9: The One Where Toni Opens Her House Up

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"why here?" Toni ask as she walks into the janitors closet where Cheryl has been living. "things haven't been the best at home." Cheryl sits down on the bench outside of the closet. "how long?" there is a moment of silence until Cheryl breaks it. "since we went to see Love, Simon. My mom locks me out if i'm to late and I was." Toni panics for a second. "Toni, you are not the reason. I kept stalling with you so I couldn't see my mom." Cheryl plays with her fingers. "well you can stay with me. It's just me and my mom. My parents got divorced when I was 10 and my dad quickly lost the custody battle." she says the last part sadly. "Toni i'm sorry." Toni shakes her head. "no my dad is a dick, he blames me for his mistakes. I don't want to talk about it right now."

"of course you can stay here." Toni's mom Jodi says as they sit down at the table. "Toni why don't you bring Cheryl's stuff up to your room." Toni nods and does exactly that. "i knew your mom in high school. She has changed a lot, like i'm surprised she did that." Jodi tells Cheryl, leaving her in shock. "what?" she ask quietly. From what other people have said she has always been a nightmare. "she was never the nicest kid in school, because she had her issues. But she also was the quiet kid in class. She never hated the serpents it was your grandfather and your father that made her act the way she does. She's had to repress her emotions for so long." toni walks in half way through all that. "wait so my mom who treats my like crap my whole life and only got worse when JJ died. Had to" she realizes what she'e hinting at. "oh god, that makes sense." Jodi looks at the time. "go upstairs dinner will be ready in about an hour." they nod get up and go upstairs. "what were you guys talking about, I walk in hal-." Cheryl stops her and pulls her into a kiss. "i really like you." Toni looks Cheryl in the eyes. "same." that's all Toni said before they kiss again.

"wait so what your saying is, you think the reason your mom is like her is because she's gay?" Toni ask a pacing Cheryl. "not gay. Bi maybe. Maybe that's what she meant when she said she say me in her." Cheryl stops. "what?" she pulls Cheryl closer. There is a knock on the door. "Antoinette." She quickly stops herself. "Toni! Sorry. You have therapy tomorrow after school." Toni nods. "thanks." She says quietly. Jodi walks out. She never likes being called Antoinette, she also wasn't used to it. she also tries to forget that she goes to therapy or has to deal with the aftermath her dad left on her. "Toni." Cheryl notices that she is upset. "i don't want to talk about it." Toni gets up and walks to the door. "where are you going?" Cheryl ask. "the couch." she storms out. Luckily Cheryl knew when Toni wants to be left alone, so she respects that. Jodi knocks on the door. "Toni's downstairs." the door opens. "I know, I wanted to talk to you." Jodi sits on the bed. "i'm guessing Toni has told you that her father in no longer in the picture." Cheryl nods to show she is listing. "well, she's not mine. Like she is but I didn't have her. She came from his previous marriage, she didn't speak until she was 15. because of her father and his abuse and she doesn't talk about what happened. Could you talk to her?" Cheryl thinks for a minuet.

