Notes:
Name has changed! It's still me... just with a more fitting username.
Follow me on Twitter - cappuchoni
It's not uncommon for people to have shields, things to protect them from the harshness of reality. Shields exist in countless forms, be they physical or metaphorical. Some would call theirs security blankets. Cheryl just called hers red, her signature color. To her red meant power. It meant security. It meant she was invincible.
She looked in the mirror of her small bathroom and smiled. A fresh coat of lipstick adorned her lips, and for the first time in almost two weeks something felt right.
Cheryl had gotten up extra early to enjoy a long, relaxing shower. She had wanted to take full advantage of the new hot water heater. Unlike her previous showers in the trailer, this one produced steam. Her muscles had basked in the intense heat, and her pores thanked her for the deep clean. The redhead had stepped out of the shower with a rejuvenated sense of confidence; perhaps things were finally looking her way.
Her fashion choices were still limited, but she made a note to buy some more new pieces after school let out for the day, things worthy of Cheryl Blossom.. or at least more acceptable when keeping in mind her constrained budget. She found a short sleeved, off-the-shoulder, black crop top. It accentuated her features, but she scoffed at the way it left her unwelcomed belly button ring visible. She paired the top with her best jeans and a pair of ankle boots she had found under the bed.
She wished there was more red, but for now, the lips were enough. Cheryl could finally see herself staring back at her, plus a few additional holes in her ears, but it was her.
"Looking good, Blossom," Jughead commented as she slid into the passenger seat of her car a short time later. Sometimes Cheryl forgot the vehicle was hers since she hadn't driven it once, not that she had any desire to. "That smile suits you."
She fastened her seatbelt and glanced over to him. "Feeling like myself for a change, and I'm done letting people push me around. I think it's time they see what a real HBIC looks like."
"Cher," he turned to her, concern across his face, "what are you planning?"
"I'm not planning anything."
"Just," he sighed, "promise you aren't going to do anything stupid?"
"Of course I'm not," she scoffed.
"Says the girl who just planned a B&E," Jughead reminded her as put the car in gear.
Cheryl rolled her eyes, "That was different."
"That was yesterday."
"I swear I'm not doing anything reckless, okay?" She sighed, "This is just me... remembering what's it's like to be me."
"And you being you is going to make Reggie and his goons give up on their mission to destroy you?"
"Reggie Mantle and Chuck Clayton do not scare me," Cheryl argued, knowing full well how scared she had been during their last confrontation.
That wasn't you. You aren't weak. The real Cheryl Blossom doesn't take shit from anyone.
"I worry about you, alright?"
"I'm fine," she said, looking at the road ahead. "Today will be different, better. Things are finally starting to look up for me."
-
"Come on, class, settle down." Mr. Fludsnüt, a slender man with stark white hair, attempted to control his class to no avail. His voice was surprisingly uplifting, contrasting the years apparent across his face.
Cheryl sat in the back of the room next to Sweet Pea, who was her lab partner for the semester. She stared ahead, waiting for the rest of the class to stop talking so they could start the day's lesson.
Their teacher made his way down the rows of tables, dropping off worksheet packets at each station. "We will be continuing our study of the Law of Constant Composition with a lab today. Anything on the supply list outside of the usual equipment can be found at the front of the room on my station."
The rest of the class had long since quieted and collected the necessary supplies, with the exception of the table in the far right corner of the room. Despite multiple requests from Mr. Fludsnüt, Veronica and Josie continued to laugh and carry on rather loudly. No one had even begun the lab yet, and the pair had already been scolded multiple times.
"Miss Lodge, please go exchange seats with Miss Blossom," he said, his voice strained in annoyance.
Veronica looked up from her conversation with Josie, "What? Why?"
"Because this is the third time today I've had to ask you to quiet down and focus on the assignment, not to mention the countless times before now. I think a new partner may help both of you actually pass this class."
"You can't be serious about this, Mr. F," Josie urged.
The man's face showed no waver, "I'm sorry Miss McCoy. My decision is final."
Cheryl exhaled in frustration as she gathered her belongings and made her way to the front of the class, avoiding eye contact with Veronica as she passed. She sat down next to Josie and reopened her notebook to her notes on constant composition before turning to her once friend nervously.
"I really hope you understand all this because I just lost my science whisperer," Josie said, only slightly joking.
The redhead nodded, "Yes we need to run the experiment on a sample of potassium chlorate to determine the mass percent of oxygen present."
