Toni took in a deep breath as she shifted on her feet, her books pressed tightly to her chest. She stood in front of Cheryl's locker nervously. It had been a week since her car accident and today was going to be her first day back at school. Toni had gone to see her every day, bring her homework for her and to hang out. It had been great but now they'd be in public together and she wasn't sure if Cheryl wanted them to be out. She wasn't sure if she should kiss her in the halls or walk her to class or hold her hand. Did Cheryl want that?
She was biting her nail nervously as she looked around the halls, watching as the kids walked to their lockers and talked to their friends. A head of wavy brown hair caught her eye and she watched as Jughead walked down the hall silently. A small frown on his lips as he kept his eyes down. He hadn't talked to her in a week. He still sat with everyone at the lunch table and met at Veronica's locker in between classes but he never even looked at her. It hurt her that she had lost him as a friend but the others kept telling her that he'd come around.
"Hey."
She jumped, putting her hand to her chest. "Cher, you scared me!" She pouted as she looked up at the older girl who stood next to her, staring down at her with a raised eyebrow. Cheryl's arm was casted up from her knuckles to her elbow and rested in a sling for the sake of her broken collarbone. Her head still wore a bandage over the gash and her face still wore healing cuts and bruises. She had her book bag thrown over her right shoulder.
"Well, Toni, if you were paying more attention to your surroundings then you would have noticed me standing here for like five minutes. Move from in front of my locker." Toni quickly slid over and bit her lip watching as Cheryl put in her combination. She held her bag out and Toni quickly took it. She opened it and pulled out the books for Cheryl's first few classes. "Thanks." Cheryl mumbled as she shoved her bag into her locker and turned towards Toni, taking her books before kissing her softly on the lips and walking pass her to meet with the others.
Toni stood stunned for a few moments before a grin came to her lips and she fought the urge to bounce on her toes in excitement. Cheryl had just kissed her in the hall full of other students. She did want them to be public, she did want to be her girlfriend. She turned and quickly caught up with Cheryl just as she reached Veronica's locker and stood next to her, biting back the smile that wanted to split her face.
"Good to have you back." Reggie said with a small nod. She returned it with a small sigh.
"Good to be back. My parents have been driving me fucking insane. One minute they're moaning and groaning over my totaled car and the next they're all over me as if I had died and magically came back to them. It's like they still can't decide if they're pissed at me or if they're glad that I'm okay and it's been a week already." She shook her head with a roll of her eyes.
"Parents." Archie said with a shake of his own head and they all nodded in agreement. The group was silent for only a few moments before Archie perked up once more. "So, are you two like a thing now or what?" He asked as he pointed at Toni and Cheryl. The others quickly looked at them as well. Cheryl's eyes narrowed as Toni quickly looked at her for the answer.
"Is that a problem?"
"No." Archie shook his head and quickly looked away from Cheryl's dark gaze. "I'm happy for you guys." He said and gave Toni a thumbs up. She beamed before she looked up at Cheryl who was shaking her head and rolling her eyes as if Archie's question was the dumbest thing she had ever heard.
"Me too. I think you two would be good for each other now that you've cleared all that toxic air." Veronica chipped in as she nodded her head. Cheryl's eyes narrowed next on her.
"What toxic air?" she gritted through her teeth and Toni reached up to put a hand on Cheryl's arm, sensing her rising anger. Veronica quickly shook her head.
"Nothing-nothing. Your hidden sex relationship wasn't toxic at all." She chuckled trying to lighten the mood and Reggie shook his head as he kept his mouth shut. Cheryl's head tilted slightly and her eyes narrowed farther. "I'm just going to shut up now." Veronica nodded as she took a step back and looked away from Cheryl as well.
"Good idea." Cheryl nodded before looking at Toni, who bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders. Cheryl sighed before Jughead slowly made his way over to the group and they all fell silent as he stopped next to Archie. Toni frowned slightly and her shoulders slumped as he quietly greeted everyone but her and Cheryl.
"I almost forgot to return your notes for Chem." He mumbled as he passed a few papers over to Veronica who nodded her head as she took them.
"Thanks, Jughead." She said as she shoved them into her book. He nodded his head and shifted on his feet slightly. Toni bit her lip. She could tell it was taking him everything in his power not to look over at them.
"Hi, Jughead." She chipped up quickly as she held her books a bit tighter to her chest. He quickly looked over at her and offered a really tight lipped smile.
"Hi, Toni." He mumbled before his eyes slid over to Cheryl. They narrowed slightly and his tight smile formed into a frown. "Cheryl."
