The Secrets We Keep: A Choni Story

Chapter 15

This chapter touches on some triggering topics so proceed with caution.

At school
Cheryl's POV
I didn't see Toni at school today, it was weird since her suspension was over. I decided to talk to Sweet Pea and Fangs to see if they knew anything. I walked out into the courtyard and found them.

"Have you guys seen Toni?" I asked.

"Nope, haven't heard from her in a few days," Fangs replied.

Sweet Pea nodded. I had a really bad feeling about this, something was wrong and I didn't know what. I guess I should have told her I needed time to think and process what she told me. Maybe she thought I broke up with her and she didn't want to come to school. I was snapped out of my thoughts when Sweet Pea called my name.

"Cheryl!" he yelled.

"Yes, jeez no need to shout I'm right here," I said.

"You didn't hear me the first time anyway, it's time for first period, also we'll probably see Toni at the Serpent meeting today, want me to tell her you've been looking for her?" he asked walking into the building.

"Yeah," I replied, peeling off to go to my first-period lesson.

I was just in my own world when I was snapped out of it by the teacher calling my name.

"Miss Blossom, what's the answer to the question?" she asked.

"What's the question?" I asked ashamed.

"How does Shakespeare portray betrayal in his play about Julius Caesar?" she asked annoyed.

"Um, by having his friends literally stab him in the back causing his death," I said shyly.

"Correct, are you okay, Miss Blossom?" she asked.

"No, can I use the bathroom, please," I asked.

"Yes," she replied.

I got up and went into the bathroom, I checked all the stalls to make sure no one was in there, I went into a stall and cried. I was sobbing when I heard the door open.

"Cheryl?" the voice called out.

I sniffled, "In here,"

Betty opened the door to the stall and I looked up at her with my puffy eyes.

"Cheryl, what's going on?" Betty asked concerned.

"It's Toni, I don't know where our relationship is and her suspension is over and she hasn't come in, I told her that I was at a crossroads about us and then I left her trailer and I haven't seen her since and I have a feeling something bad happened to her," I divulged.

"Why don't you check up on her after school? Jug will take you," she smiled.

"Um, okay," I sniffled.

I got up and went back to class.

Lunch
"So, Jug you don't mind taking me to Toni's trailer after school?" I asked.

"Of course not, and I can remind her of the Serpent meeting today," he answered.

I nodded and went back to my meatloaf. I really missed Toni. I really hope nothing bad happened to her. I don't know what I'd do without her. If anything happened to her I would be riddled with guilt and I don't like the way I left things with her. I just wanted to hug her and tell her that I loved her no matter what and that it was me and her against the world. I just hoped that the bad feeling in my stomach would go away and that it was wrong and Toni was fine.

"Cheryl?!" I heard Jason yell.

"Huh? What is it, Jason?" I asked.

"The bell just rang, come on," he said.

"Oh okay," I said.

Toni's trailer
Toni's POV
I was contemplating what to write on this paper for hours I could see the sun rays peering in through the window. I didn't know what time it was but I knew that I wasn't going to school. My relationship with Cheryl gave me a reason to live now that that was in jeopardy what was the point? Cheryl was my soulmate and of course, I messed it up. I felt that if she was going to talk to me was breaking up with me and I couldn't bear that. There was no way she was going to stay with me, she deserved someone better. Cheryl and I had something special, something eternal. I chuckled at the thought of our wedding and it gave me an idea on something to write and once I started I couldn't stop. I finished writing the letter and put it in an envelope and addressed it to Cheryl. I put it on the counter alongside the promise ring. I walked into the bathroom and found my pills and took them hoping it would make feeling nothing feel better.

After school
Cheryl's POV
I walked out of class as the bell rang and I walked outside to find Jughead waiting at his bike for me.

"Come on let's go check on Toni. Cheer up I'm sure she's fine Cheryl," he smiled warmly.

"I hope so, I've just had a bad feeling in my stomach all day," I said getting on the bike.

"Hold on tight!" he yelled over the roar of his engine.

I nodded into his back and he sped off to the trailer park. When we got there the bad feeling I had intensified. Jughead had barely come to a stop when I got off the bike I ran to Toni's trailer and knocked on the door and it opened I couldn't see Toni anywhere. Jughead ran up behind me we walked in.

"Toni?!" I yelled.

There was no answer he ran into every room, I froze in a state of panic. I was snapped out of my daze when Jughead called me.

"In here!" he yelled from the bathroom.

I ran in and saw Toni's lifeless body on the bathroom floor an empty bottle of pills in her hand.

I dropped to my knees. "Toni! Toni wake up!" I screamed shaking her by the shoulders frantically.

"Call 911!" I shrieked.

"On it," he responded immediately.

"Toni please wake up I need you," I sobbed into her shoulder.

Jug came back over and checked her pulse. He let out a shuddered breath, got up and grabbed me from behind.

"Jug! Let me go! What are you doing?!" I bellowed frantically trying to free myself from his grip.

"Cheryl!" he yelled.

"Jughead, my girlfriend is lying on the floor dying get off of me!" I yelled.

He turned me around in his arms.

"Cheryl, she's not dying," he took a deep breath "She's dead."