The Quiet Kid: (choni)

24: Welcome to Hell

CHERYL POV:

Toni walks outside looking destroyed. "Toni?" I pause. "Everything ok?" I ask quietly. "Yeah, I'm just- yeah." He sits next to me at the edge of the pool. I know something is up. "Toni What's wrong?" I ask quietly. "I- nothing." I cup his cheek. "You're doing that thing where you start to say something and stop." I shake my head. "I'm fine. I just- I'm fine." He whispers. "Toni. Please tell me." I insist. "I'm not happy, ever since I got sober. I feel worse than when I wasn't." He whispers. "Toni." I sigh. "Please say you haven't been drinking today." He shakes my head. "No, I haven't today." I rub his cheek. "What about yesterday?" I ask quietly. "I was really tempted." He kisses me. "I just want to forget about it." He gets up and walks away. "Toni!" I get up and follow him. "Please. I don't want to think about it." He walks away. "I just need to breathe." He whispers. "Go for a walk." He nods. "I'll be back in a few." He walks out to the street. I take a deep breath and walk back inside. "Where is your boyfriend going?" I look out the window than back at Veronica. "He is having an anxiety attack." I whisper. "That's not what I ask but ok." She whispers. "Tell him we leave in a hour or so."

TONI POV:

"Toni, you ok?" I look up at Cheryl and shake my head. "No." I panic. "What's wrong?" She ask me quietly. "I heard a door slam." I whisper. She laughs. "What? You don't understand." I whisper. "Sorry. You're right." She sits next to me. "It was to loud." I whisper. "It's ok." She whispers. "It's ok." She reassures me. She rubs my back. I hide my head in my knees. The bell rings and we go home. "Toni you have therapy." Sarah yells. "Ok."

"I heard a door slam and ran." I whisper. I look up at my therapist. "Have you been doing some of the techniques we've talked about?" I nod calmly. "How was your trip with Cheryl?" She ask quietly. "Good. I almost drank though, but I didn't because I stopped myself." I smile. "That's good." She praises. "Do you think you could set me up with someone who specializes in kids with addictions?" I ask quietly. "Yeah, of course!" She wrights down a name and hands it to me. "Thank you." I whisper. "No problem." She smiles. "Anything else you'd like to talk about?" I nod. "Yeah. I was thinking about my future and there's a few colleges I've been looking at. It's nothing fancy but Cheryl and I have been looking at a few." I say nervously. "You're not thinking about going to the same college right?" She ask. I shake my head. "No! She's already going to one college that all her family went to. I was thinking about going..." I pull out a folder from my bag and hand it to her. "Those places." I say happily. "Ithaca? They have a great music program." I nod. "I'm not planning on going for anything like that, I just want to go for academics." She bites her lip. "Have you talked to your guidance consultant about this?" She ask. "No." I whisper. "You're probably going to get more advice on college. But I think you need to find something thing for college. You're good at art so why don't you look at places that have a good art programs." I nod nervously. "Yeah of of course." I smile. She looks at her watch. "Times up! I'll see you next week maybe you'll have the whole college under control." We stand up and shake hands. "Yeah, of course." I say nervously. "I'll see you next week." I walk out. "Hey." Sarah stands up. "Can we talk about college when we get home?" I ask quietly. "Also, there is a person who deals helps with kids with addictions." I hand her the information. "Toni we already pay for this and your medication and everything." She says quietly. "I'll pay for it. I just don't want to have as much of a problem with my addiction." I say very determined. "You need a job." She cups my cheeks. "I can work at pops I'll talk to Veronica." She nods and kisses the top of my head. "Ok." She smiles. I nod and we go to pops. I go in and sit at the counter. "Hey, V?" She turns around. "What's up?" She ask quietly. "I need a job." I say honestly. "Ok? Why?" She ask. "Because I need to pay for a therapist that helps with addiction." She nods. "Ok, come back tomorrow though, I need a resume and find someone that can train you."  She smiles. "Thank you." I whisper. "No problem, anything to help you."

I sit next to Cheryl at our usual spot at the river. "Can you believe we're almost seniors?" She ask quietly. I smile. "Can you believe that I'm madly in love with you?" She looks at me. "Well, can you believe that I'm madly in love with you?" She smiles. I cup her cheek and kiss her. "I love you." I whisper. "I love you." She whispers between kisses. "What are you planning on doing for break?" Cheryl ask me quietly. I shrug. "I was planning on doing the same thing I do on a regular basis. Just with more school and working at Pops. If that makes sense." I say awkwardly. "Veronica gave you the job?" She ask. "Yeah, she just needed to ask me a few questions and teach me on how to serve people. That's all." I whisper. "Yeah, you're right." Cheryl realizes. "I'll also be helping around the Speakeasy." I whisper. Her eyes widen. "Everything is non alcoholic." I promise. She nods. "Ok." She smiles. I kiss her.