"Oh you're smart smart then?"
"I have a 4.0," Cheryl answered confidently.
Not entirely sure if that's true here, but it's not like I'm lying.
"Okay, Miss 4.0, how do we start?"
"First, we have to weigh these," she picked up one of the crucibles. "Then we'll add the potassium chlorate."
"Sounds easy enough so far," Josie grabbed the electric scale and slid it over the tabletop, positioning it between them. "And I'm sorry, what was your name again? I don't think we've met."
"Cheryl," she smiled.
"Well, Cheryl, it's nice to meet you. I'm Josie, as in Josie and -"
"The Pussycats," the redhead interjected. "I've heard your music. You guys are great."
"Oh, so you've got brains and taste," Josie laughed. "Girl, I like you. Now... how much of this stuff do we need to add?"
It felt like old times to Cheryl. The pair made idle chit chat as they followed along with the handouts. Before long, they were completing their analysis and cleaning up their workstation.
Cheryl took the equipment to the store room and ran into Sweet Pea. He took the Bunsen burner from her hand and sat it on the high shelf with ease.
"I could have managed," she huffed.
"Accept the help," Sweet Pea laughed. "And not that I don't miss you or anything, but my new lab partner? She's hot. I mean she seems nice too, but have youseen her?"
"Oh my God," Cheryl laughed. "Yes, I've seen her. I'll... uh... I'll see you later."
She went back to her station and collected her belongings. Just as she was about to leave for her next class she heard her voice being called.
"Hey, Cheryl, wait up," Josie called.
She turned around to see Josie and Veronica walking towards her with haste.
"Um," Veronica started, "you should rethink that color."
"What?"
"Your lipstick," Josie explained. "You seem really nice, and wearing that here -"
"It's asking for trouble," Veronica finished.
"Okay," Cheryl laughed at the absurdity. She never had an issue wearing red before. Red was her color. "I appreciate the warning, but I'll be fine. Thank you."
She turned away from them and walked into the hall. Her next class was history, so she would need to pass by her locker, giving her an opportunity to drop off her chemistry notes and textbook.
Once her books were safely deposited in her locker, Cheryl closed the door and turned around. Toni was leaning up against her locker talking to Heather. She briefly made eye contact, and the shorter girl's eyes slightly widened as whatever she was saying was lost on her lips.
"What is it, babe?" Heather asked. She didn't give Toni time to respond before she was turning around to find out what had distracted her girlfriend. Heather's mouth went slack before her eyes narrowed in rage. "What the hell do you think you're wearing?"
"Clothes?" Cheryl responded with an eye roll.
"On your lips, you vermin!"
"Lipstick. I didn't realize your eyesight was so terrible, Heather," Cheryl scoffed, questioning how she ever fell for such a horrible person.
Because at the time you were just like her.
Suddenly, she was thrown back into the lockers, the wind knocked from her lungs. A moment later Cheryl realized she was stuck, pinned against the cool metal by Reggie Mantle.
"Get off," she spat.
Reggie laughed, "Oh this one has some fire in her all of a sudden."
Cheryl struggled against his grip. "Move," the redhead reiterated.
"Nah, don't think so."
Heather took a step forward, "I don't know what made you crawl out of your little flea infested shit hole, but I suggest you go back there. This is my school, and in my school the only person who gets to wear that color is me. Got it?"
"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Cheryl huffed only to be met with another shove from Reggie's arm.
"Miss Chase was speaking. It's rude to interrupt," he said threateningly.
"Look, scum," Heather continued, "red is my color. Within these walls I don't want to see it on your lips or your clothes, or the next time I do the only thing red you will be seeing is blood. It'll be yours if that wasn't clear." She gave Cheryl a smile. There was nothing happy about it. The emotion on the girl's face was sinister, a look of pure evil.
"Fuck you," Cheryl hissed as she continued to struggle against Reggie's hold on her. She looked at Heather with nothing but loathing.
Looking back, she could recall childhood tussles over who would be Miss Scarlet. Cheryl always won, of course. The Blossoms were known for red, everyone in town knew that. She was red by default, there was never any other option. She was born into it, but not only that, she made it her own. Damned anyone who tried to take that from her. Toni had tried to use it as a means to get her attention, and Cheryl nearly banished her from school over the color. Clearly she wasn't the only one with an affinity for red, and without her name and status she didn't have the usual means to claim it for herself.
