◤ chapter twenty-four: ❛ a night to remember ❜ ◢
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TONI WAS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, A WORLD PRINCESS. Dressed to the nines, glam girl all around, with her hair down (not one out of place), she looked mesmerizing. At least, she thought she looked pretty damn good – or even better than good. She was astonishing, all dolled up like she was heading to the Met Gala but in reality all she was going to was a Homecoming dance.
But it wasn't just that – there was so much more than that. It was dancing with her boyfriend, with her friends, laughing and eating beforehand. It was letting loose, getting high on the rush of them all there together looking their best rather than anything that could actually get her high.
It was being a teenager. Just a teenager, sixteen and thriving, not sixteen going on ready for a husband. No, for one night, she could forget all the Alderson expectations, and she could forget that her mother was about to have a hard attack when Harry comes to pick her up, and instead she could enjoy looking so nice, and him looking better, and the two of them.
And she could enjoy Sabrina and Atlas, and everyone else, and float away forever. For one night, she wouldn't have to think about her rising life, the build towards the peak, and instead she could just let loose. She wanted this. She craved this, more than she thought she ever could.
It was just a dance, but it was also so much more than that. At least, it felt like more than that. It was her, sixteen, and him, seventeen, and everyone else. But it wasn't everything else.
Her phone buzzed on her bed, and she rushed to get it, and smile quickly moving onto her face when she saw who it was from. Harry. He was almost there, and in a moment he was going to be at her door, and in another they were going to be in his car. She didn't think about the in between, only the end result, kissing him across the seats and listening to his music, closing her eyes and enjoying the night that was closing in.
She came downstairs, and the first thing she saw was not the boy she so desperately wanted her eyes to meet, but instead her mother. Eden Alderson, with her hair just as Toni's, only dulled with some greys pouring in sections. She was sure it would be gone by the start of the next week, because Eden could never stand to watch herself grey away, and instead hide under dyes and the belief that she was still as young as she had always been.
It was easier to trick herself into that.
Undeniably, Toni received her eyes from her father – the same doe brown eyes that never cared about her always faced herself in the mirror – but everything else was Eden. The lips, the expressions, the slender noses. She was the spitting image of Eden Alderson, only younger and without those green eyes that she once tricked herself into believing cared.
"You look so nice, Toni," Eden smiled, her arms open for an embrace that never happened. Instead, Toni stood stiff, away from her mother.
She nodded. "Thanks," because when was she one to deny a compliment? Besides, she didn't need her mother to throw a fit right before Harry's arrival.
Almost disappointed, Eden lowered her arms and nodded, mostly to herself in resignation that Toni wasn't going to embrace her. "Well," she cleared her throat, "I hope you have a good time."
"I will."
The tension was unbearably awkward, as it always was. Though they barely saw each other, Toni always trying to evade her at every turn, when they happened to pass it always ended in this silence that Toni wished would just stop. It was hideous, and her made her shuffle uncomfortably.
Thankfully, the end came quickly when the doorbell rang and both of their heads snapped to the door. "I'll get it," Toni rushed to the door, unlocking and opening it before her mother could protest. And there, the one she was waiting for, was there; Harry.
She smiled at the sight of him, and he smiled back at her, a little bit of nervousness bouncing around them. "Hi," he said first, looking her up and down, "You look beautiful."
Unlike before, when her mother complimented her, her cheeks turned red and she looked down a little. "Thanks," the reply was the same, "You look good, too."
He smiled brightly at her, and stood up a little straighter. "Thanks," he said and then laughed a little, his nerves getting to him finally.
Her eyes then darted to the bouquet of flowers he had in hand. "We should probably get some water for those, come in," he nodded and stepped forward as she stepped out of the way, and she braced herself for what was about to come next.
As he stepped in, her mother came into sight, and the bright smile she had turned to one of unimaginable shock at the sight of Toni's date, and for a moment she stumbled. Toni had never seen her mother stumble before.
"Hi, Harry Osborn, nice to meet you," Harry moved swiftly, offering his hand for Eden to take.
Her mother blinked before giving her own. "Eden Alderson," she said in return, clearing her throat again to get some control back, "Toni didn't tell me you were her date."
He shrugged, and Toni moved out of the room to get a vase and some water for the flowers. She was sure Harry could handle her mother for a moment, and when she was alone she let out a deep breath. It was alright, only another moment, and then they would be gone.
She could do this.
