𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲 | Choni

Fifteen

Cheryl was sat at her dressing table lost in thought when a knock sounded from the door. "Come in."

"Hey, you're already dressed?" Toni noted as she made her way across the room to the Princess.

"I was hoping you could help me with my hair?" Cheryl asked, watching the Serpent in the mirror.

The brunette nodded and stepped up behind the redhead before taking the hair brush in her hands. In silence Toni set to work intricately weaving the soft strands into a delicate plait, with its own embellishments.

She got lost in the feel of Cheryl's hair running around her fingertips. Her attention was draw to the Princess as her breath caught in her throat.

The brunette flicked her eyes to connect to the redhead's in the mirror. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

Cheryl quickly shook her head.

It was then that the Serpent noticed the goose bumps down the Princess' neck and her fingertips resting at the nape. She cleared her throat and dived back into completing the hair style.

"You're quite beautiful, you know? You could have anyone you choose." Toni didn't know why she was starting such a deep conversation. But she could feel how there was some unspoken things between the pair; especially now because of this lunch with a potential suitor.

The redhead fiddled with some of the loose items atop the table in front of her. "I'm afraid my Mother and Father wouldn't approve on who I would choose." She then passed Toni a necklace.

"I don't want to stop you from marrying someone who could make you happy. I shouldn't be distracting you from your future." She watched the redhead out of the corner of her eye as she fastened the chain around her slender neck.

Cheryl turned in her seat and clasped the brunettes hand, stilling any movements. "I know you won't believe me but you do make me happy. I refuse to accept that I could be happy in a marriage with someone I don't know or have very little interest in. Please don't worry yourself with silly things like my future. I have almost everything I could want right now." The Princess finished by bringing the hand in hers up to her lips.

"I just can't help but feel that I'm preventing you from what's next for you." Toni admitted as she leant her hip on the table next to Cheryl.

"If I had it my way, you'd be what's next for me. I'm sorry if that's rather forward." Cheryl had lowered her eyes to watch her own movements as her thumb caressed the brunette knuckles.

She found that what she had to say next was better done while looking off across the room and not down to the redhead. "My whole life, I've spent thinking I'll be alone forever, so to hear you saying these words is unbelievable to me. I guess I'm just waiting for you to step into whatever role your family is laying out for you and you'll forget about me."

Cheryl gave Toni's arm a tug to bring her round to face her. "I have no plans to blindly follow what my family say or want of me. I don't know what the future will bring, but I can live in hope that we'll always have each other; in whatever capacity is possible. You'll never be alone Toni." She gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and a smile.

The Serpent bought her spare hand up to gently stroke the pale cheek of the Princess. "It means a great deal to me to hear you say those words Cheryl, but know if there ever comes a time where you have to choose between me and them, I'll completely understand when you chose them." She fought the sad smile that stretched across her lips.

Cheryl stood to stand close to the brunette and linked her hands around her neck loosely. "You hurt me to think that I would let you down after only just finding one another." The Princess bought her forehead to lean against Toni's.

"I guess I'm just protecting my heart." The brunette whispered as she breathed Cheryl in.

"Then I will help and stand guard of it too." Cheryl reaffirmed all she'd said with a kiss.

Toni tried to remind them of their actual situation and so stepped out of Cheryl's arms and space before saying, "You ought to get down there or they'll think you've stood them up."

a/n
Hey, so I decided to add Betty to the story and have her play Cheryl's younger sister instead of Scarlett. Sorry for the confusion xx