Start Again | Choni

we're going to win

Cheryl's POV

My leg was strapped up quickly, turns out I'd badly fractured my ankle so it needed to heal for a bit, but the doctor said I couldn't leave until tomorrow. I started to panic, I couldn't stay here, it made me an easy target for Hiram's minions. "No, no you don't get it, I have to go." I pleaded. I tried to stand up but my ankle gave way and I ended up on the floor. The nurse helped me into a wheelchair and went to find a doctor. "Please, I have to go. I need to go." I begged him. He thought for a moment before nodding and signing off. "You can take the wheelchair, but as soon as that heals, bring it back and we'll get you started on some crutches." He smiled before turning to leave. He stopped and went over to me and I tried to relax. "You've got somewhere to go, right?" He asked me and I nodded slowly. "Y-yeah my friend, uh, Toni, yeah, it's fine." I stuttered and hurried out in the wheelchair.

It dawned on me as I parked in an alley to take a moment that I had no one to turn to. I didn't exactly have many friends, and most people were under Hiram's rule anyways. The only person I could think of was Toni, and I knew where she lived, so I had to go there. If Hiram had already found her, then we were both in trouble, but if I could get there first then I could explain everything and save her. It was a big task, but my life and possibly Toni's depended on it. 

The sun had gone down by the time I arrived at Sunnyside Trailer Park. Ironic, isn't it? It took my ages, going slowly in a wheelchair and keeping away from the main streets. I waited for the coast to clear and lightly tapped on her trailer door. There was a moment of silence before I heard the locks being undone and the door slowly creaked open. Toni's shocked face appeared as she fully opened the door and saw the wheelchair, and my face. "Cheryl, oh my god what happened?" She rushed towards me, checking out my leg and some scratches on my face. "I'm okay, Toni, I just really need to tell you something." I said and she nodded. "Hey, can you help me?" She called into the trailer. I wondered who else was there. My questions were answered when Hermione and Delaney came to the door. "Cheryl, thank goodness." Hermione sighed in relief before lifting up the front of the wheelchair, with Toni at the back. Delaney didn't say anything and for that, I was grateful. I wasn't in the mood for small talk with one of my tormentors.

I sat at the end of the couch, next to Toni, with Hermione in the kitchen, making tea and Delaney staring from the corner. I ignored her. "What happened?" Toni asked again and I decided to start from the beginning. "T-Toni I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to just ignore you like that. Hiram took my phone and he switched all my classes and I wasn't allowed to go anywhere near you..." It all came out in a jumble and she placed her hands on my knees, making me automatically calm down. I saw a flicker of jealousy in Delaney's eyes before she turned away. "Cher, slow down, it's okay. So Hiram did all of this?" She looked at my injuries. "N-not exactly. I overheard him having an argument with Hermione, and he said that I was basically a 'stain' on the Lodge family, and that my family took everything from his so he's after revenge now. I didn't know what else to do, so I just left."

Toni looked to Hermione for confirmation and she looked at her feet. "I ended things with Hiram, Cheryl. I walked away from him and his business. I didn't want to do his bidding any more, it's not right. And he said something which made me realize how twisted things were. He said that family is the most important thing, and I realized then that he was right, and I had to look after my family. So I am. Cheryl you are my family. You and the rest of the Blossoms, you're my priority." She said sincerely and I smiled. "Thank you, Hermione... but what do we do now?" I looked around and Toni shrugged. "I don't know, but we have to think fast. No doubt Hiram is planning something big now he's lost both of you." 

We all thought hard until Delaney stepped out from the shadows and broke the silence. "Why don't you just go do what he wants? There's no stopping Hiram, you know, it's stupid to even try." She said, her arms across her chest. I was about to say something when Toni exploded. "Why don't you just go and do one, Delaney, you're not exactly helping us here. I know you don't like Cheryl, but she happens to be my girlfriend, and I'll do anything to keep her safe. If you don't want to help, then you can leave." She stared as the girl huffed and left without saying another word, and she slammed the door behind her. "That's better." She said and we all burst out laughing. "So, what are we going to do?" 

Veronica's POV

I returned to the Pembrooke to find it oddly quiet. Daddy was in his study, staring wistfully at the picture of me and mom on his desk. "Daddy, what's wrong?" I asked as I sat opposite him. "Oh mija, thank heavens you're alright. I'm afraid it's just going to be the two of us now." He sighed but I didn't understand. "What do you mean? Where's Mom?" "She's gone, Veronica. She went after the Blossom girl and she's not coming back." I didn't understand why she would do that. Mom loves her family, why would she just leave us like that? "That doesn't make any sense, Daddy. Mom wouldn't just do that. She always puts family first." I argued.

"Mija, you are entirely right. She does always put her family first..." "Then why did she leave?" I interrupted, getting angry. "Because we're not her family. Not any more. We've been rocky for months now, and we've finally separated, so please, let's just move on and work out our next move." I wanted answers first. She couldn't just leave without any explanation. "She didn't say anything at all?" I asked. He sighed and looked straight into my eyes. "Mija, I need to tell you something, something that I should have said a very long time ago." He said slowly. "What?" 

"Hermione isn't your biological mother, Veronica, she just raised you. We were separated due to business, and I had a relationship with a woman called Harriett. Harriett Alonso Maya, she was an amazing woman. She died after giving birth, and I was reunited with Hermione and you. I couldn't raise you by myself, so we agreed for Hermione to become your mother, and we would move away from all the press and the questions surrounding us, so we moved to New York before moving here. Your birth certificate reads Veronica Cecilia Maya Lodge, born in Miami, Florida." 

Wow, I had no idea how to react. Should I say something? Should I be angry? Sad? Relieved? All these emotions were filling my head and it was hard to think straight. "I-I, so me and Hermione aren't blood related at all?" He shook his head. "Hermione is a Blossom, through and through. But we, thankfully, are not, and we are no longer going to have any ties with that rotten family." "Well what are we going to do about it then?" He thought for a moment before responding. "We're going to do exactly what we came here to do. We're going to take this town once and for all, and most importantly, we're going to win." He said determinedly.