When she came back out, and they were still talking, Toni moved up to Harry, snaking their arms together. "We really need to go," she told her mom, "I'll be home later."
Eden looked like she wanted to protest and instead engage Harry in further conversation, but remembering her manners, nodded. "Alright, have fun," she repeated, and Toni nodded again.
"It was nice to meet you," Harry said politely, award-winning smile to her mother before they turned and left the house.
"She looks just like you," he commented when they were outside, the night breeze chilling her arms slightly.
"I know. It sucks."
Because she always looked like the one person she never wanted to see, and who she never wanted to become. Yet, it seemed fate wanted to punish her with the sight forever, and maybe even transform her into this person.
Harry said nothing to that, but did open the car door for her and she graciously accepted it. He closed the door, too, and then moved to the other side to let himself in. And then they were off, and Toni could breathe again.
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After dinner, at a moderately fancy place so they didn't stick out with their glammed attire, Harry drove them to school and Toni turned off her phone. While she didn't at it during dinner, her eyes skimmed the screen when she got back in the car, only to find text after text from her mother demanding an explanation about Harry. So, she shut it down and placed it in the back of her bag, because she so didn't want her mother to ruin this night completely.
It was her night, for her and her alone. It was her time to forget about the world and everything going on, her time to forget that Harry was a bigger deal than just being her boyfriend, and her time to forget that Eden was definitely going to tell everyone else in her family and she would never stop hearing about it.
But it's fine – she's fine.
She had tonight, and all she needed was tonight. Nothing else mattered after, she could get through it all as she had done before.
She took his hand as she drove, and he said nothing of it, and she continued to hold onto it as if it were her lifeline. "My mother's probably told my grandparents about you."
"Is that a bad thing?" he asked, and she blinked, having forgotten that Harry didn't know about them. He knew nothing about the Alderson expectations because she had never told him, hadn't really ever talked about it with Sabrina or Atlas either, and only Finn. Sure, everyone else knew some of it, but when it was really heavy, she went to Finn. He understood.
Biting her lip, she thought about bringing it up. Telling him all about how one day she was going to marry someone rich, or get pregnant and trap them before that, and then her life would be settled. But they were young, and this was Homecoming night, hardly appropriate, and it could ruin everything.
He might think she dating him just for this as well, and then it would be a horrible night, and she didn't want that. She just wanted him to hold her hand, and smile at her as if she was all that mattered, so it could wait for another day.
"No," she agreed with him, "I guess it doesn't."
Not tonight, at least. Tonight, none of that mattered, only they did. And when tomorrow came, she would face her mother alone, and her family alone, maybe with Finn by her side, and they would take care of the problem. Then, one day, down the line, she would tell Harry.
But not tonight.
So instead, she soaked up the soft music he played, and the way his hand warmed hers, and pushed her family out of her mind.
And when they got to the school, heading into the gym which was dark and decorated, streamers everywhere, she held his hand, looking for the others. Atlas was there with Ned, and they danced together too an upbeat song, so she made a dash towards them.
Atlas looked happy. Loose. Looser than when he was high out of his mind or black out drunk, and she brought him into a hug when she accepted with a wide smile.
"So, you and lover boy made it here after all," he said, lips turned up into a slight smirk, "After all the trouble you went through to deny your feelings."
She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Shut up. And what about you? I didn't think dances or relationships were for you."
His eyes trailed to Ned, and then back to her, and he shrugged. "Trying something new is exciting," he commented, and she nodded her head in agreement.
"Is Sabrina here yet?" she asked and he shook his head.
"I haven't seen them yet, at least," he told her and she nodded, and before she could react he turned her hand and turned her round until she was laughing. He did it again, and she didn't stop him, until she was spinning and twirling enough to be dizzy and he wanted it done to himself.
Their fun stopped when Harry took her instead, and twirled her around. She placed a kiss on his cheek when she found the opportunity, and she saw him turn red, so she laughed.
"Toni!" she eventually heard a familiar squeal, and she turned just in time to catch Sabrina when she rushed towards her, tackling her into a hug. "You look so good!"
Toni squeezed her back, and when they broke apart, she said, "You look even better."
Sabrina blushed and rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that..." and didn't accept the compliment.
"No, I'm not. I mean it," Toni doubled down and Sabrina's blush deepened until she turned away.
"I'm gonna find Liz. She owes me a dance – love ya. Toodles!" and as fast as she came, she fluttered away.
