Love On The Court

𝕊𝕚𝕩𝕥𝕪-𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖

📆: July 14th, 2023 (three weeks later)
📍: Cheryl's new Apartment, Tribeca Manhattan, NY
⚠️: MENTIONS OF SUICIDE IDEATION/ATTEMPT

The redhead grunts when she sets the last box on top of the others stacked in her kitchen. She looks up to see Reggie and Dylan carrying in her couch with ease.

"Thank you, boys. You can just set it right there," she instructs, pointing at the open space in front of her glass fireplace.

It took Cheryl only a few days to find a new apartment that was renting. She quickly sent her lease over to the housing office in Tribeca and moved into her new, smaller, apartment.

It feels much cozier than her former penthouse.

"You're the only person I know that moves out of their apartment because it reminds them of their ex." she hears her stepsister's voice as the woman enters the quartz-clad kitchen.

"Shut up." Cheryl giggles. "I didn't move out because of that. I moved out because I needed something smaller. That place was starting to feel too big."

"Yeah, I'll let you believe that." the gray-eye beauty smirks. "I can help put some stuff away if you like?"

"Thanks, Katherine." she grins. The two of them empty a few boxes in the kitchen, just the pots, pans, and silverware.

"God, I need a break," Veronica grunts dramatically as she plops down beside her fiancé who holds the same run-down expression.

"It's alright, guys. I can do the rest myself sometime later. Thanks for the help." the redhead smiles after taking a few sips of her water. "Anybody wants some lunch?"

Everyone hums in agreement and the model gets up to receive her phone from her jacket.

"So, where is momma Pen?" Veronica inquires while her best friend searches online for takeout restaurants nearby.

"Honestly, I have no idea. She mentioned something about being busy today." Dylan responds. "She said she'll swing by later to see the apartment."

"Dude, did you guys hear that Toni was suspended from the team?" Reggie speaks up. Cheryl snaps her head toward his direction with her eyebrow crawling up her forehead.

"What?" she mumbles.

"Yeah. It's supposed to be an inside thing but my coach is best friends with one of the staff on the Liberty team. Penelope caught word on something that was going on and she suspended her." he discloses.

"For how long?" Katherine questions, frowning.

"I don't know. But it's temporary. He mentioned something about her going through a rough patch."

Veronica looks over at her best friend who is gnawing at her lip anxiously. "That's crazy, man. Poor Toni. She's probably going through hell right now. It's been what? Almost two months since Elaine." Dylan sighs.

"Yeah." his sister finally speaks up. "That's probably why Miykayla stopped texting me."

"No, Cher, that can't be why. She wouldn't be upset with you over something out of your control." her best friend defends.

"She's my mother, V. Of course it has something to do with me. She now has a personal vendetta against Toni because she broke up with me. Which is so fucking stupid." pink lips drop into a frown.

"Don't beat yourself up, Cheryl. It happened a while ago. I'm sure Toni isn't that upset about it." Reggie tries to comfort her.

The aforementioned redhead only sighs before picking up her phone and ignoring the four people adjacent to her.