It was in that moment she really took in Heather's appearance. She too dawned a bright red lip, one of professional grade makeup rather than what Cheryl picked up from the drugstore. The girl wore a designer red leather jacket which wrapped around her middle. Cheryl felt her hatred for the other girl intensify tenfold. She not only was able to call Toni hers, but now she wanted to claim the small ounce of self Cheryl managed to find in what she had deemed to be known as Riverhell.
Heather turned her attention away from Cheryl and began rifling through her purse. After a brief moment, the blonde pulled out a wad of Kleenex and held them up to Cheryl's face. "Either you can clean that off your face, or I will."
"You don't own the color red, Heather," Cheryl stood her ground, mirroring the words Toni had once used on her. She did her best to ignore the sting felt in her eyes as tears began to pool.
Heather leaned against Reggie, her arm resting on the shoulder not currently pinning Cheryl. "I'm rich. Which means, unlike you, I can own whatever I damn well please. If that means a color, then yeah... I own it."
Cheryl looked behind them, her eyes connecting with Toni's who stood frozen, emotionless. She silently begged the shorter girl to intervene, hoping the Toni she knew was somewhere inside the stoic girl before her. To her dismay, it didn't work. Toni continued to look upon the interaction without an ounce of concern across her face.
"Last chance," Heather reiterated. "No? Fine." She brought the tissues up to her mouth and spat onto them before moving her hand towards Cheryl's face. The redhead squirmed in Reggie's grasp, trying her best to get away. "Hold her still, Mantle!"
Damp Kleenex collided with her lips, causing Cheryl to gag. She couldn't believe she ever longed to kiss that girl, welcoming her saliva into her mouth. Now it was revolting. Was she ever so vile that she couldn't see Heather for what she was? Or was somehow Heather worse without ever knowing her. Cheryl knew it was the first, but didn't want it to be true.
"Well, it's not gone, but at least you look like the clown you are," Heather scoffed as she took a step back, admiring her work. "Let her go. I think I've made my point." She turned to Toni, "Don't you agree?"
"Of course, babe," Toni replied. "I think you made it loud and clear."
The second Reggie's grip on her loosened, Cheryl took off down the hall at a run, not allowing herself to cry until she was well out of view.
"Let's get to class. I don't want to stay here too long in case poverty turns out to be contagious," Heather laughed.
"Happy to be of service as always, ladies," Reggie replied, tipping an invisible hat before making his way down the hall in the opposite direction Cheryl had ran.
Toni straightened her bag, "You go ahead. I want to use the bathroom before class."
Heather ran her hand up and down Toni's arm, "Want me to walk with you?"
"Nah, I'm good. I'll see you at lunch." She smiled and leaned up slightly to press her lips to Heather's. "See ya later, babe."
-
Cheryl gripped the porcelain sink so tightly in her hands her knuckles appeared ghostly white. Her eyes were fixed on the mirror before her. Red lipstick smeared around her lips and down the right side of her face to her chin.
Heather's right. I do look like a clown.
All she wanted was a tiny part of herself back. Was that really so much to ask for? One minuscule amount of a Cheryl she recognized? The Cheryl looking back at her was the furthest thing from that. Bloodshot, puffy eyes. Reddened face. Makeup that belonged in a circus. Cheryl Blossom was a mess.
"What did I do to deserve this?" Her voice echoed in the empty bathroom as more tears cascaded down her cheeks. "W-why? Why m-me?"
She hunched over and allowed the sobs to take over her body. With each cry her muscles ached. Cheryl wondered how she could possibly have any tears left with how much she had been crying lately, yet there were always more.
The sound of the bathroom door opening startled her, but she couldn't be bothered to care. There was no point in caring about anything anymore. She had lost the one person who really loved her, and even worse, her own identity. What was she now? A nobody from the Southside and a victim of high school bullying. Cheryl had become the thing she once hated, and no matter how much she tried nothing was improving. She was no closer to getting home than the day she woke up in this nightmare.
She sniffled and slowly opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as she did due to having them squeezed shut for so long. Her eyes noticed something on the sink, something that wasn't there moments ago. Cheryl picked it up and examined the package, discovering it was a travel sized packet of makeup removing wipes. Confused, she looked around the room and noticed a short girl with bleached blonde hair ducking out of the bathroom, the door swinging shut behind her.
"Toni?"
