Chapter Text
Cheryl blinked at the sight in the mirror. Out of everyone who could have found her crying in the locker room during the half time of a foot ball game, it was the pink-haired serpent she had so brutally torn apart the first day they moved to Riverdale high. She half expected Veronica to be the one knocking on the locker room door like last time, but then again, the raven-haired girl seems to have changed. She seems… distant.
If Cheryl were to be honest, she have a soft spot for the Latina. That’s why she wasn’t nearly as upset as she is worried, but she has other things to worry about for now. Like why is the serpent girl looking at her with genuine concern and shock written all over her face. Is it really that hard to believe she has emotions?
“Uh.. Cheryl? Are you okay?” Her tone cautious, hesitant.
As much as she would love to just put down her facade, that all-mighty head bitch in charge, she couldn’t. She simply couldn’t. Out of fear? Shame? She doesn’t know. So she stuck with what she knows, what she’s always known. Act.
“I’m fine Cha-Cha.” She said sharply.
In the mirror, Toni met Cheryl’s eyes. She masked her tears so perfectly, almost painfully. There’s little to no trace of the previous sadness and brokenness in her eyes. Only a slight smear of foundation that could have easily been mistaken by the excessive cheerleading the vixens performed just half an hour before.
Toni sighed as she took in the sight. She knows a broken girl when she sees one, she’s one herself after all. So despite her better judgment, she shuffled her way to where the red head is and landed a gentle had upon her shoulder, rubbing small circles in an attempt of comfort.
I found myself dreaming
In silver and gold
Like a scene from a movie
That every broken heart knows
Something about this reminds her the first time she felt loved again after JayJay left. The day at the pep rally, when she had a break down and Veronica was there, doing exactly what the serpent is doing to her now. Her composure crumbled, quiet sobs escaped through her pearls as she continue to let the serpent’s present comfort her.
“I… thanks.” She said quietly after she calmed down a bit.
“Of course.” Toni smiled softly at the redhead. Maybe the queen bee isn’t who everyone think she is after all.
“I miss him.” She said after another moment of comfortable silence. She sounded so broken and hollow, and Toni’s heart ached for the girl.
“I’m so sorry.” She said quietly. Her words dripped with a sincerity that Cheryl almost questioned if any of this is actually real. No one had ever cared for her like that before, not after that small incident with Veronica.
“Don’t be. You’re here… still here, and that’s more than anyone has done for me.” She smiled sadly, she didn’t feel the need to include the Latina in this, it’s clear that she had been fed up with her already.
“Cheryl, I’ll always be here if you need me.” She said truthfully. There’s anger boiling within her. She’s known what it’s like to be judged by where you come from, she’s known discrimination, and the idea of people never bothering to care for the redhead because she’s “cruel,” because she’s a damn Blossom, infuriates her.
Toni’s words sounded so honest and Cheryl’s heart fluttered with something she hasn’t felt since Heather. That warm feeling of being… wanted. So she turned around, wrapped her arms so tightly around the serpent as she buried her face in her serpent jacket. Toni was taken back, but nonetheless she reciprocated the hug. The girl in her embrace clung onto her as if she’d slip away, and her heart bloody shattered.
This girl is so goddamn broken and yet no one even tried to get to know what’s behind her mask. She’s mad at the girl’s friends, her family, hell she’s even mad at her goddamn self because how did she not notice all of this? How did she not noticed there was a girl underneath all that act?
“Oh.” A voice startled both girls, but Toni kept her hand pressed gently against the redhead’s scalp.
She looked up in the mirror and saw Veronica standing at the door way with an expression she cant quite read. Something along the line between guilt, confusion, surprised, who knows.
“What do you want Veronica.” The look on Veronica’s face almost made her felt guilty for biting back, but she stood her ground. Because how could she? How could she abandon this broken girl when they were together just minutes ago?
“I just… I noticed Cheryl was gone so I came to check on her.” She replied slowly as she walked towards the two.
Cheryl’s body stiffed in Toni’s embrace, desperate to pry herself away and put up that act again. It’s easier. But Toni is so warm and safe and the way her hand rested against her head, gently pressing her further into the embrace, made her stay.
“Is she…” Veronica started, “is she okay?” She asked so hesitantly and it stung. It bloody stung.
Cheryl tore herself out of Toni’s embrace, immediately missing her warmth. But she’s furious, and hurt, and she just really hates how much she wanted Veronica to care like she did back then. Back when she was still… her.
“I don’t know Veronica, you tell me? Am I okay?” Her heart was throbbing, from pain, from fury, she doesn’t know. All she knows is that she’s angry at Veronica.
Both girls were surprised at the sudden outburst of Cheryl, though Toni more that Veronica.
“Cheryl I-”
“No. Don’t you dare say you’re sorry Veronica. You knew I wasn’t okay but you left…” Fury turned into pain and she can feel the burning again.
The memories of the brunette showing any act of care flashed through her mind, every change in tone, every hug, every time she wanted her to simply stay. Sure she care, but sometimes it just wasn’t exactly enough.
“…you left.” She repeated. Her tone so hollow and painful. Hell its even painful for the two girls to hear.
If Toni wasn’t mad before, she sure is furious now. Because how can Veronica leave Cheryl so broken?
Veronica stepped forward immediately, wanting nothing but to collect the girl in her arms, but the serpent stopped her before she could. She stood protectively in front of Cheryl, an arm across her and the other reaching out for the ginger’s hand, intertwining them together.
