Back to the future | CHONI |

Choni Week Day One

Hey guys!

Happy Choni week. Here's my oneshot for day one! I hope you like it!

Happy reading!
Nat xx

As the birds sang outside of her window, Cheryl blinked the sleep from her eyes. Yesterday had been a whirlwind of emotions. After both she and Toni decided to watch the video of their lives before the comet hit, she had a lot of questions that she wanted answers to, but a sudden sound of beeping pulled her from her thoughts as her head twisted towards her nightstand to see a cell phone. Her cell phone.

Quickly reaching for it, she looked around her room. This wasn't the room she'd fallen asleep in last night.  Well, it was. However, it was different. This was the bedroom she remembered from 2023. Her head suddenly began to pound as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Memories from her time in the 50's mixed with the memories she had from this era.

The date on her phone proved she was back in 2023. The day after the comet hit, although everything seemed... normal. Toni sprung into her mind. They weren't together here. She was alone, and Toni was married to Fangs.

What if I'm the only one that remembers?

A notification flashed up on her phone, she didn't hesitate, opening it immediately to see a new message in their group chat.

Archie Andrews: We need to meet at Pops. Now.

Typical Archie, always trying to be the hero. It settled her to know that someone other than herself seemed alarmed though. At least she didn't feel so alone now. With seeing Toni again in mind, she got up and ready, noticing the small difference in her appearance since here, she's 8 years older.

:::

She wasn't the first to arrive at Pops, but she was sure she wasn't the last either. She didn't know if she was relieved or not that Toni or Fangs hadn't gotten here yet as she made her way over to Tabitha behind the counter.

"I thought you said you couldn't get us back here?" Cheryl asked as she leaned against the counter. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I really thought I had no choice but to leave you guys in the 50's. It must have something to do with you remembering-"

"Do we all remember?"

"Yes. Everyone I've spoken to remembers both timelines, but try not to think about it too much... it'll give you a headache."

Cheryl pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to quieten her thoughts. As backwards as everything was in the 50's at least she was with Toni and they were happy. Here she had no-one except herself. Without asking for it, Tabitha pushed a coffee towards her and nodded her head towards the others.

Kevin was sat in a booth alone, the normal liveliness of the diner was replaced by a solemn silence as her friends acknowledged her, but didn't speak. Without a word Cheryl slid into the seat across from him, reaching out to take his hand in her own. Although they were back where they technically belonged, there were people that they cared about that never lived in this timeline. Like her brother Julian and Clay.

"I don't want to be back here," Kevin said. "I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"I know..." And she did. Their lives had changed and they built bonds with people that simply weren't around anymore.

The bell above the door jingled, revealing Toni stepping into the diner with Fangs. Their eyes caught each other's straight away, and Cheryl felt like she couldn't breathe.