"Jughead." She said with a shrug of her good shoulder. He clenched his teeth and swallowed before turning on his heels and leaving the group without another word. Cheryl shook her head as she looked down at Toni. "Don't pay him any attention. He'll get the fuck over it sooner or later." She said and Toni nodded her head though she kept her eyes down with a frown.
"I know but-"
"But nothing. Look at me," Cheryl said as she turned to face her. Toni quickly looked up to Cheryl's eyes at the demand. "He got his feelings hurt. I'm sorry but that's life and he'll get over it but if he never accepts the fact that we're together then fuck him. We don't need anybody but ourselves. Fuck anyone who doesn't agree. It'll be us against the world if it has to be, Baby Girl." She said and Toni nodded her head with a giggle. Cheryl would never know how much her words actually meant to her.
She wanted them.
"Us, forever and ever, Cher." She said and Cheryl smirked before she nodded.
"Good girl."
"And you'll always have us too." Veronica said with a smile and Toni looked over at the others, almost forgetting that they were there.
"Thanks guys." She chuckled and they nodded their heads.
"And I'm sure Jughead will come around." Reggie said as he glanced down the hall where Jughead had disappeared. "Like you said, he got hurt and he just needs some more time to heal. Toni was like his first love." He said as he looked back towards the girls and Cheryl scuffed.
"And I wasn't yours?" She asked.
"I didn't say that." Reggie chuckled.
"And you're not crying like a little bitch."
"Everyone heals at their own pace, Cher."
"Shouldn't we be getting to class?" Veronica chuckled as she glanced at the clock on the wall. They all mumbled in annoyed agreement before making their way to their own classes. Toni walked Cheryl to hers, helping to carry her books. Cheryl surprised her with another kiss, this time on the corner of her mouth before disappearing into her classroom. Toni bit her lip at the butterflies that filled her stomach. She couldn't help it. She was happy. For the first time in a long time she was really happy.
She skipped her way down the hall, humming to herself with a smile as she made her way to her own class. She was only a few more steps away before someone reached out and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face them. Her smile immediately dropped at the sight of Jughead. He was frowning back at her before he swallowed.
"I was hoping we could talk." He whispered as he scratched the back of his neck. She glanced back towards her classroom because she knew if she got another tardy she'd be in serious trouble but this was the first time that Jughead had reached out to speak to her and she couldn't say no so she timidly nodded her head as she looked back at him. He returned the nod before swallowing thickly. "Toni, is this really what you want?" he started while shaking his head.
"You mean Cheryl?" She asked just to make sure. He nodded his head while shifting on his feet.
"It was just so sudden-"
"It wasn't sudden." She shook her head quickly. "I've liked Cheryl for a really long time. Longer than long."
"Well it was sudden to me." He whispered. He looked so confused and hurt and it caused Toni's heart to clench. "I thought you really liked me, Toni..."
"I did... I mean, I do like you, Jughead. You're one of my best friends." She wanted to reach out and touch his arm but she thought against it. He looked like he could shatter with just one touch.
"Then why did you ruin what we had?" He asked and she frowned as she looked away from him. "I thought I made you happy."
"You did make me happy..."
"And you make me happy." He said as he stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "I love you, T. I love you more than Cheryl ever could." She opened her mouth to protest but he continued quickly. "She doesn't love you. She only wanted you because she couldn't have you. She saw how happy we were together and she wanted to destroy that. She never wanted to be with you before we started dating." He said with knitted eyebrows.
Toni felt her own eyebrows pull together because he had a point, before she started dating him Cheryl had only wanted to have sex with her. "Some people change." She tried to shrug.
"Not Cheryl and you know that." He shook his head at her. "She doesn't like it when people are happy and in love like we were. The moment she gets bored with you she'll leave you and go crawling back to Reggie." And she felt her heart drop because so many times did Cheryl leave her to be back together with Reggie. Was this time really going to be any different?
She bit her lip fighting back the tears that burned in her eyes. She felt her doubts and insecurities bubble up in her like a volcano ready to erupt. What if Jughead was right? What if Cheryl realized that she made the wrong choice and she really wanted to be with Reggie? What if she realized that she didn't want Toni? She wanted Reggie.
"I have to go, Jughead." She whispered while pushing his hands off her shoulders. She brushed pass him and made her way quickly down the hall, the opposite way of her class.
"I'll be here for you, Toni, when that happens!" He yelled after her.
