Steady Breaths

B r i g h t e r

Toni's POV
The school bell rings, finally, signalling that the school day has concluded, I grab my shit and head straight to Cheryl's locker, I see her gathering her things at a steady pace.
"Guess who?" I tease, wrapping my hands around her eyes.
"Hmmm would it happen to be a certain serpent inamorata?"
"How did you know?" I fake surprise as she turn around and gives me a short kiss.
"Ready for our little date, my treat."
"Toni, I'm paying." She insists as we make our way to my motorbike, which she doesn't really know about.

"Babe is this yours?" She asks in half shock as I grab myself and her a helmet.
"I'm a serpent what did you expect?" I remark sarcastically. "Don't worry it's safe, for the most part."
She rolls her eyes and gabs the helmet from my hand, she then hops on behind me and wraps her arms firmly around my waste.
"Just don't kill me." She giggles lightly, god I could hear that laugh all day and never get tired.

Once we arrive at Pops we take a booth and order our usuals, I have a chocolate milkshake and Cheryl had a strawberry one.
"So any reason for wanting a little date?" I ask, taking a sip of the chocolate goodness infront of me.
"Not particularly, everything just been so busy lately, with Betty's Dad, Archie's arrest, joining the serpents, getting emancipated, it's all been so hard to keep track of, I think everyone else feels the same way too, just thank god that for once there's no murderer on the loose. I just thought it would be nice to actually spend some time together, just the two of us" she beams. God she was so sweet sometimes it was too cute, the way she just wanted it to be us too then again, she had a fair point, I mean everything has been so busy I don't think we've hung out as a couple much at all.

"Well how is the whole emancipation going?"
She sighs and looks down at here milkshake...was that too soon?
"It's fine I suppose, I mean mother obviously isn't taking it too well but she's been surprisingly kind, she even stopped me from almost getting beaten up at the worm, which lead me to warning all of you about the goulies plan to trash the place. It's official now, it's just Nana Rose and I, with a murdered twin, suicidal dad, and a half evil slut of a mother. My family life hasn't been the most fortunate." By now she seems on the verge of tears, I suppose this is where I come in,
"Cheryl they may be your blood relatives but never forget that you have your friends, the Vixens, the serpents and me. We're here for you whenever you need us, whenever you need me." She smiles warmly as she lets a single tear slip down her face. She wipes it away quickly, knowing her I'm sure she doesn't want anyone seeing her so...vulnerable.
"I hate to ask this at such a time but..." I begin hesitating slightly.
"As you may know Sunny Side was basically burnt down and I'm kind of homeless right now, I was hoping you'd let me seek refuge of Thistle house?"
"Oh Toni of corse you can live with me, there's more than enough space, it gets lonely in such a big house, I'd love for you to stay." Cheryl warmly accepts, great well that's living quarters done and dusted.
I look deep into her chocolate eyes, you know what...I think that for once Riverdale is starting to see the brighter side of things

Jughead's POV
I arrive at Pops, as of Betty's request, while I ex pelted to see Archie and Veronica there too, I was surprised to see Betty sitting by herself at a booth, near Toni and Cheryl who appeared to be on a date.
"Betty hey, what's up?" I ask, casually, as I take a seat across from her. She sits up slightly, looking almost uncomfortable...
"Betty what's wrong?"
"Nothings wrong Jug, it just that...earlier today Polly and I were talking and well-I don't know how to say this-You know how I said I wanted to keep the baby...well maybe I was think adoption could be an answer..."

Adoption. She wants our baby to go to another family, not to stay with us. We wouldn't see its first steps or hear its first word, no first day of school, no first girlfriend or boyfriend, our baby growing up in a different house with different parents. But I thought she wanted keep it, as in keep it with us...
I clear my throughly slightly when I realise my eyes are starting to water.
"Why?" I simply ask, rather bluntly.
"I just think that it'd be hard for us to give our baby everything that it probably needs, we'd be busy with school and everything else in life, this wasn't ever supposed to happen anyways, we can put it up for adoption and it won't be our concern anymore." She attempts to explain.
"So Polly suggested this?"
"Yes she did."
"Right, I-uh...I have to go." I stand up and attempt to leave as fast as possible, I hear Betty call out my name a few times but I just can't talk about this right now, just not now.
I can't do this.

A/N troubles in paradise from Bughead! The tables have turned and now Jughead wants to keep the baby! And there was actually choni in this chapter! Comment your ideas they are always a huge help! Thanks again for reading! Xx