The Sisters
They were at Toni's trailer; Kevin had brought them there after the Serpent girl said Cheryl would stay with her. The redhead was so quiet, her whole body hurt, she could barely walk without help anymore, she was exhausted.
Toni seated the taller girl on the worn out couch and took her shoes off before sitting right next to her and waiting for Cheryl to decide what she wanted to do next.
"Can I shower?" The girl asked after a while. All her body wanted to do was sleep, but her mind was begging her to take the remaining of that place away, she knew she wouldn't be able to rest properly without a shower.
"Of course, come on, let's get you some clothes and then I'll let you shower." Toni helped her up, carrying most of the taller girl's weight while they went over to Toni's room before going to the bathroom. "I'll be right outside yeah?"
"Please don't leave." Cheryl begged, not carrying if Toni would see her naked or if she looked too vulnerable. She just wanted the girl to be there, where she could see her, where she could make sure Toni wasn't just another dream.
"Okay, I'll stay." She sat on the toilet and smiled softly.
While Cheryl undressed, Toni could see the bruises on the pale skin, on Cheryl's back and on her arms, and it took everything in her not to go out right at that moment and demand the serpents to go and destroy that place.
Cheryl could see Toni's eyes travelling through her body, and she knew the girl was paying attention to the bruises on her skin. She opened the shower and sighed when the hot water touched her skin, it felt like it was years ago that she showered with hot water for the last time. She spent some time just letting the water run through her body.
She finished after a while, and had to ask for Toni's help to get dressed, the adrenaline was wearing out, Toni asked if she wanted something to eat but she denied quickly, she truly thought she was going to collapse at any moment now, all she wanted was to lay down.
Toni's bed was a lot smaller than hers, but it was comfortable – a lot more than the one at the sisters. Toni offered to stay on the couch but she didn't the girl to be out of her sight. It took them ten minutes to finally lay down, Cheryl's head on Toni's shoulder, a protective arm was around the redhead, pulling her closer, theirs legs were intertwined and Cheryl had never felt more comfortable in her life.
"They would beat me whenever I said something they didn't like..." She was half asleep already, her words slurred. But she felt like she needed Toni to know. "They would hold my wrist so tight whenever I refused to pray... It hurt but... I was always think of you... Liking you is not wrong..." She wanted to continue, tell Toni everything that happened but she was just so tired, her eyes closed at their own record and she was asleep within seconds leaving Toni with tears in her eyes.
Thornhill
Toni was hanging in Cheryl's room at Thistle House once again, it was an usual thing for her to do it since that day at Pop's. It was easier to study there than at Sunnyside with all the boys talking and all the Serpents duties, also, she liked spending time with the redhead.
They were supposed to be studying but Cheryl decided she wanted to watch a movie instead, and really, could anyone ever win a fight against the Blossom girl? Toni didn't even try do argue with her.
Cheryl's head was resting on Toni's shoulder and the serpent could hear soft snores coming out of the girl's lips and the pink haired girl didn't even care about what was happening in the movie, the feeling of the redhead girl this close to her and comfortable enough to fall asleep against her body made Toni so happy. From the moment she met Cheryl she knew the girl was in pain, she knew there was a lot going on behind the cold-hearted bitch façade. And knowing that out of all people, Cheryl let her in – and so easily – made her feel warm inside, and it also made her feel responsible for making the taller girl's life as easier as she could.
