Leather Jackets and Brooches

Chapter 16

Later that afternoon

Cheryl was at the Whyte Wyrm helping the serpents set up for Toni's party. She assisted Hogg Eye with cleaning down the bar and tidying up the dirty glasses from earlier in the day. 

"Great news for Toni huh?" Hogg Eye handed Cheryl a dirty glass that had be left on the pool table.

"Yes I'm really happy she's out" Cheryl started to wash up the glass.

"I knew she was innocent. She would never touch drugs after all that it did to her father" Hogg Eye picked up a crate of beers and put it on top of the bar.

"Wait, her dad?" Cheryl stopped cleaning the glasses.

"I remember when she ran in here asking for help, poor kid found her father drowning in his own vomit in their trailer" 

"Oh my god, I had know idea" Cheryl felt sick all of a sudden. 

"Her father's death shook us all. FP made sure that the serpents were all drug free and threatened to kick out anyone caught up with them. FP sees Toni as a daughter, he did everything to try and get her out of jail. He really looks after us all" Hogg Eye continued putting away the bottle of beer in the fridge.

Cheryl thought deeply about what Hogg Eyed had told her, she always wondered why Toni lived her grandfather, but Cheryl didn't want to intrude her private life. Cheryl felt even more upset with herself for ignoring Toni's plea to explain, if only she had visited her she might have told her about her father and she would have never doubted her. She really felt like Toni would want nothing to do with her, she decided to stay and help finish the setting up for the party, she was going to see how things went in the evening in case Toni didn't want her there. 

Later that evening

Toni, Thomas and FP were walking down the road to the Whyte Wyrm. 

"FP you really didn't need to do this, I would have just been fine with just a drink there" 

"You're a serpent, you're part of our family. We all believed in you  and we want to celebrate you you being back home" 

"I really appreciate it FP, you and all the other serpents" Toni smiled at the older man.

FP opened the door to the Whyte Wyrm for Toni. She walked in to the room that was almost full and decorated with a massive banner reading 'Welcome Home Toni'. Toni was in utter shock, everyone had turned up just for her, she felt so overwhelmed by the support. Everyone cheered when they saw the pink headed serpent and began clapping, as Toni walked through the room people were patting her on the back. Toni saw her friends waiting at the bar, she walked over to them and hugged them all one by one. They all kept apologizing for not believing her but he told them it wasn't their fault, after all she had been set up. She explained what actually happened and all of them were in shock of Penelope's actions.

"I can't believe she would do that" Veronica said in disgust

"I know, but at least we found out the truth thanks to your dad" Toni pulled Kevin in to her side to hug him.

"He's really glad too" Kevin smiled at the smaller girl.

"Anyway lets party, I have some time to make up on" Toni picked up a drink and put it in the middle for them to clink their drinks

"Here's to your freedom" Jughead raised a toast

"Here's to friends" Toni clinked drinks with the others. 

Toni drunk her drink almost in one go, so she went to the bar to get another one.

"Hogg Eye, how have you been?" Toni was glad to she him behind the bar as he was really good at preparing drinks. 

"Toni! Welcome home. The place hasn't been the same without you" he confessed 

"Don't be silly. The place looks great by the way" Toni sat on a stool

"Thank you, I had some help actually. She must have been one of your friends" he began preparing a drink for Toni

"Oh really who was it?" 

"Didn't catch her name, but she had memorable red hair" he handed her a drink

"Wait, she's here?" Toni put the drink down

"She was she left just as you came up to the bar" 

"I will be back in a bit" Toni jumped down from stool and headed for the door

"Oh ok" 

Hogg Eye was left on his own. He shrugged to himself then picked up the drink and began to drink it, he hated drinks going to waste. Toni made her way through the crowd to the door and went outside in search of Cheryl.