely normal; there had always been flirty glances and hesitant touches, but it was only recently that Toni had decided to really start flirting with Cheryl, wanting nothing more than for the girl to feel as loved as she was. To Toni's surprise, Cheryl had taken extremely well to her flirting, and it had landed them in several tantalizing situations that left Toni craving Cheryl more than she'd ever craved anything else in her life.
This was one of those times.
"Well, if you were flirting with me, I might be inclined to lead you on."
"Lead me on, huh?" Toni sucked in a heavy breath. "That doesn't end well for me."
"Maybe it could," Cheryl whispered playfully, her voice laced with a seductive tone Toni had never heard before; it was killing her swiftly. "If you were flirting with me."
"I'm always flirting with you, Cheryl," Toni stated honestly, fingertips traveling the skin along the waistband of Cheryl's skirt. "I've been trying to get you to notice me since we met."
"You're crazy," Cheryl rolled her eyes, bringing her hands up to grip both sides of Toni's face, a smile gracing her features. "You know that, right?"
"I really do," Toni agreed, gaze dropping to Cheryl's painted lips for a brief moment before finding Cheryl's again. "Crazy for my Cherry Bombshell."
"What?" Cheryl breathed out, shock and hesitation swirling through her eyes, but they were accompanied by hope and longing.
"You heard me," Toni spoke delicately, as if she were walking on broken glass barefooted. It was because she was finally laying her heart out for Cheryl to either embrace or walk all over, and she was terrified. "I'm in love with you, Cheryl Blossom. So, when you call me crazy, you're right, I totally am. I'm crazy for you."