Cheryl walks into the blue and gold where Toni was typing away. "T." she picks up a pen to play with. Toni looks up. "what?" she ask clearly frustrated. "i'm going to be honest . Your mom wants me to talk to you about your childhood. I'm not going to make you because I get it if it's uncomfortable." Toni rolls her eyes, gets up and closes the door so no one can hear or see them. "i hate talking about this but i'm going to. I might as well." she sits on the table in front of Cheryl. "my birth mom died when I was 3, I don't really remember her. I was left with my father he blames me for her death, he would abuse me I don't want to get into how. But was afraid that if I talked something bad would happen so I just didn't." Toni play with her hands telling Cheryl things she's never said before. There was a few minuets of silence until Cheryl broke it. "is that why you go to therapy?" Toni nods. "i get picked up around 1 to go to therapy for 4 hours." Cheryl looks at her confused. "4 hours?" she questions. "2 hours are emotional therapy, 1 hour physical therapy and 1 hour speech." Toni confesses she tries to forget that she has to do with every week. "why physical?" she ask confused. Toni stands up. "i don't want to talk about it." Toni has always been to herself and Cheryl understands that. "ok, I get it. Your lucky you have a mom that cares about you and loves you. I don't think I can say my mother loves me." Toni walks over to Cheryl and cups her cheek. "Cheryl." she felt bad for Cheryl, she aways has. "is that why you understood what hell I was going through at home?" Cheryl ask looking up from her hands. "yeah. I get you a lot, not including the whole being rich thing but I get how it feels to loose someone important to you, I get how it feels to be abused, I get it and you will get through it. And I will be with you every step of the way." Cheryl smiles and pulls Toni into a kiss. "Cheryl, you need to hide your mom is here!" Jughead comes running into the room. Cheryl and Toni pull away quickly, having not told anyone about the romance. "Cheryl Marjorie Blossom." to late. Penelope walks into the room. "you." she points at Toni. "your the one corrupting my daughter, making her think such deviant thoughts. She will never love you. She's loveless." Cheryl turns around not able to face her mother. Toni being stubborn and cocky walks closer to the old hag. "at least I care about her. It took you a month to find her." Cheryl turns around. "Toni." Toni shakes her head. "No, i'm not letting her bully you. At least I am open about who I am and don't make Cheryl hide who she is." Penelope's face starts going red. "this is not over." She storms out slamming the door behind her. Toni looks over at Cheryl. "everything ok?" Toni ask. "thank you. No one has ever stuck up to me like that. Like yeah JJ did but that's different." Toni walks over to Cheryl. "How many times am I going to have to tell you how sensational you are? Your mother doesn't matter, you are not her. You are so much better than her and your family. Cheryl." Toni cups her cheek to they make eye contact. "You are sensational and don't let anyone tell you other wise. Unless it's good obviously." Cheryl cracks a small smile. Toni pulls her into a kiss. "Do you want to go to pops after I go to therapy?" Cheryl nods. "Yeah."

"How was it?" Cheryl ask as Toni sits down at the booth. "Bad. My mom picked me up everything was fine. I got there and pretty much had the worst panic attack ever. And I have one everyday." Cheryl takes Toni's hand. "It's ok." Thats all Toni needed to hear. For once someone doesn't think she's crazy for having a panic attack everyday because something she does or sees or hears, triggers something in her head. "I get it. Obviously I don't know exactly how it feels but for a while after Jason died everything reminded me of him even Archie. And my parents are not the best people either but at least you have a mother that loves you. I can't say the same." Cheryl looks down. "How was as everything else?" Cheryl ask changing the subject. "Fine, physical therapy was fine it hurt obviously, speech was fine. Not much happened, I red out loud. Nothing interesting." Cheryl smiles and plays with Toni's hand. "Why are you in physical therapy." Cheryl ask softly. "I got in a motorcycle accident a few months ago and I lost feeling in my right arm." She looks down. "I don't want to talk about it. I can move my arm it just feels like it is asleep."

"Your working on this?" Cheryl ask as they walk into the garage. "Yeah I kinda had to put a stop to it though after the accident." Toni had spent the past year building a car. "It gets my mind off of what my dad did to me, but since I can't really use my arm I put a hold to it." Cheryl walks around the car looking at it. "Did you just want to show me?" She ask. Toni walks over. "Well I was thinking since your my girlfriend." Cheryl interrupts her. "Hold up." Toni looks up. "Oh I knew I forgot to do something. Will you be my girlfriend?" Cheryl just smiles and nods. "Of course." Toni smiles and kisses her now girlfriend. "You were talking about  the car." Toni claps her hands. "Yes! Since you are my girlfriend I figured you could help me?" Cheryl thinks for a second. "Are you asking me to be a hand because you can't use one?" Toni nods. "Yeah. Until I get completely in my arm than you just be my girlfriend helping me. If that makes sense."Cheryl nods and blushes. "Your lucky I know what I'm doing."

They both quietly walk into the kitchen after a long night in the garage. They did more making out than working on the car. Jodi turns on the light. "Mom!" Toni yells startled. "Hey. Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." She goes and grabs a glass. "What took you so long?" She ask, Both Cheryl and Toni burst out laughing. "Stuff." Toni says awkwardly. Jodi looks back. "Hey stuff." She says at Cheryl. "I'm going to bed." She goes upstairs. "We didn't have sex. You know what it's like for me." Jodi walks over to her daughter. "I'm not going to stop you. It's your body, Toni 6 months ago you weren't comfortable saying hi to a girl. Go to bed." She kisses Toni on the top of the head. "Goodnight." Toni walks upstairs.

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