"You taught me how to trust, only to become the reason I never will again."
Cheryl Blossom (pov)
Toni and I hadn't spoken a word since we sat down, just staring, gauging, trying to read the other's thoughts.
Finally, Toni broke the silence, cutting into his steak with a practiced ease.
TONI
Steak—my favorite
He looked up, his gaze still wary.
TONI
Honey, can you pass the salt
I watched him as he looked down and noticed the salt was already in front of him. He let out a laugh, a sound that seemed forced, and picked it up. As he sprinkled the salt over his steak, his eyes were fixed on me.
I rested my head in my hands, smiling at him, letting my expression remain soft and inviting, even though my mind was racing with thoughts of betrayal and the ever-present danger between us.
Toni was the first to take a bite. I watched him closely as he chewed, his eyes never leaving mine. I picked up my fork and started eating the carrots on my plate, maintaining eye contact the entire time.
The silence between us was heavy, but it was the kind of silence where words were unnecessary—each of us knew what the other was thinking, even if we wouldn't say it out loud.
He chewed that piece of steak longer than usual, clearly stalling for time, maybe even trying to figure out his next move. Then, almost casually, he started looking around the room, pulling his sweater away from his neck.
TONI
You tried something new
The words hanging between us like an accusation.
I nodded, keeping my expression neutral
CHERYL
Mhm
TONI
Mmm
And he continued to chew on that same piece of meat, his eyes boring into mine as if trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind my calm demeanor.
Finally, he swallowed, and I smiled at him, a smile that felt more like a mask than anything genuine.
CHERYL
How was Georgia
My voice was even
Toni hesitated for a moment before answering,
TONI
Had a few problems ourselves—some things couldn't add up
The tension spiked again as he got up from the table and grabbed the bottle of wine. He walked toward me, each step measured, deliberate.
I tilted my head slightly, watching his every move.
CHERYL
Big deal
I kept my tone light, though my body was coiled tight with anticipation.
TONI
Life or death
His voice was low and serious
TONI
Wine
I nodded, and he reached for my glass. As he poured, our eyes remained locked, both of us aware of the precarious balance we were maintaining. Then, just as he was handing the glass back to me, I heard the unmistakable sound of the glass bottle slipping from his hand.
Instinctively, I caught it before it could hit the ground, but in that split second, our eyes met, and I saw the realization flash in his eyes
he knew I was onto him, and I knew he was onto me.
To maintain the facade, I let the bottle slip from my grasp, allowing it to shatter on the white rug beneath us. The crash seemed to echo through the house, a signal that the charade was over.
We both moved at the same time, almost as if we had rehearsed this moment.
Toni darted one way, and I bolted in the opposite direction.
My heart pounded as I ran to grab my keys, sprinting toward the garage. I could hear Toni's footsteps behind me, his voice calling my name, but I didn't stop.
TONI
Cheryl, Honey where are you
I jumped into the car, started the engine, and floored it out of the driveway. In the rearview mirror, I saw him burst out of the house, a gun in his hand, still shouting my name.
But I didn't stop; I couldn't. My mind raced as I drove, cursing myself for being so blind, for letting it get this far.
As I turned the corner, I kept my eyes darting around, searching for any sign of Toni.
Then, out of nowhere, a bullet smashed through my windshield, narrowly missing me.
I slammed on the brakes, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I saw Toni caught in a neighbor's fence, struggling to free himself.
My mouth hung open in shock as I stared at the bullet hole in the glass, the reality of what was happening crashing down on me.
But Toni didn't stop. He freed himself and jogged toward the car, his eyes wild with determination.
TONI
Wait, no no no—accident
He tried to calm me down
TONI
Honey, accident
But I wasn't hearing any of it.
My anger flared, and I roared the engine, my hands gripping the wheel tightly. As I revved the car, I saw the panic in his eyes as he realized what I was about to do.
TONI
Cheryl, stop the car now
But I was beyond listening
I slammed my foot on the gas, the car lurching forward as I aimed straight for him. He tried to dodge, but I hit him with a sickening thud, the impact sending him flying onto the roof.
I could hear him scrambling up there, trying to hold on as I swerved wildly, desperate to throw him off.
I glanced up through the sunroof, catching a glimpse of his face.
TONI
We don't want to go to sleep angry
His voice eerily calm despite the situation. The sound of his voice only fueled my rage, and I punched the roof, my knuckles throbbing from the impact.
Toni kept shouting at me to pull over, but I wasn't about to listen. Instead, I reached up and closed the sunroof, blocking him from view.
A few seconds later, the back window shattered, and I felt him crawling into the backseat. My heart raced as I looked over my shoulder, shock freezing me in place for a moment.
Realizing I couldn't stay in the car, I made a split-second decision. I flung the door open and leaped out, leaving the car to careen off the road into the woods.
I heard it crash somewhere in the distance as I stumbled to my feet, breathing hard.
I didn't look back. I couldn't. I just started walking, the sound of my footsteps on the pavement the only thing grounding me as I tried to process everything that had just happened.