“Don’t. You’ve done enough damage already.” Toni glared at the girl who’s just a few inch taller, venom spilling from her tongue as she asked the Latina to leave.
Veronica wanted to say something, anything, to try and turn things around, but the look in the younger Blossom’s eyes were enough to make her swallow her words. She saw the damage she, they, done to her. Guilt flooded through her body and she’s angry. At herself, at her friends. So she bit back any retort that tried to slip out of her and walked away from the two.
“Are you okay?” Toni turned and asked gently after Veronica was nowhere in sight.
Cheryl laughed bitterly and shook her head. God she was far from okay. She held Toni’s hand tighter and rested her head upon the shorter girl’s shoulder.
“Thank you.” She murmured.
A small smile tugged on Toni’s lips as she used her free hand to comb through the red locks.
“Always.” She whispered quietly but Cheryl heard it.
She lifted her head and was instantly met with a pair of chocolate orbs that held nothing but adoration and… warmth? Time felt like it stopped for a little while, and Cheryl wanted nothing but to lean down and kissed the girl.
But she knew better.
So instead, she asked Toni to take them somewhere, anywhere, as long as they’re not here. Toni complied and the both of them snuck out of the football field without anyone noticing.
Once outside, Toni helped Cheryl on her bike. She was relatively surprised that Cheryl didn’t mind riding her baby, she half expected her to bitch about how dangerous it might be or how the helmet was going to mess up her hair, but she simply took the helmet and got on without so much of a comment.
The ride was nice. Most of the town were all crowded in the small high school football field, leaving the streets almost empty and quiet. Cheryl wouldn’t say it out loud, but she enjoys this. The feeling of the serpent in her arms, taking them somewhere away from their awful reality known as their life.
Toni stopped the bike upon the rail of the highway and hopped over the fence. She offered Cheryl a hand, gesturing her to follow, and Cheryl smiled. Taking the serpent’s hand, she carefully crossed the fence, trying not to let anything damage her uniform.
The sat in silence for a little while until Toni decided to bring up the topic of Veronica. From the looks of today, it seems like the two rivalries aren’t what they seem to be after all.
“What happened?” She asked quietly, just loud enough for the both of them to hear.
Cheryl didn’t turn to look at her or say anything for a while. Instead, she was looking up at the stars, hoping one day things will get better. She know’s she didn’t have to explain anything to Toni, the serpent seems to know that she needed sometime to let her mind wonder off a little.
“There” she pointed to the center of the now defrosted river, “That’s where I tried to drown myself.” She said casually, almost as if it’s nothing important to be brought up.
Toni simply looked at her with a flash of terror and disbelief, though the redhead kept her eyes focused on the spot, never wavering.
“Veronica,” She started again before Toni could say anything. “She was the one who saved me. Archie maybe broke the ice and pulled me out, but it was Veronica who found me.”
Toni’s look soften, she took Cheryl’s hand in own and rubbing her thumb across Cheryl’s knuckle in attempt to comfort the girl, while simultaneously urging her to continue.
“It had always been her ever since she moved here.” She said, finally looking up to the sky again, trying to blink away the tears that had started to form in her eyes.
“She was always the one who was there when I need it someone.” She finished quietly.
Toni let go of the redhead, and instead, she pulled her closer to her, letting the girl rest upon her shoulder.
“Then she just… left?” She asked the ginger hesitantly.
We were walking on moon light
And you pull me close
Split second and you disappeared
And then I was all alone
“After they saved me, Veronica took me in. She took care of me, tried her best to keep me warm and make me feel better. And she did. Just her present made me feel a ton better. For the first time after JayJay, I felt cared for.” She played with Toni’s free hand, suddenly finding her slim fingers far more interesting than the scenery.
Toni didn’t push her to continue, she knows the ginger will tell her when she’s ready.
After another moment of silence, Cheryl took a deep breath and continued.
“We made a small blanket fort in front of the fireplace and we were just talking, well mostly her, about her life in New York. In return, I told her about JayJay. Everything felt right and… nice. I fell asleep half way through her story about her mean girl phase in New York. But when I woke up, I was greeted by her mother offering me a ride home. She said Veronica joined the others to the Julibee.” She shut her eyes, trying not to get lost in these thoughts again.
“It stung, but I understand. Besides, she’s done so much for me already, so who am I to ask her to stay? After Hermionie drove me back to thorn hill, I felt the need to do something. Take control of my life, and for once, feel like something is cleansed.” She gave up on trying to hide her tears, she’s got nothing to lose against this serpent now anyways.
“That’s why you burnt down the house.” The serpent finished quietly.
Cheryl nodded and continued with her story.
“By lunch the next day, everyone knew about the fire in thorn hill and how Penelope Blossom was burnt while “trying to get her daughter out of the house.”” Her laugh, so bitter, that made Toni question if Penelope ever really cared for Cheryl.
“I met them, Veronica and the sad breakfast club,” Toni laughed at the reference and Cheryl smiled.
“That’s when I learned that Fred Andrews was shot.” Her tone felt defeated, though Toni couldn’t really point out why.
“By the blackhood.” The serpent finished.
Cheryl simply nodded.
“And from that moment on, everything seems to have changed. Veronica and Archie especially.” Cheryl’s glaze advertised them towards the river again, staring at nothing in particular.
“That’s when they stopped caring.” She finished quietly.