Toni blinked, though she wasn't surprised by how Sabrina was moving around everyone because of course people wanted to see her, and of course she wanted to dance with Liz first before talking to her friends.
She moved away, looking around for Harry, but frowned slightly when she saw Finn. Now, this was not something she expected, because Finn didn't go to her school, which meant someone had taken him as a date.
As she went to pursue him, she was stopped when Harry stepped in front of her way. "May I have this dance?" she offered, a sure smile on his face.
"Can't right now. My cousin's here and I've gotta find out why," she declined, a little sad because she really did want to dance with him more, "Wanna come with, though?"
He nodded, taking her hand, and they continued together after cousin. "Finn!" she shouted, gaining his attention as she got closer, "What the fuck at you doing here?"
Finn shrugged. "I'm here with Peter, I'm his date," he explained before raising an eyebrow at her date, "And who's this?"
Of course he knew who it was, but he wanted her to introduce him, because he was a little shit, but first she shook her head. "Wait – you're here with Peter? Like, the same nerdy Peter who you somehow know and are friends with?" she asked and he nodded, "Damn. And this is my date, Harry. Harry Osborn."
It was only fair to fall into his trap because he did give her the information she wanted from her, and she blinked a little.
Now being introduced, Harry took a step forward and waved, greeting Finn himself, who nodded.
"And I'm Finn," he said back, "So, you're here with my cousin?"
He raised an eyebrow and Toni rolled her eyes. "Finn, stop it," she warned him.
"What?" he looked at her innocently, "You're my cousin and it obviously looks like Uncle Jimmy didn't give him the talk and neither did Aunt Eden, which leaves."
She rolled her eyes, though there was a bit of a scoff in her heart. It's not they would try and chase him off, no, they would invite Harry in and make sure he never ever left. "You are not giving him the shovel talk, Finn. Do you know how much convincing it took my parents to let him off easy?"
To make it lighter, because they knew that nothing with the Aldersons was light, she added the last bit as a joke. Harry raised an eyebrow and Finn caught on easily enough so he smiled at her. "Yeah? Well I'm not your parents," he then turned to Harry, "And I hope you know that if you hurt my cousin, I will not hesitate to hurt you right back. In a more...physically violent type of way, of course."
Unfazed, Harry bit back, "What are you gonna do? I have a whole team of lawyers to back me up if you try and hurt me."
"And I should be in juvie, so don't push it," Finn fought back, though his eyes sparkled.
Harry blinked, taking a step back, then looking at her for an explanation. "Toni, your cousin should be in juvie?" Of course, Finn looked pleased with himself for this, which made her roll her eyes.
But, instead of answering, she said, "Yeah, whatever. It happened months ago, Finn, get over it."
"Your cousin should be in juvie?" Harry repeated again, this time with more force to get an answer.
So, finally, to put him out of his misery, Toni answered, "For selling drugs, like the idiot he is. Not because he assaulted anyone or anything. He just likes to be dramatic."
"I do not!" Finn squawked in protest so Toni glared at him.
"Yes, you do. Don't even try and deny it, Finnegan," she added a full name, though she knew full well that it wasn't his actual name, because it always annoyed him.
"That's not even my name, Antionette."
"There will be no using the full name here, mister," she gasped in betrayal, "I can't believe you, bringing out that dusty, old name here."
Finn smirked, smug that he had gotten this reaction out of her and it made her want to stomp over it. "You deserve it, cousin."
"Gag."
Before their quarrel could continue Ned and Atlas came over and the former of the two looked at the group with concern. "Hey! Do you any of you know where Peter is?"
Toni shrugged and Harry shook his head because they hadn't seen the boy all night, but Peter answered, "Uh, Liz Allan's dad wanted to talk to him for a moment. He's probably still out in the car."
She furrowed her eyebrows because that was definitely weird. What did Liz's dad want with Peter? It didn't make any sense, but Ned didn't dispute it.
"Oh, thanks," he smiled, "And, uh, who are you? I don't think I've seen you around before."
"I'm Finn."
As they continued to talk, Harry pulled her to the side. "You never told me about Finn," he murmured.
She shrugged, because she hadn't mentioned a lot of things about her family and he never seemed to care, the same way he rarely talked about his father. "He's just Finn. And yeah, I have mentioned him. He works at that diner – Apple's Eye."
"And he's a former drug dealer?"
She rolled her eyes, but she did make an effort to grab his hand which he took away from her before, "Harry, if you have a problem with him being a drug dealer, you're gonna have a problem with me for doing them and Atlas."
