IN LOVE WITH A VILLAIN | CHONI

-42-

Toni was inside the clinic, alone and crying. She was wearing the prescribed clothes to prevent any transmission of anything related to causing complications given that Cheryl was in a critical condition.

She was looking at Cheryl whose body was lying with attached cables; it looked painful. The marks of last week's brawl were still visible. The life machine was normally beeping and so was Cheryl's breathing.

"Please wake up soon," Toni whispered, standing to Cheryl's right. "I miss you... And I love you. I'm waiting. Always."

After staying inside for a few hours, Toni walked out to Veronica standing by the corner.

"Toni..." Veronica looked at her shyly. She was tapping her fingers to the side of her pants. Clearly anxious.

"Don't go near me," Toni warned while removing the hospital gloves and cap.

"Look, I came here to apologize," Veronica said, walking closer. "I begged Archie and Betty to help me get in. Sir Tim is out as of the moment."

"I said, don't fucking go near me!" Toni yelled. "Yes, you helped me escape from that fucking place, but that won't take away the fact that you participated in yhe planning of this mess!"

Veronica looked down.

"Partly, but it still counts!" Toni resumed as she threw the gloves and cap to Veronica's face. "We almost died in the highway and ocean... And then this? Look at what happened?! Cheryl died one moment, Veronica!"

"I'm sorry," Veronica mumbled with tears in her eyes.

"A sorry can't take anything back!" Toni cried out.

Archie heard Toni's voice when he came walking by to call for her. He stopped by the hall and saw their confrontation.

"Don't even try to say anything anymore because I'm not going to stop myself from killing you this time." Toni glared at her.

"... I hate myself for always saying I'm gonna kill you and yet I never do! It should have happened when you were drowning! I shouldn't have saved you!"

Toni sniffled. "... Don't even try to get in this room," she was pertaining to the room where Cheryl was in, "because if you dare to step your feet inside... Remember everything I warned you with and you're free to watch me do it."

Toni purposely bumped her shoulder against Veronica's while heading to the doorway.

"Archie..." Veronica mumbled, sobbing. "I'm really sorry."

Archie, even though there was anger built in his chest, still chose to give the girl a hug. He could see how she regretted what she did. He thought that she had got reasons for it, even if it caused a lot more trouble.

••

"Hey," Archie called for Toni, whom he found standing by the pool.

"Are you here to defend Veronica?" Toni said flatly. "You know... I kind of suspect you're working with her... You two are close, so why not."

Archie sighed. "Look... I didn't know she was working for Diaz. She was just asking me for updates from here because she said she doesn't want to show her face... After what happened to Brandon."

Toni scoffed. "See? You're an accomplice," she said as she looked at him. "You helped to rescue us because of your guilt, no?"

He disagreed by shaking his head low.

"Of course not. I told you, I didn't know. I thought she changed. And CM is counting on me," he replied. "I told her that I'll do everything to take you out of that place while she was distracting Joseph..."