we like to talk, choni

twenty-two

Cheryl was on her way to meet Toni after their night apart, the day before being pure bliss for the both of them. Cheryl had encountered a message that morning that has started to make her question her past and that of her beloved T.T,

EARLIER THAT MORNING

Cheryl was awoken from her beauty sleep, that she knew she didn't need, by a loud crashing noise coming from beneath her room. Her first thought was that Nana Rose was back to her old ways of crafts and was simply just hammering away, but when she exited her room to the faint noise of snoring she knew there was no way that arts and crafts were taking place. With sudden panic, Cheryl decided she needed to find the closest weapon possible, which happened to only be a lamp with a flowery lamp shade - not very threatening. She tip-toed her way down the stairs only to find a smashed window, but no intruder. Actually yes, there was an intruder. A rock. With a note attached to it.

"SHE'S NOT WHO YOU THINK SHE IS. WE WARNED YOU"

Cheryl was horrified, she wanted it to not be true and to not be about who it obviously was about. She secretly hoped that maybe it was Nana Rose that had befriended the wrong person, not that Cheryl thinks that seeing Toni is a bad idea. But all she does know is that she has to talk to Toni about it, she can definitely clear this up. Cheryl also makes it her new plan to work out who would deliver a message in such way, and she definitely needs to get that window fixed because it is frozen outside.

Whilst on her way to Pop's to meet her favourite girl, she bears a rock in her hand with a spine shivering note, and she demands answers. As Cheryl approaches the door she spots the shorter girl's motorcycle outside and then scans the windows for her, failing she makes her way inside with a familiar chime when she swings the door open. Eyes meet and Cheryl strides towards the girl with such confidence, when she reaches the table she slams the rock down making Toni jump and the rest of the customers freeze. After a few seconds she stands back up straight and as the chatter of others begins to grow once more, Cheryl sternly says "Explain, now." 

Toni reads the note and begins to sweat, the truth is about to unravel and she's not sure how Cheryl was going to take it. She begins slowly,

"Um, okay. So, um, do we know who, um, sent this?"

Cheryl sat in the seat across from her, not saying a word, but giving Toni a look that said enough for Toni to know that she needs to give a reasonable explanation for this as soon as possible.

"I promise I was going to tell you Cheryl, I just couldn't find the right time and I really didn't know how much you had healed and it's been playing on my mind since the night you told me. That night, the night your brother died, the Serpent's were involved but not on purpose. We had no choice, Reggie came to us with a deal that we couldn't find a way out of and,,

I was there when your brother died, I'm so sorry. I was the only witness to it but I swear, and I really hope you can believe me, I didn't do it."

Cheryl's hearing muffled after that, she didn't want to hear anything else although she could hear Toni continuing in a panicked tone, Cheryl stood up but didn't make it very far before she collapsed out of pure shock. Her brother, who was the only person who brought her joy, was killed in front of the one girl that she's falling for. 

Falling.

Falling meant so many different things to Cheryl in that moment. She was falling in love with the girl who witnessed her brother fall dead to the floor and well, now she was falling to the floor. A cold feeling swallowed Cheryl as all the information she had learnt ran circles in her brain. Before passing out on Pop's cold vinyl ground the last voice that Cheryl heard was that of Toni,

"I promise I'll fix this, I'll prove to you that I'm not who they say I am..."

---

Writer's note:

Okay so to say I took a break is an understatement, I really am sorry for that. I lost track of where I was going with this story and really just lost all motivation. But I am back and ready to get this story rolling for real. This is a short chapter just to get back in the groove, but it'll be getting good soon!

Also, @_rivervixxxen_ is translating this story in Italian so if that's more useful to you be sure to check it out! You can also say thanks to them for getting me back up and writing this story haha. Big thanks from me anyways <3