Upon receiving a date for Jason's memorial, Leia called her friend and asked if the girl wanted her to spend the night at her house, wondering if she wanted to be alone or not the night before. She was shocked to find out Cheryl had also invited Veronica along to join them. While Veronica was going to spend the dinner and night there, Leia would join them later as she needed to finish some editing that she'd started.
When she finally finished, she welcomed herself into the Blossom house, thankful Cheryl's parents were elsewhere at that moment. She made her way into the girls bedroom, dropping down onto the girls bed as she looked over at Veronica and Cheryl, the two watching something on tv.
"How was dinner from hell?" She questioned, directing it to Veronica as the girl shared a look with Cheryl.
"It was fine." Veronica lied but Cheryl scoffed loudly, shaking her head in amusement.
"It was as you described it, hell. They kept asking unnecessary questions and they managed to make dinner awkward for everyone." Cheryl replied and Veronica pursed her lips, nodding along.
"Yeah, I didn't want to hurt your feelings." Veronica replied and the two redheads chuckled.
"So, now that's over, are we planning what you're wearing tomorrow?" Leia asked, raising her brow as she smirked at her friend. "We going for chaos or bombshell?"
Cheryl thought for a minute before turning to her friend with a wide grin. "Which one do you think?" She asked and Veronica looked between the two.
She had no idea what she was getting into.
Morning arrived and the three got ready, none of them really in the mood for idle conversation. When they finished, Leia walked over to her friend, noticing her looking at her reflection in the mirror. Veronica appeared on the other side of the Blossom girl and the two shared a look, turning to their friend.
"You ready?" Leia asked her friend, sending her a comforting smile as Veronica ran her finger over her curl.
"Just about." Cheryl responded, managing to muster a small smile. "You go ahead, I'll be down."
As Veronica left, Leia stayed by her friend, standing directly beside her. "Are you thinking of doing what I think you are?" She questioned, raising her brow as Cheryl chuckled in amusement.
"You know me so well." Cheryl commented as Leia smiled. "You don't think it will be too much, right?"
"Of course not, do what you want to do." Leia comforted, wrapping her arms around the girl's shoulders. "Jason wouldn't care if you turned up wearing a bright orange jumper and jeans. All he would care about is you being there. If you want to wear something that has meaning, then you do that. Nobody can stop you."
Cheryl was silent for a moment before she quietly responded to her friend's earlier remark. "As if you would ever catch me in an orange jumper." She commented which caused Leia to chuckle.
"Of course not." She smiled, turning to her friend. "I'm going to go downstairs, come down when you're ready. Wear what you want to wear." She pressed a small kiss the girls temple.
As she went to leave, she paused, sending her one last look before leaving her room and heading downstairs to where it was taking place. She took the spare seat beside Jughead and adjusted her dress, waiting for Cheryl to arrive. The boy beside her turned and glanced at the girl, wondering where she'd been but quickly turned around when he noticed her turn around.
She hadn't been given chance to question why the boy had suddenly turned around when footsteps sounded, alerting the room of Cheryl's presence. A small smile made its way on her face as she saw the white dress the girl wore. She held herself with confidence, staring straight ahead as she walked past the isle of people. She allowed herself to turn, sharing a look with Leia as the girl shot her a confident smile, nodding in approval.
Penelope looked ready to strangle Cheryl there and then but she held back and watched horrified as Cheryl made her way behind the podium. The girl adjusted her hair and turned to face the room full of people, shocked, appalled and some in awe at her unique arrival.
"Welcome to Thornhill." The Blossom girl began, addressing the room full of people staring at her incredulously. "Thank you all for coming. If you'll kindly take your seats, I'd like to start the memorial, with a few words about Jason." Her hands shakily removed the white gloves she had been wearing.
While she did that, Leia turned her attention to Penelope, the girl fighting against her husband's hold as she attempted to stand up and pull the girl away from the podium. The two made eye contact from across the room and Leia allowed her lips to lift up into an expression resembling a smirk as she stared the woman down. Eventually, the two turned their attention back to Cheryl, both wearing different expressions.
"The last time I saw Jason, I was wearing this dress." Cheryl continued, a thoughtful expression painted on her tired face. "I know it's impossible, but I swear, when I put it on, it feels like he's in the room with me." Her eyes moved over to her brother's photo, that had been taken by Leia, before she turned back to the room full of people.
"Even thought we were twins, I used to demand I have my own birthday party. Until one year, out of the blue, Jason convinced me we had to combine them into one. It wasn't until years later I found out why." She paused and stared off distantly, seemingly fixated into the memory she'd picked out. "It was because no one wanted to come to mine, and Jason didn't want me to know."
"He protected me, every single day." Her voice broke as she continued and Leia bit her lip, hating to see her friend in such a state. "I wish that day at the river, I had protected him." She gasped out a sob and turned around, pressing her hand against the coffin, allowing the fresh tears to flow. "I'm so sorry, JJ." Leia and Veronica shared a look, the two standing up and heading towards the front. "We failed you. All of us."
The two girls each wrapped an arm around the girl, feeling her melt into their embrace. Out of the corner of her eye, Leia watched as Penelope stood up, making her own way to the podium. "I think we'll adjourn now, to the winter salon for a light supper." Penelope attempted to change the subject from her daughter who was crying into her two friend's shoulders.
As everyone began to move out the room, Leia watched Jughead and Betty sneak off, intriguing the girl. She felt Cheryl pull away, telling the two girls she was going to the bathroom to freshen up. The two girls, now left alone, shared a mutual look, knowing that Cheryl was in danger of Penelope's punishment.
Leia excused herself and found herself walking up the stairs, finding Betty and Jughead in Jason's room, speaking to Nana Blossom. She prayed that the old woman would let them go soon, she knew better than anyone how that woman could go on and on. It had happened the first time she'd arrived, the woman going on and on about knowing her parents.
Rolling her eyes, she left the two alone and headed back downstairs, leaning on the wall as she waited for Fred to announce when they'd be leaving. With a drink in her hand, she sighed and moved to sit down. She grabbed her phone and decided scrolling through her phone would pass the time.
Words~1309.
{edited:no}