Opposites Attract~ Choni

I Can Still 34

Toni's POV
I felt warm arms wrap around me. I knew it was Cheryl from her cherry blossom sent. "Toni it's ok. You're ok." She spoke softly in my ear.

My vision became clearer and I didn't hear his voice any more. "Toni are you ok? What's wrong." Archie spoke quickly. I didn't want to talk about it, but I knew I would have to eventually. I looked up from the ground and saw everyone watching me and waiting for me to speak.

"I heard my uncles voice. Everything he would say to me when he would.." I trailed off, but continued.

"I can still taste the sweat from his hands covering my mouth telling me not to scream. I can still taste the alcohol from his tongue. I can still feel his hands and his tongue roaming. I can still feel the soreness of the next day. I can still smell the must that radiated off of him. I can still hear his fast paced breathing. I still hear him, "You should've cut deeper". I can still see the look of disgust whenever he saw me. I can still see the smug look on his face afterwards like..." I paused for a second. "Like he was proud. Proud that he took something that was worth so much. Proud that he caused so much pain. Proud that I'm broken from what he did."

Cheryl's POV
After she finished it was silent except for the sniffles that came from the ones crying from the story Toni just told.

"Cheryl you're staying with her, you're not going to school tomorrow." My mother stated. "She doesn't need to stay I'll be fine." Toni finally spoke. "Toni she's staying and you're not going to change my mind." "I'm not going to do anything stupid." Toni assures, but it didn't convince my mother. "I know you won't, because Cheryl will be here with you." My mother spoke in her, not up for debate, look.

"Fine." She said heading for the steps to get out. I grabbed her hand. "Would you have done it?" I was worried and afraid of what her answer would be. "Would anybody have cared?" She looked down so she wouldn't make eye contact. "Look at me." I spoke softly and she looked up at me. "I care Toni. I wish I could've saved my brother. I lost him I can't lose you too."

She smiled weakly and brought her free hand that I wasn't holding to cup my cheek. "You won't lose me, I'll be right here." She let go and walked out.

As she walked off I didn't want to think about what she could've done. I'm genuinely concerned for her mental health.

My mother had asked me to stay down her to talk. Everyone else got ready for bed except for Veronica, she stayed to talk to her mother. "Goodnight Cheryl." Betty said. "Goodnight." I quietly said back not really paying attention. "Goodnight Roni" Betty said to Veronica. "Goodnight B" They smiled at each other for longer than they probably expected before Betty walked off, which didn't go unnoticed by the three adults.

"What was that about?" The three women spoke all together. "What was what?" Veronica asked cluelessly. "You and Betty." I whispered to help jog her memory. "Oh you mean Betty saying goodnight. We're friends now." She lied. "More than friends." I butted in. "Shut up." She hit my arm and I winced. "Sorry I forgot."

They all looked at her, probably in shock. "You and my daughter?" Aunt Alice asked raising an eyebrow. "You and her daughter?" Mrs Lodge asked her own daughter. "You and my niece?" My mom pointed at her.

I didn't want to be the only one not saying anything so I said, "You and my cousin?"

"Why are you guys doing that, and Cheryl shut up you already knew." She poked me on my cheek. "I know I just didn't want to be left out."
"So she's your girlfriend?" Aunt Alice asked. "Not technically, that's Friday." They all nodded in understanding.

"So mom, what did you want to talk about." "Toni is fragile and she needs to know that others care especially you. Tell her you live her." "Mom we've only been dating for 4 days." She shrugged. "So doesn't make you any less in love with her. You never know what might happen she needs to know." "She's not-" She cit me off. "What was the last thing you said to Jason?"

"I don't remember because he was mad at me for something and we stopped talking, I didn't want to make him angrier at me so I gave him some space." "Like I said maybe you should tell her." I sighed not wanting to talk about it anymore. "Goodnight, I'm tired." "Goodnight sweetheart, love you." "Love you too." I replied as I walked out."

In the morning I went downstairs and everyone was in the kitchen staring at Toni, who was sitting on the living room floor with her head down and her hair flowing over her face. I mouthed over to them, "What happened?" Veronica shrugged and mouthed back, "We don't know, she won't talk."

I went to sit in front of her on the floor. She didn't look up until I grabbed her hands and rubbed my thumb over it in circular motions. She looked tired, terrified, and broken. There were tears in her eyes that had yet to fall, sparkling making her eyes seem crystal like.

"Toni did you go to sleep last night?" She didn't answer, but instead turned her head away from me. "Toni please talk to me. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." I pleaded in a low voice not wanting to scare her. She let go of my hand. "I couldn't sleep, I was scared it would happen again. Everything kept replaying over and over and over." She repeated the words bringing her knees to her chest and covering her ears. "Hey, hey calm down you're ok. He's dead he can't hurt you anymore." I said slowly removing her hands from her ears.

"I want to help you, but I honestly don't know what to do. You can talk to me whenever you need to, but I think you need to talk to a professional." The corner of her mouth curled into a smile. "You being here is enough." I rested my hand on her cheek to wipe the tear that finally escaped. "You should get some rest." I kissed her forehead and walked to the kitchen as she walked upstairs.

I felt everyone staring at me. "My cousin is secretly a big softy, most of the time you're an ass" "Shut up, I'm only an ass to you now go to school." I poked her forehead. She laughed at me and walked out the door with the others.

"Aww you an Toni are so cute." My aunt squealed. "Don't" I said crossing my arms. "You're so sweet when it comes to Toni, but when it comes to everyone else you're somewhat nice." "I'm nice all the time, ask Toni." "She's biased, so she doesn't count."

Toni walked down the steps. "Cheryl I can't sleep. Can you lay with me?" She spoke quietly. She sounded so adorably cute that I wouldn't have been able to say no even if I wanted to. "Yeah." She smiled at me and I followed her up the stairs.