An ounce of hope. It wasn't much, and Cheryl didn't even know for sure it was her. It could have been some other girl who just happened to witness what happened and took pity on her, but she was choosing to believe.
-
Cheryl did her best to get through the following hours until lunch. Her classes went by in a blur, as she was not able to focus on anything after her morning encounter. Rather than paying attention, the redhead reminisced about her days in junior high. She had idolized Heather. She had loved Heather... or at least... she thought she did, but that girl in the hallway felt unlovable to her.
What would you know about it? You've never known love, Cheryl, except to rip it apart. Cause you are a jealous, spite-filled, starving, emotional anorexic.
Her mother was wrong. Cheryl wasn't an emotional anorexic... she had just been stupid enough to fall for one apparently. She had used intimidation sure, but Cheryl had never gone as far as Heather did today.
She wouldn't let someone as toxic as Heather Chase dictate what she can and cannot wear. Cheryl had only just found some resemblance of herself, and she refused to let that be taken from her. It didn't matter who tried; she wasn't about to let one more thing be stolen from her.
What she needed was a defensive strategy... a way to protect herself from the likes of Heather and Reggie and anyone else who dared try to bring her down. Her fire had only just started to rekindle, and she would insure it continued until the flames within her burned brighter than the embers that brought down Thornhill. Heather be damned.
With determination, Cheryl marched into the cafeteria, her head held high. She made a direct line for her now usual table, and upon seeing Jughead, slammed her palms down onto the table.
"Whoa, Cher." The boy looked up, startled. "Hey, where'd your lipstick go? I thought that was your signature look or whatever."
Cheryl huffed, annoyed with the reminder of her now makeupless face. She had used the wipes to clean herself up, and stupidly, the redhead didn't bring any of her products with her to school for touch ups. An amateur move by her standards. Plus, for the time being, bare lips seemed the safer option... until her plan had come to fruition. "Nevermind that, Jugh- Jug. I swear I'm working on that. We need to talk."
Jughead shrugged, "Okay? So talk."
"Not here," she turned, flipping her red locks over her shoulder in a fluid motion. Cheryl looked over her shoulder. "Well? Are you coming or not?"
"Oh, that means I'm supposed to follow you," he laughed. The boy turned to his fellow Serpents seated at the table, "Catch you later, guys."
The two walked through the rows of crowded tables. Cheryl opened the door leading outside, and Jughead followed her through. She didn't stop until she was sure to be out of earshot of any eavesdroppers. The last thing she wanted was what she was about to say getting back to Heather.
"I've decided to join."
"Join...?"
"The Serpents," she scoffed at his obliviousness. "I want to join the Serpents."
"About time! What changed your mind?"
Cheryl took a deep, composing breath, "I'm tired of being meek, loner Cheryl, and it seems that with my current status that's the only way to survive here. If I have any hope of being my old self again, I'm going to need some support."
"You have me regardless. You know that right?" Jughead had wanted his best friend to join the Serpents for years , long before whatever cosmic fluke played body snatchers. Still, he didn't want her to do this because she felt she was alone. Cheryl was his best friend, no matter what background she had.
"I do. I really do, and I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me." She couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation, "If someone told me that I would be grateful about being able to call Jughead Jones my friend... I'd have called them insane, but I don't know where I'd be without you. Please know that."
Jughead gave her a crooked smile and a nod in response. He gently gripped her shoulder before speaking, "I know. Not many people would believe their best friend's brain was somehow taken over by their parallel world alternate self. Honestly, I think anyone else would have sent you to Riverdale General to be admitted for a psych eval."
"Be that as it may," she rolled her eyes while stifling a genuine laugh, "You are only one person. You can't protect me all the time... today was proof of that."
"Did something happen? Is that why your face looks normal?"
She scoffed, "Do you want me in the Serpents or not, Jones?"
"Of course I do! I just want to make sure it's what you really want. Call it, ya know, doing my best friend diligence, or whatever." Jughead took a step back and shrugged his shoulders.
"I appreciate that, but like I was saying... you aren't always around, and I know a Serpent never stands alone. It's a family. I need that, Jug," Cheryl explained. "I don't have the Vixens behind me anymore or the fear of the student body. I'm virtually alone and defenseless. Plus... I think it's time I get my family back."
"If you're sure -"
"I'm positive," she assured.
"Awesome. I'll talk to my dad -"
Cheryl cut him off once more, "Before you do... I have one condition."
"Okay?"
"About my jacket..."