Roommates | CHONI |

Twenty Three

Cheryl was sat on her bed, glad to be alone after her session with the nuns. Thankfully she'd avoided a beating from her father after the nuns had told her parents that Cheryl's deviant ways were being cured. It was wrong of course, the redhead just found it easier to go along with them than to fight back. She had no fight left in her. She was pulled from her sad thoughts when she was sure she heard a noise come from the window. 'Great now I'm losing my mind' she thought. But then she heard it again. She carefully got up making her way around the bed and towards the window. She peaked through the curtain. 'Toni?' she whispered as she opened the window. 'Hey babe' Toni smiled as climbed inside. 'Toni what are you doing here?'. 'We came to rescue you'. 'You did?'. Cheryl pulled Toni into a kiss, every emotion pouring into it until realisation dawned on her. 'Toni you have to leave, if my parents catch you here, they'll hurt you' Cheryl almost cried. 'I'm not leaving without you, come on get your stuff' Toni hadn't missed the cuts and bruises on the redheads face nor had she missed the way her face had sunken in but that could wait. The sound of the key turning in the door made Cheryl freeze in terror. Toni on the other hand quickly moved over to Cheryl's bed and slipped underneath it just in time.

Cheryl stood still facing the window as her parents walked in, she hoped her parents weren't too cruel with her, she knew Toni would be out from under her bed and defending her within a second. 'Cheryl' her father spoke making her turn to face him 'the nuns are pleased with your progress but they feel you staying at Sisters Of Quiet Mercy will be best for you. That's where they'll be able to to treat you and cure you of these unnatural thoughts and exorcise the demons inside of you. You'll leave tomorrow'. He turned around leaving the room followed by her mother and locked the door again. Toni crawled back out from under the bed 'Cheryl come on, we have to leave now'. 'Toni this is a bad idea, they'll only come looking for me again'. 'And I'll never let them take you away from me again Cheryl. I'll protect you this time, I promise'. Toni knew Cheryl was tired, she could see it on her face but she wasn't going to give up on her. 'I've missed you Cher' Toni let a tear slip 'I need you to be safe, the guys are waiting for us down the road but we've got to go okay'. 'Okay' Cheryl said running her fingers down Toni's cheek as if to see if she was real and this wasn't a cruel illusion. 'Yeah, okay, great come on, grab some things'. Cheryl grabbed a backpack and packed a few necessities as quietly as she could, once she was done she nodded towards Toni who grabbed the bag from her and put it on her back. 'Okay we need to climb down the way I came in, can you do that?' Toni asked. 'I think so'. 'Okay come on, I'll go first so if you fall I'll catch you' Toni smiled taking her hand 'don't be scared okay? I got you'.

Toni opened the window and popped her legs over so she was ready to climb down 'okay come on' she reached for Cheryl who took her hand and carefully pulled herself out the window. They climbed down as quietly as they could, Toni guiding them both down. When they reached the bottom there was a slight drop, Toni knew them landing on the gravel could attract the attention of Cheryl's parents but they didn't have a choice. She held her breath as she dropped, once she hit the floor she looked up to Cheryl. 'Okay babe, drop down I've got you' she prepared herself to catch Cheryl when she saw the front porch light turn on 'Cher come on'. Cheryl held her breath and let go, surely enough Toni caught her 'you okay?' She said as she pressed a quick kiss on her lips. Cheryl nodded, the fear shining in her eyes but she trusted Toni more than she trusted anyone else or even herself for that matter. They heard the front door open. 'Hey what's going on here?' Clifford yelled. 'Okay we've got to run, follow me!' Toni said grabbing Cheryl's hand and practically dragging her to the get to the gate she'd broke through earlier. 'Penelope open the front gate' Clifford screamed.

The extra time it took Cheryl and Toni to run around the grounds to get to the gates gave Clifford and Penelope enough time to catch up with them on the street. 'Cheryl Marjorie Blossom you will stop this nonsense immediately and get back in the house!' Clifford yelled so violently Cheryl couldn't help but stop. 'Cheryl come on' Toni begged. Cheryl just stood frozen. 'That's a good girl' Penelope said so sweetly it made Toni feel sick. 'Not this time' Toni stood her ground. 'Toni, it's too late, I have to go back'. As Clifford stepped forward to grab his daughters arm Toni moved in front of her 'I'm not letting you take her'. 'Cheryl is ill' Penelope spoke from behind Clifford. 'No Cheryl is perfect, it's you two that are sick! Cheryl is who she is and she deserves people around her that care about her!' Toni was furious. 'I said move you stupid girl!' Clifford gritted his teeth as Cheryl looked on in fear. 'And I said no...'. The boys and Veronica was witnessing the whole thing as they got out of the car and ran over to Toni and Cheryl. 'She's leaving with me so she doesn't have to suffer anymore at the hands of you people! Now fuck off!'. Just like that Clifford snapped, he hit Toni straight in the face causing her to stumble but not fall. She wiped the blood from her nose before she lifted her head and laughed. Even Cheryl couldn't believe it, her father had just hit Toni that hard that she heard it crack and all Toni could do was laugh. 'You're going to regret that' she sneered earning her another hit. The sound of switch blades behind her let her know that the boys were now here. As she turned Jughead, Fangs and Veronica were coming up behind them.

Veronica grabbed Cheryl hand and pulled her towards the car. 'Toni' she cried out. 'She'll be okay' Veronica hushed 'Fangs and Jughead have got her back'. 'What do you thugs want?' Clifford spat, furious that his daughter was getting away. 'We might be thugs Mr Blossom' Jughead said as he flashed the knife in his hand 'but you, you are something worse, who in the hell treats their daughter like that?'. 'Yeah...' Fangs stepped in twirling his knife around in his hand 'maybe you should step back inside before we do something you regret'. Clifford huffed, he knew he couldn't take on all three of them by himself 'you let Cheryl know that I'll be back for her'. 'No actually you won't' Toni stepped forward 'Cheryl's protected and if you do dare to show up or harm one hair on Cheryl's head we'll be back here but we won't be coming alone' Toni smirked before turning around followed by Fangs and Jughead.

Cheryl was hysterical in the car, Veronica had tried calming her down with no luck. She was relieved to see the gang making their way back to the car with Cheryl's parents stood where they had left them. 'It's okay Cheryl look Toni's here'. Cheryl lifted her eyes as she calmed down seeing that Toni was still in one piece. Fangs opened the door and took a seat in the front with Veronica, Jughead and Toni climbed into the back, Toni in the middle so she could sit by Cheryl. 'Baby are you okay?' Toni asked gently grabbing the redheads face so she would look at her. Cheryl just nodded as Toni pulled her into her chest. 'Okay let's get out of here' Jughead said as he shut the door. No one spoke on the way home, everything was too fresh, the only sound was Cheryl's quiet cries as she leaned into Toni's chest.