capsize me and douse me in your bay

chapter eighteen

Day One

"Thanks for your help, Jug," Toni smiled at her childhood friend as he helped her get her suitcase up the stairs. After waking up alone and having to endure a whole day of work, she was eager to just relax in her room or on the beach with Cheryl. Only problem is, it was close to seven pm and she was still no where to be found. "You sure you haven't seen or heard from Cheryl? She should've been back by now," she frowned, setting her suitcase on the floor by her closet. All she had left in the New York apartment was her bigger furniture, but she had arranged for a U-Haul to bring them to a storage unit for her over the weekend.

"Anytime, T," he wiped his hands on his jeans and sat on the edge of the bed, "I haven't seen her since two nights ago when you guys came back in from the beach."

Toni's lips twisted curiously to the side as her shoulders slumped.

"You said she was going to visit her family? Why don't you just go see her? She's from Riverdale, isn't she? Or her family is?"

"I-I don't know where they live," she chuckled nervously. Jughead didn't know the truth. No one did. Maybe Cheryl was just waiting until nighttime to come back. From what Toni had heard from her, she had washed up on shore in the middle of the night, bare as a newborn baby when she first arrived. Maybe she was just waiting until the sun went down. Toni would have to remind herself to bring her some clothes.

"You don't know how to use a phone book?" Jughead quirked an eyebrow at her, making her roll her eyes.

"A phone book? Seriously, Jug, join us in the twenty first century for a change," the younger girl laughed and sat down beside him, glancing around the pale blue room.

"Do you have a plan yet?"

"No, not really. I guess I'll just keep going to work like normal and search for a place to live while I have time," she sighed, leaning back on her arms and swinging her legs gently.

"You know you can stay here for as long as you want, Toni," Jughead nudged her shoulder with his own.

"I know," she nodded, pursing her lips into a straight line.

"I mean it. You and Cheryl are both welcome. Dad's really only interacted with her once, but he can tell she makes you happy."

Toni's heart beat a little faster in her chest as her cheeks heated up with a blush. "She's not my girlfriend or anything," she muttered, looking down at her lap.

"Whether she is or not, Dad said he hasn't seen you smile like you were over the weekend since you were a little kid. And I gotta agree with him. Whatever that girl is to you, I think she'd be good to keep around."

Looking up at him, the pinkette just smiled, slowly nodding in agreement, "Yeah, I guess so."

The boy who was like a brother to her just wrapped her in a hug and kissed the top of her head, squeezing her once more before getting up. "Anything else you want me to bring in from the car?"

"No, I think we got it all. I'm, uh...I'm gonna go sit on the beach for a little bit," she followed him in getting up, moving to her suitcase to pick out some clothes for Cheryl to put on whenever she showed back up.

"Okay. I'm gonna go bring Betty some dinner at work. Want me to bring you back anything from Pop's?"

"No thanks, Jug," she shook her head and knelt by her suitcase, unzipping it so sift through the clothes she had stuffed inside.

"Call me if you change your mind," he waved her off and trudged downstairs after closing the door behind him.

Toni quickly changed out of her work clothes, dressing herself in a pair of denim shorts and a loose tank top instead. Every now and then she would glance out the window, hoping to see the head of flaming red hair making its way up the beach. She didn't mind going to wait for her, but it would be nice to know that Cheryl was back and safe.