Black Leather Jackets: College Bound

Pea and Fangs

Cheryl's POV
Classes start tomorrow so we're just hanging out in our last calm day before university officially begins. Toni's still sleeping, but I was too restless to stay in there so I'm just playing in my phone in the kitchen.
I feel hands on my hips and I jump for a second.
"Woah, it's ok babe it's just me," Toni laughs kissing my cheek
"You usually aren't this quiet," I laugh
I jump on the counter behind me and wrap my legs around her waist and my arms on her shoulder.
"You're cute," I say
She smiles and shakes her head
"It's a shame you're cuter,"
She pecks my lips and smiles
"Wanna get dressed and we can get breakfast or something?"
"Sure babe," I say
We both get dressed and ready to go. I'm wearing a black dress and T is wearing jean shorts and a flannel.
"I thought you were leaving that dress in Riverdale?" She asks
"Why? Do you not like it?"
"No I love it babe, just thought you said you'd leave it behind,"
"No I liked it,"
She kisses my cheek.
"I did want to talk to you though," I sigh
"Of course C, what's up?"
"I'm pretty sure I'm always supposed to wear the ring, but I don't want to get jumped for wearing it. I don't know if that makes sense, Nevermind," I stuttered
Stupid Cheryl, she fucking hates you now.
"Babe if you don't wear the ring all the time I'm not going to get angry," she laughs "it's expensive, I don't want someone to take it either,"
I start crying and look up at her.
"Babe, it's ok. We're ok, it's just a stupid ring I don't care whether or not you carry it with you," she says wiping my tears "I want you to feel safe,"
I nod and she kisses my forehead.
"Did you think I was going to get angry?" She asks as we walk
I nod, still crying.
"Cher, don't cry baby. I'm not angry,"
I nod and she stops and hugs me.
"You're ok C,"
"T I've been getting more dreams, worse ones and I'm always scared," I say "and the voices are back and I can't handle it,"
"Ok ok, we can deal with it, you're getting better,"
"No I'm not," I sigh
"Yes babe. You are," she says "I promise you, soon you'll be ok,"
"Don't make promises you can't keep TT,"
"I can keep it because you'll be ok,"
I nod and she presses her lips to my temple.
"If it makes you feel better, just think of your promise ring as your engagement ring, it's no different, it's just as important to me,"
"Really?" I ask
"Of course," she says "babe I don't care if you wear a ring, as long as you love me, that's all I want,"
I smile and look at my feet.
"Reggie says he'll meet us at breakfast if you want,"
"That sounds nice," I say "didn't you say the boys were coming up today,"
"They're already there," she says "let's go baby,"
"Ok,"
We walk to the little restaurant and find Pea and Fangs.
"Long time no see," Toni says hugging fangs
"Blossom, you got old," Sweetpea laughs at me
"Sweetpea it's been a week, yet you got more ugly," I laugh
He hugs me and we sit down
"So how's San Fran?" Pea asks
"It's ok," I sigh "I like the city, the people? Not so much,"
"You don't like any people," Toni laughs
"I like whoever killed Dougie,"
"Keep it down," she says
I hum and the boys laugh
"How was your stint in jail?" Pea teases
"I asserted my authority pretty quickly,"
"Alright babe calm down, you were interviewed,"
"I'm a badass!"
"You're just an ass,"
"You're an ass,"
"You two haven't changed," Fangs laughs
"Toni lost all her manners while I was in Riverdale," I sigh
We laugh and eat and show them around campus.
"Do you wanna meet some of my new teammates?" Toni asks seeing the boys up ahead
"Sure why not?" Fangs says
We walk up to them.
"Topaz what's up?" RJ asks "how are you feeling?"
"Better, I'll be ok anyways," she sighs "these are my brothers, Sweetpea and Fangs. They're up from UCLA for the day. Pea, Fangs, this is RJ, Mox, Austin, and Will,"
"Nice to meet you," Fangs says
"There's no way he is related to you Tiny," RJ says pointing at Sweetpea "he's like 7 feet tall,"
"We aren't actually related dumbass," Toni laughs "we were raised in the same gang and grew up together,"
"Cool,"
They talk for a while and I get to thinking.
Me and Toni didn't kill Dougie.
But all the boys standing in front of me right now, knew what happened, heard Toni's story, and had opportunity since where he was found was on the way to their dorms
Reggie, knew who Dougie was, knew what he looked like. He would have had the easiest time finding him. But he seemed genuinely surprised to hear he was dead the other morning, he's not a good actor.
I don't know tons of RJ, he has damage, I can tell. He genuinely cares for Toni and he seemed ok with the fact that Doug died.
The twins I think are the least likely to have done it. Both of them had the motive but they are the only ones who would have walked in the opposite direction.
Mox is a huge person. He's really nice and protective and definitely would beat dougie in a fight. I don't know if he's mean enough to murder someone and be ok.
Pea and Fangs were still in LA, I checked their phones right after the article popped up so they're out of the question.
"Babe you ok?" Toni asks
"Just thinking babe," I say "actually RJ, a word?"
He nods confused and we walk over to a bench.
"I'm going to instruct you not to talk," I say "and I'm not accusing you, Got it?"
"Uh what's this about?"
"My theory is that someone in either that little group over there, or on this bench, would have had to have killed Douglas. I think, it was you. It makes the most sense, I can tell you are a great person and I can tell you care for T. Dougie hurt her a lot, he did. And if you killed him, I would understand why. Completely because I wish it would've been me. I'm not accusing you, just theorizing, and I'm good at it. I'm really good at it. I have a lot of connections, a lot of answers. If I'm right, if you did this, you did this for Toni. For that, I would be indebted to you for the rest of my life, if you need help, if you want to talk. If it was you, talk to me. I know how to deal with this, but I would need details,"
He moves to speak.
"Don't say anything now, take a few days, or don't come back to me at all,"
I hug him
"But if it was you, Thank you, you made her, herself again," I whisper "thank you for giving her back to me,"
He hugs me back.
"Do you need to talk though?" He asks
"What do you mean?"
"Toni keeps looking at us suspiciously, you still have mascara on the bottom of your cheek and you have the same look my girlfriend gets when she's scared too," he says
"I'm scared Toni's mad at me," I say looking at my hands "I have baggage, I'm screwed up and I can't shake the feeling that I pissed her off in one way or another. I can't lose her,"
"I think you two are just fine," he says "I think, you and Toni have been through hell, but I think you're fine,"
"Can you ask her? If she's angry at me?"
"Sure," he says
We walk over.
"Hey baby," Toni says kissing my cheek "what's up?"
"Nothing T, just asking RJ about Brooklyn, apparently the Blossoms have real estate there,"
"I didn't know.."
"Neither did I," I say cutting her off "I'm going to talk to Pea,"
"Oh ok?" She says confused
She pecks my lips and I walk away.
Maybe I'm wrong for once.
Please god, let me be wrong.