Cheryl frowned as she stood in front of Toni's locker. She tapped her foot as she waited. After Toni had dropped her off she hadn't seen her for the rest of the morning and they shared more than a few classes together in the morning. It was now lunch time and she still hadn't seen any trace of her. She'd never admit it out loud but she was starting to get worried. She glanced around the hall but still saw no sight of the brunette. She took in a deep breath and began to walk.
If she didn't want to be found without leaving the school ground she always went to one place. She was sure it was the same place for Toni seeing as Toni always found her. She walked a bit faster with a destination in mind.
The janitor's closet.
She stopped in front of its door just as the bell rang. She slowly pushed it open and stepped inside. She frowned at finding Toni sitting on the floor with her knees pressed to her chest and her face buried in her arms. She closed the door behind her and dropped her bag to the floor. "TT...What's wrong?" Toni's shoulders tensed at her voice and Cheryl slowly moved to sit down next to her.
"Nothing. I'm perfectly fine." Toni mumbled into her arms and Cheryl raised an eyebrow as she stared at her.
"Well you don't seem fine. You skipped all your morning classes."
Toni was silent for a long moment before she released a shaky sigh. "When you get bored with me are you going to leave me for Reggie?" She asked. Cheryl felt her eyes almost fall out of her head at Toni's words. So that's what was wrong? She was sitting in the janitor's closet burying herself in her insecurities.
"Toni, no!" Cheryl yelled and pulled on Toni's arm forcing the younger girl to look up at her. Her eyes held all her doubts and worries and Cheryl sighed at the sight of them. She was the root of all that self-doubt. She made Toni feel like a second choice. "I'm not going to leave you for Reggie, TT. I know this might be hard for you to believe because I always made you feel like you were second to him, but you're not, and I'm going to prove it if you just give me the chance to."
"I do want to believe it but Jughead said-"
"Wait a minute. Jughead?" Cheryl's eyebrows pulled together and Toni bit her lip as she nodded her head. "Don't ever start off with Jughead said. He doesn't want you to be with me, Toni. He'll say anything to make sure that we're not together. Don't let him fill your head with doubts and then not talk to me about it." Cheryl tried to keep her anger in check. She didn't want to snap at Toni but she was pissed by what she was hearing. They hadn't been together for even a whole week and Jughead was already trying to break them up. But she should have expected it.
"You're right. I'm sorry..." Toni whispered as she fiddled with her fingers down in her lap. Cheryl took in a deep breath as she ran her fingers through her hair. She nodded her head before looking back at Toni.
"Toni, do you know what my biggest regret is?" She asked and watched as Toni looked back at her in confusion before she shook her head. "All those times I left you to cry over me. I was an asshole and do you know what I realized?" Toni shook her head again as she bit her lip. "That I can only hurt you like that if I allow myself to hurt you like that. I've promised myself that I won't allow myself to hurt you anymore. You make me better, Toni. Better than Reggie ever could and I'm not going to let you go. Ever. So forget what Jughead says or what anyone says. I'm saying that I want you and only you. I just need you to believe it."
Toni could only stare at Cheryl before the tears slowly filled her eyes. Cheryl raised an eyebrow back at her at the sight of them. "I believe it." Toni smiled as she nodded her head, giggling softly. "Who said you weren't good at expressing yourself?" She giggled while wiping her eyes. Cheryl offered a small smile and Toni quickly pulled her into her arms. "I love you, Cheryl."
"I love you too, Baby Girl." Cheryl kissed her temple before smiling. "Now come on, I'll buy you some froyo. How does that sound?" She asked as she stood up and put her hand out to her. Toni finished wiping her face dry with a smile before she took Cheryl's hand and allowed her to pull her to her feet. Cheryl pulled her close and kissed her softly on the lips, causing Toni to giggle.
"You taste better than froyo." She chuckled, wrapping her arms round Cheryl's waist. Cheryl raised an eyebrow down at her.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Toni giggled and Cheryl hummed before her hand slid down Toni's back and squeezed her ass.
"Then how about we just go back to my place and I'll let you taste me instead." Toni felt her body heat up at the words and she bit her lip as she looked up at Cheryl through her lashes.
"I love that idea way better." Cheryl smiled at her before she pecked her on the lips and led her out of the small room.
Toni followed behind her with a small smile on her lips. She never understood what they meant about being on cloud nine but she thought she finally got it now. It was the feeling of being so happy that you felt like you were floating up into the clouds and that's exactly how she felt. Cheryl put her on cloud nine. She never thought she'd see the day where Cheryl was all hers, but here it was, and she couldn't have been happier. They had their ups and downs... a lot of downs, but she knew through it all that she belonged to Cheryl and Cheryl had always belonged to her.
