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Sitting back down after our break, I wonder where Cheryl is. I look around confused to where she is but she isn't in the circle and I start to worry.
We are told after the sandbag incident with Cheryl, Kevin casting an understudy, Midge and she is here because Cheryl’s mother won't let her be in the musical.
As soon as I hear that Cheryl’s been recast so I start to wonder where Cheryl is. I look over to Kevin and he understands the worry in my eyes.
“I think Cheryl’s by the gym bleachers,” He says. I silently thank him and nod. Much to even one's confusion as to why I would be worried about Cheryl. Well, everyone minus Fangs, Veronica and Kevin.
I quickly grab my bag and race to the bleacher where I hope Cheryl is. If she isn't then I am going to search high and low for Cheryl until I find her.
I run through the hallways of Riverdale high still in my costume for the musical. All I can think of is making sure that Cheryl is okay.
I burst through the door of the gym to find Cheryl on the bleachers. I let out a sigh of relief.
“Cheryl!” I yell out. I see her on top of the bleachers her red hair a stark contrast to the yellow behind.
My heart skips a couple of beats when I see her safe and sound in some of the only clothes that could fit Cheryl. Not in a car heading to god knows where.
I run up the stairs, grateful for the runs that Cheryl makes us do because I get up there faster than Fangs on his motorcycle.
“Toni! What are you doing here? I thought you had rehearsals for the musical?” Cheryl asks surprised as if she thought that rehearsals for some dumb musical when she was gone.
I give her a look of ‘If you aren’t at rehearsals then you can bet your pretty head that I’m not going to be there’
Cheryl chuckles. “You shouldn’t worry about me, Toni.”
The way that Cheryl looks at me breaks my heart into a thousand pieces.
“All I’m good for is ruining people’s lives, T.T and I don't want to ruin you because you are one of the purest things in my life. Toni...”
She looks into my eyes and they are filled with so much emotion.
“Cheryl, I will keep telling you until you know it’s true but you, Cheryl Blossom, is amazing and perfect and you don’t ruin lives. You made my life better. Before you walked into it with your read shorts and fiery red hair and took my spot, I would never think of giving my time towards a Northsider. You changed that. You changed everything. You changed everything for the better.”
“I’m going here, by your side, until you tell me you don’t want me anymore. You got it? I look out for you.” I say and Cheryl is smiling once again.
She places a hand on top of mine.
“Be my girlfriend, Toni,” Cheryl says and it surprises me but I know that I want it to happen.
“What a surprise. Gazing into your eyes.” I know its cheesy but I can’t think that the lyrics fit perfectly with us.
“I swear that I still get lost in the light. No photograph could possibly show you I know.” I let the lyrics echo around the gym. Cheryl looks up at me and smiles.
Everything I’m singing is true. Nothing I can say or do can ever truly capture that enigma that is Cheryl Blossom.
“No doubts. No more fears. I see you shine and the dark disappears. Then I know everything is gonna be fine because you shine. Oh how you shine. You shine,”
I smile widely because I can see that Cheryl is realizing that she is so important and unlearning everything that her mother has been telling her for her whole life.
“No doubts. No more fears. I see you shine and the dark disappears. Then I know everything is gonna be fine because you’re mine. You shine.”
Cheryl looks at me with unshed tears. I can tell she wants to say something. I lead her up to the top of the bleaches so we can talk.
“I will be your girlfriend, Cheryl. I’d be an idiot not to say yes because you’re sensational.”
She leans in presses a gentle kiss to my lips and my hands automatically go to cup her cheeks.
“How did you know that I was here?” Cheryl asks.
“As soon as I heard what happened I came racing over, Cheryl. Plus Kevin saw that I was looking for you and about to go back to the Sister of our Quiet Mercy and kick some nun’s ass because I thought you would be back there since I heard that your mother said no to you being in the musical, so he told me that you might be at the bleachers so I left and ran all the way here.” I place my hand over hers. She sends a sad look my way.
“Toni, I..” She stops and I can see her trying to get something out but I don’t know what. I wait for her to say what she needs to say.
“You don’t have to say anything, bombshell. You didn’t pressure me to be with you. I want to be with you. It took a while but I think I finally solved the complex puzzle that is Cheryl Blossom. Cause I have no doubts about being with you. I have no fears of the other kids because alone we are so strong. You’re the head bitch in charge of the school and can make kids piss their pants with one look and I’m a serpent but together. Cheryl, that’s when we are deadly. Plus, Fangs and Sweet Pea is ready to help fight anyone who thinks us being together is wrong.”
I can only guess what Cheryl is thinking but I know I’m sure when say that Cheryl is grateful for someone wanting to know Cheryl and be friends with her without a motive other than wanting to genuinely be friends.
Cheryl looks at me oddly.
“Fangs and Sweet Pea saw how stressed I was after your mom took you to the nuns and they teased me but even before that they knew that I had a huge crush on you so I told them and they said that if any idiots tried anything if somehow Cheryl was into chics,”
Cheryl sends me a look. I raise my hands up in surrender.
“Hey, Fangs’ words not mine. But they said that they would happily knock some Northsiders out for us.”
Cheryl hugs me tightly and all I can do is hug her back just as tightly.
“Hey, Bombshell. You’re my girlfriend now which means that I’m always going to be there for you when things get tough.”
We just sit down and let the silence wash over us.
“Screw the musical. I just want to prove to everyone that I’m still me, but maybe I’m not. Toni, even Carrie White could stand up to her mother.”
Cheryl breaks the fragile silence with a confession that leaves my heart breaking.
I turn to fully face Cheryl.
“Cheryl, you’ve got to show your mother who’s in charge,” I say. Hoping that it helps. Hoping that it sparks the wildfire that is Cheryl Blossom.
“I don’t know if I can anymore. I’m not the same girl who burned down Thornhill and cut off her oxygen.” Cheryl says, defeated.
I’m blown away by how Cheryl thinks of herself, if only she got a glimpse of how I see her every day.
“Sure, you are. You’re not done playing Carrie, Cheryl. Not by a long shot.” I see something spark in Cheryl’s and I get lost in her eyes.
We stay in the bleachers until the end of the day, not that either of us cares. When the school day is over Cheryl makes me stay so I can do rehearsals since I missed most of the day while Cheryl goes home to deal with her mother.
I pray to anyone out there that Cheryl is safe and happy for the remainder of her life because god only knows she needs a little bit of happiness and for her not to be worrying about her life because of her asshole parents and uncle.