Broken

How they met

Cheryl was in the hospital waiting room, pacing nervously and biting her scarlet finger nail. She'd never tell anyone, but she secretly cared for her mother and never wanted anything bad to happen to her. What was I thinking when I burned down Thornhill? She thought to herself.

Half an hour later, a nurse with a clipboard and a short black bob approaches her. "Cheryl Blossom?" She asked. "Yes?" Cheryl asked, voice full of concern. "Come see your mother." She directed the redhead to her mother's room.
Once Cheryl walked in, the doctor approached her. "Hello, Cheryl. My name is Dr. Cavillo. I have news of your mother's condition." He stated. Cheryl tried to look around him. "Where is she? What's the news? Is she okay? Is it bad? Is it good? Wha-?" Dr. Cavillo places a hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Remain calm, Cheryl. The news is ... your mother ... she didn't make it." Cheryl took a moment to absorb the information. "Oh." Was all she could say. She walked straight out of the room and went to the reception desk and asked the receptionist how big her mother's bill was. "Don't worry about that, dear. It's already been paid off." She replied. "By who?" Cheryl asked curiously.
That was the moment when Veronica Lodge walked up behind the red headed girl. "Me." She said. "You really didn't have to do that, Ronnie." Cheryl said solemnly. "But I felt awful! No one should have to go through all that you've gone through over the past few months, Cheryl." The raven haired girl admitted. "I- I don't know what to say. Thank you, V!" She said to her. Then, Cheryl embraced Veronica tightly.
"You're welcome." Veronica answered. "I'll see you at school." Cheryl said as she turned on her heel and headed to the exit.
Once the redhead walked outside and the cool air hit her skin, she ran. She ran and ran, away from the hospital, away from Thistle House, away from everything and everyone.
She found herself in an alley when she stopped running to catch her breath.
After all the adversity Cheryl had faced over the last several months, she lost it. She let one, two tears escape her eyes. She broke down and fell to her knees. Cheryl curled herself up into a ball and sobbed there for what felt like hours.
What she didn't know was there was another girl nearby who had heard her cry. And her name was Toni Topaz.

Eventually, Cheryl stopped crying. She just sat there and stared at the brick wall in front of her.
Toni decided that it was the right time to confront the sobbing girl. She turned the corner to find a tall girl in a short, white long sleeved dress with her long red locks hanging on her shoulders with her head in her hands.
"Hey." Toni started. "Are you okay?"
The queen bee looked up in anger at anyone seeing her when she was weak. "No." She spat. "Of course not. Someone that's breaking down in an alley is definitely not okay." Cheryl said spitefully.
Toni saw right through her tough girl facade. She dared to inch a bit closer to the girl. "If you ever want to talk about it, you can text me." She said as she dropped a note on Cheryl's lap. The note contained her cellular phone number. "I'm Toni, by the way." Toni said. Cheryl looked back down at her lap, then back up at the beautiful woman in front of her. "Cheryl." She managed to choke out.
"That's such a beautiful name. Cheryl. I like it." Toni complimented. Cheryl smiled for the first time in days. "Thank you." Toni returned her smile. "I was on my way to grab a bite to eat at Pop's. Did you want to come with me?" The serpent asked the cheerleader. Cheryl nodded. "At a time like this, I'd like that." She admitted. Toni offered Cheryl a hand to pull her up. Cheryl gratefully accepted it and they walked over to Toni's motorcycle. Cheryl stared in awe. She'd secretly always wanted to ride a motorcycle, but she knew that her disapproving mother would never let that happen. "Cheryl?" Toni asked. "Yeah?" Cheryl replied. "You're staring. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle before?" The brunette with pink highlights asked. The redhead shook her head.
The serpent girl got on the motorcycle and handed the cheerleader her helmet. "Just hold on to my waist and keep this helmet on." She informed Cheryl. The redhead nodded and put on the helmet as she awkwardly lifted one leg and nearly fell off. Toni caught her hand and pulled her all the way onto the bike with a smirk. Cheryl wrapped her arms around the girls middle and held on tight.
Toni started the engine and then they were speeding through the dimly lit town of Riverdale. In about half an hour, both girls were at Pop's, the Chock'Lit Shoppe.
They walked in and Cheryl ordered her usual strawberry milkshake while Toni ordered two burgers and a chocolate milkshake. Cheryl led the way to her usual booth and Toni sat down across from her.
Once they got comfortable, Toni finally asked, "So why were you crying in that alley anyway?" Cheryl sighed. She then went on to tell her about everything. Her brother's death, followed by her father's suicide, her mother's abuse, her burning of her old home, and finally, the death of her mother.
Once Cheryl finished explaining, Toni Topaz was in tears. She'd never heard a sadder sob story in her life. She hesitantly reached out to touch her hand with Cheryl's. "I am so sorry." Toni told her. Cheryl smiled. "It's okay. I'm okay now. I'm glad you found me. I can't imagine what I would've done without someone to confide in." Toni smiled. "Do you need somewhere to stay tonight?" She asked the redhead. Cheryl shook her head again.
And she regretted it. Once she got home, she saw a note in the living room from her Nana Rose.
"Cheryl, my dear.
Your Uncle Claudias and I have taken our belongings and moved to a retirement home to live out our old years. I trust you to take care of yourself and the house while I'm away. Come visit me whenever you'd like, dear.
Sincerely,
Nana Rose"

Cheryl read the note twice. Then she cried for the second time that night.
"I'm alone." Cheryl said to herself.
She then went on to have a night full of nightmares about her deceased family members and if her Uncle Claudias had kidnapped her Nana Rose.

A/N : Tell me what you though of the first chapter! I will not be going by the fact that Toni and Cheryl were once enemies. They started out as friends because I'm a softie. I'll try to update daily!
Love you all, my loves
~Peaches