When The Blossom Falls

Chapter 13

It wasn't the sun beaming through the window the next morning that woke Toni up, and neither was the somewhat annoying chirping of the birds that caused her to jump up, startled.

It was in fact, Cheryl.

Her piercing scream rang through the room and Toni's eyes widened, extremely concerned as she enveloped her best friend into her arms who immediately melted into them.

Toni clenched her jaw in anger as she remembered the reason for this nightmare. She didn't know his name or anything but she remembered him so well that if she saw his face one day, she wouldn't hesitate to make that pretty face of his unrecognisable.

How can one person have so much control over someone else's mind when they're not even there anymore?

"D-Did he r-rape m-me?" Cheryl stuttered out and Toni just about understood what she said because of how quiet she was but she did, and tears welled up in her eyes as the pain in her voice was so hard to miss.

"No..he didn't Cher. I got there just in time thankfully." Toni whispered, sighing deeply as Cheryl looked up at her and that's when Toni realised how close their faces actually were. If she leaned in only a few centimetres, they'd kiss.

Cheryl sighed out of relief as she put a shaky hand up to Toni's cheek and pressed a soft kiss on her best friend's forehead. "Thank you.." She mumbled, offering a small smile as she laid her head back down on Toni's chest.

However, in her nightmare, things took quite a different twist for the worse. Nick had actually managed to take advantage of that and that's what woke her up. She mixed what's reality and what's not, and even if sometimes what's not real makes Cheryl more happier than what is, now is certainly not the case.

"After you left, I was so confused and you had just driven off as soon as I left the bar. If only I had been a little faster, he wouldn't have drugged you in the first place." Toni muttered, shaking her head at herself and Cheryl frowned, quickly looking up at her.

"Are you hearing yourself right now? If it wasn't for you, I would've been fucking raped and still..despite saving me, you still find a reason to beat yourself up over the what ifs." Cheryl scoffed shaking her head in disbelief.

"You're right..I'm sorry." 

"Toni..c-can I..can I ki-"

Before Cheryl could finish her sentence, the bell rang and Cheryl shut her eyes, mentally cursing the person who decided to interrupt her. 

"Hold that thought..I'll go get it." Toni said, getting out of bed and running down the stairs before opening the door, her eyes widening in shock as she stared at the person in front of her.

Jughead Jones.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" She muttered angrily, her eyes falling to the box of chocolates in his hand and a bouquet of roses in the other.

"Well..I had a feeling you'd be here and we need to talk."

"We really don't. Jughead..we're over."

"I told Cheryl to tell you that I really needed to talk but I guess..he forgot to pass that message along to you." 

"Oh she didn't..I just didn't want to speak to you." Toni immediately replied and she felt somewhat bad because of the hurt expression that took over the boy's features.

"Look Jughead..I don't know how to bre-" Toni started but before she could finish, his lips were firmly pressed on hers.

"Hey Toni who wa-" Cheryl cut herself off as she watched the..scenery before her. 

But what Cheryl didn't see was when Toni pulled away and bought her hand up, slapping Jughead across the face harshly.

"What do you think you're doing? Look..I knew most guys are fucking idiots but when a girl tells you lot that it's over..it's over. What don't you understand?" She asked, raising her voice and he scoffed shaking his head.

"Maybe if you opened your eyes and saw how much better I can treat you than that carrot."

Oh no he didn't. Oh no he fucking didn't.

"Excuse me?" Toni muttered, now furious as she stepped closer towards him. "First of all, that 'carrot' is my best friend and second of all, she has treated me better than you ever could. Third of all, why are you even bringing her into this?" 

Jughead scoffed once more. "Please. As if you don't see the way she looks at you."

"Like what Jughead!?"

"Like she's in love with you Toni! How fucking blind can one be?" 

"Look..you're just super delusional and I feel like I'm talking to a Jingle Jangle addict right now so if you don't mind..fuck off." Toni smiled her most fake smile before she slammed the door in his face before quickly running upstairs to be met with Cheryl who's cheeks were still stained with tears and with puffy red eyes staring right back at her.

"Oh Cher.." She whispered walking closer to her and just as she was about to pull her into a hug, Cheryl slapped her hand away and Toni pulled back with a frown.

"Woah..what did I do?" 

"Are you back with him?"

That's what she's crying about? Toni knew that Cheryl wasn't exactly supportive over her now ended relationship with Jughead but crying about it? That's a bit too dramatic, even for Cheryl herself. That's what Toni thought as she watched her confusedly.

"No..why would you think that?"

"Oh I don't know..maybe because you fucking kissed him?" Cheryl exclaimed and Toni was a bit taken aback by the sudden change in her tone.

Toni was now even more confused, if that's possible. Even more than when she has Maths..and that's saying something.

"Um..it was actually him who kissed me but the real question is..why is this bothering you so much?"

Why is this bothering Cheryl so much? 

It's surely not because of the fact that that's exactly what she wanted to do before they were rudely interrupted by beanie boy who can just waltz in and kiss Toni.

And it's definitely not because she has been fantasising about kissing her best friend for two days now.

"Because I-" Cheryl stopped, unable to finish what she wanted to say.

"Because youuuu?"

"I-"

"I can't tell you."

Toni huffed shaking her head. "So that's what we've become now hm? Best friends who don't tell each other anything anymore but still somehow call themselves best friends?"

"No Toni you don't unde-"

"Exactly! How can I understand when you won't tell me?"

Cheryl sighed, shrugging her shoulders in defeat and Toni scoffed, running her hand through her hair.

"Right. Come to me when you find the words that you are somehow struggling to find right now." Toni sighed, grabbing her school bag and walking out of the room, leaving Cheryl alone standing in the middle of it.

"It's because I want you." Cheryl whispered to herself, finally finding the words as soon as Toni was out of earshot.

Tears streamed down her face as she watched the door, hoping that Toni would burst right through it any second now, realising how much of a mistake she made by leaving her alone, but the door doesn't budge. And neither does Cheryl.

She just stands there, staring at the door, left alone to deal with her demons. Left alone to deal with the horrors of last night without Toni to hold her tightly and whisper to her that it's okay.

No. She was alone.

And boy did that hurt.

A/N: Okay so this chapter was shit but still, I really hope y'all enjoyed. It'll get better though I promise! Thanks for reading ♥.