capsize me and douse me in your bay

chapter five

Toni approached her apartment door, giggling with Cheryl in tow. The redhead was carrying the brown paper grocery bag in her free hand while the other was still tightly in Toni's. Her first experience in a corner store was...interesting to say the least. Toni ended up buying five jars of maraschino cherries, one of which Cheryl had opened and started eating before they even got to the cashier. And the other four were from Toni bribing her with a jar of cherries for each new food she picked out to try. And they ended up coming back to the apartment with pancake mix, a box of spaghetti noodles, a jar of peanut butter, and a jar of grape jelly.

"Can you hold this one too? Just be careful," Toni handed Cheryl the second bag as the redhead stuck her tongue out in concentration, adjusting the bags in her arms. Toni smiled at her after making sure she had them both and fished her keys out of her purse, taking one of the bags back as she unlocked the door.

"Are you kidding me, Toni?" the girls were immediately met with the harsh voice of Veronica, "I thought you were going to find somewhere else for her to go."

Toni glanced awkwardly at Cheryl, who just looked confusedly at Veronica. "Just give me a minute, V," she sighed, helping Cheryl set her bag on the table before ushering her over to the living room. After handing the younger girl a jar of cherries and turning on the tv for her, Toni followed Veronica back to her bedroom. "You don't have to be so rude," she crossed her arms over her chest when they were hidden behind the door of Veronica's room.

"Um, you bring a stranger into my apartment, and you have the nerve to call me rude?" the older girl's perfectly shaped eyebrows raised to her hairline.

"I pay just as much in rent and utilities as you, Veronica, it's not just your apartment anymore. And she's not a stranger. I told you, she's an old friend from high school," her arms crossed over her chest defensively as she lied through her teeth.

"Well, you hung out with a weird crowd in high school," Veronica rolled her eyes, "Look, if she's a friend from high school, then...whatever, but...I don't feel comfortable staying here while she's here. She gives me the creeps. I mean, she shows up with no shoes on. How do you know she's not some crackhead looking for money?"

Toni eyed her roommate with pursed lips, unable to explain Cheryl to her, because she didn't understand her either. But she knew she was harmless. The girl was in the living room eating pickled cherries watching a documentary about the ocean, probably talking to the fish on the TV.

"She's not like that," she muttered, looking down at her feet.

"When's the last time you talked to her since high school?" Veronica challenged, to which Toni stayed quiet. The Latina scoffed not long into the silence and rolled her eyes again, shaking her head. "You know what? Do what you want. We've got renters insurance if she fucks anything up or steals our shit. But don't come crying to me when she does. I'll be at Reggie's, so call me when she's gone."

"Wait, what?" Toni picked her head up with furrowed brows, "Ronnie-"

"It's not you I don't trust, T. It's her. I can't believe you let her stay here last night. How long are you planning on letting this go on?"

Toni watched as her roommate moved around, starting to pack up one of her luxury suitcases. "So, what if she doesn't leave?" she asked quietly, her arms still folded as she started getting defensive again. Sure, having Cheryl around had been a bit of a nuisance over the past two days, but Toni was starting to appreciate the redhead's presence. She'd never known anyone like her before. And she needed answers.

"Then you can find your own place. I don't want her here. And you can think I'm rude if you want, but I'd rather be rude than delusional enough to think that some random girl would just show up at our doorstep with no crazy intentions."