Knight In Shining Leather

Chapter Three

Cheryl turned around after seeing a shadow hoovering over her. The pair of eyes staring upon her were familiar and traumatizing. A man. A man she thought had killed himself was right there in front of her own eyes.

''Father?'' She asks before fainting, hitting her head on the edge of her brother's grave.

--

A few hours later Cheryl woke up, finding herself in the couch of her living room. When her eyes opened, she felt a sharp pain on her temple, making her take longer to open her eyes.

''Cheryl. Finally you are awake.'' Penelope said, rolling her eyes. ''You really need to stop being so sensitive, you can't even look at your uncle Claudius face?'' 

''Uncle Claudius..?'' Cheryl asked, her head hurting even more now. 

''Yes Cheryl, I am your father's twin brother. As you know this family has a strong lineage for twins. Long story short'' the man claiming to be Claudius Blossom stopped, sighing ''Everyone in this family has a more.... deviant side. One of the twins always tries to kill the other, for whatever reason: money, drugs, politics. My mother, your Nana Rose, sent me away for a sailing school abroad, so that the same curse didn't happen to her children. Turns out Clifford should have been the one sent away. What he did to your brother was sickening'' he finally finished.

Cheryl rolled her eyes as soon as he mentioned JJ. He probably just wanted some money and then he would disappear. 

''Don't you dare mention Jason. I don't know why you are here or why you are telling me all of this, I don't care. Save your pity talk to my mother dearest, she is needing the money anyways'' Cheryl snapped, refering to her mother's latest concubine like attitude.

She instantly reggreted that phrase when her mother slapped her.

''Have some respect you loveless anorexic. Go to your room.'' Penelope yelled, her eyes almost red with angry.

Cheryl got up as quick as she could taking in account her headache, and made her way to her room, stumbling on her feet with every other step. 

When she made it to her room, she went to the toilet and looked at her face in the mirror. Her make up was running down her cheeks, along with a stains of dried blood from her fall that no one bothered to take care of while she was passed out. She got some alcohol and cotton to clean up the wound, wincing at the burning sensation.

''I hate that woman. I wish I could escape this stupid house, this stupid life.'' Cheryl thought, remembering the day she tried to kill herself at Sweetwater River and she wished that Archie didn't break the ice, and let her drown in that freezing water so she could finally be safe from all the pain she caused to everyone.

She gazed over to the bottle of pills in her bathroom drawer. But she only took one so she could sleep peacefully and be ready for another day at school.

--

Cheryl walked along the hallway of school, everyone glancing at her wound. But no one dared to ask what had happened or comment on it with someone else. Gladly only the extra curricular students were at school at that time of the day.

Bombshell wasn't feeling so bomb today. She didn't want to go to practise. She just wanted to lay in her bed and cry all day, sulking about how miserable her life is. But before she could even ponder turning around, she was already at the gym, and Toni and Midge, the two girls that made it to the team from the try outs, and the other usual cheerleaders had already seen her.

Toni was hoping for some comment about how she was on time, but the pinked hair girl noticed Cheryl's puffy, tired eyes, the way she almost had trouble supporting her own weight, and that god awful wound. Again, no one was going to even dare to think of saying something. But Toni didn't know Cheryl well enough to know that she could never metion Cheryl's appearence. So her naive and unexperienced self ran towards the taller girl.

''Toni no!!'' Veronica tried to stop her but it was too late.

''Oh my god Cheryl, are you okay?'' Toni said, holding carefully the redhead's chin, trying to look at her wound.

''Does this girl have a death wish?''

''Can't believe she is already gonna be thrown out of the team''

Were comments the other girls made about Toni.

''Wait guys... look'' Betty said, staring at the two girls.

Unexpectadly Cheryl didnt say anything rude. She just kinda let Toni look at her.

''I am fine. I just fell on my way home. It was pretty silly''. Cheryl said so quietly even the smaller girl could barely hear, and she put on her classic smile that Toni knew wasn't genuine but she also understood why she did it.

''Are you sure you can lead practice today? Betty and Veronica can do it if you don't feel okay'' Toni said once more, pushing her luck a little and now carressing the other cheerleader's cheek.

''I will be fine, Toni.'' Cheryl let herself melt ever so slightly as the other girl touched her. Only to remember that she had a crowd of gossipy girls watching.

''What the hell are you looking at? Go warm up!'' the ''boss'' said, getting away from Toni so she could warm up herself.

To the other girls that might had been just a moment of solitude of Cheryl towards a new girl. But it was much more than that. For the first time, the princess of northside said Toni's name, and that voice lingered in her ears as if it was the most beautiful song.

Warming up as rapidly over, and the usual cheerleaders had to teach the new girls some of the basic dances they used in the Bulldogs games.

''So here we throw Cheryl in the air, she does a front flip and someone catches her bridal style.'' Veronica explained to Cheryl and Betty.

''Wait why am I the one being thrown?'' asked the redhead.

''You are the lightest of all of us.'' Veronica quickly replied not leaving much space for argue.

''Then who will catch me? Are any of you even strong enough for that?'' Cheryl anxiously asked again.

''We were thinking Toni would catch you. She is like, super strong.'' The three of them looked over to the other group of cheerleaders and saw the serpent pick a girl up by her waist.

''The fucking serpent? Really? You expect me to trust that?'' Cheryl was almost offended. She looked over her shoulder again to the supposedly strong girl. Her fit stomach accidently showing as she did a handstand. 

''Lets try it at least once and see how it goes.'' Betty said, shrugging.

''You say that because you aren't the one front fliping into death.'' with that, Cheryl got up and had a plan in mind.

''Hey Cha Cha.'' Toni immediatly turned to look at Cheryl, and when she did, the paler girl was making a bunch of twirls and jumps towards Toni.

''Catch her!!'' Betty and Veronica said as Cheryl was in the air almost landing on top of Toni. Gladly the caramel skinned girl had amazing reflects and with ease she bridal style caught the flying girl, whom had her eyes closed this whole time. When she felt the impact but not any major pain, Cheryl opened her eyes.

''Oh my god, you caught me'' Cheryl said so surprised she laughed.

''Gee, ask me on a date first, Bombshell'' Toni replied, making Cheryl chuckle a bit more.

Betty and Veronica looked at each other, even more confused now. Was Cheryl bipolar? A few days ago she was killing Toni with her eyes and now they act like they have been friends for the longest time. 

''Don't get too cocky, little serpent, just because you are carrying the hottest girl in the school doesn't mean you get to do anything with me.'' Cheryl clearly jockingly said, forgetting she was supposed to have her cold façade up.

''At least not yet.'' With a yelp, she let Cheryl get up and practice went on. This girl drove Toni crazy. She wished Cheryl never had to get off her arms.