You Shine (Choni)

44- The Dress

Toni's POV

That evening, Cheryl came back home late. I'd spent the evening with Nana Rose, laughing at her tales of Cheryl's childhood, and gossiping about all the people in the town. I was starting to really love Nana Rose. She'd called me when Cheryl was at the nunnery, and I didn't know how I'd ever repay her for that. I'd also learnt that it was her suggestion to have me live here. It struck me while she was talking about her own youth how similar we were. 

When Cheryl finally got back, something seemed off. She didn't look me in the eye, and I didn't bother asking where she'd been so long, because she seemed so unwilling to talk. She claimed that she was tired, but her anxious eyes, flitting about the room, said otherwise. I didn't know whether to press her to talk, or to leave her until the morning. 

I let her go upstairs, and said goodnight to Nana Rose, quickly piling all our dishes in the dishwasher before following Cheryl. I decided I was going to leave her be until tomorrow, and see if she was feeling better then. By the time I reached our room, she was already fast asleep, and I stroked her hair, cuddling down next to her. I could feel the tension still in her body, and wrapped an arm around her waist, burying my face in her neck. Even though I was shorter, I was happy to be the big spoon. She needed comfort. 

The next morning, she certainly seemed to be happier. She woke me with a soft kiss on the neck, grinning down at me. It was early, earlier than she normally woke up, but I put that down to her funny mood last night. I kept my hands around her waist, stopping her from getting out of bed.

She laughed, not really trying to resist me, and let herself fall back into me, her hair tickling my face.

"So, what did you get up to last night?" I asked her, my mouth against her neck.

"Got a dress, then went for a walk. I wanted to think and clear my head," she replied, leaning into me. It was clear from her tone that she didn't want to talk about it.

"What colour dress should I get?" I said, eager for us not to clash.

"I got a dark blue one, so whatever you think will work," she replied, and I sighed.

"I have no idea what works and what doesn't. I'll get Veronica to help me figure it out."

She rolled onto me, her face inches from mine, and kissed me, her hair falling down one side of her head, her lips strong and intense. I kissed her back, amazed at the effect she still had on me. I could feel her heart drumming, throbbing, in every part of her body, feel the goosebumps on her skin as I trailed my tongue, my lips, down her body. She kissed me back, giving me her entire self, and I felt her body move under mine, running my hands over her soft skin, hearing her gasp and moan in short sharp bursts. 

After a while, we were both lying breathless in the bed, looking up at the ceiling, but stealing occasional glances at each other and smirking, like we did the first time we slept together. Eventually, it drew closer to when I was meant to be meeting Veronica, so I quickly showered and got changed, leaving Cheryl still in bed. I kissed her, promising not to get anything that would clash with her dress, and left, laughing to myself.

Veronica had already ordered her prom dress, which left me at the mercy of having all the focus on me. She had a good eye for quality, and pulled out three dresses at the first store we went to, raving about the designer. All I could tell was that they looked like normal dresses. I didn't want to say anything though, and let her talk.

The second shop we went to, a dress immediately caught her eye, and she looked at me in glee.

"Toni, I've found it. I've found the dress for you."

I rolled my eyes, but when she pulled it out from the rack, I couldn't help but be impressed. It was a deep black, darker than any normal black I'd seen, and I stared into the fabric for a second, mesmerised. Veronica laughed at my reaction.

"I told you. I'm a genius," she said, holding it out against me. "Go and try it on, I need to see this."

I dove into the dressing room, and pulled on the dress. It was relatively tight fitting, outlining my silhouette. I smiled at myself in the mirror. Black was a good choice too, as it wouldn't clash with Cheryl.

Veronica grinned happily when I came out. "Oh my god, Cheryl's gonna die when she sees you. If we weren't both taken, I'd be hitting on you myself right now."

I laughed. "Okay, I love it, you're amazing, etc."

She grinned. "I know."

We bought the dress, and strolled down the High Street, looking into the windows of the other shops.

"How are you feeling about this Heather girl?" She asked me, linking her arm in mine.

I shrugged. "I don't particularly like her. But if Cheryl does, I'll give her a chance. She can't be that bad."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "No, she is that bad. She's so annoying. And so uptight. Did nobody ever tell her that she shouldn't be wearing that shade of pink with her complexion?"

I laughed. "Okay, she's a total bitch. I hope her and Cheryl don't get too close."

Veronica smiled. "Honestly, even if they did, I don't think anything could come between you and Cheryl. You haven't been together anywhere near as long as Jughead and Betty, or me and Archie, but you're by far the strongest couple I know."

I smiled back. "I still can't believe she's my girlfriend. She's unreal."

We talked about her and Archie for a bit, discussing his trial, and how he was coping under arrest. Veronica confided in me her worries that this could tear them apart. He was turning into a totally different person. I listened and comforted her, sure that Cheryl and I wouldn't be torn apart by anything like that.