"I never said it was an issue, I'm just asking!" he defended himself, but he did kiss her head as a sort of apology for it which she leaned into.
Atlas' voiced clicked them out of their private conversation as she heard him ask, "Hey. How do you know Harry and Toni?"
His eyes went between Finn and the couple, so Toni stepped forward to answer. "Remember my drug dealing cousin? This is him."
Taking this information for his own personal gain, Atlas smirked and looked at Finn with waiting eyes. "You got anything for us tonight?"
"You're a drug dealer?" Ned asked right after, seemingly surprised and she wondered for a moment if this was his first encounter with one. So innocent.
But Finn just shook his head, "Sorry, man. I stopped dealing once I was almost sent to juvie. You missed your chance."
"Well, can you get a buddy of yours to get something?" Atlas pushed further.
"Dude," Ned elbowed him, "I thought you said you were trying to quit."
Toni raised an eyebrow, about to ask what Ned meant, because Atlas never mentioned any of this with her, and she was feeling a little left out. But Atlas was quick to roll his eyes and correct Ned by saying, "My brother wants me to quit, doesn't mean I wanna. So?"
Okay, that was better, she understood that situation more because Colin never liked Atlas' habits.
"Nah," Finn shook his head to answer, "Don't hang around with them anymore."
"What a shame," Toni commented dryly, because losing Caden was such a loss honestly, "Really."
"I know," Finn agreed, locking eyes with her before they switched over to something else in the distance, "Sorry, one second," he smiled at them before dashing away.
"I kinda see the resemblance between the two of you," Atlas commented after, looking at Toni.
She shrugged, because all she really thought they had in common physically was hair and eyes. Bone structure was a whole other mess and she wasn't sure if she agreed. "I think it's just the hair," she said, though didn't make any further attempt to dispute his comment.
Atlas hummed. "Maybe," and then he took Ned's hand, "Come on, I wanna dance some more."
"And then there were two," Harry smiled at her, and she reached up to plant a kiss on his lips.
"Just the way I like it," she told him coyly, twirling herself around with his hand as he laughed at her.
Her eyes flickered away for just a moment, behind them where she saw Peter looked dejected and Finn storming out. She frowned, looking back at Harry. "I'm sorry, I think something's wrong. I'll be back," she detached herself from him and raced after Finn, lifting her dress as her heels clacked against the floor.
"Finn," she called out when she got close enough, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder, "What the hell happened?"
"He fucking – God, Peter fucking dumped me. Said he had to do something. Fuck!" Finn swore, tears swelling in his eyes.
Toni crumbled for a second, because she had never seen him cry before. "You can still stay here," she suggested because she didn't think it would be good for him to leave, "Come on, we can drink some punch and have a good time."
Finn scoffed. "At a Homecoming for a school I don't even attend? Yeah, right. I'm going to Vina's."
He pushed her hand off his shoulder and continued to walk, and her attempts to call after him did nothing, so she watched him leave. Then, full of fury, she stomped around the halls until she found Peter, geared up in a terrible onesie of a Spider-Man costume.
"You dick," she spat at him, "You fucking asshole. Finn fucking adores you and this is what you do?"
Peter looked at her with guilty eyes but it did nothing to lessen her anger. "I know, and I wish that I didn't have to, but there's this supervillain called the Vulture and I just found out that it's Liz's dad so I need to go after him."
"Woah, woah, woah," Toni cut him off, blinking, "Vulture is who?"
"Liz's dad," Peter answered, much more sheepish this time.
"And you have to do this tonight?"
He nodded.
"You can only do it tonight?"
He nodded again.
She huffed at him. "You're still a fucking dick and I'm not going to forgive you, but get the fuck out of here," she grumbled, watching him scurry away.
She spent a minute to cool herself down, because she would talk to Finn tomorrow and try to help him through this, but tonight she couldn't do anything. Besides, she was sure that Finn would prefer the comfort of Davina over anything she could give him, and he probably didn't want to see her again tonight.
So, calm, or as calm as she could, she walked back into the gym and met with Harry. "Is everything okay?" he asked, concern etched onto his face.
"For now," she nodded, and he raised an eyebrow, "I'll tell you tomorrow. Just help me forget tonight."
He nodded, kissing her and then taking her hand, leading her to the dance floor, and she danced the night away. Though the world was practically burning around her, as she closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of Harry's hands on her hips and the music, she could forget it all.