Choni

20

Toni woke up to a loud noise hitting her in the face. A newspaper, attached to the hand of an angry- or upset redhead.

"What is this Toni!" Cheryl threw the paper at her. The girl rambled ok while Toni opened the paper, her eyes widening at the headline:

Topaz strikes again, bringing in the biggest mobsters in town, with the help of old friend Veronica Lodge.

The title continued to explain what they did, and that Toni wouldn't be representing the Lodges or the Blossoms, but she's guessing Cheryl didn't read that part.

"Fuck" Toni whispered, loud enough for Cheryl to hear. "Oh, good to know that you aren't mute, you just aren't paying attention to me!" She said angrily, not breaking eye contact with Toni, and letting her know that she was in deep shit.

"So should I️ go so Veronica can move in too?" Cheryl asked sarcastically, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "No! Cheryl come back!" Toni yelled after the girl who had stormed out of her room.

She heard the door slam and the lock turn, telling her that Cheryl was 1), angry, and 2), probably having some sort of breakdown. Toni knocked a few times, not receiving any sign of Cheryl's reaction because she was met with complete silence.

"Cheryl?" She called out, and didn't get an answer again. Sighing, she slid down the wall and sat next to the door, waiting for the girl to come out. After 20 minutes of trying to be patient, Toni found something to pick the lock with and opened the door.

Her eyes met a distressed Cheryl throwing around clothes into plastic bags, her hair frantically thrown around her face, and tears constantly falling in silence. Toni took careful steps into the room and took a hold of Cheryl's hands, causing her to drop all of the things she was holding and collapse to the floor.

Toni moved to help her up, but Cheryl swatted her hands away. "I️-I️ just don't understand this Toni." Cheryl sobbed out, "I️ thought that I️ was special, and that you helped me because you were my friend but this- this is not something a friend would do." Cheryl had stopped sobbing at this point, but angry tears streamed down her face as she mustered up the angriest look she could make, and sent it to Toni.

"Cheryl, no." Toni shook her head, her eyes watering herself. "Look I️ wanted to- forget that, have you read the article?" She asked, and Cheryl shook her head no, as she expected.

"Okay I'll get it" Toni said, getting up to find the paper, and when she returned to Cheryl's room she found the girl sitting on her bed, wiping the tears from her eyes. She started to read to the girl.

"Topaz has just put away 4 of the worst business families in New York City, with the help of Veronica Lodge, the daughter of Hiram. Both the Blossoms and The Lodges will face up to life in court one week from today. Topaz has made sure that only the worst lawyers in the city will be available to defend them." She said, her eyes on the paper.

"Wait stop." Cheryl demanded quietly, waiting for Toni's eyes to meet hers "What does this mean?" She asked, truly confused and still rattled from this news. She was shocked and was completely distraught when she thought Toni was still in touch with Veronica.

"Do you want me to explain?" Toni asked, interrupting Cheryl's wild thoughts. The girl nodded and Toni let out an imaginary breath of relief because she was finally able to settle Cheryl down.

Toni sat next to Cheryl on her bed and started, "So Veronica called me last night and she was freaking out. She asked me for help and the first thing I️ thought of was you. I️ had no intention of hurting you, but I️ knew she really needed help, okay?" Cheryl slowly started to lift her head to look at Toni as she spoke.

"And you are special to me Cheryl. So special I️ can't even explain it to myself" Toni chucked, looking down at her hands. "But this will be the last time you even have to deal with Veronica unless you want to alright? She clearly has some issues she needs to work out anyway so-"Cheryl interrupted Toni my springing herself into her arms.

Into her shoulder she mumbled, "I️ hate how nice you are" and Toni smiled, realizing that she had just been rambling when Cheryl already understood.

-

A week later, Cheryl and Toni were eating dinner and watching a movie when Toni got a text. Toni tensed when she read it, and Cheryl immediately noticed due to how close they were sitting.

"What is it Toni?" She demanded an answer before she even looked at the girl. "Oh nothing" Toni laughed a bit to sell her lie.

"Give me the phone" Cheryl said, putting her hand out for Toni to place the phone in it. "No it's fine Cheryl don't worry" Toni tried one last time before Cheryl got up and snatched the phone out of her hand.

Toni tried to get up to take it back, but Cheryl simply placed a hand on her chest to push her back down. Toni sighed, "Cher" she said and Cheryl snapped "Jesus Toni could you shut up for a second so I️ can actually read this!"

Toni stood up and took her phone back, now pushing Cheryl back onto the couch. "You're parents are in jail" Toni revealed, "for life." She added and watched Cheryl's face become shocked, then ecstatic.

Cheryl started to laugh. "Well it's about damn time." She said, still laughing.

Suddenly she stopped, looked Toni dead in the eye and said, "I️ want to see them."

Taken aback, Toni immediately shook her head "No Cheryl. They'll be horrible to you and they don't deserve to see you ever again." She tried convincing the gurl, but she knew deep down that her mind was made up.

"Nope I️ wanna go. Either you can drive me, or I️ can walk." Cheryl said seriously. "Why do you want to see them?" Toni asked, genuinely curious as to why Cheryl would ever want to see her parents again.

"To tell them to go to hell and rot in jail and that they'll never see me again" Cheryl said with a bright smile.

-

Cheryl was waiting for Toni for once, so the girl could take her to the prison.

"Come on Toni!" Cheryl whined, "it's not like you're gonna be talking to them!" She yelled.

Toni left her room, "Actually I️ made a call so you can talk to your mother and father at the same time. Also I'm coming in with you, you're crazy if you thought I'd leave you alone in a prison." Toni told the girl, not taking any arguments.

"I️-" Cheryl started, but earned a stern look from Toni causing her to just say "Okay." And leave the apartment.

-

"Call out of you need anything okay?" Toni told Cheryl, holding her face in her hands to make sure she was sure she wanted to go in. "Okay Toni I'm fine I️ promise." Cheryl nodded, taking Toni's hands from her face and entering the room.

She was met with bright white lights and clear stalls that looked like telephone booths.

And right in the middle stall sat the two people she hated most on earth. Who ruined her life, but she had it back now.

She was nervous, as her mother still scared her,  but she knew there was nothing she could do anymore. It was time to tell her what she'd been wanting to say since she was 16 and her brother was taken from her by her own father.