Knocking on the front door, Toni waa curious to know why Cheryl had been so specific with the time she had to arrive. Toni's new friend had seemed really worried when Toni had asked.
When Cheryl opened the door and spoke, Toni understood.
"My mother is still out, we're safe. Come in." Cheryl said.
Stepping inside, Cheryl closed the door, and barreled into Toni, causing her to almost fall flat on the floor.
"Thank God you're here. I don't think I would be able to do this today if you weren't with me," Cheryl said in a rare moment of weakness, her arms around Toni's neck, her face buried in Toni's shoulder.
Patting Cheryl on the back, waiting until she slowly untangled herself, Toni was pleased to know Cheryl trusted her enough to rely on her, and tell her things like this, as seemingly random as they may be.
Pulling away, Cheryl blushed slightly, before hastily turning towards the stairs, patting her clothes down.
"Sorry", she muttered. "Here, my room's this way."
They climbed the stairs, and Cheryl started left, geturing for Toni to follow. She did, staying as close to Cheryl as possible, unusually scared of the darkness in Cheryl's giant house.
\--/
They reached Cheryl's room, and inside, Toni saw how different this room was from the dark, hollow rooms they had passed.
The bed, while made, had stacks of books, notebooks and textbooks from classes scattered next to it. There were two windows thrown wide open, with the shades up and light pouring in, a stark constrast to the gloominess of the corridoor. There was a sketchbook and pencils on the window seat, and notes for what looked like an English presentation stacked neatly on the desk in the corner.
Toni sat down on Cheryl's fancy chaise lounge, watching as the other girl moved to her walk-in-closet, grabbing a few items, before turning around, holding them up and shaking her head while putting them back and trying again.
"Cheryl, I agreed to come to the will reading, I did not agree to a make-over!" Toni said, confused. Cheryl ignored her, turning around and holding up yet another blouse for Toni. Finally liking what she saw, Toni slowly sat up.
"Unless it involves that blouse," she told the red-headed girl.
"Nice right?" Cheryl asked knowingly, strutting towards Toni and lowering the garment before looking Toni up and down. "For the record, j'adore your flannel mesh aesthetic. I'm merely augmenting it for the occasion." she continued, almost flirtily. Toni was surprised by Cheryl's boldness, smirking in delight as she concocted a snarky reply. Suddenly, the door to Cheryl's room burst open.
"What is going on in here, Cheryl," Penelope Blossom exclaimed, rudely interrupting the girl's conversation, right when it was getting interesting. Both girls cursed the older woman's timing, jumping apart and turning to face her.
Noticing how frightened Cheryl suddenly looked, Toni decided to take the lead.
"Mrs Blossom, hi. Toni Topaz, I'm a friend of Cheryl's from school. She's lending me an outfit for the will reading," Toni explained calmy, despite feeling like she wanted to punch the annoying woman.
"And why on earth would you be there?" Cheryl's mother said snarkily, looking over at Toni again.
"I invited her," Cheryl said in a small voice, finally speaking. "To be my emotional support."
Looking between the two girls a few more times, Mrs Blossom eventually decided to leave, knowing she would have time to punish her daughter later.
"Just make sure you're downstairs before the guests start to arrive. We need to present a united front against those scavengers," she told Cheryl, turning around before strutting out the room.
"Ugh. She's a nightmare," Toni complained, waiting until the older woman was out of earshot.
"Isn't she though," Cheryl replied, sadly, putting down Toni's blouse to move to the window, her face suddenly closing over.
"The bathroom's down the hall. Second door on the left. You should probably get changed," she said, by way of explanation.
"Cher.."
"Later TT, I'll explain later." Cheryl said, sitting down and closing her eyes, mentally preparing herself for how badly her darling father had screwed her over.
\--/
"If you would all please take your seats, we are about to begin," the lawyer, Mr Lazenby, said. Toni, sitting next to Cheryl in the front row, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by many in the room, was more than happy to be there, especially if it meant sitting with her new friend in public.
"I, Clifford Cochrane Blossom, being of sound body and mind, here by inscribe the terms of my last will and testament. Firstly, I leave the ownership of Thistlehouse with our beloved matriarch, Roseanne Blossom." Nana Rose Blossom smiled, both proud and relieved, and Toni watched, happy for her. Penelope moved her hand to rest on Nana Rose's beside her, and the old woman jerked away as if she'd been shot.
"To my wife and partner, Penelope, I leave ownership of Thornhill. The exquisite mansion she made a home."
Toni saw Cheryl smirk, knowing the red-headed girl was seconds away from dangerously provoking her mother.
"The charred husk of an empty house. That sounds about right, mother," Cheryl told the older woman, knowing she wouldn't do anything with this many people around.
