Toni didn't speak with Cheryl all weekend – not even a text. She buried herself in her homework and hung out with the guys at the Wyrm.
Her mind was taken off it a little when Sweet Pea told her he'd slept with Veronica, asking her not to mention it to anyone else.
Of course she wouldn't. He knew he could always come to her about anything, just like she knew she could go to him. He was her rock.
She teased him, she knew he liked Veronica – anyone with eyes could tell. And now he was a part of her club; the 'I'm sleeping with a complicated north sider' club.
It made her heart ache to see how open and sweet Betty and Jughead were at the Wyrm. And even Kevin and Fangs, absolutely no shame on anyone's face as they disappeared to do intimate things. She wondered what that felt like – to not have to hide.
"I doubt that'll ever happen again," Sweet Pea had told her.
"Doubting your dick giving abilities all of a sudden?" She had teased, raising an eyebrow at him. He was always very confident when it came to the ladies. Toni saw the way they threw themselves at him, but never had he once talked to her about it like this.
She knew it because Veronica was the first person he actually cared about, usually all his conquests were one night stands that he never saw again.
"That's definitely not it." He gave her a death stare and made her laugh.
But then it happened again, at his trailer this time, and she could tell he was even more conflicted. This was going to eat at him, and she didn't even know what advice she could give, because she was in a very similar boat, and she had been for far too long.
She couldn't do it anymore. She had come to that conclusion at least. She couldn't believe how easy it was for Cheryl to walk away with Reggie, after Toni was worried about her and trying to figure out what was wrong.
And then at the party, it put her in a rage to not be able to do anything while Cheryl flirted her way from one guy to another. She wanted to drag her away, lock her in a room and scream at her. But she'd always had to be gentler with Cheryl, she was much more fragile than anyone realized.
But Toni had feelings too, and Cheryl was so incredibly talented at hurting them.
It was clear to her by Wednesday that Cheryl wasn't going to be the first one to talk. She was too damn stubborn.
So she texted her to meet her at the Blue and Gold after school, and prayed she'd show up.
She was honestly surprised when she heard her come in. Love Me Harder played softly in the room as the two women approached each other silently.
"Thanks for coming." Toni knew she had to speak first.
Cheryl nodded once and glanced towards the door, as if afraid someone would come in.
"Don't worry, Betty's the only one who's ever here after hours, and she and Jughead have some dinner thing with her parents."
Cheryl looked down then, and Toni wished she could just wrap her up in a hug and pretend everything was okay. But she couldn't. She understood that Cheryl wasn't ready to come out yet, but that didn't mean she had to treat Toni like shit in front of other people, and she had to know that.
"So, what was that Friday night? And why have you ignored me all week?" She had to just get into it, because Cheryl sure as hell wouldn't.
"You can text me too, you know?"
Toni smiled, not a happy smile but an 'are you serious?' one.
"Can you ever admit to doing anything wrong, Cher?" Toni was always so easy on her, but she knew that in order to protect her own heart a little, she had to stand up for herself.
