Not Broken, Just Bent- A Choni Fanfiction

10- Messages and Miscommunications

AN:
Sorry for the wait, had to binge watch the entirety of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I might change the POV a bit more often to keep things going.

Toni's POV:

Three days.

That's how long it had been since the cheer trip-

And how long it had been since I'd last seen Cheryl.

During the first day, I thought maybe she has been ignoring me, and trying to keep up her popular, prissy facade: Just like she had acted after we kissed for the first time.

By day two, I figured something was up, since even Veronica didn't know where Cheryl was.

By day three, I decided to sacrifice my dignity and double text her.

Cheryl, where have you been? Just checking to make sure everything's okay.

After taking a deep breath, I slowly pressed the "Send" button. It's not like I was expecting an immediate response, but my heart sank as time progressed and my phone remained silent.

*

I quickly paced down the halls of Riverdale High until I finally caught Veronica in my sight.

"Veronica!" I shouted.

I watched as Veronica whipped around to face me. She opened her mouth to respond in her typical friendly mannerism, but I saw her expression shift almost immediately as we made eye contact. Before she could speak, I grabbed her arm and pulled her aside into the nearest unoccupied classroom.

"Toni, what is it? I'm gonna be late for class if I-"

"It's Cheryl," I spilled frantically, "Have you seen her anywhere?"

"Actually, now that you mention it, it has been awhile since I've seen her- Hell, I haven't seen her since..."

Suddenly, a ping on my phone interrupted Veronica's train of thought.

My eyes widened as I read the contact name above the message. Without a second thought, I scrambled to type in my passcode and open the message.

Hey Toni,
Even though this was nice for a bit, I let myself get carried away. Sorry, please stop messaging me.

Maybe this is for the best- I just must end these dark, deviant thoughts.

Without speaking, I showed the message to Veronica.

I watched her eyes slowly shift down the screen, before she looked up, her eyes meeting mine.

"Toni, there's no way she would do that to you, she cared about you so much! Sh-she rambled on and on about you to me and Betty, a-and-

"Stop it Veronica!" I shouted. I felt feels welling up in my eyes as rage flooded my chest.

"I knew I shouldn't have given her a second chance," I thought as I stormed out of the Riverdale High building.

*

Ring. Ring. Ringggggggg.

I groaned and rolled over in my bed as the sound of my phone ringing snapped my out of my brooding trance. Begrudgingly, I sat up and picked up my phone.

"Hello?"

"Toni, this is Veronica."

"Veronica, leave me alone," I groaned.

"Meet me at Pop's in ten. We're going to figure this out."

"What is there to figure out, Ver-"

I didn't even need to look at the phone screen to know that Veronica had hung up.

I absent-mindedly scrolled through my notifications, until my eyes fell on the text from Cheryl. As I reread it, I felt a singular tear drip down my cheek, like a single beadI of water that had slipped through the cracks of a floodgate.

Without a second though, I re-laced my combat boots and threw on my helmet before hopping on my motorcycle to head to Pop's.

*

The familiar sound of the bell above the door greeted me as I opened the doors of Pop's. I slowly walked down the aisle between the booths until I spotted Veronica, who was sitting with another girl. The moment she stood up, I recognized her as the other girl that Cheryl was talking to that day in the gym.

"Hi Toni!" Veronica called, signaling me over to their booth. Hesitantly, I slid in beside Veronica.

"Toni, this is Betty," Veronica said, gestured to the girl across the table.

Betty reached forward to shake my hand- I found it simplest to just comply.

"Betty is my bestie, and the best detective I know," Veronica chimed.

"Veronica, isn't this a bit much?" I inquired, slanting my eyes slightly in her direction.

"Toni, can I see the message?" Betty asked, dismissing my question.

Reluctantly I handed Betty my phone, and watched as her eyes darted about the screen.

"Hmm," Betty muttered.

"What is it, Blondie?" I mocked, prompting a rude look from Veronica.

"This vocabulary is slightly shabby for that of Cheryl Blossom, don't you think?" Betty inquired.

I peered over the table, re-reading the message. I hated to admit it, but Betty was right; There were no well-worded insults or extensive French words sprung into her sentences.

"Okay, it's true, but why would she care about her vocabulary over a breakup text?"

"It's true," Veronica added, "Maybe we are just grasping at straws here."

I watched as Betty continued staring at the message, the same wave of defeat that had washed over her and Veronica drowning me like a tsunami.

"I'm so sorry, Toni. I can't believe that she would do this to you," Veronica sighed.

Suddenly, I watched as Betty's eyes widened.

"Guys, something's definitely wrong with Cheryl."

"What is it?" Veronica asked worriedly.

I had a feeling she could tell how hard my heart was pounding, because Betty took a deep breath in as if to prepare herself before she spoke.

"Read the first letter of each line."

*

AN:
Sorry that this chapter was kind of scrappy- I needed a transition into a really big plot point.