"Now the reason I contacted you, and you all travelled here today." Cheryl took a deep breath, looking over at Toni and grasping her hand. Toni met her eyes, trying to convey a million messages at once.
"Any and all remaining assets of my fortune will be divided in half. The first half will be distributed equally to anyone who can prove, with medical authentication, that even a drop of blossom blood flows through their veins," The room was silent, all of the gathered people still processing the information.
Clifford Blossom's fortune amounted to an inconceivable sum. To receive even 1% of that would be enough for 2 people to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.
Suddenly, the door was thrown open, and in marched Alice Cooper.
"I knew it." She exclaimed, pointing at her husband, her face a mask of pure rage.
"Alice, what are you doing here?" Hal asked, standing up, exasperated with his wife.
"Accusing you publicly." Alice replied. "You only wanted a divorce so you could cheat me out pf your big fancy Blossom payday."
"It's not just my money. The girls share Blossom blood too."
"My lawyer is going to rip you to shreds. Isn't that right, Attorney McCoy. I will be taking half of whatever blood money you get from this inbred, cesspool of a family." She said, looking around. "Yeah, that's right, I said inbred."
"You should leave," Cheryl's mother said, standing up to try and stop the madness Alice had caused.
"Shut your face you half melted, ten cent trollop," came Alice's reply.
"This is riveting. I can't breath." Toni smirked, adjusting her top and sitting up straighter. Cheryl frowned at her slightly, before a smile grew on her face.
"Ten cent trollop. Ha! I'll remember that one," she whispered to Toni, who smiled back at her while Alice, finally finished her rant, was removed from the house.
\--/
"Now that the, uh interloper has been escorted from the premises, we will continue," Mr Lazenby informed the crowd. "As I was saying, the second half of my fortune will go to my true heirs, Jason and Cheryl."
Smiling, Cheryl stood up, making her way to where the lawyer was standing. Waiting for him to move out the way, Cheryl looked quite smug, and Toni smiled to see that she was, indeed safe from whatever harm her father could have inflicted.
"As the one true blossom heir, I feel it is my duty to say a few words." Cheryl said. "The Blossoms have been bathing in blood since Great Grand-papy Blossom killed his brother in the original sin of Riverdale. Well, I stand here before you to say, no more. No more blood. No more madness. No more horror," she said, emphatically.
"Here Here," came a creepily familiar voice from the back of the room. Nana Rose started freaking out, and Cheryl went white as a sheet. "Couldn't have said it better myself," Clifford Blossom said.
Turning back to Cheryl, Toni was just quick enough to see the girl's knees give out, and she jumpes from her seat, grasping at the falling girl's body, cushioning Cheryl's fall.
Within seconds, Cheryl's mother was beside her.
"We need some water, or smelling salts," Penelope called. "Help me move her." Moving to lift Cheryl, Toni almost jumped when Penelope snarled at her.
"Not you! Get out!"
"But, Mrs Blossom.."
"No! Leave! Security, get this deviant out of my house!"
Toni was shocked, backing away and immediately moving to the door. She didn't want Cheryl hurt on her behalf, especially since the girl was in such a vulnerable state. Getting out her phone, she sent 12 texts in quick succession, all to Cheryl's phone.
Seeing Betty approach her, she looked up.
"Hey, you ok?" Betty asked.
"Uh, yeah I'm ok," she replied, distracted by what Cheryl's mother was doing. "I'm just, uh, I'm just worried about Cheryl."
"You really care about her, don't you?" The cooper girl asked, looking at her strangely.
"Yeah, umm, I've got to go. See you 'round, I guess." Toni said, reaching the front door, and pulling it open.
Walking out and hopping on her bike, she headed into the forest near Cheryl's house as she waited for the girl to call.
\--/
Hi Guys!
Today's chapter is definitely one of my better ones. It's longer and more detailed and I really hope you guys enjoyed it.
BUUUUUUT... I have some exciting news!!
I have sent out a couple of requests to other ff members who beta read Riverdale fics. So far, no replies :( but it has only been about an hour.
Once I have someone else to kinda spell check and bounce ideas off of, I'll be slowing the timeline down a bit. I'll only be posting on Tuesdays because... I have plans for a new fic!! So far, all I have are a few rough character outlines, but hopefully I'll soon start posting some of that. I will be keeping you all updated, so hang tight because it shouldn't be too far away.
Anyway, how cool is it that Roberto posted a photo of the ep36 script! I know it was only the cover but it's just so awesome. But 3 months :( I need more Netflix shows.
But that's all from me for today! Thanks again for all the support. Please continue reviewing and PM-ing me. I'm really grateful, and I think it's cool how many of you have ideas for my fic.
Goodnight,
-G